Lauralee Bell
Bell in 2008
Born
Lauralee Kristen Bell

(1968-12-22) December 22, 1968 (age 55)[1]
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Years active1970–present
Spouse
Scott Martin
​
(m. 1997)​
Children2
Parent(s)William J. Bell
Lee Phillip Bell
RelativesBradley Bell (brother)

Lauralee Kristen Bell (born December 22, 1968) is an American actress best known for playing Christine Blair in the CBS daytime soap opera, The Young and the Restless.

Life and career

Bell was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended The Latin School of Chicago. The only daughter of soap opera creators William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell,[2] and sister to Bill Bell, Jr. and Bradley Bell as well as sister-in-law to Maria Arena Bell and Colleen Bell. She was offered a bit role as a model, Christine "Cricket" Blair, on her parents' daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless in 1983 and that became a contract role in 1986.[3]

Over time, her character matured from a model into a legal aid lawyer. Her character also dropped the childish moniker "Cricket", especially after her rival Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) turned it into an insult by calling her "the Bug." In 2001, Bell asked to be moved to recurring status after maternity leave, though she returned to regular status the following year.[4][5] In 2005, she returned to recurring for another year. In 2007, the character was brought over to The Bold and the Beautiful by executive producer Bradley Bell, the actress' real-life brother, for a short-term stint, returning to The Young and the Restless in 2010, where she continues to make recurring appearances.[6] Bell received Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Daytime TV Series – Young Actress in 1989, the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1999, and Daytime Emmy Awards nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2016.[7]

Bell guest-starred on prime time shows including Diagnosis: Murder, Walker, Texas Ranger, Pacific Blue, CSI: Miami and Castle. She made her film debut starring in the 2005 comedy Carpool Guy directed by Corbin Bernsen.[8] The following year, she played the leading role in the Lifetime thriller film, Past Sins.[9] She later starred in Deadly Expose (2017), Mistress Hunter (2018), and Nightmare Tenant (2018) which she also produced.[10] In 2021, she played Daphne Dumas in V.C. Andrews' Ruby and Pearl in the Mist.[11][12]

Personal life

Bell married photographer Scott Martin on October 4, 1997. They have a son, Christian James Martin, born on January 17, 2001, and a daughter, Samantha Lee Martin, born on October 28, 2002.[1] Lauralee co-owned a boutique, On Sunset, which closed in 2009.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1983–2006, 2010– The Young and the Restless Christine Blair Contract role: July 15, 1983 – January 24, 2005
Recurring role: March 9 – October 20, 2005; December 9, 2005 – January 4, 2006; March 15, 2006; May 26 – 31, 2006; August 23 – 28, 2006; July 15, 2010 – present
Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Daytime TV Series – Young Actress (1989)
Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress (1999)
Nominated — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2016)
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Daytime TV Series – Young Actress (1987)
Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Awards for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress (1996, 1998)
1995 Diagnosis: Murder Herself Episode: "Death in the Daytime"
1998 Walker, Texas Ranger Kim Rivers Episodes: "The Wedding: Part 1" and "The Wedding: Part 2"
1999 Pacific Blue Christine Episode: "Trust"
2005 Carpool Guy Hope
2006 Past Sins Donna Erickson Television film
2006 CSI: Miami Alissa Valone Episode: "Curse of the Coffin"
2007 The Bold and the Beautiful Christine Blair June 12 – 21, 2007
2008 Just Ask Mike Brenda Television film
2009 Family Dinner Karen O'Connell
2012 Easy Rider: The Ride Back Anne Williams
2012 Castle Pam Francis Episode: "A Dance with Death"
2013 mI promise Kate Short film
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Short Format Daytime
2017 Deadly Expose Sarah Bergson
2018 Mistress Hunter Jackie Television film, also executive producer
2018 Nightmare Tenant Dr. Carol Allen Television film, also executive producer
2021 Ruby Daphne Dumas Television film
2021 Pearl in the Mist Daphne Dumas Television film

References

  1. ^ a b "About the Actors | Lauralee Bell | The Young and the Restless on Soap Central". soapcentral.com.
  2. ^ Rice, Lynette (March 24, 2023). "'The Young And The Restless' at 50: Star Lauralee Bell Reflects On Her Dad's Legacy, And The Future Of The CBS Soap".
  3. ^ Novakovich, Lilana (August 17, 1996). "Y&R's Lauralee Bell has earned her role". The Record. p. C.5.
  4. ^ Kroll, Dan J. (July 22, 2001). "The Bells tolls... for a while". SoapCentral. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  5. ^ Kroll, Dan J. (February 27, 2002). "Bell making another return appearance". SoapCentral. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  6. ^ "Exclusive: Lauralee Bell and Michael Damian Reunite on The Young and the Restless". TV Guide. March 27, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
  7. ^ "The 43rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). New York City: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 24, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  8. ^ "Carpool Guy - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  9. ^ B, Brian (March 15, 2006). "Lauralee Bell Starring in Lifetime's Past Sins". MovieWeb.
  10. ^ Pedersen, Erik (February 12, 2019). "Lauralee Bell To Star In & EP Lifetime Movie 'Nightmare Tenant'".
  11. ^ Maloney, Michael. "'Y&R' Star Lauralee Bell Channels Her Inner Cruella de Vil in Two Lifetime Back-to-Back Movies". TV Insider.
  12. ^ "Lauralee Bell Talks Breaking Bad in Lifetime's VC Andrews Ruby Movies". Movies.

External links

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