Victoria Rowell is on a crusade to expose what really goes down behind the scenes of daytime televisions top-rated soap opera 'The Young and the Restless.'And it's not the thinly-veiled, campy drama that she touches upon with her latest tome, 'Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva,' either.
Backstage at Steve Harvey's 8th Annual Hoodie Awards in Las Vegas, the 11-time NAACP Image Award winner talked exclusively to Blackvoices.com about the discrimination she suffered while on the set of the CBS serial.
From white actresses running around with an "afro wig" and spitting in her face on set, to wardrobe staffers making the black actors keep the tags on their clothes so they can return them, Rowell tells it all.
The Portland, Maine broke down her mission to stop, what she refers to as, "soap opera apartheid."
Watch the provocative video interview below.
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
Victoria Rowell is more than just your average soap opera actress; A true renaissance woman, she has written two books, starred in television shows including 'The Ghost Whisperer,' 'All of Us' and 'Noah's Arc' and appeared in a number of movies, including 'Home of the Brave,' 'Eve's Bayou,' 'Motives' and 'Barb Wire.' She's also a staunch advocate for foster care, and women's issues.
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
Her full name is Victoria "Vicki" Lynn Rowell. She was born in Portland, Maine, on May 10, 1959.
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
When she was 8, Rowell began ballet lessons. She received a Ford Foundation scholarship to study at the Cambridge School of Ballet.
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
When Rowell was just 16 days old, she, along with her two sisters, Sheree and Lori, was surrendered to child services after her schizophrenic mother left her and her siblings unsupervised.
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
During the 1980s, Rowell became an in-demand runway and catalog model. She began to take acting lessons and earned featured roles on television shows such as 'The Cosby Show.'
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
In 1990, Rowell was cast as a hood-rat-turned-fashion model Drucilla Barber on the long-running CBS soap opera 'The Young and the Restless.'
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
Rowell's first marriage was to Tom Fahey in 1989. A daughter named Maya is a product of their union, which ended in divorce the following year.
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
On 'The Young and the Restless,' Rowell's character fell in love and married Neil Winters, who is played by veteran soap actor Kristoff St. John.
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
The trajectory of Drucilla Barber and Neil Winters is quite interesting. Before the two became lovebirds, they schemed and plotted to break up the relationship between her physician sister Olivia and her detective boyfriend Nathan.
Victoria Rowell : Through The Years
During the early-1990s, Rowell had a long-term romantic relationship with world-renowned jazz luminary Wynton Marsalis. A son, Jasper, is the product of their union.



Comments: (60)
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By: "DimePiece" on 9/10/2010 11:44AM
WOW? I thought she left the show because she had wanted to do something else like writing ect...? I am disappointed in hearing about Heather Thomas I really did like her part as "Nikki" on their. And as far as Philyis, I never did like her on that show and was hoping yesterday, that she was the one to be killed on Y&R? I was really hoping? I do agree, a lot of changes need to be made. I am tired of how they have black actors and black actresses act on their show like their stupid and don't really have good story lines? Every time when the new "Malcolm" is on their with black actress named on the show "Sophia" it reminds me of "Color Purple" for some reason? There lines are stupid. Neil took a break from the show, didn't anybody noticed? I'm not sure if he is coming back. I hope he does. I wish that the real Malcolm, "Shemar Moore" would have came back? Now, he was a natural,could act that part, and was HANDSOME! I remember a year or more ago, there was rumor that Victoria was coming back? I guess, if there isn't any changes she won't? I don't blame her. Keep ya head up Victoria, your day will come again!
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By: Honi on 9/10/2010 12:19PM
I applaud Ms. Rowell for standing up for diversity. She is beautiful, strong, and smart and proudly American.
@Marlene - What is a hybrid?
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By: slimgoody on 9/10/2010 2:00PM
well i have to say im taking ericks side on this topic..and i am a black woman...
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By: poetrysez on 9/13/2010 11:04AM
Too many diehard fans, so without a letter writing campaign or petition stating all of the changes that the YTR needs to make, there won't be any changes, because the Y&TR is still the top rated soap, and watched soap worldwide by black people.Black people continue to be this soap's biggest market.
The sad thing is that Victoria has been talking about this for years ( every since leaving the soap)...yet black folks continue to watch the Y&TR. Maybe this is the first time she spoke of it on BV.
For the entire diehard Y&TR fans...if you go to the CBS and Young and the Restless websites, and voice your concerns, you'll get better
results.
One time I was flicking channels and happened to see Eddy Winslow on there, and I continued to watch for a couple of more minutes but I’ve never been an avid watcher of the Y&TR. But I still believe that there should be a letter writing campaign before an actually boycott. And for the record a boycott only works if enough people boycott (check the Y&TR ratings for yourself).
I wrote a respectful but concerned letter to CBS now I'm going to voice my conerns on their websites.
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By: dcsnina on 10/30/2010 3:25AM
There is a petition for Victoria on Facebook. Please log in and sign.
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By: Shelly on 9/14/2010 8:51AM
Since the stupid a** moderators at SOC deleted the thread with this post I will post my comments here. I feel that Victoria is entitled to express her opinion without bias. It is Y&R's choice to not respond to her allegations. Does that make her wrong? How about those wretched looking raggedy wigs they place on all of the African American actresses heads? Why? Because they're too cheap to hire a stylist that can do black hair? Yet they can keep up with all of this stunt casting and bringing in big name actors. I call BS just like VR does. There are none so blind as those who will not see!
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By: Jeanette Davis on 9/15/2010 11:57AM
Victoria, from her first appearance on the scene (and I am old enough to remember when she first arrived as an ingenue), has always acknowledged her black heritage, her struggles as a child placed in many foster homes, her black foster parents contributions to her rising above her circumstances, and starting and supporting her foundation for foster children. If anyone wants to criticize her, do so for valid reasons, not falsehoods or rumors. She is an outstanding black woman who has put her career on the line to expose discrimination where we didn't know it to be so deeply ingrained. There are no grounds for any accusations of crossing over for benefit regarding Victoria. All those wanting to do so must look for another target.
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By: rochelle on 10/01/2010 7:38PM
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED VICTORIA ROWELL. MS. ROWELL I SAY TO YOU BRAVO FOR SPEAKING UP, I'M SO GLAD THAT SOMEONE HAS A BACKBONE AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT FACT THAT RACISM STILL EXSIST IN HOLLYWOOD. HOW DARE THEY TREAT THIS WELL CLASSY,ROUNDED WOMAN WITH SUCH BLANTANT DISRESPECT! MS.ROWELL I PROUD OF YOU FOR STANDING YOUR GROUND AND FOR KEEPING CLASSY AND NOT TRASHY! THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS HASN'T BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT HER AND TO BE HONEST I HAVEN'T WATCHED IN QUITE SOMETIME. I TRULY HOPE THE ACTING COMMUNITY DOESN'T CONTINUE TO BLACKBALL MS.ROWELL THE TRUTH HURTS
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By: LaKeisha on 12/20/2010 6:56AM
She look stoned.
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By: tamara on 4/16/2012 2:43AM
i figured that the african americans on day time tv soaps were treated different from the white actors and actresses if that was me that got spit on and made to keep the tags on my costumes i would have made a call to mr bell i also had took noticed that the hair do's on the african american actresses look like the stylist did not put any efford into making the african american actresses hair look beautiful if i was on that show i would have with the permission of mr bell set up a little meeting with the hair stylist and discussed the issue and i would also would have told mr bell about the wardrobe issue and about the short air time that the african american actors get mrs rowell you have my support 100% if this treatment of the african american actors continues eventought im not an actor yet i might just contact cbs myself and confront this
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