Daytime vet Chrystal Chappell returns to soaps – as a lesbian on “The Bold and the Beautiful”

It’s always been a little ridiculous that the CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful is set in the fashion business and in 25 years on the air, never had a gay storyline.

That will finally change next month when a lesbian romance between the character of Karen Spencer (played by returning cast member Joanna Johnson) and Danielle who will be played by soap opera veteran Crystal Chappell.

B&B is strong in the ratings and has win the Outstanding Daytime Drama Emmy for the past three years. It seems like a show in an excellent position to try something they have never tried before!

Executive producer and head writer Bradley Bell shares some of the details with TV Guide:

“Karen and Danielle are a modern married couple. … We plan to discuss the real issues, present some prejudices, and try to get people to move forward in their thinking, instead of backward. I want to do this story because I listen to all the political debates on the subject of same-sex marriage and can’t believe I share the same country with people who think so differently about human rights. I want to put my hat in the ring and, hopefully, help change some thoughts and opinions on the issue.”

V Guide Magazine: Tell us about your decision to reveal this secret side of Karen.
Bell: Once we decided to bring Karen’s daughter, Caroline, onto the show, the question naturally arose, “Who is the father? Why doesn’t she seem to have one?” I started thinking about all the story possibilities and decided, “Why not give her two mothers?” Everyone on the show has a mother and father and that’s getting a little dull. So I talked to Joanna Johnson and asked if she’d be okay with this story and she was very excited. When it came to casting Karen’s partner, I thought immediately of Crystal Chappell. She was at the top of my list. I called her, she was interested, so here we are. She’s a great actress and such a good kisser.

TV Guide Magazine: And you know she’s a good kisser because…
Bell: Because I’m a big fan of her web series Venice.

TV Guide Magazine: Does this mean we’ll actually see some lesbian lip locks on CBS Daytime?
Bell: Oh, sure! Absolutely.