Fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless
Soap opera character
Drucilla Winters
The Young and the Restless character
Victoria Rowell as Drucilla Winters
Portrayed by
Victoria Rowell (1990–2007)
Dawn McMillan (1996)
Kent Masters King (2000)
Duration
1990–1998
2000
2002–2007
First appearance
May 7, 1990
Last appearance
April 6, 2007
Classification
Former; regular
Created by
William J. Bell
Introduced by
Edward J. Scott (1990, 2000)
David Shaughnessy (2002)
In-universe information
Other names
Drucilla Barber
Occupation
Cosmetics spokeswoman
Executive Director of Cosmetics (Newman Enterprises)
Businesswoman
Fashion model
Ballerina
Photographer's assistant
Family
Barber
Father
Walter Barber
Mother
Lillie Belle Barber
Sisters
Olivia Winters
Husband
Neil Winters (1993–1998, 2003–2007)
Daughters
Lily Winters
Adoptive sons
Devon Hamilton
Grandsons
Charlie Ashby Dominic Newman-Abbott-Chancellor (adoptive)
Granddaughters
Mattie Ashby
Uncles
Wesley Barber
Aunts
Mamie Johnson
Nephews
Nathan Hastings, Jr.
First cousins
Justin Barber
Drucilla Winters is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Created by William J. Bell as an effort to add more African American characters to the cast, the role was portrayed by Victoria Rowell. Rowell left the role in 2000 to pursue other projects and Alexia Robinson was introduced as Alex Perez, a replacement character, shortly after. Rowell later returned in August 2002.
In 2007, Rowell became unhappy with the soap opera behind the scenes, labeling daytime television and The Young and the Restless as racist for not having enough African-American cast and crew.[1][2] She also argued the directions of her storylines which weren't heard, prompting her to leave. Within the storyline, Drucilla fell off a cliff and was presumed dead as her body was never found. Rowell has openly expressed pleasure and willingness to return,[3][4] and as a result of the character's strong appeal and popularity, viewers have campaigned for the series to rehire her. However, CBS has stated that having Drucilla return is not the creative decision they are looking for, which has disappointed fans of the actress.[5] In 2015, Rowell filed a lawsuit against the soap opera and Sony Pictures Entertainment for retaliation, claiming that she had been blacklisted by the network for speaking out against what she believed was racial discrimination during her time portraying Drucilla.
The character is a ballerina-turned-model, with a forward personality and feisty persona. Introduced in 1990 as a runaway teen and street urchin whose aunt is Mamie Johnson (Veronica Redd), the housekeeper for the Abbott family. Drucilla's storyline revolves around normal soap style rags to riches story beginning as a rough around the edges illiterate young woman, to becoming a glamorous model and later a major business executive and one of the elite citizens of Genoa City. Most of her history also revolves long-term relationship with cosmetics executive later CEO Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John) with Dru and Neil becoming one of the main super couples on the show, being raped by Neil's brother, Malcolm (Shemar Moore), which resulted in the birth of a daughter, Lily (Christel Khalil), and on-again/off-again relationship with her sister, Olivia (Tonya Lee Williams). Drucilla's rivalries with Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson) and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) (the latter often providing the series' comic relief), and friendships with Victor Newman, Jack Abbott, Brad Carlton (Don Diamont) and Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) have also proved popular as plot points.
^"Victoria Rowell: Why I left the Young and the Restless". Black Press Magazine. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
^"About Y&R: About the Actors – Victoria Rowell". Retrieved 3 June 2012.
^"Victoria Rowell Not Ruling Out Return to The Young and the Restless". Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
^"Victoria Rowell claims three actors are preventing her return to Y&R". Retrieved 3 June 2012.
^"Ex-Young and Restless Diva Victoria Rowell Says les Moonves and Steve Kent Don't Want Dru Back! | Daytime Confidential". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
DrucillaWinters is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Created by William J. Bell as an effort to add more...
involved his marriages to DrucillaWinters (Victoria Rowell), as well as his volatile relationship with his half-brother Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore). Neil's...
half-brother of longtime character, Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John). His history includes getting Neil's wife, DrucillaWinters, pregnant, as well as other conflicts...
becoming one of the soap opera's heroines. Winters is the daughter of supermodel-turned-executive DrucillaWinters (Victoria Rowell) born in the midst of...
teenager who is taken in by the Winters family, the core African-American family within the series. DrucillaWinters (Victoria Rowell) sympathizes with...
the cast of the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless as DrucillaWinters, her signature and longest role on television, for which she was nominated...
needed] Jerri Manthey[citation needed] George Takei presided over Neil and Drucilla's wedding.[citation needed] Corbin Bernsen[citation needed] Wayne Brady[citation...
Williams (former general counsel) DrucillaWinters (former director of Consolidated Cosmetics Division) Neil Winters (former chief executive officer and...
to produce her mystery "boyfriend", Drucilla talked Jabot executive trainee and Stanford MBA graduate, Neil Winters, into playing the part. Neil ended...
Lily Winters were written as star-crossed young loves in a Romeo and Juliet style storyline. Both her parents, Neil Winters and DrucillaWinters, and...
give her Kyle back. She started working on a project for Newman with DrucillaWinters, but the project didn't last long. Diane then left to live in Chicago...
triggering a fight. Sharon and her best friend DrucillaWinters (Victoria Rowell) fall from the cliff, and Drucilla dies. Sharon is found apparently dead, but...
Chancellor, portrayed by Jeanne Cooper and the adopted son of Neil Winters and DrucillaWinters, played by Kristoff St. John and Victoria Rowell. Hilary Curtis...
Malcolm Winters (Photographer) Carmen Mesta (PR Consultant) (deceased) Ji Min Kim (Chief Executive Officer) (deceased) Damon Porter (Chemist) Drucilla Winters...
Vanessa Marcil (Brenda Barrett, General Hospital) Victoria Rowell (DrucillaWinters, The Young and the Restless) Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Romalotti,...
Anna Holbrook (Sharlene Frame Hudson, Another World) Victoria Rowell (DrucillaWinters, The Young and the Restless) Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Romalotti,...
Vanessa Marcil (Brenda Barrett, General Hospital) Victoria Rowell (DrucillaWinters, The Young and the Restless) Jensen Ackles (Eric Brady, Days of Our...
Store, he catches a shoplifter—runaway Drucilla Barber (Victoria Rowell). Once Nathan realizes that Drucilla is illiterate as he once was, he convinces...
Drusilla 'Dru' Sartoris, in Faulkner's 1938 novel The Unvanquished Drucilla 'Dru' Winters, in the 1973+ American soap opera The Young and the Restless Drusilla...
brothers Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John) and Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore) were introduced as love interests for Olivia and Drucilla. The Young and...
mysterious and beautiful Imani. She began a recurring role as Dr. Lainey Winters on General Hospital on April 1, 2005, and was upgraded to contract status...