Billy Flynn Discusses His Reveal as Cane and On-Screen Chemistry with Lily
Billy Flynn has been officially confirmed as Aristotle Dumas — and Cane Ashby — on the Young and the Restless.
“Aristotle Dumas is my interpretation — or Cane’s interpretation — of The Great Gatsby, with Lily as Daisy,” Flynn, 40, shared exclusively with Us Weekly. “To me, it’s about a man burdened with significant guilt and shame, who strives to reinvent himself to be worthy of the woman he loves and those in Genoa City who know him.”
Cane was last seen on Y&R in 2019, with Daniel Goddard portraying the character at that time.
“He’s still someone trying to discover who he is,” Flynn continues. “He’s vulnerable, deeply in love with one woman. There are parts of him that are fractured, and he’s determined to piece them together to become a version of himself that will make these people proud.”
Flynn emphasizes that a key motivation for Cane is his love for ex-wife Lily (Christel Khalil).
“It’s why Gatsby hosted so many parties — to unveil this new version, to show off, thinking, ‘Can I throw this extravagant party, hoping Lily will show up?’” he elaborates.
Following the significant reveal in the episode airing on Friday, June 20, Flynn mentions it’s time for “the work” to commence.
“Cane has an idea of how he believes this will unfold, but then there’s the reality of the situation,” he tells Us. “I’ve always pondered, ‘What did he expect people to think?’ Some characters may react with surprise or indifference. It’s going to be like, ‘Cane? What?’ While others will respond, ‘Wow, OK Cane.’ The persona he crafted — Aristotle Dumas — is someone everyone wants to engage with.”
Flynn notes the “history” tied to Cane’s character. “He still has various advantages he can leverage, but now the question becomes, ‘Is any resentment towards him worth missing out on what you desire?’ He possesses these bargaining chips,” he explains.
Flynn has expressed his apprehension about joining Y&R after a decade on Days of Our Lives. He acknowledges it’s “very daunting” to approach a “rebranding of a character,” especially with a beloved couple like Cane and Lily involved.
“People will have their own opinions about it. There’s nothing I can control in that regard. I was brought on to perform a role, so I must do it to the best of my ability, which includes their love story and shared history. I prepared extensively, but that accounts for about 10 percent of what you can do. The other 90 percent depends on whether you have ‘it’ with your co-star,” he shares, confirming that the chemistry with Khalil is “great.”
He adds, “After that very first scene, I thought, ‘This thing is going to really work.’”
The Young and the Restless airs on CBS weekdays.
