Whitney Russell

Whitney Russell is a fictional character in the American television soap opera Passions, which aired on NBC from 1999 to 2007 and on DirecTV in 2007–08. The role of Witney was created by the soap's creator and head writer James E. Reilly; the character was portrayed by Brook Kerr from the series' debut on July 5, 1999, to September 7, 2007. In 2005, Sidne Siobhan Phillips portrayed the character in flashbacks. Kerr was initially rejected for the role due to the age of the actress, but she was later hired after her husband sent head shots to the network.

Whitney is a mamber of Passions' Russell family; she is introduced as the eldest daughter of Eve Russell and T.C. Russell, and the sister of Simone Russell. The character is primarily shown as a confidant to Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane but her later storylines focus on her romance with Chad Harris-Crane and the possibility they may be engaging in an incestuous relationship. Following Chad's death, she leaves Harmony to raise her children Miles Harris-Crane and his unnamed sibling in New Orleans with the support of her father and sister.

Kerr's performance was praised by critics; she was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series at the 39th NAACP Image Awards. She was also nominated for the 2005 Soap Opera Digest Awards' Outstanding Younger Lead Actress, and with co-stars Lindsay Hartley and Justin Hartley for the Favorite Triangle award.

Development

Casting and creation

Sheraton Kalouria, senior vice president of NBC's daytime programming,^[1] described the show's use of color-blind casting as part of an effort to build a diverse pool of characters that best reflected the various ethnic and racial groups living in the United States. Kalouria believed the show was set apart from other soap operas by the inclusion of "the African American Russells and the Hispanic Lopez-Fitzgeralds".^[2]

Passions' casting director Jacklynn Briskey originally rejected 29-year-old Brook Kerr for the role of Whitney Russell, believing she would look too mature to play a teenager. Despite the rejection, Kerr's husband Christopher Warren sent in his wife's head shots to the network and she was hired to play the character.^[3] Kerr later described the week of auditioning and two screen tests to be formally cast in the role as "very fast for me".^[4] Kerr played the role from the series debut to September 6, 2007.^[5] Trever Kimball of TVSeriesFinale.com reported Kerr's exit was a result of the cut in costs during the show's transition to DirecTV.^[6] The show's budget had previously been reduced by "a reported $4-to-$5 million" to secure its renewal on a new network.^[7] Actress Sidne Siobhan Phillips played the character in flashback sequences in 2005.^[5]

Characterization

Kerr described Whitney as initially being "so goal-oriented" and without a sense of balance.^[4] Dana Block from Tulsa World described Whitney as "the good girl daughter ... who didn't concern herself with much else".^[8] While discussing her portrayal of the character, Kerr said, "I was always the sensible one, the friend everyone could count on, always doing what I should".^[8] She said her scenes the Vendetta plotline allowed her to explore more of Whitney's independence; she followed this up by saying that Whitney's guilt and confusion at the possibility of Chad being her half-brother and giving birth to his child allowed her to portray the character in new and different ways.^[8]

Storylines

Whitney Russell's early appearances focus on helping her childhood friend Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald with her relationship with attorney Ethan Winthrop and her rivalry with Gwen Winthrop. Whitney is initially portrayed as constantly looking up to her parents Eve and T.C. Russell for guidance, and devoting her life to tennis and school at their insistence. She is unaware of her mother's past drug abuse, and relationship and child with Julian Crane. Whitney briefly dates private detective Frank Lomax, but their relationship rapidly deteriorates when she discovers he was hired to report Theresa for stalking Ethan. Shortly after the break-up, Whitney meets and falls in love with Chad Harris but he becomes involved in a relationship with her sister Simone. Eve discourages Whitney from pursuing a relationship with Chad, fearing he will be a bad influence on her daughter in the same way Julian was on her teenage self. T.C. disapproves of Whitney having relationships that will distract her from tennis. Whitney's relationship with Chad is complicated by Simone's crush on him. Whitney and Chad keep their romantic and sexual encounters secret for years while he pretends to be in love with Simone. The love triangle continues until Simone catches Whitney kissing Chad. Simone publicly breaks up with Chad and tells everyone in Harmony about his relationship with Whitney. During 2003, Whitney's connection with Chad steadily unravels after the discovery of his marriage to Latoya Harris and her attempt to murder Whitney.

In 2004, Eve's vengeful adoptive sister Liz Sanbourne arranges for Eve's past relationship with Julian to be exposed to the Russell family and the rest of Harmony, resulting in Chad being erroneously identified as their son. The possible incestuous implications of Whitney's relationship with Chad serves as her primary storyline on the soap opera. Whitney initially rejects her mother for hiding her past with Julian, but they reconnect by singing at the Blue Note, a local jazz club. Whitney briefly considers pursuing a career in music and frequently sings at the Blue Note. Vocalist Jania Foxworth was selected as Whitney's singing voice; Kerr lip-synchronized during her scenes.^[9] When the possibility Chad could be Eve's son is revealed, Whitney discovers she is pregnant with Chad's child (would later be known as Miles Harris-Crane) and initially keeps her pregnancy secret. Whitney initiates a relationship with Fox Crane to insinuate he is the father of her unborn child and to protect herself and her child from the stigma of incest. She originally plans to drug and rape Fox to make the cover story believable, but could not complete her plans because they conflict with her moral and ethical beliefs. The couple eventually have consensual sex and Fox identifies himself as the father of her baby. While Fox helps search for Theresa's missing daughter Jane Winthrop, Whitney persuades him to leave her with his power of attorney. On March 23, 2005, she gives birth to a son and immediately uses Fox's power of attorney to put him up for adoption. Two couples—Julian and Eve, and T.C. and Liz—compete to adopt the boy but Chad is awarded custody of the child. He attempts to use the child to reconnect with Whitney. Whitney and Chad name their baby Miles Davis Harris after jazz musician Miles Davis.

The storyline escalates during the earthquake and tsunami in the show's 2005 summertime extravaganza. Whitney has sex with Chad in the middle of the tsunami and admits to Chad he is Miles's biological father. Fox overhears her confessions and ends his relationship with her. Whitney is overwhelmed by guilt and shame by the assumption of committing incest; she joins a convent to become closer to God and prepares to take holy orders. At the convent, she is manipulated by Alistair Crane, who is disguised as a messenger of God as part of his scheme to steal a chalice from the Pope's private chambers and take over the world. Identified as the Vendetta plot, the show's 2006 summertime extravaganza centers on Alistair luring Whitney, Chad, and several other residents of Harmony to Rome. While in Rome, Chad is given his birth certificate by tabloid editor JT Cornell and discovers he was conceived during Alistair's rape of Liz. Following the revelation of his true paternity, Chad restarts his relationship with Whitney and they decide to raise their son together.

On December 26, 2006, Whitney marries Chad and takes his last name, becoming known as Whitney Russell Harris-Crane. Unbeknown to Whitney, Chad previously began a sexual relationship with the tabloid reporter Vincent Clarkson and continues the affair after their reunion and wedding. Chad is unaware Vincent is actually his half-brother because he is Eve and Julian's child. Whitney becomes increasingly suspicious of Chad's fidelity after discovering she is pregnant with their second child. Vincent arranges for Whitney to catch him having sex with Chad in a gay bar, causing her to file for divorce. The estranged couple start to reconcile as they try to help Theresa and Ethan reunite, but the possibility of a union is cut short when Alistair kills Chad on August 28, 2007; Chad dies while professing his love for Whitney and their children. As a result of Alistair's actions, Whitney chooses to delete Crane from her name and asks to be known as Mrs. Harris. After saying goodbye to Theresa and Eve, Whitney leaves Harmony and moves to New Orleans to live with her sister and son. T.C. is later said to have moved there to help her. On January 2, 2008, Whitney contacts police chief Sam Bennett to say she is willing to testify at Alistair's murder trial. This proves unnecessary when Viki Chatsworth kills Alistair. On July 16, 2008, a letter from Simone to her friend Kay Bennett discloses that Whitney has given birth to her child; the exact date of birth, and the child's gender and name are never revealed.

Reception

Cast response

Whitney's storylines with Chad received mixed responses from other Passions cast members. Charles Divins, who was one of the two actors portraying Chad, said the characters' tumultuous romance met viewers' expectations for a soap opera and added, "People watch soaps as an escape. People need drama. Whether you love it or hate it, people will talk about it.”^[10] Near the end of the show, Tracey Ross, who portrayed Russell family matriarch Eve Russell, stated "I was never crazy about the incest storyline with Whitney and Chad".^[11]

Critical response

Kerr was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series at the 39th NAACP Image Awards for her portrayal of Whitney.^[12] She was also nominated for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress, and alongside co-stars Lindsay and Justin Hartley for the Favorite Triangle award at the 2005 Soap Opera Digest Awards.^[13]

The exact nature of Whitney's relationship with Chad attracted frequent speculation from media outlets and fans. The incest storyline led media outlets to sensationalize Harmony as the place where "half-siblings sleep with one another".^[8] An article in Soap Opera Digest listed the 2006 revelation that Whitney and Chad were not related by blood as one of Passions' most shocking secrets.^[14]

References

External links

• Whitney Russell at Internet Movie Database