‘The Bold and the Beautiful’: John McCook & Jennifer Gareis on Eric and Donna’s Wedding & His Health

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Eric Forrester’s (John McCook) relatives on The Bold and the Beautiful might have had a leg to stand on in the past when it came to objecting to the patriarch’s relationship with Donna Logan (Jennifer Gareis), his ex-wife. But no more. Donna stood beside Eric during his recent health crisis. And while physicians Finn (Tanner Novlan) and Bridget (Ashley Jones) played a vital role in conducting the experimental procedure that saved Eric’s life, Donna’s love shouldn’t be discounted. Eric has no plans of doing so. In fact, he’s now proposed to the woman he loves, and the two are about to tie the knot in (where else?) the Forrester mansion.

TV Insider chatted with the bride and groom about the wedding and what makes the relationship between their characters so special. Grab a piece of wedding cake and read on for what the actors have to say about tying the knot for a second time.

This is about time! We’ve been waiting for Eric and Donna to remarry longer than we’ve wanted Pam (Alley Mills) and Charlie (Dick Christie) to get married!

John McCook: [Laughs] Pam and Charlie…that’s funny.

Jennifer Gareis: I’ve waited a decade for this to happen.

We truly saw Donna’s love for Eric when she thought she might lose him.

Gareis: Donna has a genuine love for Eric. She doesn’t want anything from it. She just truly loves him. She’s head over heels. She’s selfless about it. All she wants is to be with Eric. It’s a pure love.

McCook: I absolutely agree. There’s nothing underlying. In the past, everyone has looked at her as if Donna had an agenda. Stephanie [Susan Flannery] did. I think most everybody did. But Eric never suspected that. They were being overly protective, but it could be nasty at times.

Gareis: [Laughs] Well, you appear in lingerie every other day and people start to suspect an agenda! [Laughs]  Donna has a pure heart. She really does.

Donna won a lot of folks over after she put up a new portrait over the Forrester fireplace – not of herself but of Eric.

Gareis: Donna has always put Eric first. That’s how it should be. You put your partner’s feelings first. I think her putting the portrait of Eric over the fireplace was the first time his family thought that this girl is for real. Donna’s always felt that she was but she didn’t convince anyone till then.

Courtesy of JPI Studios, Inc./Howard Wise

McCook: I agree. Now, we have this situation where Donna and Eric get married. There should be a [portrait] of them together over the fireplace. That would send a message to everyone.

The wedding looks like it’s taking place – where else – in the Forrester mansion. Viewers poke fun at that being the go-to locale but weddings (or near-weddings) have been going on there for decades. Why is it good that this wedding is there?

Gareis: Well, Eric’s health is one good reason! His doctor isn’t going to let him go anywhere right now. He can’t take me off to Monte Carlo – although, we could do that this summer when he gets better! [Laughs]

McCook: That sounds like a great idea to me! The tradition of weddings happening there becomes cliché but it does on other shows, too. The point is – how is this one different? There’s a lightheartedness to this one. We’ve come from a dark, fraught time that took place over months. Now, there’s a kind of turning of the page. There’s lightness and a positive feeling. Even though it’s in the same room as 20 other weddings has been, this one is different.

Gareis: Very different. It’s spontaneous and fun. And there was a lot of laughter going on that day.

John, your work in this recent storyline – where Eric faced his mortality – was just terrific. Are you thinking about which scenes you’ll submit for next year’s Daytime Emmys?

McCook: The [Daytime] Emmys will be coming up soon. We’re used to waiting a whole year between shows, but last year’s was in December [due to the strikes]. Now, it’ll be here before we know it.  I really don’t [choose my reel]. I depend very much on Casey [Kasprzyk, Supervising Producer], Ed Scott [Supervising Producer], and Eva [Basler, Vice President, Communications & Talent Relations]. A lot of good scenes were done last year, but yes, I’ll contend.

The show handed you a big emotional storyline, and you delivered.

McCook: My experience with this storyline has been wonderful. It’s always wonderful to get a great storyline. What I love about this is that I’ve been able to work with Jen so closely. What I love about working with her and have always enjoyed about her is that has exploded and gotten so much bigger. I’m so in love with the work she does, and I see how it’s important to her. She’s invested so much of her emotional life into Donna and Eric.

Gareis: That’s so sweet. I enjoy working with you, John.

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