Lauralee Bell
Lauralee Kristen Bell (born December 22, 1968) is an American actress, best-known for playing Christine Blair in the CBS daytime soap opera, The Young and the Restless.
Lauralee Bell | |
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![]() Bell in 2008 | |
Born | Lauralee Kristen Bell December 22, 1968[1] Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Years active | 1970–present |
Spouse |
Scott Martin (m. 1997) |
Children | 2 |
Parent(s) | William J. Bell Lee Phillip Bell |
Relatives | Bradley Bell (brother) |
Life and career
Bell was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended The Latin School of Chicago. The only daughter of soap opera creators William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell,[2] and sister to Bill Bell, Jr. and Bradley Bell as well as sister-in-law to Maria Arena Bell and Colleen Bell. She was offered a bit role as a model, Christine "Cricket" Blair, on her parents' daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless in 1983 and that became a contract role in 1986.[3]
Over time, her character matured from a model into a legal aid lawyer. Her character also dropped the childish moniker "Cricket", especially after her rival Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) turned it into a pun against her, calling her "the Bug." In 2001, Bell asked to be moved to recurring status after maternity leave, though she returned to regular status the following year.[4][5] In 2005, she returned to recurring for another year. In 2007, the character was brought over to The Bold and the Beautiful by executive producer Bradley Bell, the actress' real-life brother, for a short-term stint, returning to The Young and the Restless in 2010, where she continues to make recurring appearances.[6] Bell received Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Daytime TV Series – Young Actress in 1989, the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1999, and Daytime Emmy Awards nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2016.[7]
Bell guest-starred on prime time shows including Diagnosis: Murder, Walker, Texas Ranger, Pacific Blue, CSI: Miami and Castle. She made her film debut starring in the 2005 comedy Carpool Guy directed by Corbin Bernsen.[8] The following year, she played the leading role in the Lifetime thriller film, Past Sins.[9] She later starred in Deadly Expose (2017), Mistress Hunter (2018), and Nightmare Tenant (2018) which she also produced.[10] In 2021, she played Daphne Dumas in V.C. Andrews' Ruby and Pearl in the Mist.[11][12]
Personal life
Bell married photographer Scott Martin on October 4, 1997. They have a son, Christian James Martin, born on January 17, 2001, and a daughter, Samantha Lee Martin, born on October 28, 2002.[1] Lauralee co-owned a boutique, On Sunset, which closed in 2009. In 2021, Bell played Daphne Dumas in the Lifetime TV miniseries "Ruby Landry."
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1983–2006, 2010– | The Young and the Restless | Christine Blair | Contract role: July 15, 1983 – January 24, 2005 Recurring role: March 9 – October 20, 2005; December 9, 2005 – January 4, 2006; March 15, 2006; May 26 – 31, 2006; August 23 – 28, 2006; July 15, 2010 – present Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Daytime TV Series – Young Actress (1989) List of Soap Opera Digest Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress (1999) Nominated — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2016) Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Daytime TV Series – Young Actress (1987) Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Awards for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress (1996, 1998) |
1995 | Diagnosis: Murder | Herself | Episode: "Death in the Daytime" |
1998 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Kim Rivers | Episodes: "The Wedding: Part 1" and "The Wedding: Part 2" |
1999 | Pacific Blue | Christine | Episode: "Trust" |
2005 | Carpool Guy | Hope | |
2006 | Past Sins | Donna Erickson | Television film |
2006 | CSI: Miami | Alissa Valone | Episode: "Curse of the Coffin" |
2007 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Christine Blair | June 12 – 21, 2007 |
2008 | Just Ask Mike | Brenda | Television film |
2009 | Family Dinner | Karen O'Connell | |
2012 | Easy Rider: The Ride Back | Anne Williams | |
2012 | Castle | Pam Francis | Episode: "A Dance with Death" |
2013 | mI promise | Kate | Short film Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Short Format Daytime |
2017 | Deadly Expose | Sarah Bergson | |
2018 | Mistress Hunter | Jackie | Television film, also executive producer |
2018 | Nightmare Tenant | Dr. Carol Allen | Television film, also executive producer |
2021 | Ruby | Daphne Dumas | Television film |
2021 | Pearl in the Mist | Daphne Dumas | Television film |
References
- "About the Actors | Lauralee Bell | The Young and the Restless on Soap Central". soapcentral.com.
- Rice, Lynette (March 24, 2023). "'The Young And The Restless' at 50: Star Lauralee Bell Reflects On Her Dad's Legacy, And The Future Of The CBS Soap".
- Novakovich, Lilana (August 17, 1996). "Y&R's Lauralee Bell has earned her role". The Record. p. C.5.
- Kroll, Dan J. (July 22, 2001). "The Bells tolls... for a while". SoapCentral. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- Kroll, Dan J. (February 27, 2002). "Bell making another return appearance". SoapCentral. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- "Exclusive: Lauralee Bell and Michael Damian Reunite on The Young and the Restless". TV Guide. March 27, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- "The 43rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). New York City: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 24, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
- "Carpool Guy - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
- B, Brian (March 15, 2006). "Lauralee Bell Starring in Lifetime's Past Sins". MovieWeb.
- Pedersen, Erik (February 12, 2019). "Lauralee Bell To Star In & EP Lifetime Movie 'Nightmare Tenant'".
- Maloney, Michael. "'Y&R' Star Lauralee Bell Channels Her Inner Cruella de Vil in Two Lifetime Back-to-Back Movies". TV Insider.
- "Lauralee Bell Talks Breaking Bad in Lifetime's VC Andrews Ruby Movies". Movies.