This is Me

Y&R’s Melody Thomas Scott reveals how she overcame childhood trauma to become one of soaps’ most beloved icons

- Stephanie Sloane

In her new memoir, Always Young And Restless, Melody Thomas Scott chronicles her surprising and inspiring path to Genoa City. The actress opens up about being raised by her grandmother, a compulsive hoarder whose cruelty was shockingly abusive; abuse at the hands of industry men; the intensity of acting in feature films with Alfred Hitchcock and Clint Eastwood; dealing with mental illness; how she finally took control of her life and career and more.

Soap Opera Digest: When did you first start thinking about writing a book?

Melody Thomas Scott: About 10 years ago. I knew I had a very unusual story to tell, due to the unusual events and circumstances of my early life. It was just a matter of coming to grips with sharing them with the world.

Digest: What was your process?

Scott: For some reason, I tended to write the darker chapters first. Maybe that was my psyche’s form of protection, getting the heavier aspects of my life out of the way.

Digest: You reveal a lot of personal, and, I imagine, painful details about your life. Did you go in with a “nothing but the truth” philosophy?

Scott: Absolutely. There would have been no point in writing a book about my life if I had only included the light without the darkness.

Digest: How long did it take to complete?

Scott: I had a few false starts. When I first sat at my keyboard and tapped out a few chapters, the pain (that seemingly never leaves you) reared its ugly head and brought panic attacks and some PTSD. I had to take pauses that could last anywhere from a month or two to a few years. From the very beginning to completion, it took about 10 years.