Fresh off his Lead Actor win, Scott Clifton returned to The Buzz – BuzzWorthy Radio for an extended conversation about his career, his latest storyline on The Bold and the Beautiful, and the lessons he’s learned throughout more than two decades in daytime television.
Scott has been a longtime friend of the show, and while we frequently catch up at red-carpet events, it had been quite some time since we last sat down for an extended interview. As expected, the conversation included plenty of laughs, a few unexpected detours, and some insightful discussions about his work.
Liam Spencer, Don Diamont and an Emotional Storyline
We began by discussing Scott’s recent Lead Actor win and the storyline involving Liam Spencer’s potentially terminal illness. I told Scott that I considered it some of the strongest work of his career, particularly because of how the material allowed his fellow cast members to deliver equally powerful performances.
One scene that stayed with me involved Don Diamont’s Bill Spencer learning about Liam’s condition. Scott explained how the storyline affected Don, particularly because of his own experiences as a father.
Scott also reflected on the writing, noting that the storyline relied on a series of emotionally charged conversations rather than spectacle.
“The whole story is just a series of well-written conversations,” he explained.
For Scott, that simplicity made the material particularly rewarding to perform.
Susan Flannery’s Legendary Slaps
With The Bold and the Beautiful approaching its 40th anniversary, we looked back at Scott’s years on the series, including his opportunity to work with Susan Flannery.
Scott recalled giving Flannery permission to actually slap him during one of their early scenes together. What he didn’t anticipate was just how hard she would hit him.
The first slap nearly caused him to break character. Fortunately, Flannery delivered a second slap that brought him back into the moment, and the scene continued.
We also discussed his favorite storyline to perform, which involved Liam’s amnesia and his time in a cabin with Quinn Fuller, played by Rena Sofer. Scott explained why portraying someone who didn’t remember information was a particularly interesting acting challenge.
“Be Fucking Interesting”
One of the most insightful parts of our conversation came when I asked Scott about the lessons he learned working with some of daytime television’s most respected performers.
Looking back at General Hospital, Scott described two contrasting approaches to acting.
Maurice Benard, Steve Burton, and Tyler Christopher demonstrated the importance of stillness and allowing a scene to unfold naturally. Jane Elliott and Tony Geary encouraged a different approach, emphasizing bold choices and taking risks.
Scott recalled their advice: “Be fucking interesting.”
He explained that learning to balance those philosophies helped shape the actor he eventually became.
Beyond the performance itself, Scott also discussed the importance of collaboration, respecting colleagues, and understanding that the success of a scene sometimes requires allowing another actor to shine.
Collaboration, Podcasting and the Art of Listening
That discussion about collaboration resonated with me, particularly as I recently celebrated 19 years of The Buzz.
I shared how my own perspective on collaboration evolved throughout my podcasting career. What initially began as something I wanted to build entirely on my own eventually taught me the importance of learning from others, sharing experiences, and becoming a better listener.
Scott connected that discussion to an interview clip he had recently watched featuring Larry King, who described how an interviewee’s response can determine the next question.
We discussed how that philosophy applies to both interviewing and acting. Preparation matters, but so does recognizing when a conversation takes an unexpected direction.
And if you’ve ever seen Scott and me together on a red carpet, you already know that unexpected directions are fairly normal for us.
From stealing Reese’s on Halloween to joking about turning 40, this interview certainly had its moments.
But that’s what made the opportunity to sit down for a longer conversation so enjoyable.
Scott closed by expressing how much he appreciates interviews where both people share a genuine interest in the subject matter. After years of knowing one another and talking about his work, it was wonderful to finally have the opportunity to do this again.
Watch or listen to my full conversation with Scott Clifton on The Buzz – BuzzWorthy Radio by clicking on the player above or on Spotify.
