‘Scandal’ Star Bellamy Young Chose ‘The Waltons’ Homecoming’ to Escape All the Murder Shows
Bellamy Young went from Scandal to Prodigal Son. Those are both shows with a lot of murder in them. After Prodigal Son, Young got to do an episode of Fantasy Island. When she got the chance to play Olivia Walton in The Waltons’ Homecoming, Young couldn’t resist the wholesome CW movie.
Young was on a Zoom panel for The Waltons’ Homecoming on Nov. 10. She explained the appeal of remaking the classic TV show. The Waltons’ Homecoming is now streaming on The CW.
Bellamy Young was intimidated by ‘The Waltons’ Homecoming’
Stepping into Michael Learned’s role on The Waltons was no easy task. Young braced herself for the opportunity with “utter awe and trepidation, obviously.”
“First of all, this is my grandma’s favorite show, which sounds like a crazy thing to say, and I’m 100 years old myself,” Young said. “But, the show has meant so much to my family through the years, when [executive producer] Sam [Haskell] brought this up as an opportunity, I leapt at it in one of those moments where you sort of put the fear behind you and you’re like, ‘Well, I’ll face that fear later.’ Like this is too beautiful, a chance.”
After the year that was 2020, having a chance to bring back The Waltons in 2021 was important to Young. The story has Olivia and the Waltons’ children await their father, John (Ben Lawson)’s return from work. When he is delayed, the family relies on faith and their neighbors to get through the tough times.
“I think our world, not just our country, is coming out of such a lonely, lonely time, a time of fear and solitude,” Young said. “And the chance to put some gentleness and kindness in the world just seemed so lovely.”
‘The Waltons’ Homecoming’ had no murder
Young admitted after her success on Scandal, she may be a little typecast. The chance to do a wholesome movie like The Waltons’ Homecoming was not lost on her.
“I read a lot of things that have a lot of ‘and then he gets murdered and then they shoot each other,’” Young said. “Just something that was talking about family and love and truth and togetherness, I loved every moment.”
Bellamy Young got over the pressure
One way Young got over her trepidation about the legendary Waltons’ cast was not to try to replace them. Young says the original Waltons are still the definitive Waltons.
“I did not think about it in terms of stepping into their shoes because their shoes are like bronzed and hallowed,” Young said. “Just the opportunity to do my little part, to bring it into this iteration, how great is our family? Every kid and my little Benny is my husband, and this iteration was clearly going to be special in its own way.”
The clincher was that Richard Thomas blessed The Waltons’ Homecoming by appearing in it. Thomas introduces and narrates the film.
“When Sam told us that Richard was going to be a part of it, I think that was the part that really made everything inside go quivery, just that truth, that level of beauty. His heart just reaches through the screen and like embraces you. So once he was a part of it, I just sort of felt like we’d all rise to his occasion. And I just watched it last night, and I’m so proud of what we did. So I am very, very proud to be next in the line of such a beautiful history of actors in this property.”
