‘The Bold and the Beautiful’: Heather Tom Got Her Son ‘Fired’ From His 1st Acting Gig Playing Her On-Screen Son
Nepotism is alive and well in the entertainment industry. Many celebrities use their influence to ensure their kids have a way of earning an income on their own. The Bold and the Beautiful star Heather Tom has played Katie Logan for almost two decades now.
When the show gave her a motherhood storyline, Tom had the best person for the job: her real-life son. However, she subsequently got her son “fired” from his first acting gig as her on-screen son.
Heather Tom found working with her son to be her ‘own personal hell’
Actors love working with their children. Not only is it easier, but it also adds to the family income at the end of the day. Angelina Jolie, for instance, worked with her daughter for Maleficent. Vivienne was the only child who wasn’t scared of the star’s Maleficent makeup.
When Tom’s Katie got pregnant with her onscreen husband, Dollar Bill Spencer, the show could have hired child actors for the role. But the part ultimately went to Tom’s real-life son, Zane. However, things weren’t as rosy for the actor, who found working with her son to be endlessly painful.
Speaking to Soap Opera Digest, Tom, who began working with her son in 2013, recounted the experience. She explained, “Working with Zane was kind of like my own personal hell, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.”
Tom acknowledged that she was happy to have her son onscreen and “give him something to do,” but said working together wasn’t as much fun as she’d hoped. Tom explained that shows usually hire twin actors so that if one child throws a temper tantrum, they can bring in the other to continue production.
Since Zane wasn’t a twin, Tom was scared that he would shut down production when he had a meltdown. She was also worried that constantly telling her child that Bill, played by Don Diamont, was his father would scar the baby for life. Tom recalled mouthing Zane his lines when he got old enough to be assigned lines calling it “schizophrenic.”
Heather Tom felt terrible about getting her son fired from his first gig
Zane played William Logan Spencer from 2013 until 2018, when his character got SORASed, which came as a relief for his exhausted real-life mom. When Zane started attending kindergarten, he “retired” from acting.
Tom told the outlet that the showrunner, Bradley Bell, called her, informing her that they were thinking of giving Will a juicier storyline but as an older character. “He was trying to sus me out as to whether I would mind if they aged the character,” Tom said. She admitted that she jumped on the offer to age her onscreen son to avoid having to work with Zane again.
The actor revealed that her son discovered the “betrayal” years later and called her out on it. “He was like, ‘You got me fired from my first job.’ I was left like, ‘I am a terrible mother,’ Tom said, laughing.
How many kids does Heather Tom have?
Tom and her partner of 15 years announced their engagement in August 2011. She and James Anchor tied the knot on September 17, 2011. On October 28, 2012, Tom and Anchor welcomed their son Zane Alexander.
Zane seems to have gotten over his mother’s “betrayal,” as, according to Tom, he is proud of her accomplishments. Tom is the recipient of six Daytime Emmy Awards and one Soap Opera Digest Award, which she revealed are on her piano in her living room.
The star shared that whenever her son has friends over to their home, he is usually eager to show them his mother’s awards.
