Y&R's Thad Luckinbill Talks Returning To Daytime And What's Next For J.T.
After seven years away from Genoa City, the actor is set to reprise the role of J.T. Hellstrom.
Posted on Dec 15, 2017 | 09:00am
It's been seven years since Thad Luckinbill appeared on The Young And The Restless as J.T. Hellstrom, whom he portrayed from 1999 to 2010.
When Thad first appeared on the show in 1999, his character J.T. was still in high school, but, over the course of a decade, he experienced multiple compelling storylines (and no shortage of love interests). Upon his departure, J.T. left Genoa City to move to Washington, D.C. with his wife, Mackenzie. But now he's back and ready for the next chapter.
We caught up with Thad over the phone, where he told us about returning to reprise the role of J.T. Hellstrom on Y&R, and what viewers can expect to see in coming episodes.
You were on Y&R for about 11 years. How's it feel to be returning?
Thad Luckinbill: [Laughs.] It feels good! A lot of it feels the same. At the same time, obviously things have changed. People have matured and aged and that’s kind of cool too. Characters have changed a bit. It's fun.
What's it been like for you on set since coming back?
Thad: It's been great! Nothing's changed that much in regards to how we work, and a lot of the same people are still here, which is great for me. It’s like a reunion. There’s a lot of camaraderie.
What prompted your return?
Thad: We'd talked about doing it a couple of times after I left. I was always doing other things, whether it was producing or acting, so it sort of kept me from being able to come back for a reasonable amount of time and actually do a story. So this time it just worked out. I had a good block of time [free].
Can you catch us up on what led to J.T.'s leaving Genoa City in 2010?
Thad: My character married Mac, who is Katherine Chancellor's (Jeanne Cooper) granddaughter on the show. Our characters had started together on the show all those years ago as high school kids. We got married and moved away to D.C.
Will your upcoming storyline on Y&R offer any context to what you were doing in D.C.?
Thad: Yeah! A lot of that is stuff you're going to see pretty quickly.
When [J.T.] left, he had been working for Paul Williams as a detective, [and] I'd done security for Newman [Enterprises]. This is not the interesting part of the story, but I’m pretty sure that's what he'd been doing in [D.C.] as well.
He obviously had some kids with Mac and started a family. So you pick up on some of that when J.T. comes back to Genoa City. He [also] has a son with Victoria, who is currently in Genoa City.
Can you give us any teasers to what J.T.'s upcoming storyline will entail?
Thad: J.T. returns to Genoa City to handle some unfinished business which includes connecting with his son, Reed.
Watch all-new episodes of The Young and the Restless Weekdays on CBS and CBS All Access.
When Thad first appeared on the show in 1999, his character J.T. was still in high school, but, over the course of a decade, he experienced multiple compelling storylines (and no shortage of love interests). Upon his departure, J.T. left Genoa City to move to Washington, D.C. with his wife, Mackenzie. But now he's back and ready for the next chapter.
We caught up with Thad over the phone, where he told us about returning to reprise the role of J.T. Hellstrom on Y&R, and what viewers can expect to see in coming episodes.
You were on Y&R for about 11 years. How's it feel to be returning?
Thad Luckinbill: [Laughs.] It feels good! A lot of it feels the same. At the same time, obviously things have changed. People have matured and aged and that’s kind of cool too. Characters have changed a bit. It's fun.
What's it been like for you on set since coming back?
Thad: It's been great! Nothing's changed that much in regards to how we work, and a lot of the same people are still here, which is great for me. It’s like a reunion. There’s a lot of camaraderie.
What prompted your return?
Thad: We'd talked about doing it a couple of times after I left. I was always doing other things, whether it was producing or acting, so it sort of kept me from being able to come back for a reasonable amount of time and actually do a story. So this time it just worked out. I had a good block of time [free].
Can you catch us up on what led to J.T.'s leaving Genoa City in 2010?
Thad: My character married Mac, who is Katherine Chancellor's (Jeanne Cooper) granddaughter on the show. Our characters had started together on the show all those years ago as high school kids. We got married and moved away to D.C.
Will your upcoming storyline on Y&R offer any context to what you were doing in D.C.?
Thad: Yeah! A lot of that is stuff you're going to see pretty quickly.
When [J.T.] left, he had been working for Paul Williams as a detective, [and] I'd done security for Newman [Enterprises]. This is not the interesting part of the story, but I’m pretty sure that's what he'd been doing in [D.C.] as well.
He obviously had some kids with Mac and started a family. So you pick up on some of that when J.T. comes back to Genoa City. He [also] has a son with Victoria, who is currently in Genoa City.
Can you give us any teasers to what J.T.'s upcoming storyline will entail?
Thad: J.T. returns to Genoa City to handle some unfinished business which includes connecting with his son, Reed.
Watch all-new episodes of The Young and the Restless Weekdays on CBS and CBS All Access.