Let’s set the record straight, shall we? Soap magazines and websites are reporting that actress Melody Thomas Scott has left the role of Nikki Newman on The Young and the Restless (“And this time it’s for good,” one mag boldly states), but Scott has indeed struck a deal to remain with the show. For sure, the situation was tense. Scott, now in her 30th year with Y&R, was asked to take a hefty pay cut or switch to recurring status. She objected to both options. The writers scripted a very dramatic exit for Nikki, just in case a deal could not be reached. By the time both sides came to an agreement, it was too late to stop the train, so Nikki’s departure was taped and will air in early August. Scott, who will return to the show after a vacation, gave us the exclusive scoop on what went down.

This was one scary soap cliffhanger! How did Y&R even come close to losing you? What kind of world are we living in?
Negotiations are a necessary evil and are always very bizarre. I guess maybe with me more so than other actors. I don’t know why that is. It’s the nature of the world I’ve chosen to live in.

Word is, the talks got pretty tough.
It’s always the same scenario. First, contact is initiated. The protectors of both sides chat and everything is fine. Things go back and forth in a fairly friendly manner. Time marches on. And eventually there’s a moment—with seemingly no forewarning—when everything changes in the flick of an eye and both sides instinctively know that the dreaded cone of silence has suddenly descended and there will be no more talk and you have to shut down. It’s maddening. But I guess that’s showbiz.

Can you discuss the terms of your deal?
I’ve always had a non-disclosure clause in my contract, so no. And now we’ve all been given the most strict confidentiality memo I’ve ever seen at Y&R. I guess in these days of Twitter apparently people at our show are just typing away when they’re not supposed to be.

That kid who plays your grandson, Noah, recently went tweet-crazy from the set and revealed that a character close to him was dying. Was he referring to you? Can you discuss how they’ll get Nikki off the show?
Well, jeepers, I would have been happy to tell you before that memo went out. But I will tell you this: The way they write me off is shocking, but ambiguous.

How long will you be off the air?
It’s a short amount of time. Just a few weeks. I have not been given my exact date of return. I’m going to take advantage of this overdue breather and have a little “me” time, travel a little bit, get reacquainted with my family and friends. I finished shooting just last Thursday [July 2]. And I really have to hand it to the writers. Nobody knew how this [contract situation] was going to end so they very cleverly figured out a way to get me off the show. I never say stuff like this, but I have been so knocked out, so impressed with the writing of the episodes that air the first week of August. Please put this in your article: That week is not to be missed. It’s an amazing ride—grueling but really satisfying—and the writers did terrific work. Not just with my story but the whole show that week. You cannot miss it. [Head writer-executive producer] Maria Bell, who came in and saved Y&R, as we all know, is doing an amazing job.

For someone who loves her gig, you sure seemed willing to walk away from it.
Well, you have to be willing to do that.

I think most actors would be scared sh--less to do that. Most cave in out of fear and take what the show is offering.
Logan, you know what a fatalist I am. You can’t let fear motivate your life. What’s the point of wasting all that time on something you have no control over? Everyone has their pride. You can’t set yourself up to be heartbroken. Maybe I’m just being self-protective, but I prefer to think of it as fatalism.

All deals at Y&R are done with Sony rather than CBS, right?
We are all employees of Sony. CBS is mixed up in there. I don’t know how it breaks down percentage-wise, but from day one of the show my negotiations have always been with Sony.

I heard that Eric Braeden [Victor] called CBS chief Les Moonves to complain about the way you were being treated in this contract situation, and that Moonves stepped in and made magic happen. True?
[Long pause, followed by a sigh] Where’d you hear that? [Laughs]

Hey, I’m not going to out my spies! But that’s what I heard. Of course I didn’t for a minute thinking Braeden was doing it solely for your benefit, since he’ll also be in contract negotiations soon enough and the same thing could happen to him. Well? Say something.
[Another long pause] Well… Eric and Les have a relationship and they do talk from time to time. So, it’s possible.

I hate to harp, but I still don’t understand what these people were thinking. Y&R without Nikki Newman ain’t Y&R.
That was sort of the shock factor. I don’t know if that was calculated to warn the other actors on Y&R, or it just happened that they had to start somewhere so they started with me. Maybe I was going to be “the example.” Who knows?

Let’s not forget that these are the same Sony suits who dumped Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn from Days of Our Lives and sent out a big message to the entire soap industry: Nobody is indispensable.
I think [Hall and Hogestyn] were probably used as examples. The money folks try to instill you with fear, that’s nothing new, but the economy is working for them this time. It used to be that the employers always cried wolf about the money situation. But today’s economy is no joke. The need to cut costs is no longer a ploy. It’s the truth. It’s a unique time, so you have to think creatively to get over that hump. Unusual deals that would never have been considered in the past are now being made. You have to think outside the box to come to an agreement. And we did finally come to an agreement that was pleasing to both sides. I’m thrilled to be staying.

This isn’t the first time you’ve run up against this sort of thing. When contract talks stalled in 2001, you very dramatically cleared out all the crap in your dressing room at CBS and left the building. Everybody was talking!
That really went down to the wire and I was off the show for seven weeks before I got the word, “OK, you win.” But I never understood the big flack that was created over that. You’ve been in my dressing room. You know how large it is. I have tons of personal items there. When things get to the point where you know you might never enter that building again, how are you to retrieve your things? Of course, you pack ‘em up while you have the chance!

C’mon, admit it. It was one of the great diva events in soaps!
[Laughs] I was not being dramatic! So much of that was exaggerated. There were reports that I had a big moving van pull up to the back of CBS. Not true. [Laughs] However, had I thought of that, I would have arranged for one!

So you’re safely on Y&R for a while? Sony won’t try this all over again at the end of your next contract cycle?
I certainly hope not. I hope to God we won’t be going through this again anytime soon. [Laughs] I don’t think I have the strength!