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Above: On the cover of the June 26, 2007 issue of Soap Opera Digest.
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Gold Star
Soaps In Depth
Published May 5, 2014
An actor must be doing something right when, as a viewer, we're not sure whether to salute or slap him. THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL'S Thorsten Kaye was calm, confident, and downright cocky when Ridge walked into a recent Forrester boardroom determined to fire Oliver and seize the reins of the company while he was at it! Playing his dialogue perfectly amongst an equally skilled ensemble of co-stars, Kaye depicted Ridge the way he was always meant to be portrayed: strong, smart, charming... and egotistical as hell! Ridge may not have garnered the presidency he so coveted, but Kaye definitely earned our gold star!
Hasta La Vista, Suckers!
Ridge was practically walking on sunshine when he got to work, offering Pam a litany of compliments that seemed to belie the fact that he was about to axe poor Oliver. He adopted a glib "Business as usual" demeanor as he spelled out his decision and summoned the soon-to-be-pink-slipped shutterbug to Eric's office. "Creative differences," he shrugged as Oliver and the rest of the Forrester team looked on, shell-shocked. "That's it. So, it's time to move on."
But Oliver wasn't his only intended casualty. Like a Roman emperor sacking every city in his path, Ridge told Rick that, in effect, it was time for him to scram. As in, vacate the presidency. When the two men convened in private to hash things out, Ridge was calm but smugly patronizing as Rick unleashed his fury. Caroline eventually came in an offfered up a piece of her own mind, leaving Ridge more bemused than bothered. "I know how to run this company," he finally told Rick. "I've done it before and I'm going to do it again. The only reason I'm not doing it now is because I wasn't here. Well, guess what -- I'm here now."
Reality Check
Kaye's portrayal of Ridge wasn't Machiavellian in attempting to right what he viewed as the company's long-term strategic mistakes; he was simply matter-of-fact. And yet, he seemed downright stymied when Eric reversed Oliver's firing, kept Rick on as president and named Ridge co-vice-president alongside Brook! "I still don't think you should be president," the designer told Rick, unable to resist offering one final dig. "But if 'Mommy and Daddy'think that's what's going to make you happy and secure, then by all means, enjoy it while it lasts."
Brooke ultimately got in the last word, when, in a private convo with her former flame, she raked him over the coals for taking up with her sister. Though not exactly cowed by her harsh endorsement, he was certainely rendered speechless. From brash and bold to quietly browbeaten, one thing's for certain: Kaye nailed his performance as Ridge!