Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea) is back from her maternity leave and already logging time on the Y&R set in preparation for her December 14 return air date. The actress notes that a few significant milestones took place during her absence. “It’s a big year for me,” she enthuses. “I had a baby [Caden], I turned 40 and celebrated 10 years on Y&R [on November 11]!”
First-time motherhood “has been really incredible,” Egan beams. “It’s everything that they said it would be. Caden is totally the love of my life. Of course, it’s exhausting and I’m definitely tired, but it’s so worth it. I can’t wait to get home to see him. It still feels so surreal that he’s ours. He’s 11 weeks and I still can’t believe he’s my son. He’s a really good boy and we’re so grateful for him. It’s been a lot of fun. People instill the fear of God in you by saying things like, ‘Catch up on your sleep now,’ which I would never say to someone because that is such an annoying expression. First of all, you do get sleep, it’s just in small chunks, and of course it’s a lot of work and exhausting but it’s so gratifying because you’re so full of love for this little human.”
Egan and husband Matt Katrosar had a definite plan in mind for naming their son. “We always wanted alliteration with the ‘k’ sound to go with Katrosar,” she explains. “We were already going to use Robert for the middle name because that was Matt’s dad, who passed away awhile back, so we were looking at all ‘C’ and ‘K’ and even ‘Q’ names. My mom sent us a list and one of them was Caden and we both loved the name. We looked it up and Caden means friend in one language, and warrior in another language, so that’s how we arrived at it. We knew he would be Caden Robert months before he was born but didn’t tell anybody.”
After Caden’s arrival on August 21, Egan’s co-stars “sent a ton of texts and emails, which were so special,” she smiles. “Greg Rikaart [Kevin] brought me a lasagna and Lizzie Hendrickson [Chloe] brought a box of diapers. I was constantly texting with Josh [Morrow, Nick], and his wife, Tobe, designed our nursery. And Catherine Bach [ex-Anita] came over and visited the baby the other day. I just love her.”
Turning 40 on September 28 was another positive experience. “I don’t mind getting older because I look forward to every year,” Egan says. “I became a mom four weeks before I turned 40, so I feel like I have so much to be thankful for. I mean, reaching 40 is nothing to complain about and I’m filled with nothing but gratitude.”
Despite the tinge of separation anxiety from Caden, Egan is thrilled to be back at work. “People were like, ‘Aw, are you anxious? Are you sad?’ and I’m like, ‘No, I’m good,’ ” she laughs. “The truth of the matter is, it’s healthy. I’m obsessed with my son but it feels good to brush my teeth before noon again and have a reason to shower. It’s healthy to have adult conversations and to use my brain in another capacity when it comes to memorizing my lines. I was definitely anxious about having to learn all of the material again with not a lot of sleep, but the body is an incredible machine. It’s fascinating how your body just figures it out and manages it, so it hasn’t been as bad as I thought. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still tired and need a shot of espresso in the afternoon, but it truly feels good to be back. Plus, I get to be glam again. Before I knew I was pregnant, Chelsea had her stroke and all I wore were sweats, then I was in scrubs [in the mental facility], so it’s been fun getting dressed up and going to hair and makeup again.”
Before Egan’s maternity leave, Co-Executive Producer/Head Writer Josh Griffith promised to have great story waiting for Chelsea. “He didn’t tell me everything, no matter how much I nagged him, but he did share a couple of things before I left and one was about some headbutting with Sally,” she chuckles. “I’ve been back a couple of weeks and it has been awesome. Courtney [Hope, Sally] is wonderful and so much fun to work with. She’s a really good actor and we’re very similar in that we’re both overly prepared and love to run lines. I can’t wait for the fans to see us together. It’s good soapy stuff.”
Egan is still in awe over marking a decade on Y&R. “It’s just so crazy to me that it’s already been 10 years,” she marvels. “I think about all the things that Chelsea has been through in that time, and the stories she’s been in. The highs and the lows, the ups and the downs, and the romances for the character, and then all of the wonderful experiences for myself, working with these amazing people: the writers, the directors, the crew and the cast members. There’s also what I’ve gone through personally, in terms of getting married and starting a new family. So much has happened to Chelsea and Missy in that time. It’s been a wild and very satisfying ride.”
