Lesli Kay
Encyclopedia
Lesli Kay Coulouris previously Lesli Kay Sterling (born Lesli Kay Pushkin on June 13, 1965 in Charleston, West Virginia
) is an American
actress, who is known primarily for her role on the CBS soap As the World Turns
.
. She moved to New York City at the age of 15 to pursue a modeling career. Kay later worked at MTV
and won $22,000 on Wheel of Fortune.
In 1997 she made her daytime debut as Molly Conlan on As the World Turns
. For some time the character was not very popular due to Molly's villainous behavior, but she eventually won a 2001 Daytime Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in addition to charming viewers during her romance with Jake McKinnon (Tom Eplin
). When Jake was killed off in 2002, Molly again became adrift, and Kay left the show in early 2004 after a number of promised storylines never appeared. Kay popped up a few months later to recast the popular, brassy character of Lois Cerullo on General Hospital
. Kay (and the resurrected character of Lois) exited GH in early 2005 after mutually agreeing to part ways with the show.
In November 2005, Kay assumed the role of Felicia Forrester
on The Bold and the Beautiful
, taking over for Colleen Dion
after a year's absence. Bold and the Beautiful Head Writer Bradley Bell
had planned to kill her character off from cancer
. However, a huge fan
outpouring, including petition
s and numerous letters, in addition to Ms. Kay's job of making the role her own, Bell decided to keep Kay on the cast. Her character, Felicia Forrester, was resurrected from the dead. Lesli Kay invested herself into the cancer storyline so much that she shaved her head for the role. Kay was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards but lost to Genie Francis
.
In November 2009, while continuing to play Felicia Forrester
on The Bold and the Beautiful
, Kay also returned to As the World Turns
as the character she previously portrayed, Molly Conlan McKinnon
. She stayed with As the World Turns until the show's final episode, on September 17, 2010.
Kay married her first husband Mark Sterling in 1992, where they lived and had a home in California, she once used the name Lesli Kay Sterling for both her personal and professional life. Kay moved to New York in 1997 when she got the role on ATWT and soon afterwards in 2000 Kay divorced Sterling and became involved ( while she had just separated from her husband) with her then-ATWT love interest Keith Coulouris, who she then also divorced in 2011. Their son Jackson William was born in February 2000, and they married on December 25, 2003. Their second son, Alec Jude, was born in June 2005.
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, who is known primarily for her role on the CBS soap As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
.
Career
At age 12, she had the first individual girl's bat mitzvah in the state of West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. She moved to New York City at the age of 15 to pursue a modeling career. Kay later worked at MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and won $22,000 on Wheel of Fortune.
In 1997 she made her daytime debut as Molly Conlan on As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
. For some time the character was not very popular due to Molly's villainous behavior, but she eventually won a 2001 Daytime Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in addition to charming viewers during her romance with Jake McKinnon (Tom Eplin
Tom Eplin
Tom Eplin is an American actor known for his long run as the character of Jake McKinnon on two soap operas for a combined total of nearly two decades: on Another World and on As the World Turns .Eplin was married to his Another World costar Ellen Wheeler from 1985 to 1988...
). When Jake was killed off in 2002, Molly again became adrift, and Kay left the show in early 2004 after a number of promised storylines never appeared. Kay popped up a few months later to recast the popular, brassy character of Lois Cerullo on General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
. Kay (and the resurrected character of Lois) exited GH in early 2005 after mutually agreeing to part ways with the show.
In November 2005, Kay assumed the role of Felicia Forrester
Felicia Forrester
Felicia Forrester is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. She was previously played by actress Lesli Kay from November 2005 to November 2009, and October to December 2010. Previously the character was portrayed by Colleen Dion-Scotti from 1990 to 1992, 1997,and...
on The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
, taking over for Colleen Dion
Colleen Dion
Colleen Dion-Scotti is an American actress. She is one of the more notable character actresses on soap operas....
after a year's absence. Bold and the Beautiful Head Writer Bradley Bell
Bradley Bell
Bradley Bell is an American television writer and producer. Bell is a six-time Daytime Emmy Award winner and is executive producer and head writer for The Bold and the Beautiful, an American soap opera.-Career:...
had planned to kill her character off from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. However, a huge fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
outpouring, including petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
s and numerous letters, in addition to Ms. Kay's job of making the role her own, Bell decided to keep Kay on the cast. Her character, Felicia Forrester, was resurrected from the dead. Lesli Kay invested herself into the cancer storyline so much that she shaved her head for the role. Kay was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards but lost to Genie Francis
Genie Francis
Eugenie "Genie" Francis Frakes is an American actress known for her portrayal of Laura Spencer on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital. She is currently playing Genevieve Atkinson on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless...
.
In November 2009, while continuing to play Felicia Forrester
Felicia Forrester
Felicia Forrester is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. She was previously played by actress Lesli Kay from November 2005 to November 2009, and October to December 2010. Previously the character was portrayed by Colleen Dion-Scotti from 1990 to 1992, 1997,and...
on The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
, Kay also returned to As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
as the character she previously portrayed, Molly Conlan McKinnon
Molly Conlan McKinnon
Molly McKinnon is a fictional character from the CBS Soap, As the World Turns played by Lesli Kay from 1997-2004. Christina Chambers played the role for several weeks after Kay left to portray Lois Cerullo on General Hospital. Kay returned to the role of Molly in 2009, while still a cast member of...
. She stayed with As the World Turns until the show's final episode, on September 17, 2010.
Kay married her first husband Mark Sterling in 1992, where they lived and had a home in California, she once used the name Lesli Kay Sterling for both her personal and professional life. Kay moved to New York in 1997 when she got the role on ATWT and soon afterwards in 2000 Kay divorced Sterling and became involved ( while she had just separated from her husband) with her then-ATWT love interest Keith Coulouris, who she then also divorced in 2011. Their son Jackson William was born in February 2000, and they married on December 25, 2003. Their second son, Alec Jude, was born in June 2005.
Daytime roles
- On As the World TurnsAs the World TurnsAs the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
as Molly Conlan (March 1, 1997 to July 2, 2004 and November 17, 2009 to September 17, 2010) - On General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
as Lois Cerullo (#2) (June 1, 2004 to April 2005) - On The Bold and the BeautifulThe Bold and the BeautifulThe Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
as Felicia ForresterFelicia ForresterFelicia Forrester is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. She was previously played by actress Lesli Kay from November 2005 to November 2009, and October to December 2010. Previously the character was portrayed by Colleen Dion-Scotti from 1990 to 1992, 1997,and...
(#2) (November 30, 2005 to November 24, 2009 (contract); November 2010 to May 2011 (recurring); December 5, 2011 to Present) - On The Young and the RestlessThe Young and the RestlessThe Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
as Felicia ForresterFelicia ForresterFelicia Forrester is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. She was previously played by actress Lesli Kay from November 2005 to November 2009, and October to December 2010. Previously the character was portrayed by Colleen Dion-Scotti from 1990 to 1992, 1997,and...
(March 25 to April 22, 2008)