EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Daniel Polo on Bullying, 'The Young and the Restless' and Enjoying His First Daytime Emmy Nomination

Emmy nominated actor Daniel Polo.
Photo Credit: Adam Hendershott Photography

Actor Daniel Polo, a southern California native, was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award this year in the Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series category for his fantastic performance as Jamie Vernon on CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. What started as just three episodes reoccurring, quickly turned into 22 episodes, as Jamie struggled with bullying, depression, and suicide attempts… a character pegged with secrets he was terrified to reveal.

Polo doesn’t remember when he first fell in love with film and television, it might of been when he was 4 years old, going to kindergarten as a different character everyday (never just Daniel!), but after guest starring on some of the most popular television series such as Private Practice, Without a Trace, Nip/Tuck, Gilmore Girls, Bones, and NCIS, Polo landed his Emmy-nominated role on Y&R.

Serial Scoop asked Polo about his Daytime Emmys experience, playing Jamie on The Young and the Restless, being bullied, and what's next for him. Read our exclusive interview below:

SERIAL SCOOP: Jamie was bullied by Summer (Hunter King) and then Fen (Max Ehrich). Have you ever experienced anything like this or encountered it in your life?
DANIEL POLO: I think everyone was bullied at one point or another in there lives. Though I based Jamie off of a friend of mine from second grade, the only time I think I've ever really experienced anything close to bullying was on the Internet when I was 11. I had put an animation video that I made on YouTube. I spent hours on it, trying to get it just right and perfect, and when I put it up, I got some really harsh comments. I kept deleting hateful comments, until finally I just figured there was no point and the best thing I could do was walk away and let it be. Now my experience is nothing close to what I saw my friend go through or what Jamie went through. Compared to some of the stories viewers have shared with me, I got off easy.