”SKYLE HIGH“

Y&R’s Hunter King Has Found On-Screen Magic With Michael Mealor

- DEVIN OWENS

SOAP OPERA DIGEST: What do you remember about the first time you met?

MICHAEL MEALOR: I think the first time we met was on the roof deck of the GCAC. I was filming when you came by while going to the production office or something like that. I think we had a funny sh*t-talkin’ banter from the beginning.

HUNTER KING: I always give you sh*t, so that makes sense. I gotta bring you back down to earth. It’s my job.

DIGEST: What were your first impressions of each other?

MEALOR: I had always heard fantastic things about Hunter. I remember when our executive producer at the time, Mal Young, told me and Melissa Ordway [Abby] at the same time that Hunter was coming back and Melissa freaked out. She was like, “Hunter and I can share a dressing room from now on. I don’t even need my dressing room anymore. Just bring her back!” Those were the kinds of things I had heard about Hunter before I actually met her. We just kicked off a friendship right from the beginning.

KING: I didn’t really give him a choice. I was like, “You’re gonna be my friend!”

MEALOR: She was very sweet, and you were a little quieter.

KING: I’m really quiet with people I don’t know, and then I get to know you and you can’t get me to shut up.

DIGEST: What was your impression of Michael?

KING: I had talked to Peter Bergman [Jack] about Michael, and Peter had the loveliest things to say about him. I was obviously excited to meet Michael because he had been there for a while before I had come back. I was actually kind of nervous to work with a new group of people but Michael accepted me and my weirdness right from the get-go. He has a very warm, welcoming energy. You feel like you know him within five minutes of meeting him.