'The Bold and the Beautiful' Sneak Peek: Chris McKenna Debuts as Dr. Hayden

Today on the March 3 episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, the very popular Chris McKenna debuts as Dr. Hayden, who Katie (Heather Tom) goes to see to help her deal with her anger towards Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang).

Meanwhile, Sasha (Felisha Cooper) makes a move on a vulnerable Zende (Rome Flynn).

Watch a sneak peek below:

Chris McKenna Joins 'The Bold and the Beautiful' (Updated)

Our hearts were broken when Chris McKenna's popular character Detective Harding was written out of CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless last year. But now, The Bold and the Beautiful has saved the day and cast Mckenna in a new role. The actor tweeted the news from outside CBS Studios on Wednesday morning on his way to The Bold and the Beautiful.

"First day of work on a new gig," Mckenna wrote. "I could swear I've been here before. #YR #BB @BandB_CBS #AcrossTheHall"

Who the actor will play on B&B has not yet been revealed, but Daytime Confidential is reporting that McKenna's character will romance a Logan sister. Is he for Brooke, Donna, or Katie? Stay tuned!

Soap Opera Digest is reporting that the popular actor will first air March 3.

Chris L. McKenna Returning to 'The Young and the Restless'

Chris McKenna recently played Nick Verra on NBC's State of Affairs -- Photo by: Neil Jacobs/NBC

Chris L. McKenna is returning to CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless to reprise the role of Detective Mark Harding.

"Great seeing everyone today,” the actor tweeted about being back on the Y&R set. "As usual @gregrikaart [Kevin] and I struggled to keep a straight face through our scenes.”

McKenna will begin airing on June 2.

RELATED:
* EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Chris L. McKenna on Playing Det. Harding on 'The Young and the Restless' and Revisiting 'One Life to Live's' Historic Coming Out Storyline
* EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Chris L. McKenna on 'Taste,' 'Blind Pass,' 'Runaway,' and Working with the Other Joey Buchanan, Nathan Fillion (Part 2 of 2)

'State of Affairs' Preview: Lies, Truths and Trickery

Chris McKenna as Nick Verra -- Photo by: Brandon Hickman/NBC

A new episode of State of Affairs airs tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Sixty-five photos of national landmarks suddenly surface, all featuring the är rissãlah symbol. Meanwhile, a college student claiming to be an är rissãlah operative breaks into the White House. The 7th floor team works to figure out the identities of the picture takers as the hunt for Al Moosari continues. Charlie (Katherine Heigl), now in Yemen, desperately tries to make contact with her asset while evading the Yemeni secret police. Nick’s (Chris L. McKenna) masked captor lets him go only to lead him to his next mission.

Back at Langley, Lucas (Adam Kaufman) takes the lead on the interrogation of a potential, and very controversial, är rissãlah member. At the same time, President Payton (Alfre Woodard) must make a hard choice between getting a much-needed win or holding out for her long-term goal of killing Sheikh Hakam.

Watch a sneak peek of the episode, titled "Bellerophon," below:

'State of Affairs' Sneak Peek: An Illicit Friendship Gets Stronger

Chris L. McKenna as Nick Vera and Katherine Heigl as Charlie. Photo Credit: Neil Jacobs/NBC

State of Affairs is back tonight with its third episode, "Half the Sky," airing at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Charlie (Katherine Heigl) has flashbacks of her arrival at Midnight City where she first met Nick (Chris L. McKenna) and witnessed him brutally interrogate Fatah (guest star Farshad Farahat). When members of the militant Islamist movement Boko Haram kidnap 21 Nigerian girls, President Payton (Alfre Woodard) tasks Charlie with the logistically impossible -- to find and save the girls without Nigeria knowing the U.S. was ever involved. Meanwhile, President Payton hosts the Chinese president (Tzi Ma) at Camp David and realizes that she can use their trade talks to get something she really wants.

Watch a sneak peek below:

'State of Affairs' Sneak Peek: Secrets & Lies

Katherine Heigl as Charleston Tucker, Alfre Woodard as President Constance Payton, David Harbour as
Chief of Staff David Patrick. Photo Credit: Neil Jacobs/NBC)

State of Affairs is back tonight with its second episode, "Secrets & Lies," airing at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Charleston (Katherine Heigl) and the team are in a race against the Russians over a stranded Russian submarine holding six months of stolen U.S. secrets -- their one advantage is that they have a CIA asset on board. At the same time, the texter persists, sending Charlie a damning picture, while Nick (Chris L. McKenna) forces her to question if Fatah was ever really her asset. Meanwhile, President Payton (Alfre Woodard) appoints a new CIA director, the formidable Ray Navarro (guest star Nestor Carbonell).

Watch a sneak peek below:

'State of Affairs' Wins Timeslot, Meet Nick Vera

Nick (Chris L. McKenna) and Charleston (Katherine Heigl).

NBC drama State of Affairs, which stars Katherine Heigl as a CIA analyst who assembles the President's daily press briefing on urgent security issues, opened to respectable ratings on Monday, averaging a 2.2 rating/7 share in adults 18-49 and 8.6 million viewers overall in the 10 o'clock hour. In the demo, the show beat ABC's Castle (2.0/6 in 18-49, 9.9 million viewers overall) and CBS' NCIS: Los Angeles (1.7/5 in 18-49, 8.7 million viewers overall). The Pilot will repeat on Saturday, November 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

In next week's episode, titled "Secrets & Lies," Charleston (Katherine Heigl) and the team are in a race against the Russians over a stranded Russian submarine holding six months of stolen U.S. secrets -- their one advantage is that they have a CIA asset on board. At the same time, the texter persists, sending Charlie a damning picture, while Nick (guest star Chris L. McKenna, The Young and the Restless) forces her to question if Fatah was ever really her asset. Meanwhile, President Payton (Alfre Woodard) appoints a new CIA director, the formidable Ray Navarro (guest star Nestor Carbonell). Adam Kaufman, Sheila Vand, Cliff Chamberlain, Tommy Savas and David Harbour also star. Courtney B. Vance, James Remar and Alon Moni Aboutboul guest star.

Meet Nick Vera in the episode highlight clip below:

'State of Affairs' Premieres Tonight on NBC

Chris L. McKenna and Katherine Heigl in State of Affairs.

State of Affairs premieres tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

CIA Analyst Charleston Tucker (Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy) still can't remember what really happens a year ago when the diplomatic convoy she was on was attacked in Kabul. While she and then-Senator Payton (Alfre Woodard, Desperate Hosuewives) barely made it out alive, Charlie's fiancé, Payton's son Aaron (guest star Mark Tallman), wasn't so lucky. Today is the one-year anniversary of Aaron's death; Payton is president, Charlie is her CIA briefer and together they're faced with a choice - try and avenge Aaron's death by going after Fatah (guest star Farshad Farahat), the terrorist responsible for the convoy attack, or hold off in favor of taking down his entire network in the future.

The cast includes Adam Kaufman as Lucas Newsome, Sheila Vand as Maureen, Cliff Chamberlain as Kurt, Tommy Savas as Dashiell Greer, David Harbour (The Newsroom, As the World Turns) as David Patrick and Chris L. McKenna (The Young and the Restless) as Nick Vera.

Watch a sneak peek below:

NBC Drama 'State of Affairs' Premieres November 17, Stars Katherine Heigl, Alfre Woodard

State of Affairs premieres November 17 on NBC.

NBC's highly touted drama State of Affairs will premiere on Monday, November 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In the series, Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy) plays a CIA analyst who, faced with constant moral and political judgment calls, prioritizes the President's Daily Briefing.

Each day the President is faced with dozens of life and death decisions, and to prioritize the biggest international crises facing the country, one top CIA analyst - Charleston Tucker (Heigl) - assembles the President's Daily Briefing (PDB). This list of the most vital security issues facing the nation brings with it moral and political judgment calls for Charleston and her trusted group of brilliant analysts at the agency.

Chris L. McKenna Reacts to Ovation Award Nomination

Chris L. McKenna (right) is nominated for best Lead Actor in a Play for his work in "Taste."

Nominees for the 2014 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced earlier at Native Voices at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. They include director Tim Robbins ("A Midsummer Night's Dream") and actors Carole Weyers ("Henry V"), Eric Lange ("The Country House") and Chris L. McKenna ("Taste").

Best Lead Actor nominee Chris L. McKenna (Det. Mark Harding, The Young and the Restless) explained his role in "Taste" during our recent interview.

"I get killed and eaten on stage, and this really happened. My character is supposed to be a suicidal gay guy who wants to die and wants to die this way. It seemed like a challenge that it wouldn’t be a guy my size. But I really believed I could do this role and I thought the writing by Benjamin Brand was amazing."

"If I don't win I'm gonna kill you all," McKenna joked on Twitter after the nominations were revealed. "And eat all your dicks..."

Below is a complete list of nominees:

Ovation Awards Nominees Include Kirsten Vangsness, Blythe Danner, Leon Russom & Chris L. McKenna

Chris L. McKenna (right) is nominated for best Lead Actor in a Play for his work in "Taste."

Nominees for the 2014 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced earlier this week at Native Voices at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. The nominations were revealed by past Ovation Award recipients Gigi Bermingham, Brighid Fleming, Parmer Fuller, Jennifer Haley, Brian Kite, Glynn Turman, and John Zalewski, along with LA STAGE Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.

Theatre @ Boston Court received the most nominations (19), followed by the Geffen Playhouse and La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts with 17 each, Center Theatre Group and 3-D Theatricals with 13 each, and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (12).

Said CEO Terence McFarland, “We’re always excited to see the breadth and diversity of the Ovation Awards nominee list. This year’s crop is reflective of the tremendous work happening on stages throughout the region. We’re thrilled to shine a light on some stalwarts of the community and bring broader attention to those burgeoning artists at the beginning of their careers. I look forward to celebrating all achievements in excellence in Los Angeles theatre on November 2.”

Below is a complete list of nominees:

BEST SEASON
3-D THEATRICALS
ACTORS CO-OP
FOUNTAIN THEATRE
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
THE THEATRE @ BOSTON COURT

LMN Movie 'Runaway' Premieres September 28, Stars Sherry Stringfield, Robin Thomas Grossman, Jenna Boyd and Chris L. McKenna

Sherry Stringfield stars in Runaway, premiering September 28 on LMN.

LMN Original Movie, Runaway, premieres on Sunday, September 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The film stars Sherry Stringfield (ER, Guiding Light), Robin Thomas Grossman (Life Unexpected, Another World), Jenna Boyd and Chris L. McKenna (The Young and the Restless, State of Affairs).

Miranda Baker (Stringfield) is enjoying her small slice of the American dream: a nice suburban home, the perfect daughter, her own business and a happy marriage to sexy Det. Jason Lansing (McKenna). Everything seems to be going her way... except for the fact that she's been on the run from her drug-kingpin ex (Robin Thomas Grossman) for the past 18 years. Miranda has managed to keep her old life a secret and has used every trick in the book to stay off the grid, because Rick is dangerous--and he's never forgiven Miranda for betraying him and running off with his money. But when a photo of Miranda pops up online, Rick picks up on the trail. Now, Miranda faces one of the most difficult decision of her life--does she once again go on the run with her daughter or stick around and fight back to take control of her life?

Watch a sneak peek video below:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Chris L. McKenna on 'Taste,' 'Blind Pass,' 'Runaway,' and Working with the Other Joey Buchanan, Nathan Fillion (Part 2 of 2)

Chris McKenna. Photo Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/
Getty Images

Serial Scoop recently caught up with actor, Chris L Mckenna, who has become an instant fan favorite this year in the role of Detective Mark Harding on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restles.  In Part 1 of our interview, McKenna shared his thoughts on playing Y&R's hard-nosed cop, and revisited his time as Joey Buchanan in One Life to Live.  In Part 2 of our exclusive interview below, the talented actor discusses working with Nathan Fillion, the actor who replaced him as Joey, and offers an update on recent projects including the play "Taste," as well as films Blind Pass and Off the Grid.

SERIAL SCOOP: When you started your career there were still soaps shooting in New York City. What do you think the impact is to actors of not having those soap jobs anymore?
CHRIS L. MCKENNA: That’s interesting. The soaps have been the only steady job in the industry. Granted, you’re not guaranteed to be on there forever; but it’s the only show without a hiatus, and there is nothing else like that. You lose a lot of opportunities as an actor with those shows not being there. I don’t know the climate in New York because I’ve been living in Los Angeles now for 17 years. I think it affects them more, because we have more opportunities in Los Angeles than New York. It’s a shame. When you’re a working actor, that’s a big loss of jobs and opportunities and creativity. It’s really sad to see.

SERIAL SCOOP: Actors used to be able to do the soaps during the day and then pursue their passion for theatre at night.
CHRIS L. MCKENNA: Right. I remember Erika Slezak (Viki Buchanan on One Life to Live) having one of the only jobs where she could take some time off. She had a steady job and could spend time with her family, and know she had a job to come back to. It's completely different now.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Chris L. McKenna on Playing Det. Harding on 'The Young and the Restless' and Revisiting 'One Life to Live's' Historic Coming Out Storyline (Part 1)

Chris McKenna plays Det. Mark Harding in The Young
and the Restless.

Queens, New York native Chris L. McKenna has been acting since he was a child on stage, television and in film. He landed the role of Joey Buchanan on ABC soap opera One Life to Live at age 12, and has gone on to star in numerous priemtime series including 90210, Touched by an Angel, House M.D. and Castle. He made a return to Daytime TV earlier this year to take on the role of Detective Mark Harding on CBS' The Young and the Restless. Fans instantly connected with his portrayal of the tough guy cop, and have been singing his praises on social media, wondering what is inside Harding's tough exterior and whether or not he will find love. Serial Scoop recently caught up with McKenna to get his take on the character and to revisit his involvement in One Life to Live's historic coming out storyline. Read Part 1 of our exclusive interview below:

SERIAL SCOOP: You seem to be having so much fun on the on The Young and the Restless. What has your experience been like so far?
CHRIS L. MCKENNA: It’s been criminally fun. [Laughs]

SERIAL SCOOP: [Laughs] I like that.
CHRIS L. MCKENNA: It is a great group bunch of people. It doesn't seem fair. Everybody was so welcoming, from the top down. And it's been a fun character to play. They have been giving me fun stuff to do and I get to be kind of a jerk. [Laughs]