Y&R’s Stacy Haiduk Released From Contract

The Young and the Restless has confirmed to CBS Soaps In Depth that fan favorite Stacy Haiduk’s contract cycle has not been renewed. So what does that mean for the actress? Apparently just because her contract hasn’t been renewed doesn’t mean we’ve seen the last of Patty Williams or Dr. Emily Peterson.

“Stacy Haiduk is a fantastic actress and we are thrilled with her performances as Patty Williams and Dr. Emily Peterson,” said co-executive producer/head writer Maria Arena Bell to CBS Soaps In Depth. “Though she is going off contract we hope that Stacy will reprise the role in the future.”

News of Haiduk’s contract status was first reported by her fan site on June 19th saying, “After a critically acclaimed and captivating run as Patty Williams and Dr. Emily Peterson on The Young and the Restless Stacy Haiduk’s contract was not picked up again.” The site went on to encourage fans to call in and write to CBS to show support for Stacy.

In a recent interview with Michael Fairman, Stacy talked about her portrayal of the psychotic yet vulnerable Patti Williams, “One thing I wanted was for people to feel for her, and that she was not just a whacko. I wanted them to feel bad for her. She is in pain. I feel sorry for her.”

Haiduk joined the cast of The Young and the Restless last year as the mysterious Mary Jane Benson, a public relations consultant who mixed business and pleasure with Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman). Over time it was revealed that Mary Jane wasn’t the woman she claimed to be and was in fact Patty Williams. Though she had a new face she was still as unstable as ever and wreaked havoc in Genoa City for months! Haiduk began playing dual roles when the show introduced the character of Dr. Emily Peterson, the woman Patty had her new face modeled after. Emily eventually fell in love with Jack which didn’t sit well with Patty of course.

Hopefully the executives at Y&R will listen to their viewers and keep this talented actress around. Haiduk is a rare find and has proven that she can rise about weak writing to produce stellar performance. When All My Children decided to write out Haiduk’s Hannah in 2008, their loss was Y&R’s gain. Let’s hope the number one daytime drama realizes what a colossal mistake it would be to let someone of Haiduk’s talent go.

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