Out of the Fire: Christel Khalil
Christel Khalil talks about her year on and off screen
~CBS Soaps in Depth
Lily forgiving Cane:
"I understand why they did it that way, because there is so much history between Lily and Cane. Y&R wanted to make this story a "love can conquer all" type of deal. But I kind of wish they had Lily go off a little more. I'd like to have seen both Cane and Lily be with different people and play that, even though they were with different people, they really missed each other. They did that a bit when Lily got with Daniel, but it happened so quickly that you really didn't get a chance to sink your teeth into it. I really wish they would've played with that a little more."
Being part of a super-couple:
"I get that our characters are really, really popular, but we never get to do anything else with any other people! Don't get me wrong - Daniel [Goddard] and I love working together. I absolutely love that our characters have this amazing romance and love story. But as an actress, you kind of want your character to have some other stuff to do, to get involved with other people."
Lily snaps?
"I've been saying this for months now - maybe even years - but I wish they would have it where Lily would just snap and go off and do something crazy! It doesn't make sense that somebody would go through this many trials - having your mom die, having cancer, thinking you're seeing a ghost - and be okay. You would have some really deep issues that you would need to go through."
Life imitating art:
(Christel recently went through the breakup of her marriage)
"I've had a really rough year, and at the beginning of the year, I was going out all the time. That's what you do! It's like you're almost detoxing from all the stress. I think that's normal. I think that's natural. To have Lily be this person who never loses it... it's just not realistic. It's funny, because you do feel that art does imitate life, and life imitates art. I think that's the great thing about being an actor - you really can use you art almost like therapy."
Her son one and a half year old son, Michael:
"He is the most laid-back child ever! He's just so fun and so friendly and sociable. I can take him anywhere, and he can make people crack up. He's always the center of attention. He can be outgoing and loud and talking - doing his little babbles and jokes - and dancing around, and the next minute, he can be at home with me on the couch, and we watch a movie together. I could not have asked for a better child. I say every day that God gave me the most awesome baby. He matches my temperament, where he can be wild and crazy one moment, and the next, he's chilled out. He's like a little man!"
Journey from her teens:
(Christel was only 14 when she joined the cast Y&R)
"I'm only 24, but I've been married, I've been divorced, I bought a home, I sold a home, I had a baby... I always say I don't think you've made a mistake if you've learned something. So as long as you learn and don't repeat the same mistake, it's okay. My life is insane - but I love it!