Daytime TV Performers of the Week: ‘B&B’s John McCook & Delon de Metz Give Showstopping Performances

Soaps are known for showcasing strong female performers, but as evidenced by recent episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful, there are plenty of dynamic and dramatic performances given by male actors, too!

Daytime Emmy-winner John McCook (Eric) and his B&B co-star Delon de Metz (Zende) gave tour de forces as the family patriarch asked his grandson not to leave Forrester Creations for rival fashion startup, Logan Designs.

The two actors hit the ground running this week as the storyline picked up from the previous week. De Metz shined as Zende, who had been adopted into the Forrester family, finally let loose with how he’d struggled to find his place in the fashion dynasty clan.

Zende had received recognition for his contributions to the company, but he suddenly felt insignificant again as Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) fired Dylan (Sydney Bullock) for her perceived corporate subterfuge.

“Nobody is forcing Dylan to leave!” Zende shouted at his family. Turning to Dylan, he informed her that she had done nothing wrong.

If anyone was qualified to interpret Dylan’s motives, it was Zende as he had one-on-one conversations with Dylan about the interest Logan Designs had in him.

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Ridge’s ignoring Zende’s desire that Dylan not lose her job only served to remind Zende that he had no true voice in the company. De Metz has played the part of Zende Forrester Dominguez since 2020, and this story has been simmering ever since.

The actor played his character as if he were surrounded by people who weren’t seeing him or listening to him — except for his grandfather, Eric, and Zende’s rage intensified, appropriately. “Who is making the decisions here?” Zende asked. “Granddad, you just assured me that you and Ridge would back my decisions, show your faith in me, respect my opinions…is that true or not?”

De Metz raised Zende’s tone, but at the same time made sure that he was fully clear with his questions and his position. It was time to put the cards on the table, and that’s just what the actor did with passion and anger.

As far as Zende was concerned, Dylan didn’t encourage him to defect to Logan Designs. The more Electra (Laneya Grace) and RJ (Brayan Nicoletti) tried to make this all about Electra and Will (Crew Morrow), the more passionate Zende became. “This is about me. This is about my future. I want to be here. But if I’m not respected…” Zende stated, daring Ridge to jump in and tell his nephew that he was valued.

“You know what I want. Does that matter or not?” Zende continued.

This was a moment of truth for Zende, and de Metz brought the gravitas to his character that the story demanded. Ridge didn’t budge. Neither did Zende.

“Well, Ridge, I guess I have no recourse either,” Zende grimly stated. “If Dylan goes, I go.”

In the design office, Zende, away from his family and alone with Dylan, didn’t calm down. If anything, Zende’s intensity grew as he realized he was always going to come in second to RJ and also to Ridge’s decisions.

“I feel terrible for the way my family has treated you,” Zende told Dylan. “But this has been building for a long time. I just didn’t want to face it. I didn’t want to believe that they thought so little of me. I can’t take this favoritism, the nepotism, the disrespect for me and for my position. I can’t be here anymore.”

As Zende headed out of the building, he was stopped in the hallway by Eric. That’s when McCook reminded us why he’s a Daytime Emmy-winning performer. B&B has thrown challenging tales at the actor, involving his mortality and his virility, especially in recent years. Those tales would have intimidated a lesser actor, but McCook, once again, rose to the challenge and met it. Eric wanted Zende to stay at Forrester because he wants the Forrester name to continue on at the company that he founded.

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Romantic triangles and quadrangles are as much a staple at Forrester Creations as fashion week is. Eric tried to see past that, keeping his eye on the prize, which was convincing his grandson to remain at the fashion house.

“I’m hearing you,” Eric told Zende. “I understand.”

McCook dug into Eric’s vulnerable side by begging Zende to stay not just because of his talent, but because he is also his grandson. McCook played Eric not just as a man wanting to keep peace within his family, but also as a patriarch who wanted to ensure his legacy would continue after he was gone.

“We need you here. We need your skill and your talent and your vision. We need that. I need that. You have to stay. You’re the next generation of Forrester,” Eric passionately stated. “You’re carrying on my legacy. If you don’t do it, this building will just crumble at my feet.”

“I have learned so much from you about work, about life, my admiration for you is never going to change, but this doesn’t feel like the place for me anymore,” Zende shared, his decision had been made. “I’m going to miss you, Granddad.”

McCook didn’t need dialogue to let the viewers know that Eric realized there was no going back. “I love you,” Eric said to Zende, as if this could be the last time he ever spoke those words to him.

“I love you, too,” responded Zende, overcome with emotion. Gathering resolve, he stated, “I gotta do this.”

And with that Zende was gone, taking Dylan with him. The camera held on McCook’s Eric, who realized that something momentous had occurred in the hallways of the fashion house on that day. Forrester Creations would never be the same.

Bravo to McCook and De Metz for showing vulnerability, fear, passion, and love in this ongoing storyline between two warring fashion houses!

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