The press-shy Susan Flannery (Stephanie) sat down with Soap Opera Digest reporters to discuss one of B&B's biggest stories yet, in honor of B&B's 15th anniversary.
SOD: What do you think about Ridge being Massimo's son?
Flannery: It is such a big, powerful, primitive kind of story. It's a deep, dark secret that nobody even knew about. What's so great is that [Executive Producer/Head Writer Bradley Bell] made it an innocent secret. That's the trick. Most writers would have said that Stephanie hid the thing all this time. To make the twist of her not having known is even more interesting.
SOD: The revelation that Massimo is Ridge's father has rewritten the history of B&B. Were you hesitant about such a big shake-up, and would you have said something to Brad if you hadn't liked it?
Flannery: I never interfere in story. I don't believe that's the actors' place. I do get involved as far as scenes go.
SOD: What's it like to work with Joseph Mascolo (Massimo)?
Flannery: I think Joe is a great addition to the cast. It's so hard to find men at that age who are really good actors. If they haven't made it, then they've gone off to do something else. If they have made it, they're working all the time. Brad was smart enough to grab him [when DAYS let him go]. This storyline opens up so much.
SOD, 04/13