Heather Tom Celebrates Her Late Mother in Groundbreaking Episode of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’

Heather Tom is marking her remarkable 35 years in daytime television with a major milestone.

The actress announces that on March 27, “The Bold and the Beautiful” will present a groundbreaking episode that she wrote, directed, and starred in.

“This is the first occurrence of its kind in daytime television. Across all television networks, it has only been achieved a few times by women,” shares Tom, known for her role as Katie Logan on the show, in a conversation with TODAY.com.

At 49, she takes on multiple roles in this special episode, which highlights the female leads and focuses on the theme of motherhood and daughterhood.

“We have the Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) and Taylor (Rebecca Budig) characters, who are experiencing a sense of joy after accomplishing something incredibly meaningful to them,” Tom explains to TODAY.com about the mother-daughter relationship. “In contrast, we have Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Hope (Annika Noelle), who are in total turmoil. It creates an intriguing contrast between the two stories.”

Tom mentions that her late mother was often on her mind during the creation of the episode, and she honors her in a specific scene with Jennifer Gareis, who portrays her character’s sister, Donna.

“I managed to include a homage to my mother, who passed away last year,” she reflects, describing the process as “truly special.”

Tom describes her mother as a “very determined” and “very smart” woman, crediting her as “the inspiration” for her career in entertainment.

Directing, acting, and writing the episode was quite a challenge for Tom, who made her directorial debut on “B&B” in 2016. Since that time, she has helmed over 30 episodes and penned several scripts for the series. Additionally, she has directed episodes of “The Young and the Restless,” “Dynasty,” and “Good Trouble.”

“I’m immensely grateful and honored that Brad (Bell, the show’s executive producer and head writer) would even consider something like this, as it was quite a logistical challenge. However, everyone rallied together in support, and we executed it very smoothly,” she states.

Tom collaborated with another female director to plan all the shots and utilized a monitor on set to keep track of her own performances while acting.

“It’s a deeply emotional episode. I aimed to ensure our scenes were effectively blocked and thoroughly rehearsed so the actresses could convey their emotions seamlessly,” she elaborates.

Tom is particularly excited that this episode will air during Women’s History Month.

“We really need to recognize and celebrate women, especially in the current climate. Our contributions and narratives are essential to highlight,” she expresses.

Tom’s journey is certainly deserving of celebration. Before joining “B&B” in 2007, she had roles on “One Life to Live” and “All My Children.” She also portrayed Victoria Newman on “The Young and the Restless” alongside Joshua Morrow, who played her on-screen sibling, Nick Newman.

In a serendipitous twist, Morrow’s son, Crew Morrow, joined the “B&B” cast in 2024 as Tom’s on-screen son, creating a “full-circle” moment for her, especially as his mannerisms often remind her of his father.

“They really nailed it with him, and he’s fantastic. I’m thrilled to have him on the show,” she adds.

Tom, a six-time Daytime Emmy Award winner, finds it “kind of unbelievable” to reflect on her 35 years in daytime TV.

“I’m incredibly thankful for having such a consistent role for all these years,” she remarks.

The actress treasures playing “such a layered character” and mentions several favorite arcs from her tenure on the series.

“(Katie’s) heart transplant was a major turning point in her narrative, and I’m so pleased that it has remained integral to her story rather than being dismissed,” she clarifies.

Tom also values her character’s exploration of postpartum depression.

“While she experienced postpartum psychosis, which is quite severe, I believe it continues to be a largely unspoken topic. Many women encounter it but feel unable to discuss it due to fears of being labeled bad mothers or being perceived as not loving their children. In reality, that’s not the case,” she states.

As she looks ahead, Tom sees substantial opportunities for her character’s evolution, particularly with the return of her son, Will, to the storyline.

“I’d love to see Will develop traits similar to his father’s, as that would create some tension for Katie,” she shares.

With her siblings, David and Nicholle Tom, also navigating careers in the entertainment world, one wonders if they might collaborate on a project in the future.

“I would be absolutely thrilled to work on anything with them!” Tom declares, referring to her siblings as “incredibly talented.”

For the time being, Tom’s calendar is filled with her commitments to “B&B.” Although juggling writing, directing, and acting in an episode was a significant undertaking, she looks forward to the possibility of similar challenges in the future.

“I would absolutely welcome the chance to do it again. However, for now, I’m directing, writing, and acting in the show, just not simultaneously,” she concludes.