Daytime TV Performer of the Week: ‘Y&R’s Courtney Hope Shines as Sally Reveals Some Holiday Heartache

Most people cut pieces of tape to put on wrapping paper for Christmas. The Young and the Restless actress Courtney Hope, as the unsinkable Sally Spectra, cut open a vein or two this holiday season.

On Christmas Eve, Hope played Sally as a bit nervous being around Billy’s (Jason Thompson) family — his kids, Johnny (Paxton Mishkind) and Katie (Sienna Mercuri), understandably so. His ex-wife, Victoria (Amelia Heinle) was there, too. Hope’s subtle body language communicated that Sally wanted to fit in with Billy’s family.

Even holiday episodes on soaps have some angst. Alone with Vicki, Sally confided in Billy’s ex that his hurt and anger for Victor (Eric Braeden) ran deep. She commented that Billy’s rage is right there on the surface.

Sally also shared that she and Billy addressed if their getting back together after Adam (Mark Grossman) and Chelsea’s (Melissa Claire Egan) respective betrayals was simple revenge or not. Perhaps it would be easier if it had been, but Hope’s Sally is a woman clearly in love. The problem is, Billy has some issues.

“Billy has sworn to me that he has let go of that anger,” Sally said. But she can’t fully believe it.

Your current beau’s former wife, and the mother of his children, isn’t usually at the top of a person’s list of confidantes. However, Sally saw in Victoria a sympathetic ear. Kudos to Heinle for playing Victoria as a woman who could meet Sally with an open heart. Her stance allowed Hope to show more of Sally’s vulnerability.

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Hope dug deep into Sally’s psyche when the character opened up about the similarities between Billy and her father as her pop had just one speed in life, which was “go for broke.” Sally recounted how her dad would double down on big deals that he saw, which would only get him into more trouble when they didn’t pan out. Sally’s father would turn to alcohol to numb the pain.

Sally had to take a good look at herself when Vicki asked her if she was trying to love Billy or save him. Then, she shared with Vicki that for one Christmas she’d wanted a sewing machine after she’d seen a commercial for it. “My father swore up and down that he was going to get it for me,” Sally shared. Alas, not only was the gift not there, but neither was her dad.

“And the worst part is when I did see him…a week later…it was all smiles, like he didn’t even realize that he’d let me down,” Sally said. “On to the next dream that wasn’t going to come true.”

A lesser actress would have wallowed in sympathy all the way, and sure, Sally is still deeply affected by these events in her past — as all of us are. But Hope imbues her character with strength and resolve even in the darkest of times.

“I know that was a lot to put on you, especially on Christmas Eve,” Sally said to Vicki, composing herself.

Sally might have put a lot on Victoria however, but Hope delivered to the Y&R audience a poignant, heartfelt performance, the kind that has endeared her “have not” character to audiences for many years now.

Later in the week, Hope got more emotional material to play when Adam and Sally encountered each other at the Genoa City Athletic Club. Adam wondered if he and Sally could ever be in the same room again. Hope’s Sally didn’t hold back when she confronted Adam about Newman Media’s unbalanced hit piece on Billy’s family company, Jabot.

Adam tried to hide behind “journalistic integrity” in defending the article that painted Jabot as unstable, but Sally shot back that Adam hadn’t bothered to call Jack (Peter Bergman) or anyone at his family’s business for comment.

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Sally blasted Adam for being a liar in the media and then, subtly but pointedly reminded him that he had also lied to her when they were in a relationship as he had cheated on her with Chelsea.

“It’s really hard for me to accept the man that I know, who I loved, could be so unapologetically and intentionally destructive…and you hurt me, again,” Sally shared, not caring who heard her.

“I don’t know what’s worse — that you were intentionally cruel or the fact that you didn’t even think about it…the fact that you don’t see it is heartbreaking,” she added.

Sally isn’t just in pain because Adam hurt her and Abbott Communications and the Abbott family, but because she still cares about him as a person, and she hates who he is becoming.

Business stories on soaps are only effective when the personal dynamics behind them come into play. Hope has a clear understanding of this, which makes her scenes so emotional and entertaining to watch. Brava!

The Young and the Restless, Weekdays, CBS