Heather Tom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Heather Tom
Tom in June 2009
Born	(1975-11-04) November 4, 1975 (age 49) Hinsdale, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Actress television director
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	James Achor ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	1
Relatives	David Tom (brother) Nicholle Tom (sister)

Heather Tom (born November 4, 1975) is an American actress and director. She is famous for her roles in popular daytime TV shows, also known as soap operas. She played Victoria Newman on The Young and the Restless and Kelly Cramer on One Life to Live. Since 2007, she has starred as Katie Logan on The Bold and the Beautiful.

For her acting, Heather has won six Daytime Emmy Awards. This is a major achievement, tying her with another actress for the most Emmy awards won by a soap opera actress. Besides acting, she also directs episodes for TV shows like The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless.

Early Life and Family

Heather Tom was born in Hinsdale, Illinois, and is the oldest of three children. Her younger brother and sister, David Tom and Nicholle Tom, are twins and are also actors. Her brother David even acted alongside her on The Young and the Restless and One Life to Live. In 2000, Heather and David made history as the first brother and sister to be nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards in the same year.

When Heather was eleven, her family moved from Illinois to Seattle, Washington. A year later, her mother took the children to Los Angeles so they could try out for acting roles. They ended up staying in Los Angeles permanently. While she was a teenager, Heather became legally independent from her parents.

In Seattle, Heather was involved in the Seattle Children's Theatre and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. After moving to California, she studied acting at famous schools like the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.

Acting Career

Heather's career began when she was very young, appearing in TV commercials. After moving to Los Angeles, she had small roles in shows like Who's the Boss? and Kids Incorporated.

The Young and the Restless

In 1990, at the age of 15, Heather landed her first major role as Victoria Newman on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. This role made her famous. She won her first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series in 1993 for her performance. She won this award again in 1999 and was nominated many other times.

During her time on the show, she also acted in a TV movie called Deadly Whispers with actors Tony Danza and Ving Rhames. After more than ten years on the show, Heather decided to leave in 2003 to try new things.

Theater and Other Roles

Heather has also performed in many plays. She co-founded a theater group in Los Angeles and starred in plays like Biloxi Blues and The Glass Menagerie. She enjoyed working on stage and showing her acting skills in a different way.

One Life to Live

Shortly after leaving The Young and the Restless, Heather joined the cast of another soap opera, One Life to Live, in December 2003. She played the character Kelly Cramer. Her character was even part of a special story that crossed over with the show All My Children.

She was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for her work on One Life to Live. She left the show in 2006.

The Bold and the Beautiful

In 2007, Heather joined the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful as Katie Logan, a role she still plays today. This role has brought her even more success. She has won four more Daytime Emmy Awards for playing Katie, including awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Lead Actress.

Her six total Emmy wins make her one of the most awarded actresses in the history of daytime television.

Directing and Other Projects

While acting on The Bold and the Beautiful, Heather became interested in what happens behind the camera. She started learning from the show's directors and eventually began directing episodes herself.

She has since directed many episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful, as well as episodes of The Young and the Restless, Good Trouble, and Dynasty.

Heather and her husband, James Achor, also started a home design business called Tight Rope Designs. They even had their own TV miniseries on HGTV called Renovation Unscripted in 2013, which showed them redecorating homes.

Personal Life

Heather married musician James Achor in 2011 after they had been together for many years. They have a son named Zane, who was born in 2012. When he was very young, Zane sometimes appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful as his mom's on-screen son, Will Spencer.

Heather is active in charity work. She often participates in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon to raise money for the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. She also supports causes she believes in, including organizations that help people and protect their rights.

Filmography

Film

Television

Director

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Heather Tom para niños