As one of two original cast members still leading the pack on The Bold and the Beautiful, Katherine Kelly Lang is no stranger to Emmy nights or Emmy nominations. She's been bringing the formidable Brooke Logan to life since 1987 and earned herself six Emmy nods along the way, with the sixth coming just last week after the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Award nominations were announced.
Lang wasn't even sure what to submit to the television academy this year, leading to shock when she learned she was nominated.
"I was really pleasantly surprised," Lang told Soap Central's Dan J Kroll of learning about her nomination in the Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress category. "I didn't expect it at all. I just wasn't sure what I was gonna submit, and then I wasn't thrilled because I'm very, very picky and very critical of my work when it comes to trying to pick something for the Emmys. All of a sudden, I hate everything -- I think because the pressure is so intense."
Ultimately, Lang got some help deciding what to submit from B&B Supervising Producer Casey Kasprzyk and publicist Eva Basler. In a year when Brooke and longtime rival Taylor Hayes became temporary BFFs, Lang ended up choosing the end of that unusual and entertaining friendship for her reel. Brooke learned that Taylor was trying to get Deacon to romance her again, leading Brooke to rightfully conclude that Taylor wanted Ridge back after both women swore they wanted nothing more to do with him romantically.
"It was the back-to-back shows with, I had two shows in a row," Lang explained. "So, I just submitted those two that were the scenes of Brooke confronting Taylor and ultimately, their friendship coming to an end by the end of those shows. So, there was like a lot of confusion on Brooke's side. A lot of hurt. She was genuinely hurt, she was frustrated, and then of course, angry. So, there was, there was a lot going on. It was good confrontational scenes with Krista."
While Lang was understandably thrilled by her own nomination, she was just as excited for her B&B co-stars. The half-hour drama tied with its sister soap, The Young and the Restless, for the most nominations this year, with each show receiving twelve. The sheer number of nods B&B received made Lang anticipate awards night even more, as well as the traditional leading ladies lunch hosted by the previous year's winner.
"Since our show has so many nominations this year, it's gonna just feel like home, you know, it's gonna feel just really welcoming," the actress said. "So, it'll be a big B&B group and then the other ladies that are nominated."
Speaking of those other nominated ladies, Lang is in good B&B company, as her on-screen daughter, Annika Noelle, also earned a nomination for her portrayal of Hope Logan. In fact, Lang admitted that she may have been more excited seeing Noelle's name on the nominee list than her own.
"I was so happy for her because she, you know, there's a few years I thought that she really deserved some accolades, but this year, I'm just so happy that she's in there," Lang said. "I love working with her. We have a really good chemistry... as characters and as mother and daughter and on the set. And I think I'm just thrilled. I know how hard she works and how serious she is about it. So, this is, it was really special to see her up there."
Lang still hasn't figured out what she will wear when the June 7 Emmys roll around but said she would be thinking about it soon.
"It's a last-minute decision, but it shouldn't be, but it is like, I'm still trying to process that I even got nominated," she said. "So, I need to kind of let that sink in for a couple weeks, and I'll probably start thinking about how I'm gonna go about this as far as hair and makeup and wardrobe and all the specifics. But yeah, that's all part of it, too, and you always wanna look your best and maybe look a little different than you did last time, you know, that kind of thing."
In the end, the actress has a very special message for her fans who have shown her an outpouring of love and support through the years and since the nominations were announced.
"I'm so happy to see their excitement, and every single message, even if I can't respond to them all, means so much to me, and I do try to read them all even though I can't respond to them all," Lang confessed. "So, just know that you didn't go unnoticed. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart, sending me congratulations and love and support."
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