Brotherly Love Shemar Moore Remembers Y&R's Kristoff

In 1994, Shemar Moore originated the role of Malcolm Winters, younger brother to Neil, who was played by the late Kristoff St. John, and the two made a sibling connection both on-screen and off. Moore has gone on to prime-time (first with CRIMINAL MINDS and currently headlining S.W.A.T.), but returned to Y&R to shoot both Neil’s funeral and the tribute to St. John, which will air on April 29. Here, Moore talks exclusively to Digest about his special relationship with his dearly departed friend.

- Devin Owens

Soap Opera Digest: Shemar, how did Kristoff seem the last time you communicated with him?

Shemar Moore: I had talked to Kristoff on January 17 via text and he was optimistic. He had a documentary series that he’d been working on for a while, which he was really excited about and proud of. And then he was a little bit in a negative place about YOUNG AND RESTLESS, just, you know, he wanted to be able to do more. I just told him to be patient and to just “keep showing the world who you are and what you’re about and just showcasing your talent and it’ll come.” I didn’t realize he was in such a dark place. I knew he was going through things, the passing of his son, and I knew he was frustrated. But if I had known, I could’ve done more. I should’ve done more. I should’ve reached out.

Digest: You had just returned from Atlanta when you found out about Kristoff’s death.

Moore: I had been at the Super Bowl and got an early a.m. flight because I had to get back in time to work at S.W.A.T. I landed at like 6:30 in the morning and when I got in the town car at LAX, my phone started blowing up and I thought it was odd that it was so early in the morning. They sent me the announcements that Kristoff had passed. It takes about 35 minutes to get home and I was just trying to register it was happening. And then it finally hit me and I got very emotional.

Digest: What were your reasons for participating in the Y&R episodes?