Interview 1

It has been a wild ride for Rick Forrester, who recently discovered a strong interest in the family business. Whether or not this attention was spurred by the threat of Ridge taking over, Rick now has a huge investment in the company as Forrester's newly appointed Vice President. CBS.com sat down with Rick's portrayer, JUSTIN TORKILDSEN, to chat about entering the business world and family loyalty.

CBS.com: When you first came on at B&B your storyline was the "teen scene." What was it like to be thrust into the adult world?

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I feel like I grew up overnight - you know what I mean? And that is really what it was, almost. It started with an episode, but it all made sense, and Rick just finally said, "Okay, I have to stand up for my

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: It's loyalty to family. I mean, ever since I've played Rick and even when Jacob [Young] did it, Rick has always been very loyal to his family. That's been his most important quality.

CBS.com: Do you think the reason Rick feels so protective of Brooke is the fact that his mother is so alienated from the Forresters clan?

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Yeah, I think so because it is always very apparent that she has been picked on and that most of the family is against her. Now Ridge is trying to make all these changes and Rick's going, "Okay, that's it!" It's like everyone in the family is against my mom. It's my mom. I'd stand up for my mom over anyone in the world.

CBS.com: Do you think it's difficult for Rick to overlook Brooke's mistakes because she's his mother?

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Yes and no. The thing is, right before all this stuff happened, Brooke made a big point to apologize for everything she's done. I think Rick's kind of "forgive and forget" towards his family. You know? I mean, I've forgiven Amber like seven times. Rick is a very forgiving person.

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: It's fine by me. I think Rick and Amber are like Brooke and Ridge in the sense that they'll always come back to each other and they'll always come to each other for strength and support. And there will be times when they're apart and there will be times when they're together and she'll have love interests. Who knows, maybe Rick will get a girlfriend someday.

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: It'll be nice because that gives room for other storylines like this business thing, which is also really exciting. I'm just happy to be working and doing what I love.

CBS.com: Now that Amber seems to be getting into designing and you're moving into the corporate world, it seems that they're also much like Stephanie and Eric were with regard to being involved in the company.

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Absolutely. It's a great, wonderful place right now for both Rick and Amber as characters. They have lots of bright prospects. Their marriage is great. They're happy. Amber's pregnant. It's a good time for [them].

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I know! I'm glad that finally happened. It's always been in the back of my mind and I always wanted it to happen. I was really pleased with the way that [Head Writer/Executive Producer] Brad [Bell] set it up and the way it came out.

CBS.com: That's great because fans were saying stuff like, "He totally forgot about his first baby."

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I know. Absolutely. Every now and then I'd get on the website and I noticed that they wanted to see that.

CBS.com: Now that this new baby is coming along, it's a new beginning for Rick and Amber. I feel this is the most solid their relationship has been.

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I agree. It's by far the most solid. They've got Eric and they have a new kid on the way and that's very exciting for them. That will help make them even stronger, I think. Children are by no means an excuse to have a good marriage or even to get married.

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Yeah, I think so. It just took a couple of episodes of yelling and we were fine. [Smiles]

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Not that easy. I mean, let's be realistic here, if I caught my wife cheating on me twice [I wouldn't be that forgiving]. In the first place, if she stole someone's baby and told me it was mine, [I] probably wouldn't talk to her again, to be perfectly honest. But that doesn't leave much room for drama. On the soap opera we want drama, but in real life we don't want the drama. I'm a forgiving person, for sure, but not as forgiving as Rick.

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I think it depends on what happens. Like, Rick walking in on Amber just kind of kissing Deacon, that can be worked out. But if you catch them in bed together, I'd be pissed about that.

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: [I think] Rick's going to support Bridget. I think Brad is structuring this so well. It [will be] genius.

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Massimo turns to Rick, who isn't aware of Massimo's motives behind this. Massimo just says he wants to help things between father and son. Rick is still weary about it all through the beginning. I think Rick is realizing that, "Hey, this is going to help me. If this is going to help me, why not use it?"

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Obviously not. I think Rick believes in his mom. Brooke explained it to him as Ridge deserved to be the boss because he's been there for so long and he's helped out so much in the company. But when Ridge started dismantling what Brooke set up, like when he cancelled the Bedroom line, that's when Rick changed his mind and said, "No! You're supposed to run this company how it was run before. You're not supposed to change that."

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I don't know. All of a sudden it's about the business. I don't know about school. I haven't read anything in the scripts. So, I have no idea.

CBS.com: Do you enjoy that Rick is being portrayed as still very naive regarding business?

JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Absolutely. Rick is young. Any 18, 19, 20-year-old kid walking into a boardroom of a big multinational corporation is going to get walked all over. I think it's great how they played it. And it's fun because Rick got stepped on and Ridge got his way. Now, Rick goes in the boardroom and steps on Ridge and I think it is going to be that way, back and forth a little bit. It's entertaining.


	Mr. Vice President, CBS.com It has been a wild ride for Rick Forrester, who recently discovered a strong interest in the family business. Whether or not this attention was spurred by the threat of Ridge taking over, Rick now has a huge investment in the company as Forrester's newly appointed Vice President. CBS.com sat down with Rick's portrayer, JUSTIN TORKILDSEN, to chat about entering the business world and family loyalty. CBS.com: Are you having fun with the new storyline? It's heating up. JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I'm having a blast. It's really a very exciting change for me. CBS.com: When you first came on at B&B your storyline was the "teen scene." What was it like to be thrust into the adult world? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I feel like I grew up overnight - you know what I mean? And that is really what it was, almost. It started with an episode, but it all made sense, and Rick just finally said, "Okay, I have to stand up for my mother." That is the trigger behind all of this. CBS.com: So, it's a son's fight for his mother? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: It's loyalty to family. I mean, ever since I've played Rick and even when Jacob [Young] did it, Rick has always been very loyal to his family. That's been his most important quality. CBS.com: Do you think the reason Rick feels so protective of Brooke is the fact that his mother is so alienated from the Forresters clan? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Yeah, I think so because it is always very apparent that she has been picked on and that most of the family is against her. Now Ridge is trying to make all these changes and Rick's going, "Okay, that's it!" It's like everyone in the family is against my mom. It's my mom. I'd stand up for my mom over anyone in the world. CBS.com: Do you think it's difficult for Rick to overlook Brooke's mistakes because she's his mother? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Yes and no. The thing is, right before all this stuff happened, Brooke made a big point to apologize for everything she's done. I think Rick's kind of "forgive and forget" towards his family. You know? I mean, I've forgiven Amber like seven times. Rick is a very forgiving person. CBS.com: What do you think about Rick's forgiving nature? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: It's fine by me. I think Rick and Amber are like Brooke and Ridge in the sense that they'll always come back to each other and they'll always come to each other for strength and support. And there will be times when they're apart and there will be times when they're together and she'll have love interests. Who knows, maybe Rick will get a girlfriend someday. CBS.com: Are you hoping for that kind of longevity with Amber? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: It'll be nice because that gives room for other storylines like this business thing, which is also really exciting. I'm just happy to be working and doing what I love. CBS.com: Now that Amber seems to be getting into designing and you're moving into the corporate world, it seems that they're also much like Stephanie and Eric were with regard to being involved in the company. JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Absolutely. It's a great, wonderful place right now for both Rick and Amber as characters. They have lots of bright prospects. Their marriage is great. They're happy. Amber's pregnant. It's a good time for [them]. CBS.com: Fans had been asking for so long for closure with Rick and Amber's first baby. JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I know! I'm glad that finally happened. It's always been in the back of my mind and I always wanted it to happen. I was really pleased with the way that [Head Writer/Executive Producer] Brad [Bell] set it up and the way it came out. CBS.com: That's great because fans were saying stuff like, "He totally forgot about his first baby." JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I know. Absolutely. Every now and then I'd get on the website and I noticed that they wanted to see that. CBS.com: Now that this new baby is coming along, it's a new beginning for Rick and Amber. I feel this is the most solid their relationship has been. JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I agree. It's by far the most solid. They've got Eric and they have a new kid on the way and that's very exciting for them. That will help make them even stronger, I think. Children are by no means an excuse to have a good marriage or even to get married. CBS.com: Do you think that Rick believes Amber is over Deacon completely? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Yeah, I think so. CBS.com: Can he completely trust Amber now? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Yeah, I think so. It just took a couple of episodes of yelling and we were fine. [Smiles] CBS.com: Are you that forgiving by nature? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Not that easy. I mean, let's be realistic here, if I caught my wife cheating on me twice [I wouldn't be that forgiving]. In the first place, if she stole someone's baby and told me it was mine, [I] probably wouldn't talk to her again, to be perfectly honest. But that doesn't leave much room for drama. On the soap opera we want drama, but in real life we don't want the drama. I'm a forgiving person, for sure, but not as forgiving as Rick. CBS.com: When there's infidelity, do you feel there is room to work things out? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I think it depends on what happens. Like, Rick walking in on Amber just kind of kissing Deacon, that can be worked out. But if you catch them in bed together, I'd be pissed about that. CBS.com: What do think the fallout is going to be when Bridget finds out.... JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: When all this hits the fan? CBS.com: Yes. Who do you think Rick will support? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: [I think] Rick's going to support Bridget. I think Brad is structuring this so well. It [will be] genius. CBS.com: Let's talk about how Rick and Massimo's new relationship. JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Massimo turns to Rick, who isn't aware of Massimo's motives behind this. Massimo just says he wants to help things between father and son. Rick is still weary about it all through the beginning. I think Rick is realizing that, "Hey, this is going to help me. If this is going to help me, why not use it?" CBS.com: Do you think Ridge deserved controlling interest of Forrester? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Obviously not. I think Rick believes in his mom. Brooke explained it to him as Ridge deserved to be the boss because he's been there for so long and he's helped out so much in the company. But when Ridge started dismantling what Brooke set up, like when he cancelled the Bedroom line, that's when Rick changed his mind and said, "No! You're supposed to run this company how it was run before. You're not supposed to change that." CBS.com: Has Rick given up on school? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: I don't know. All of a sudden it's about the business. I don't know about school. I haven't read anything in the scripts. So, I have no idea. CBS.com: Do you enjoy that Rick is being portrayed as still very naive regarding business? JUSTIN TORKILDSEN: Absolutely. Rick is young. Any 18, 19, 20-year-old kid walking into a boardroom of a big multinational corporation is going to get walked all over. I think it's great how they played it. And it's fun because Rick got stepped on and Ridge got his way. Now, Rick goes in the boardroom and steps on Ridge and I think it is going to be that way, back and forth a little bit. It's entertaining. BACK