The Young and the Restless viewers are now aware of Ashley Abbott and Diane Jenkins’ tense rivalry, which became more complicated once Diane married Ashley’s half-brother, Jack. Ashley has always viewed Diane as a threat to Jack and the Abbott family by extension, often colluding with Nikki Newman and Phyllis Summers to drive her away. Ashley’s suspicious and cautious views of Diane are not unfounded, as the latter has proven to be manipulative and shady on numerous occasions. Now, Susan Walters, the actress behind Diane, has shed some light on the rivalry in a recent interview.
Here’s what Susan Walters said about Ashley and Diane’s rivalry in The Young and the Restless
Susan Walters on Ashley and Diane’s rivalry in The Young and the Restless
In a recent interview with Soap Opera Digest, Susan Walters shared her thoughts on Ashley and Diane‘s rivalry. The actress explained how Diane once sought Ashley’s approval, especially for Jack Abbott’s sake. However, she also acknowledged Ashley’s cruel treatment of Diane.
“Ashley was really ugly to Diane a couple of years ago, like, in front of her, and [she] was never able to fight back because she had to toe the line in front of Jack,” Walters said. “So she just sat there and had to listen to Ashley be so ugly and not say anything.”
Walters then explained that Diane putting up with Ashley’s horrible behavior over the years was not in her “nature,” but she did it because of her desire to be with Jack.
Moreover, Walters also shed light on Diane’s effort to redeem herself from her past behavior and prove that she had changed into a better human being, which meant taking the moral “high road” even when dealing with morally low or unpleasant behavior from her rivals, like Ashley.
“It wouldn’t make sense for Jack to be with someone who was still running around town being hideous,” Walters shared. “He just wouldn’t. He doesn’t need that.”
However, Walters acknowledged that Diane was still willing to be unethical and immoral “on occasion,” especially if she crossed paths with Nikki Newman. “That’s who Diane is,” Walters noted. “She’s not going to take a lot of crap from people.”
Walters then concluded by stating that Diane has truly changed her behavior, noting that she never faked “the good in her” around Jack.
