Can Devon & Elena’s Romance Survive an Amanda/Hilary Reveal? Brytni Sarpy Weighs In
Q&A
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They’ve got the same blood type and almost the same birthday. And they look so much alike. Very few Young and the Restless viewers will be surprised when the DNA tests come back to discover that Amanda Sinclair and the late Hilary Curtis Hamilton, both played by Daytime Emmy-nominee Mishael Morgan, are not only related, but are twin sisters.
This revelation will Devon’s (Bryton James) interest in the legal eagle as she’s not only the doppelganger of his late wife, but she’s also his sister-in-law.
Will the news shake the foundation of the Devon/Elena (Brytni Sarpy) romance? Or should Devon be curious about Elena’s growing friendship with Nate (Sean Dominic)? TV Insider chatted with Sarpy about her current storyline and also doing double duty as Rianna on OWN’s The Haves and Have Nots. Read on for the scoop.
How is it being back at Y&R? Do you feel all the protocols are in place so you can get the job done?
Brytni Sarpy: Yes. They are really stepping up. It’s an incredibly safe environment. Hats off to everyone involved and I’m so glad that we’re working. Being back definitely has its challenges. We rehearse wearing masks unless it’s myself and Bryton [Note: the two actors are in a relationship off-screen.] It’s been challenging but so worth it. We’re lucky to [be back at work].
Hilary and Amanda are likely going to be revealed as long-lost twins. I think once we learned Amanda had grown up in foster care…
Yes. I think this has been in the back of everyone’s mind. Amanda is the spitting image of Hilary. We’ve been talking about this a lot. It’s been like this little time bomb that we’ve been waiting to see explode.
How has Elena felt about all this?
I think she had put it in the back of her mind. She’s been focusing on her work – her relationship [with Devon] and the clinic. Once it’s confirmed that there’s a connection, her security level related to her relationship with Devon may plummet.
Devon and Hilary (Johnny Vy/CBS)
How important is Nate to Elena these days?
His stepping up and being an integral part of the clinic has caused Elena to up her level of admiration for him. They work at the clinic together. He’s become Elena’s confidante with any issues she has related to Devon. Now, she’ll likely have another reason to lean on him. Nate and Elea have grown more comfortable with each other due to the fact that they’re always around one another.
They read each other’s moods. They have a friendly banter…
Yes. There’s a certain guard that Elena lets down around Nate. She can talk to him about how she feels. There may be some things she can say to him that she’s not always able to say to Devon. It can be hard to talk about certain vulnerabilities [with the person you’re in a relationship with].
Will Elena be surprised once it’s revealed there’s a family tie between Amanda and the late Hilary?
Elena had an idea of what the answer is going to be given how identical they look and that Amanda comes from a foster background. Elena’s just now getting over healing from the [emotional] earthquake she experienced with Devon when he thought he was seeing her ghost.
Real-life couples, such as yourself and Bryton, can have added rooting value with fans because of the off-screen relationship in addition to the on-screen one. However, Bryton and Mishael – as Hilary not necessarily Amanda – have a big fan base, too. Do you see any of this factoring into story?
I think Bryton’s and my chemistry is just as strong, just as powerful. It’s solid and it’s real. From what I understand about Hilary and Devon, there was a lot more fighting going on between them. Their relationship was tumultuous. Devon and Elena, I feel, are more solid.
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Feels like forever and just yesterday at the same damned time… Happy 1 year @brytonejames 🍾🖤🍯
It’s not just a triangle, but more of a quadrangle when you factor in Nate. What do you think will happen next?
We’ll see what happens. I think Mishael Morgan is doing a great job adding nuances to Amanda’s character that make Amanda very different from Hilary. It’s almost a situation with a totally different person – even though that person, Amanda, is played by the same actress.
How are you juggling – or how did you juggle — Y&R and The Haves and the Have Nots?
I actually started filming my story arc two years ago in 2018! I was still [on General Hospital as Valerie].
Can you tell me about your character?
I play Rianna. She’s getting out of an abusive relationship. She’s dealing with some negativity. She’ll have an interaction with one of the prominent players on the show, which will cause a rift. Things will get more and more explosive. I have a 10-episode arc on the show.
Tyler Perry executive produces, writes, and directs the series – what’s it like working under a singular visionary?
He has an insane work ethic. I’ve never seen anything like it. In soaps, we do about 40 to 60 items (scenes) a day. I thought daytime was regimented by this was far more. We did about 90 items each day. It’s a lot more material. Tyler gets driven around to each set and he knows what he’s shooting. He does 100% of it – 100% of the writing and directing. He’s there for every single item. He can change things and we’ll do retakes [but that’s because] he has full leadership of the entire process. He knows how to run the whole thing.
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The Haves and the Have Nots, Tuesdays, 8/7c, OWN
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