Hunter King Talks the Summer-Kyle-Lola Triangle on ‘Y&R’ and the Return of ‘Life In Pieces’
Q&A
Hunter King’s life is falling into pieces – in a good way! Her nighttime sitcom, Life in Pieces, returns to CBS starting April 18. In the second episode airing that night, sister Joey King (The Act) guest stars as Morgan, a 17-year-old pregnant teen who is considering letting Matt (Thomas Sadoski) and Colleen (Angelique Cabral) adopt her baby.
Meanwhile, King’s other CBS character — Summer Newman Abbott on The Young and the Restless — is in the midst of a bona fide soap triangle: She’s wed to Kyle (Michael Mealor), but he’s still in love with his girlfriend, Lola (Sasha Calle), to whom Summer gave part of her liver in order to save her life!
Later this week, Kyle accompanies his bride to Society, the newest upscale eatery in Genoa City where Lola just happens to work as a chef. Will Summer lose Kyle to Lola? Or will he realize that he’s better suited to be with Summer? Read on to get King’s thoughts on these topics and more!
Life in Pieces is back!
Hunter King: Yes! I’m so excited for it to finally air!
Will you share screen-time with your sister, Joey?
We do so have some stuff together. I don’t want to give too much away. We’ve actually been dying to work together for a long time and now we [finally] have. It’s opened up the floodgates. We want to do everything together!
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What is your character, Clementine, up to?
Without giving too much stuff away, I think Clementine and Tyler (Niall Cunningham) are still figuring out their relationship and are going on wild adventures together. They’re growing up together. They go through basic things, but then they turn into these adventures. Everything they always do turns into something bigger and I love it!
(L-R): Holly J. Barrett as Samantha Hughes, Hunter King as Clementine Hughes, Niall Cunningham as Tyler Hughes, Colin Hanks as Greg Short, Zoe Lister-Jones as Jen Short, Dan Bakkedahl as Tim Hughes, Betsy Brandt as Heather Hughes (CBS)
Speaking of turning into something bigger, Summer probably wasn’t counting on Kyle still being in love with Lola after they got married. Why did Summer marry Kyle — love or sport?
Maybe I’m biased in that I’ve been with Summer for so many years now, but I always want to see the good in her. She has a genuine love for Kyle. After she turned him down and she saw him get a girlfriend (Lola), she may have thought, ‘Wait…this guy who has always wanted me is now unavailable.’ Back then, it was about winning. But it quickly grew into her realizing that she did truly love him. Summer and Kyle have been friends for so many years. Her love for him ran deeper than she realized.
Are Kyle and Summer a better match given their similar backgrounds?
It’s hard to say. If you date someone similar to you, it can be great because you have things in common. But if you date someone different than you are, then that person can help you grow. There are parts of me that believes that Summer is better for Kyle. They both get the corporate world that the Newmans and Abbots are in that is always pushing them into some kind of drama. They have things in their past that connect them. But Lola grounds Kyle. It depends on who you ask!
Michael Mealor (Kyle Abbott) and Hunter King (Summer Newman) (Sonja Flemming/CBS)
Lola rejected Kyle’s holiday gift of an expensive purse, which highlighted their different worlds. Maybe if Kyle gives Summer the same purse and she accepts it he’ll realize she’s the one!
Right? Yeah, like a little test! [Laughs] Take the gift, Lola! Just accept it!
In all seriousness though, money — one of the top things that newlyweds fight about — probably won’t come into play with Kyle and Summer. They are well-matched. What fan response do you get to Kyle and Summer?
I find it to be 50/50. It’s half for Skyle and half for Kola. I get so many tweets from fans who say they watch the show for the “messiness”! If you love drama, that’s what we give you!
Joey was on Ellen and she revealed that she played a practical joke on you involving cream cheese. Have you gotten her back?
No. I always say I’m going to, but I never have. I’m horrible at pulling pranks! I get too excited and it shows on my face. I’ve tried things but I never manage to pull them off!
Jack (Peter Bergman) recently complimented Summer on her social media savviness. How have you seen social media change and affect show business the last few years?
It’s not only changed with how we interact with each other, but it’s also changed the industry. I love social media for what it is — interacting with my friends and finding what other people are up to. But it plays such a huge role now for people who want to advertise. It’s changed so much in the last five years. Instagram has blown up. What else can happen? I’m trying to be better about [using social media]. Kids younger than me, I feel, live and breathe it. People older than I am don’t use it as much. I’m trying to figure it all out.
Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott) and Hunter King (Summer Newman) (Sonja Flemming/CBS)
Later this week, Kyle takes Summer to Society, Abby’s (Melissa Ordway) new restaurant where Lola works as the head chef.
A lot of fun stuff happens with the opening of Society. I love this new set. It’s stunning! They did such a great job with creating this new set. I love shooting big group scenes because you get to see people you don’t normally get to work with. Those tape days can be slightly longer, but even on group day scenes we don’t get out that late.
Summer gave part of her liver to Lola. That’s a great card to play the next time she and Lola or she and Kyle get into an argument.
Right? I don’t know if she’s ever said that to Lola. It is a good card to play. But I don’t know if Summer will do that. She helped save Lola’s life because she loves Kyle. She wanted to make him happy.
Young and the Restless, Weekdays, CBS
Life in Pieces, Season 4 Premiere, Thursday, April 18, 8:30/7:30c, CBS
