Victoria Rowell became one of daytime television’s most beloved stars, but the drama behind the scenes of “The Young and the Restless” was anything but scripted.
The actress spent 17 years portraying Drucilla Winters.
Her success reportedly came with jealousy, racial mistreatment and professional retaliation. Now, she’s revisiting the controversy that followed her departure.
During an Oct. 6 interview with television producer Carlos King, Rowell, 67, addressed allegations that she had been blackballed after speaking out against discrimination.
“In the industry? No. I’ve never stopped working,” she said when King questioned her about being blackballed.
Actress Victoria Rowell Gives Her First-Hand Account and Exposes the Racism and Bigotry in Hollywood
‘The Young and the Restless’ Icon Crossing Over to ‘Beyond the Gates’ — And What It Means for Fans
But when he narrowed the question to soap operas, her answer changed.
“Don’t know. Don’t know,” she replied. “It’s one genre that I work in. It’s not where I dwell.”
Rowell recalled how series co-creator William J. Bell championed her casting in 1990. His enthusiasm allegedly created friction among cast members.
“He did not hide his appreciation and his actual love for me,” she explained.
Bell supported her growing career outside the soap. She booked movies with legends like Eddie Murphy and Jim Carrey. She also starred opposite Dick Van Dyke on CBS’ “Diagnosis: Murder.”
But Rowell claims some colleagues resented her opportunities.
In 2015, she accused co-star Michelle Stafford of spitting on her during filming. Stafford denied intentionally spitting on Rowell, describing the incident as a comedic “spit take” involving water.
In the new interview, Rowell revealed she helped Stafford land a role outside the soap before the incident.
“I was successful in getting Michelle Stafford booked,” she recalled.
King appeared stunned that Rowell had helped colleagues who later allegedly mistreated her. Online, fans were far less forgiving.
“I am glad she’s speaking up! The person who spat on her is still on the show!” one X user wrote. Another added, “Yeah, they treated her like crap. I stopped watching shortly after they wrote her off and haven’t had a reason to turn it back on.”
A third reader commented, “That spit take had to be planned and timed by Michelle to happen at the right moment. To do that without notifying Victoria is so FOUL and clearly meant to antagonize her.”
On Yahoo! News, one reader wrote, “The sad thing is, I believe it…never liked the character Phylis. Bet she didn’t even try to apologize.”
Rowell’s frustrations extended beyond her co-stars. She told King that she frequently rewrote dialogue because the production lacked Black writers.
“I definitely rewrote countless lines, and the audience loved it,” she explained.
Rowell said she’s “proud” of the advocacy that helped secure Susan Dansby’s hiring after what she described as a 37-year exclusion of Black writers.
Still, she left “Young and the Restless” in 2007 after being denied opportunities to write, direct and produce. “I didn’t want to,” she admitted.
In 2015, Rowell sued CBS and the show’s producers, alleging retaliation for her diversity advocacy. The defendants denied wrongdoing. The case eventually ended in a settlement.
She is not the only Black actress to make headlines after speaking out about workplace issues on set.
Comedian Mo’Nique has accused Hollywood of blackballing her after she refused to promote her role in “Precious” without additional compensation. She publicly blamed Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Lee Daniels for keeping her out of work for years.
“Was I censored to a degree for speaking on behalf of others who wanted to work and couldn’t go through the door?” Rowell asked. “Might seem like it.”
However, her relationship with CBS appears to have softened.
She was invited to audition for the lead matriarch for CBS’ “Beyond the Gates” soap opera. However, Tamara Tunie got the role, playing opposite veteran actor Eric Braeden.
“Beyond the Gates” has made CBS a trailblazer with its predominantly Black cast, but NBC broke ground nearly 40 years earlier with Generations, the first daytime soap built around a Black family from the start.
King then asked why she had never been invited back to “The Young and the Restless.”
“Well, how do you know I haven’t?” Rowell replied. When King pressed for details, she laughed.
Nearly two decades later, Drucilla’s biggest cliffhanger remains unresolved.
Oh my GOOD Damn!!!!!!!! Victoria Rowell (Drucila) is talking about Michelle Stafford spitting on her #YR https://t.co/zAuQg8APGj
— Kisha (@HonnyDipp) October 7, 2026