Soap Stud Wants Moore Out Of Life

'Young & The Restless'' Shemar Moore Talks About His Emmy Hopes, Career Aspirations And His Mom

Dear Readers: Thanks for all your email about my interview with Dick Van Dyke last week. Because of the overwhelming response, a special "The Three Van Dykes" column is forthcoming. We'll talk to three generations of Van Dykes on the set of "Diagnosis Murder."

Last Wednesday, NAACP Image Award-winning actor Shemar Moore, who plays heartthrob Malcolm Winters on the No. 1 daytime drama, CBS' "Young & The Restless," received his third Emmy Award nomination.

Hours after he found out, I sat down with Moore to talk about his six-year rise to fame, which lucky lady will be his date to the Emmys, and what's next for this popular young actor.

More Shemar
It was a small picture in GQ Magazine that caught the attention of producers at the CBS daytime drama "Young & The Restless." San Francisco Bay Area-raised Shemar Moore was modeling to pay college tuition and had landed in the stylish guys' magazine.

But in 1994, the "Y&R" producers were conducting a nation-wide search for the actor to play the new role of leading man Malcolm Winters. After seeing his picture, they called Moore in to audition. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Now the mere mention of his name raises the temperature in the room, especially among the ladies.

SHEMAR MORE

"Young & The Restless" actor Shemar Moore talked to "Women 2 Women" about his start in acting. See the Interview

And as we sit down to talk, it's easy to see why. Clearly, Moore's good looks are striking and his "boy next door" charm has millions of fans swooning.

But, it's Moore's talent that has earned him his third Emmy nomination, his first as an adult.

"I didn't even know the nominations were coming out today," Moore tells me humbly.

Moore says that he was actually still in bed when the phone starting ringing like crazy.

"I don't get a lot of days off and everyone who knows me knows that I'm not a morning person. So I was knocked out in bed," he says. "So this morning I was knocked all the way out and the phone kept ringing starting at like 8:00 and I was like, 'Yeah, whatever' and just let it go to the machine."

When he finally did answer the phone, the person on the line told Moore about the nomination.

Moore was still too groggy to let it hit him. He told the caller sleepily: "Oh, that's cool."

But when he found out that "Young & The Restless" had received a total of 28 nominations this year, Moore started to realize that it was a big deal. The daytime drama received far more nods than any other show; more than twice as many as its closest competitor.

"I think it'll hit me more and more," Moore says of his own nomination. "But 2000 has been a very fast and furious year for me so I'm just trying to keep it all in perspective."

Speechless
"It's not so much about the trophy. Now it's about hard work paying off." Moore says of what the nomination means to him.

He gives me a big grin and says, "Don't get me wrong. If they call my name at the awards, you think Susan Lucci gave a speech? Shemar Moore is going to do a whole different kind of Cuba Gooding dance."

So, is Moore going to prepare an acceptance speech?

"I'm not going to write it. What I'll do is remind myself of the people I know I need to thank. But I'd rather spontaneously throw whatever I feel in the moment," he says. "I know it will be a happy time, a crazy time and I'll be a nervous idiot. (I'll) just roll with it."

And who has Moore picked to walk down the red carpet with him on Emmy day?

Well, actually, his escort picked him.

He tells me that after he found out about the nomination, Moore called his Mom right away.

"Got to call mom. And she made it real clear that she's going to be my date to the Emmys. She'll will be the first person I thank," Moore adds.

Sorry, ladies, Mom is still number one in Moore's book.

Malcolm In The Middle
So is Moore leaving his role of "Y&R's" Malcolm Winters as reported?

"We don't know that. I'm actually hoping we can work something out," Moore says.

I press him on it, but he seems to really mean it. His spring exit is not definite.

But on top of his new hosting responsibilities of the long-running "Soul Train" music show and his starring role on the daily "Y&R," Moore has just landed another full-time gig.

Where does this guy find the time?

"The good news in my life right now is that I just landed a pilot. It's a pilot called 'Celebrity' for Fox. It's (produced by) Danny Devito's company, Jersey Films."

Moore says that "Celebrity" is about "sex, drugs and rock and roll, fast and furious."

"I play a rock star, a bad boy, trying to meet the girl who's trying to tame him. And I get to show a few more colors, a little more edge, a little more shadiness," Moore says of the new show.

I'll keep you posted to let you know when to look for it this fall.

Simply The Blessed
"I've been blessed, I have three jobs in Hollywood. Can you believe that?," Moore asks. "A boy from Oakland, a boy from the Bay Area. Who knew?"

But Moore tells me that beyond the success, the business has given him a life lesson.

"It hasn't been easy at all. Applause, the autographs and the glory (are all) wonderful things. But the biggest thing is that it's given me a chance to get to know myself as a man, a young man turning into a man."

And what is Moore most proud of?

"The fact that I stayed strong to myself. Dealt with the obstacles. I was willing to take a blind leap of faith."

Moore has a big day ahead of him so we end the interview. I say goodbye and wish him luck. Moore heads for the door and out toward one bright future.

Hollywood Giveaway: Do you a chance to win an autographed picture of Shemar? Enter here.

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