Heather Tom Talks Katie’s New Chapter, Emmy History, Writing, and What Comes Next

Heather Tom has spent decades making television history, but she has never seemed particularly interested in making a fuss about it. While her work in front of the camera remains a major part of her career, Tom has steadily expanded her behind-the-scenes work as well. She is writing, directing, developing a movie and a pilot, and exploring the rapidly growing world of vertical dramas.

In an interview with The Soap Scene today, Tom opened up about all of it, from Katie’s latest evolution and her complicated relationship with the Logan sisters to her Emmy milestones and history-making in daytime television.

Heather Tom Is Making Emmy History — Again

Heather Tom’s Emmy history is remarkable on its own, but this year’s nominations have added another layer to it: She is currently tied with Erica Slezak for the most acting wins — they have both won six times — meaning a victory this year would put Tom ahead of the daytime legend and break the all-time record. 

For Tom, the significance is less about the record itself and more about who she shares that conversation with. “I worked with Erica Slezak, and I was so thrilled to work with her because I was such a huge fan,” Tom said. “She’s so iconic in daytime.” 

At the thought of winning and becoming the actress with the most Daytime Emmy Awards, she added, “That would be crazy and then all at the same time, just really such an honor.”

Tom called Slezak a “groundbreaker,” but she isn’t the only one in the industry. Quietly and humbly, Tom has accumulated her own stack of firsts, and it’s well worth highlighting.

Heather Tom Is Already A Legend

In 2000, Tom and her brother David were the first real-life brother and sister nominated for Daytime Emmys in the same year. In March 2025, Tom made history as the first woman in daytime to write, direct, and act in the exact same episode — and the episode aired during Women’s History Month, featuring an all-female cast. Tom was also the first actress to win Daytime Emmys twice across three acting categories: Outstanding Younger Actress (for Y&R), Supporting Actress, and Lead Actress (for B&B).

This year, Tom has been nominated for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress for her iconic role as Katie Logan, and also for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team. Tom is part of the soap’s scriptwriting crew, a role she took on in late 2024. 

Self-described as a “busy worker bee,” Tom has also directed dozens of B&B episodes, along with some primetime shows, such as Good Trouble and Dynasty. 

Regardless of what happens on Emmy night, however, Tom has already made history this year. Her acting and writing nominations at the 53rd Emmy Awards make her the first woman to receive both nods in the same year.

For someone who has spent years moving between different areas of television production, the recognition is a fitting reflection of the legendary career she has built.

Tom Is Loving Her Work as a Writer

Heather Tom’s writing nomination is especially meaningful because she has embraced the opportunity to write for The Bold and the Beautiful. She credits executive producer and head writer Bradley Bell with giving her the opportunity and supporting her creative ambitions.

“I’m really loving writing for the show. I’m so grateful to Brad for giving me the opportunity to write. He’s always been so supportive of everything that I’ve wanted to do, and I know that that’s really rare in this business,” Tom said.

Tom’s personality and love for what she does come through clearly when she talks about working. She describes herself as happiest when she has something creative in front of her. “I like to work a lot,” she said. “I’m like, what do you got? What do you got? What can I put on my plate?”

These days, there is quite a bit.

Heather Tom Is Expanding Her Career Beyond Daytime

Tom isn’t limiting her writing to The Bold and the Beautiful. She is currently writing outside the show, developing a movie and a pilot, and working on vertical dramas as the entertainment industry continues to explore the format.

“I’ve written a movie that’s adapted from a young adult book,” Tom said. “I’m pitching it right now to various studios. And I’ve got a pilot that I wrote that was also based on a book series, and we’re pitching that right now too.”

The vertical drama space has become an area of particular interest through the studio, where Bradley Bell’s son Oliver Bell has been exploring microdramas. Tom explained that Oliver studied the format and is now putting that knowledge into practice. “Oliver is utilizing the studio in really kind of a very productive way,” Tom said.

For Tom, the appeal is being able to participate in an emerging part of the industry rather than waiting to see how it develops. “I feel like we’re kind of on the ground floor of something really exciting,” she said.

The Real Katie Logan Has Arrived

While Tom has been busy behind the scenes, Katie Logan has been receiving a major story on The Bold and the Beautiful. After years of Katie being overshadowed by other members of the Logan family, Tom’s character is at the center of a storyline involving Logan and Forrester.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with what they’re doing with her and giving her really a whole new trajectory,” Tom said. It has also been a long time since Katie had what Tom describes as a “real true front burner story.”

Tom credits Bell with continuing to find a place for Katie, even when the character wasn’t at the center of the action. “Brad has been so amazing and just keeping me on the canvas,” she said. “I’m again so grateful for that.”

Now Katie is firmly involved in the conflict between the two fashion houses, and Tom is enjoying the expanded Spencers as well. “I love the Spencer family that they’ve kind of really fleshed this out and brought back,” she said. The return of Darin Brooks as Wyatt Spencer, and the development of Logan, along with the competing fashion houses, have given Katie a new environment in which to operate.

And then there is the relationship that has always been at the core of Katie’s life: her bond with Brooke Logan.

Katie and Brooke’s Sisterhood Is Still the Heart of Katie’s Story

Tom sees Katie and Brooke’s relationship as more than a typical sibling rivalry. The sisters have a long history of conflict and betrayals, but Tom believes those stories carry so much emotional weight because Katie and Brooke genuinely love each other.

“I really think that their story is kind of the primary love story in Katie’s life,” she said. That is what makes the current conflict so painful: Katie has now heard words from Brooke and Donna that she never heard during all their previous battles.

“Throughout everything that Brooke and Katie have ever been through, like the affairs and everything they’ve been through, they’ve never, ever uttered the words, ‘You’re not my sister anymore,’” Tom said.

When Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Donna (Jennifer Gareis) said it to Katie, Tom believes it fundamentally changed something inside the character. “I really think that it’s thrown her for a loop,” she said.

But there is another side to it. Katie has spent much of her life putting her sisters’ needs ahead of her own, at the expense of her own happiness. Tom believes this rejection has paradoxically freed Katie from some of that responsibility.

“I think it’s kind of almost released her in a way, so that she doesn’t have to feel beholden to their needs,” Tom explained.

Tom teased that viewers can expect to see a bolder side to Katie. Brooke’s words change Katie’s motivation moving forward. “She’s like, yeah, okay, well, you think I’m acting out of vengeance? Maybe I am,” Tom said.

Eric Forrester’s Treatment of Katie Has Changed Everything

The conflict with Forrester has been especially painful because of Katie’s relationship with Eric Forrester (John McCook). They were particularly close, which makes his decision to turn against Katie particularly devastating.

“He was very much a father figure to her,” Tom said. Katie was blindsided when Eric effectively abandoned her without explaining why.

Tom pointed specifically to recent scenes in which Katie begged Eric to tell her the truth about why he came to Logan, only for him to refuse to give her an answer. “He just looked at her and didn’t say anything,” she said.

“I think that’s kind of soul-crushing for her,” Tom said, noting that it is going to fuel what Katie does next.

“Her motivation has shifted a bit,” Tom explained. “She’s like, okay, well, if this is how you’re going to treat me, then yeah, I’m going to make you suffer.”

Katie’s Battle With Dylan Is A Personal Trigger

Tom doesn’t see Katie’s behavior toward Dylan (Sydney Bullock) as simply one wealthy woman judging another woman with less money or status. She says that Dylan triggers Katie for one specific reason — Katie sees her sister in Dylan.

“Dylan is just a real trigger,” Tom said. She explained that Katie looks at Dylan and sees the same pattern she has watched Brooke follow throughout her life: someone who follows her heart without necessarily considering who might be hurt in the process.

Katie knows the way Brooke has treated people to get what she wants, and sees those traits in Dylan. “This is a girl who screwed over her best friend to get to Will,” Tom said, describing Katie’s perspective.

For Katie, that history suggests what Dylan might be willing to do in the future, and that makes the situation even more difficult for her to shake off. 

Katie’s “Inner Stephanie” Is Coming Out

Katie’s approach to Dylan has brought out a more aggressive side of the character, and Tom is having a great deal of fun playing it. “Her inner Stephanie is coming out, which I love,” Tom said.

The comparison is intentional. Katie is behaving with a level of forcefulness that audiences may not always associate with her, but Tom sees the motivation underneath it. “She’s protecting her son,” Tom said. She believes Katie does not want Will involved with someone she sees as potentially self-centered or willing to hurt other people to get what she wants.

Katie is protective of her son, suspicious of Dylan’s intentions, and already dealing with the emotional fallout of her fractured relationship with Brooke. “It’s definitely Katie’s issue,” Tom acknowledged. 

At the same time, Tom understands why viewers have been divided over Katie’s behavior. She said some viewers believe Katie is right to be suspicious, while others think she has gone too far. “They’re very polarized,” she said.

Whether viewers agree with Katie or not, Tom believes the character’s behavior comes from a very specific emotional place.

Tom Loves Working With Her Logan Family

One reason the current story works so well for Tom is the history she shares with her co-stars. She has worked with Lang and Gareis for decades, which gives the Logan sisters’ scenes an authenticity that is difficult to manufacture.

“I love working with Kelly,” Tom said. “We have a very sisterly relationship in real life, and the same with Jen. I think we really have very real sisterly chemistry and history,” she said.

“These are people I’ve known for 30 years,” Tom said. “We’ve got our own history personally. It’s easy to jump into a scene with them and allow the emotions to be and feel real.”

Tom is also enjoying working with Sydney, who plays Dylan, as well as her on-screen mother, Darcy, played by Kelly Sullivan. “I’m just having so much fun,” she said. “I love working with Sydney. I think she’s so great.” 

Tom teased that plenty more is ahead with Darcy as well. Which version of Katie that brings out remains to be seen.