Brytni Sarpy teases what's next for Elena and more in our exclusive interview! Read More Here>>>
Photo Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS
By: Angela Ryan-Duncan
Elena’s been going through some things on The Young and the Restless but her portrayer, Brytni Sarpy, is living her best life. We recently got to sit down with Brytni for a lovely conversation about what’s ahead for Elena, her time on General Hospital, and so much more! Keep reading to find out what she shared!
Soap Opera News: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us today. Let’s just right in and go back to the beginning, how did acting happen for you?
Brytni Sarpy: That love story started in high school. I was accepted into an honors acting program without any prior experience and that quick momentum felt like a pretty good sign, that I was where I was meant to be. That led to college- I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting at UC Santa Barbara, where I fell deeply in love with theater performance. After graduating, I switched my emphasis to film and television and headed back to LA, and started auditioning.
SON: You went from General Hospital to The Young and the Restless. What were the differences and similarities between both shows?
Sarpy: Definitely more differences than similarities. General Hospital was my first introduction to consistency in this field, and it was also my intro to soaps. I played Valerie Spencer. Niece to some iconic players on the show and an embodiment of a wears-her-heart-on-her-sleeve-emotionally-charged-twentysomething-year-old. Reminiscent of her portrayer, once upon a time.
But I think because I dove into the character of Elena (Young & The Restless) in my thirties, she’s a little closer to who I am now. Elena is more mature and exudes the energy of a woman finding her truth and strength in her thirties. Similarly, they both had some pretty traumatic mommy issues in their backstory, absentee fathers, and infidelity in relationships. It's been artistically invigorating to challenge the norms of how people respond in these situations and find the nuance and specificity in differentiating the two characters, with seemingly similar backgrounds.
SON: What were your favorite storylines with both characters?
Sarpy: For Valerie, right off the bat, being able to work with Anthony Geary (Luke, General Hospital) was a true masterclass. What I mean is, he keeps you on your toes, pushing you to LISTEN and not just recite lines, and basically allow yourself to lean into the spontaneity of working with such a fluid actor. In that storyline, he kidnapped me as his alter ego, which was really challenging and exciting to execute. I loved playing out the physical exertion and drama of being kidnapped and then attempting to kill Luke.
I also really enjoyed the story arc of Devon (Bryton James) and Elena on The Young and the Restless. I enjoyed the trouble Elena got into being a cheater who was never a true villain, but who humanized her bad actions, and gave the audience a chance to understand the “why” in our (her) actions. I think that's always my point in these stories- to discover the most human elements of my character’s choices, because life is not black and white, it’s multifaceted.
SON: I know that you can’t give away too much but can you give us any teases about what might be next for Elena?
Sarpy: I can say that I hope we start switching gears and focus on something outside of her current entanglement, with Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Nate (Sean Dominic).
SON: There was a recent scene with Elena and Nick (Joshua Morrow) that caused a lot of buzz.
Sarpy: I really enjoyed the dialogue in those scenes, there was actually a good bit of it that was cut, that was pretty funny. In the first breakup with Devon, there was a lot of crying. And now with her breakup with Nate, there’s an understanding that she's made it to the other end of her karma. I appreciate in her scenes with Nick, that she doesn't feel sorry for herself this time around, and she can (almost) laugh about it, that really solidifies character growth. I also always enjoy working with Josh, who is an effortless legend on set.
SON: Ok, dream storyline for Elena?
Sarpy: Because Elena is a doctor who's always exhausted from her residency, it would be really timely and realistic if she developed a dependency on pharmaceuticals. Especially considering how readily available they are to a doctor.
I think it could be a really interesting storyline to see more layers of her and see her make a very wrong decision and struggle through it. I’d also love to see some story about her father, just some development of who that character could be. Are they someone that's already on the playing field? Are they adjacent to Genoa City? Options are endless.
SON: Do you have any other projects you're currently working on or have coming down the pipeline?
Sarpy: I've been working on a movie that I starred in, then went on to help produce, The Prince of Detroit. There is a limited theatrical release June 23rd, in 40 AMC theaters across the US (check your local listing).
SON: We will definitely share that. What about non-acting hobbies?
Sarpy: I think everyone knows that I’m obsessed with yoga and hiking. Those are my forever loves, for sure.
SON: One last question before we go, any message you’d like to share with your soap fans?
Sarpy: Just a big old thank you, deeply and sincerely. I feel humbled to continually work with such talented souls in this business and art form. I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I love for a living.
We had so much fun talking to Brytni and hope you’ve enjoyed what she shared with us. Watch Y&R weekdays on CBS and catch up anytime on CBS.com and Paramount+.
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