With Daytime Emmy month finally upon us, Outstanding Lead actress nominee Melissa Claire Egan dishes on her The Young and the Restless character Chelsea’s drama—from her important mental health storylines to the “Chadam” love story with Mark Grossman’s complicated Adam Newman.
While this All My Children and One Life to Live alum loves to dig into soapy front-burner action, Egan reveals what she gets into when Chelsea’s not getting into or causing trouble in Genoa City. (Hint: she went through five years of IVF to become a mother of two!)
Plus, Egan talks about her Wicked TikTok moves with “sometimes TV nemesis and forever dance partner” Courtney Hope and the ladies of The Young and the Restless.
Missy Claire Egan on 2025 Daytime Emmy Nom—‘What did I do to deserve this?’
The Daytime Emmys were bumped to October 17 this year—which means the juicy storylines that earned Melissa Claire Egan, her The Young and the Restless costars Eileen Davidson, Michelle Stafford and Sharon Case, and General Hospital’s Laura Wright and Nancy Lee Grahn their Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series nominations aired all the way back in 2024!
“What did I do to deserve this, again?” Egan cracks of her eighth nomination. “No one can remember, because it was a long time ago! It’s kind of wild, but this truly never gets old. It’s wonderful, humbling, and exciting to be nominated. It’s an honor.”
On the heels of Chelsea’s 2023 suicide storyline in which she had to be talked of the roof, Egan’s 2025 Daytime Emmy submission involved her character facing her son’s struggles.
“My reel consisted of Chelsea finding out that Connor had tried to hurt himself and then her blaming herself for his problems, which is all very relatable,” she shares. “I was really proud of it, and gosh, the amount of fan feedback I’ve gotten from people feeling seen by these mental health storylines… I’m grateful to tell them, anytime. They’re so important.”
Egan on Chelsea and Adam—‘We don’t want to be happy for too long!’
As happens in soaps, that very grounded co-parenting storyline quickly dovetailed into a soapy reunion from Chelsea and Adam.
“Adam was her first love interest, so the whole Chadam connection has been imperative to my 14 years on the show, but this time feels different,” Egan maintains. “They seem like they’re in the best place than they’ve ever been, because they’ve overcome so much—which any couple can attest will makes you stronger.”
That said, she admits she’s rooting against them.
“Eventually I want them to break up, but not because I don’t love it,” Egan insists. “I hope Chelsea and Adam are end game and Mark Grossman is fantastic, but we always joke, ‘We don’t want to be happy for too long.’ Because it’s so fun having someone wrong you on this show or when you do something wrong. When you’re unhappy, you get the scoop!”
Egan on Chadam, Victor and the Billy factor—‘It’s tricky’
One thing that could throw a wrench into Chelsea and Adam’s latest go at happily ever after is (surprise, surprise!) Victor. The Newman patriarch wants his son and daughter-in-law to take down his enemies—including Billy, with whom Chelsea was still happily paired when she fell back into bed with Adam!
“She’s trying to be the peacemaker, and I’ve gotten some tweets asking, ‘Why do you keep defending Billy?’” Egan shares. “And I get it. It’s like, ‘Be strong with your man!’
“But you have to remember that Billy literally saved her life on that roof, and then she cheated on him,” she defends. “She wants to support Adam, but she has a lot of guilt about her man going after her ex who saved her life! It’s tricky.
“There’s also always that push and pull of, ‘Are you going to be your dad’s minion?’” she adds. “There’s a struggle with him obeying Victor and she feels like maybe he’s not listening to her.”
Egan warns conwoman-turned-peacemaker Chelsea ‘can be savage’
It doesn’t help that while Adam’s still a scheming player, Chelsea’s mental health journeys have changed her.
“Lately, she’s been the softer version of herself… but then she can be savage too,” Egan warns. “She did used to be a con artist! So she’s always a little bit of both, depending on which mood you catch her. She ebbs and flows.”
When Chelsea’s drama is heavy, Egan has the perfect reset—her kids!
Speaking of ebbs and flows, Egan loves when Chelsea’s struggling on the front burner and though it can be exhausting, she doesn’t let it get to her head.
“I’ve been blessed to be given so many emotional scenes throughout my 19 years on soaps, so I’m good at not bringing it home—especially now that I have kids,” she says. “When I get home and it’s like, like, ‘Mommy! Mommy!’ nothing could put a bigger smile on my face. You don’t have time to bring it home, and then they need a bath, and then they need food…
After the epic suicide scenes in 2023, she found release in a good old-fashioned game night with 20 of her besties.
“It was planned before I knew I was shooting it, and I almost canceled the party,” she admits. “But I was like, ‘No, I’m gonna need to see all my friends after this!’ And it was the best thing I could have done. I drove home, and my friends were all waiting with a glass of wine. I threw my bag down and got to play.”
When Chelsea’s life is good, so is Egan’s
When Chelsea’s life is quieter, Egan, who has been open about her IVF journey, is thrilled to have more time to hang out with her boys, Caden, 4, and Jake, 2.
“My son just went back to preschool three weeks ago, and I’ve been able to do almost every single drop off,” she cheers. “And then my husband and our nanny picks him up if I can’t. I’ve been able to be at school functions. I’m the class mom this year, which is fun.
“They are true gifts from God,” she continues. “Sometimes, I look at them and I’m like, ‘I can’t believe you’re here and you’re mine.’ IVF was a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs, and almost five years of helpless feelings. I remember being like, ‘This is going to be a distant memory one day,’ and it is. I always tell people to just hang in there. It can happen for you, so don’t give up hope.”
Egan reveals her dream project
The challenge the mom is facing today?
“I have two crazy little boys, so it’s chaos and it’s exhausting—but I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Egan grins. “They’re amazing, sweet, fun, crazy, wild animal boys, and I’m obsessed with them. And I do not do it by myself, let me be clear. I’ve got the best nanny and husband in the world—and this is just the best gig in the world, whether you’re working like crazy or if it’s a little lighter. I count my blessings every day.”
That said, between Chelsea’s drama and family life, Egan hasn’t gotten to rock out with her band, Canal Street, since last summer.
“I don’t have much time for hobbies and these days, I’m in bed at 8pm,” she admits. “But there will be singing again. My dream is to do a musical one day—and I will do this before I die!”
Egan dishes ‘Wicked’ dance moves with onscreen nemesis Courtney Hope
In the meantime, costar Courtney Hope, who brought Sally Spectra over from the Bold and the Beautiful, is helping her keep her dance game on pointe—not to mention on social media!
“My sometimes TV nemesis and forever dance partner,” Egan cheers. “I danced growing up, but Court’s a profesh dancer. Our dressing rooms are next door to each other, so we’ll just pick a song and do it. It brings us joy. It brings people joy. And I feel like we need joy right now in this world.”
As for that Wicked dance that made the rounds last year, the good-natured actress reveals there was actually a version without a crash ending.
“Like every serious theater girl, we were obsessed with Wicked,” she recounts. “So Court learned the dance and taught me and Lizzie Hendrickson. Then we saw Hayley Erin in the hallway, so last minute, she jumped in. We did it a few times and then the last one, Hayley, landed on my feet. When I went to jump, I fell. I had a bruise for two weeks, but it was so funny. I was like, ‘We gotta post that one!’”
Lead Actress Egan is ready for the 2025 Daytime Emmys
Back in the world of The Young and the Restless, Hope’s Sally is having issues with Billy and there’s plenty of Newman drama, but Chelsea and Adam are living their best life.
“I think they’re solid for at least a while, and I hope so… but this IS Genoa City and things always happen,” Egan reminds Woman’s World. “Right now, I’m just grateful to be in Genoa City at The Young and the Restless, grateful for my kids and my husband, and just trying to enjoy the ride.”
That ride will next take Egan to the Daytime Emmys on October 17, where she’ll go up against icons Eileen Davidson, Michelle Stafford, Sharon Case, Laura Wright, and Nancy Lee Grahn for Lead Actress!
