Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Marla Adams, best known for her role as Belle Clemens on The Secret Storm and her role on The Young and the Restless died Thursday in Los Angeles, Matt Kane, director of media and talent for The Young and the Restless announced. She was 85.
The American actress was born in New Jersey in 1938 and made her film debut in the period drama Splendor in the Grass in 1961 opposite Natalie Wood. Before that, she appeared on Broadway in the 1958 production of The Visit at the Morosco Theatre with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.
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Marla Adams’ role in The Young and the Restless
Created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS, The Young and the Restless first aired on March 26, 1973. This soap opera has won 11 Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series and is currently the highest-rated daytime drama on American television. Marla Adams played an important role on this show that was renewed by CBS earlier this year to run through the 2027–28 television season
Late Adams played the role of Dina Abbott Mergeron on CBS’ The Young and the Restless for 37 years. “On behalf of the entire company of ‘The Young and the Restless,’ we send our deepest sympathies to Marla’s family,” Josh Griffith, producer and head writer on “Y&R” said in an official statement. “We’re so grateful and in awe of Marla’s incredible performance as Dina Mergeron as both Marla and Dina made an unforgettable mark on ‘Y&R.’”
She first joined the cast in 1982 as the Abbott family matriarch, who had returned to Genoa City to reunite with her estranged family. She won a Daytime Emmy for her work on the show in 2021 and was previously nominated in 2018.
Adams also appeared in more than 40 projects in her long career, which include The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, The Golden Girls, Hart to Hart, The Love Boat, and the feature film Beneath the Leaves. Adams is survived by children Pam Oates and Gunnar Garat, her grandchildren, and her great-grandson.
About Marla Adams’ character Dina Abbott Mergeron on The Young and the Restless
Dina Abbott Mergeron was the first wife of Jabot founder, John Abbott and is the mother of Jack, Ashley, and Traci Abbott. She first appeared on the show on April 22, 1983, as the ex-wife of John Abbott and continued to be a series regular. In between, she was dropped to recurring in late 1985 but made return appearances in 1991 and 1996. In October 2020, it was announced that she would say goodbye to the role.
Her return to Genoa City creates tension and drama, as her children struggle to reconcile their feelings of anger and resentment with their desire for a relationship with their mother. Dina’s final storyline involved a heartbreaking battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Marla Adams‘ portrayal earned her critical acclaim, including a Daytime Emmy Award nomination. Marla Adams’ portrayal brought depth and drama to the role, leaving a lasting impression on fans.
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