Exclusive: Tonya Lee Williams Heads to The Bold and the Beautiful

Fan fave Tonya Lee Williams is taking her much-missed The Young and the Restlesscharacter Olivia Winters over to The Bold and the Beautiful for a two-episode stint February 1-2. "I've only been waiting for this for 20 years!" says Williams. "So many of the Y&R stars — including all my closest friends like Heather Tom and Don Diamont — have crossed over to B&B. But me? Never! So this came completely out of nowhere, like a magical present. What's funny is I didn't know I had a relative over there."

When Williams arrives at B&B we'll find out Olivia is first cousins with Justin Barber, the studly biz whiz played by Aaron D. Spears. As longtime Y&R fans know, Barber is Olivia's maiden name. "But no one really put it together," Williams says. "Apparently [B&B exec producer] Brad Bell had this idea back when he named Aaron's character — he just didn't let any of us know about it. We're just actors. Who knows what goes on behind the veil of Oz?" Olivia will appear on B&B because of a major event in Justin's life, which the show wants to keep quiet for now. (But we will tell you this much — it's a B&B first!)

"They gave me some very interesting, quirky scenes with a lot of the characters — the kind that made me wonder if maybe something might come of it down the line," says Williams. "So naturally I played the crap out of everything!"

Williams has not been seen in Genoa Citysince last August, and then only briefly, but she'll go back this winter for a longer stay. "I'm looking forward to being there at least half a year...unless of course B&B calls again," she says, adding with a laugh, "I'm a total tart right now. Whoever wants me, I'm there!"

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