Y&R viewers recently got a surprise when it was revealed that plane crash victim Nick survived — and it was Deanna Russo’s Logan who came to his rescue. The actress and longtime Y&R fan chats about joining one of her favorite shows.

Soap Opera Digest: Welcome to Y&R!
Deanna Russo: Thanks. I've been watching Y&R on and off for decades, so it's been a little surreal for me to be here.

Digest: I'm sure. Especially when you're interacting with people you knew only as characters.
Russo: The first time I had scenes with some of the veterans, like Melody [Thomas Scott, Nikki], I almost forgot my lines.

Digest: But you got to make quite an entrance, being stranded in the woods with a hunk.
Russo: But it was so upscale. I'm an outdoorsy chick myself in real life. I do real camping and the Genoa City camping attire was so much fancier than anything I've used. I was like, "Wow, this is so chichi." I've never seen anyone camp in such clean clothes before.

Digest: I think they did a good job on your clothes and hair. On TV, at least, you looked appropriately grungy.
Russo: My hair's just like that because I'm from New Jersey [laughs]!

Digest: Well, I hope you take this as a compliment, but there were times when the camera angle made you look a little bit like Evangeline Lilly, who plays Kate on LOST.
Russo: Oh, I love LOST, so that's totally a compliment! I guess I can see that since they're in a jungle and we were in the middle of the woods ...

Digest:... And there was a plane crash involved.
Russo: What's funny is that when Logan first found Nick, he was wearing a shirt that reminded me of Jack's from the first episode [of LOST].

Digest: Speaking of Nick, how has it been working with portrayer Joshua Morrow? Has he taken you under his wing?
Russo: Yes, he's helped me settle in and feel at home. He's a good guy.

Digest: He's said great things about you to our magazine.
Russo: That's because I paid him to say them [laughs]. Seriously, everyone has been very nice on set, from the producers to the interns. Everyone across the board has been very inviting.

Digest: Have you gotten a chance to hang out with fellow Jersey girl Amelia [Heinle, Victoria]?
Russo: Yeah. I grew up watching the show when Heather Tom played Victoria, so to meet the new Victoria and find out she was a Jersey girl made me feel at home. And her husband, Thad [Luckinbill, J.T.] — he's great. The two of them together, I gush over them because they're such a beautiful couple.

Digest: When did you come out to Los Angeles?
Russo: About five years ago.

Digest: So you're practically a native.
Russo: [Laugh] I am definitely homesick for Jersey and my family, especially now. There's nothing like the Jersey shore during the summer. But now I live near the beach, so I can't really complain. I love Los Angeles. As much as I miss New Jersey, I'm happy to be here.

Digest: Did you get to attend this year's Daytime Emmy Awards?
Russo: I did. It was weird because that week — June 11 — was the same week my episodes started to air, so I wasn't really recognizable by a lot of the red carpet folks. So when it came time for the interviews, not many people knew me. But getting inside and sitting in the Kodak Theater was pretty amazing. Jerry Springer was sitting in front of me. Oscar the Grouch was to my right.

Digest: So it was a regular "Who's Who?" of Hollywood.
Russo: Yeah [laughs]! I didn't know what to make of it all. It was thrilling when Y&R won Best Show, though. Everyone was so happy.

Digest: Have you had any fan encounters yet?
Russo: No. But I've gone online to see how people felt about a new woman coming to Y&R and it's been pretty positive.

Digest: It seems you've done pretty well in the field. You've done plenty of guest stints on shows like CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION and CHARMED.
Russo: I've definitely done my time out here. I came with nothing, didn't know anybody. It's amazing how much things can change in a short amount of time with enough diligence and luck, really. I mean, you can work really hard, but if you don't have any luck, you're not going to get anywhere. Fortunately, it's gotten me this far.