Viewers have watched Liam Spencer cheat, lie and make some amazingly boneheaded decisions on The Bold and the Beautiful (B&B) over the years. And while most fans are aware of The Waffler’s habits, actor Scott Clifton has to be self-aware of them.
In a recent video chat on Bold Live, Clifton made it clear that bringing his character to life can be a frustrating experience.
“I don’t like Liam,” he said. “I don’t think I would be his friend. I think he would frustrate me.”
In fact, it’s better not to get Clifton started on Liam’s flaws, since nobody has had to spend more time with the character’s indecisiveness and hypocrisy.
“I don’t like his ethics or how he treats people,” Clifton continued, “or the titanic divide between the principles he espouses and the way he actually behaves.”
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“I could write a dissertation on everything that’s psychologically wrong with Liam,” the actor deadpanned. “I’m supposed to be playing this good guy who makes all these awful choices that constantly hurt people and he never learns from it.”
The idea of embodying a loathsome character, day in and day out, sounds torturous. So, why does Clifton continue to play “the worst man on daytime TV” after all this time? It’s all about the challenge.
“It’s a puzzle. I do enjoy having to figure out how to justify the choices that this guy makes,” Clifton admitted.
“How do you make such and such a choice if you were a good person? If you were this well-intentioned, innocent person, how could you possibly make this choice?” Clifton said, reviewing his process. “That is a question I have to ask myself every single script I get.”
It’s through this “puzzle” that Clifton eventually finds the thrill of performing such an iconic, if sporadically frustrating, character.
“I will pat myself on the back and say, ‘I don’t think a lot of actors would pull it off the way that I do’,” Clifton said. “That’s all part of the fun!”
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Ryan Pratt
Ryan is an avid runner, reader, hiker and music collector. When he isn't writing and editing for Fame10 Soaps, he's relishing in the fine company of his two cats, Penny and Gus.