Y&R Spoilers: Why Christel Khalil Almost Stopped Acting

The Young and The Restless spoilers and updates reveal Christel Khalil (Lily Winters) on the CBS soap, once said that she never lost her passion for acting, even before she secured her most notable part.

But she did reveal the one time she did almost give up during her recent discussion on SOAPY, and she also explained what ultimately influenced her decision.

Christel Khalil’s Acting Journey Began At A Very Young Age

In the realm of soap operas, Khalil is celebrated for her portrayal of Lily Winters on The Young and the Restless. She initially took on the role from 2002 to 2005 and made her return to Genoa City in 2006.

Beginning her career as a child actress, Khalil has featured in various films and television series.

Additionally, as a voice actress, she is recognized for her role as Cornelia Hale in the animated version of the W.I.T.C.H. comics.

Recently, Khalil appeared on the Soapy podcast, where she conversed with her co-star Greg Rikaart (Kevin Fisher, plus Leo Starke on Days of Our Lives) and Rebecca Budig (Taylor Hayes) from The Bold and the Beautiful.

Christel Talked About Her Soap Opera Journey Nearly Ending Before It Began

In the course of the discussion, she disclosed that her journey in soap operas nearly ended before it truly began.

The actress recounted how, at the age of 14, she almost decided to leave acting behind.

She missed the opportunity to land the lead role in That’s So Raven, which eventually went to Raven-Symoné.

She expressed, “I was utterly heartbroken because there were 20 people in the room during the network audition watching me… I’ve always struggled with performance anxiety, and I completely flopped the audition. It was awful, and I was just crushed-I was genuinely considering quitting acting.”

Christel Almost Didn’t Audition For The CBS Soap

Khalil almost decided not to audition for The Young and the Restless. She said, “I got the final call for The Young and the Restless, and I was ready to pass because I thought I was done.”

However, her brother encouraged her to try for the role-he had a similar experience, and she noted, “My brother, who is seven years older, stopped acting at the same age I was then.”

Khalil recalled, “He told me, ‘Christel, I really regret quitting,’ and added, ‘Just go to this audition. If you don’t get the part, you can quit, but at least try…” In the end, she thought, “Okay, if I don’t get it, I’m done.”

Ultimately, Khalil went to the audition and got the role, which has earned her an NAACP Image Award and a Daytime Emmy Award.

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