A few days ago the stunning Joanna Johnson took the brave step to come out publicly.  Johnson has been in and out of the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful for 25 years now and in true day time style has played two characters on the show, twin sisters Caroline and Karen Spencer.  She is a lady of many talents, not only acting but also gaining success and a writer and a producer.

In an interview with TV Guide Magazine Joanna, now 50, revealed that the storyline her character Karen is about to embark on is very reflective of her own experience.  Karen has been living a secret life with her same sex partner Dani, played by none other than Crystal Chappell, and it’s all about to come out on the show when the couples daughter, Caroline, introduces her boyfriend to her family.  Joanna has also been keeping her same sex relationship and family private, she married the mother of her children in 2008.  Having come out to her own parents at 23 she has now decided to come out publicly.  In the interview she says

When Brad Bell [writer] called and pitched the story I was kind of thrown. I just said, Oh, and there was this very long pause. Then I said, Where’d you get that idea? He laughed. I laughed. And I said, Just make sure you get me a hot wife, and he did!

He did indeed.  Crystal Chappell has obviously been put into that bracket in the minds of TV execs, the “she doesn’t mind playing gay” pigeonhole.  Chappell’s character on Guiding Light was half of the much loved ‘Otalia’ not to mention her web series Venice the Series which has won not only an Emmy but countless lesbian hearts.

So lets have a little look at Karen and Dani as their family dynamic is introduced to the show and well done to The Bold and the Beautiful makers and the gorgeous Joanna Johnson herself.

I really like how this is starting, the daughter trying to be honest while Karen struggles to do so, presumably after years of feeling she couldn’t.  Lets hope it continues on so well.  Watch this space.