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The character of Amy Lewis recently re-entered The Young and the Restless, now portrayed by Valarie Pettiford. The actress made her debut on October 29, 2024, taking over the role originally played by Stephanie E. Williams from 1983 to 1988.
Previously, Amy left Genoa City to care for her ailing father, Frank Lewis. Now, upon her return, she's entangled with new drama involving her son, Damian Kane.
And since Amy has been off the canvas for quite a while, Pettiford finds it easier to make the character her own. In an October 2024 interview with Soap Opera Digest, the Another World star said Amy's time away from The Young and the Restless allowed her to bring her personal touch to the role.
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"I did do a little bit of research just to see her connections to different characters in the show and stuff like that," she added. "But then I left it alone and took my own trajectory on it."
The Young and the Restless: A glimpse into Amy Lewis' character
Amy Lewis, now portrayed by Valarie Pettiford, first set foot in Genoa City in 1983. Back then, she was introduced as Paul Williams' secretary in his private investigation firm.
Amy, the adoptive mother of Laura Williams, often found herself in the middle of compelling storylines. She shared a heartfelt romance with Tyrone Jackson, but the relationship didn't work out.
Amy then got involved with Nathan Hastings, whom she taught how to read and write. The two grew closer and their friendship turned into something romantic. They had a son together, later revealed as Damian Kane.
However, Nathan would go on to marry Olivia Barber (Tonya Williams), and the two had a child — Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic).
During her earlier years on The Young and the Restless, Amy was good friends with Danny Romalotti, Traci Abbott, and Lauren Fenmore. Her story took a bittersweet turn in 1988 when she left Genoa City to care for her father, who had suffered a stroke and a heart attack.
Get to know more about The Young and the Restless star Valarie Pettiford
Y&R is the latest addition to Valarie Pettiford's long list of television credits. The actress has appeared in many shows since 1988. Some of her earlier work includes regular and recurring roles in shows like Another World, One Life to Live, Fame L.A., Half & Half, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, Golden Boy, The Blacklist, Being Mary Jane, Valor, The Family Business, A Discovery of Witches, and A Luv Tale: The Series.
Pettiford's return to soaps was something she did not expect. In the same Soap Opera Digest interview, she explained that she knew there were a few soaps left on the air, but she had no idea that being on one was in store for her.
The actress also admitted that she knew very little about The Young and the Restless before landing the role of Amy Lewis.
"I didn’t watch Young and Restless as much as the others, but I knew these people were heavy hitters because during my soap days, when you’d go to awards shows and see everybody, I would just be in awe of them. I knew, of course, of these brilliant actors that worked on The Young and Restless."
Prior to her acting career, Pettiford was a choreographer at Bob Fosse's Broadway productions. Her role in Fosse earned her a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination and a Tony Award nomination as Best Featured Actress in a musical.
