It’s unusual enough for one actor to play three different roles on a daytime serial, but when the actor, Phil Morris, is Black, and one of the characters he plays is white, it’s a rare thing indeed! Morris joined the cast of “The Young and the Restless” (weekdays, 12:30 PM, ET, on the CBS Television Network) in May of 1984, playing the role of law student Tyrone Jackson. When the Genoa City police department recruited Tyrone’s help to expose the illegal activities of the mob, he assumed the identity of a street-wise drug dealer named Leon Monroe, complete with mustache, beard, headband and earring. But when the mob decided to “eliminate” the bothersome Monroe, Tyrone was forced to disguise himself in such a radical way that not even his own brother would recognize him.
Enter Robert Tyrone, a handsome, middle-class white man and Morris’ latest acting challenge. Morris is up to the feat. In fact, he relishes it. “I remember the first time I heard that the producers of ‘The Young and the Restless’ were planning on having me play a white character. I honestly thought the make-up artists were kidding me. But when they started experimenting with light-colored make-up and putting a brown wig on me, I realized they were serious. I must admit that, in the early stages, I was more than a bit apprehensive.” Morris took his concerns to his father, actor Greg Morris, who starred in the highly successful television series “Mission Impossible” and “Vegas.”, Recalling their conversation, the young Morris relates, “I confided in my dad that I was concerned about playing the part, but he looked at me and said, ‘How many white actors have played Othello?’ That made up my mind for me and I decided to go for it with everything I had.”
Morris’ portrayal ofthe Caucasian Robert Tyrone marks another television first for “The Young and the Restless,” which is known for breaking new ground in daytime drama. Morris seems to be enjoying the part, which he considers “the ultimate acting exercise” but hopes it won’t cause complications in his personal life. He explains, “My wife Carla is expecting our first child in April. I’d sure hate to have to run to the hospital from work looking like Robert. It could be totally confusing for the baby, not to mention the doctors and nurses,” he laughs. The tall, athletic Morris admits that playing “white” isn’t as difficult as it might seem. “I went to Beverly Hills High School so it’s not as if I’m totally unfamiliar with the white culture. To me, Robert Tyrone is an upper middle class, well-educated, well-spoken, ambitious guy. In some ways he’s like me, but he’s smarter than I am,” adds the handsome actor with a smile.
But playing an attitude alone does not make Robert Tyrone whole. Morris must undergo a one-hour make-up session every time he plays the part. CBS make-up artist Nicky Schillace first applies a real human hair wig gluing it into place, then patiently applies layer after layer of makeup, contouring the face to slightly alter Morris’ natural features. Although the process is painstaking, neither Morris nor Schillace seem to mind. “We keep each other laughing,” states the former. “And if he misbehaves, I tear his phoney mustache off,” jokes Schillace. After playing an alien in the film “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” and a Caucasian in “The Young and the Restless,” what’s next for Phil Morris to tackle? He responds with a gleam, “What have you got?”
By
Paul Raven ·
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