Colleen Carlton

Tammin Sursok as Colleen Carlton

**Colleen Cecile Carlton** was a character on *The Young and the Restless,* last portrayed by Tammin Sursok from 2007 until the character's death in 2009. The role has previously been played by Lyndsy Fonseca (2001-2005) and Adrianne Leon (2006-2007).

## Biography

Colleen was the daughter of Brad Carlton and Traci Abbott.

### Early Years, Aunt/Stepmother Ashley and Grandpa

Brad and Traci had renewed their romance after being divorced. When Traci turned up pregnant, they were remarried, but the marriage didn't last long as Brad got more and more involved with his career. When novelist Traci's publisher, Steve Connolly, moved to town to help her with her novel, they instantly bonded. Brad and Traci divorced, Steve and Traci soon married, and they moved to New York City with toddler Colleen.

Colleen re-entered the scene as a young teen with a promising future. In New York City, Colleen was a talented dancer and earned good grades in school. When her mother discovered Steve had an affair she left him, taking Colleen back to Genoa City and the Abbott mansion. Colleen was very resentful of Steve for his betrayal and expected her real father Brad to take his place as father figure in her life. But Brad was newly married to Traci's sister, Ashley Abbott, and had adopted Ashley's baby, Abby. He was thrilled to have his daughter in his life again, but not willing to make a new family for Colleen with her mother like she hoped. Much to Colleen's disgust, Traci forgave the repentant Steve, and Colleen was forced to return with them to New York City.

Colleen became sullen and repentant, skipping dance classes to spend her time with new friends with questionable character. They introduced her to marijuana and it was just a matter of time before her mother found out. Initial measures of yelling and threats were not enough, and she was caught smoking marijuana in school and expelled. Her attitude was continually harsh and rude. Traci, Steve and Brad agreed - the only solution was boarding school. But Colleen's grandfather, John Abbott, kept his confidence in her and offered to let her move to Genoa City and live with him. They finally gave in and let Colleen have her last chance by living under the supervision of John and the former maid who raised Traci, Mamie Johnson.

### School, JT and Brittany

The Abbott name pulled some strings, and Colleen was enrolled in Walnut Grove Academy. She was strictly supervised at home, not allowed to go anywhere else, and even at school her uncle, Billy Abbott, a senior, kept an eye on her. But it wasn't long before a young dealer at Walnut Grove found her out and sold her some pot. Her first time back to it was great - backstage at the theater. Raul Guittierez and Brittany Hodges walked in on her and could tell what she was doing. They said nothing, however. Colleen purchased more pot and was planning to smoke later.

Brad and Ashley were allowing Colleen to baby-sit for Abby to show they trusted her. Not long after they left, Colleen walked outside to begin her smoke when baby Abby choked on a button and Colleen ran to her aid, saving her life. She was commended for her efforts after Brad and Ashley realized that the button was dropped by Ashley before she left. Colleen realized how different things could have ended if she had been stoned, so flushed the marijuana and vowed never to smoke again. With the help of her new friend JT Hellstrom, Colleen tried her best to stay out of trouble. She worked on the school yearbook, performed in the school play, and returned to both jazz and ballet. Colleen was taken onto the Glow by Jabot team, taking Mackenzie Browning's place as assistant to the webmaster. Too much partying all summer left J.T. lacking the books he was supposed to have read prior to starting Genoa City University. To the rescue was 15 year old Colleen who had a crush on J.T. She had read all the books and tutored him in what he'd need to know. J.T. enjoyed her company, but had no intentions to deflower the young teen. But due to J.T. now being a college man, and his reputation with the girls, John forbade Colleen to see him. Colleen ran away, but she was found meeting J.T. in the park after Tracy returned to G.C. and called the police. J.T. was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and Colleen chose to go to Juvenile Hall rather than go home to New York City with her mother. Eventually Brad intervened and convinced Traci to allow Colleen to stay with him and Ashley. Colleen and J.T. fell in love as they continued to see each other on the sly, and JT composed and sang songs for her. Brad was finally convinced that J.T. had changed and allowed Colleen to see him so long as her grades don't suffer.

J.T.'s friend Brittany feared she was pregnant and disappeared. Being such a close friend, her parents, Frederick  and Anita Hodges, came to J.T. for help. J.T. was with having breakfast discussing Brittany at The Lodge, where Anita had taken a room after Fred didn't come home the night before. They caught Fred coming down the stairs after spending the night there with Jill Abbott. J.T. helped the distraught Anita upstairs to her room, where she seduced him. J.T. was wracked with guilt over what they did, and confided in his boss and confidant, Lauren Fenmore. Colleen found out and it broke her heart. But they reconciled.

### Lily, Gina's and Colleen's Gift

Colleen made friends with Lily Winters after finding they had a lot in common, both being transplanted to GC against their will. Local girl Sierra completes this trio of close friends. 15 year old Lily became involved with a guy in his 20's named Kevin Fisher whom she met on Internet. Colleen, J.T. and Sierra Hoffman were convinced that Kevin was bad news, going so far as to interrupt what was to be their first sexual encounter at Kevin's apartment. Kevin took revenge by trashing the loft where J.T., Raul and Brittany live. Kevin then went to go meet Colleen in the park where he knew she waiting for JT. Kevin scared her with threats and pushed her down on the bench, but J.T. showed up just in time and ran Kevin off. The next day, Lily skipped school to go to Kevin's all day. For Colleen and Sierra, that was the final straw, and they told her parents.

As Kevin sat at the bar at Gina's, angrily writing the words "bitch" on a napkin, he overheard that Gina was closing up early. Kevin hid until the place was locked up. then left a message with Cody at Crimson Lights that Colleen's grandfather John wanted to meet her at Gina's before the they all went to the annual Arts Council Gala. When Colleen showed up at Gina's, Kevin lured her into the walk-in refrigerator, and locked the door. He poured a drum of floor cleaner plus alcohol all over the restaurant and started it on fire. Later, he went by the scene of the crime and found Lily there, who begged him to leave because JT and Brad suspected Kevin was involved in Colleen's disappearance and started the fire. When Brad and JT saw Kevin they demanded to know where Colleen was, but Kevin said that he was only passing by. After Kevin cornered Colleen in the ruins of Gina's, and scared her once again, JT went to his apartment and beat Kevin up.

It was Christmas 2003, and Colleen and her friend Sierra visited the same pawn shop where they had gotten their tattoos and piercings to buy JT a hard case for his beloved guitar. It was expensive, but Colleen loved JT so much she whipped out her credit card and charged it, deciding to worry about it later. JT wanted to get Colleen an expensive sapphire birthstone pendant but was short of cash. His love for Colleen was so great that he pawned that guitar at the same pawn shop to buy it. When Sierra found out about it, she talked the owner "Worm" into showing up at JT's as Santa following their gift exchange to return the guitar. Just one of the many endearing events in the great love story of JT and Colleen!

### Daniel, A Surprise Visit and Colleen's Return

Colleen arranged for JT to sing at a Crimson Lights one night when record promoter, Shiloh, was in the audience. Shiloh was so impressed, she offered JT a recording contract. JT was reluctant, but Colleen pushed him to be a big star and make her proud. JT went to LA with Shiloh to record and make a music video, leaving Colleen behind. But Colleen showed up to surprise him, and overheard JT saying at a press conference that he was single and available. Heartbroken, Colleen returned to Genoa City. JT was a no-show at his record release party when he followed her back to GC. Even though JT explained it, Colleen was influenced by Daniel Romalotti's tales of life on the road with his rock star father, and decided to let JT go so he could have a career. Colleen packed up her things and returned to New York City to live with her mother again. As luck would have it, JT appears to have lost his chance by walking out on his contract obligations, and has gone back to work for Paul Williams and training to be a detective.

Colleen surprised JT by returning to Genoa City for Christmas 2004, but they decided to go their separate ways. She graduated from high school early in New York City, accompanied her parents on a book tour of Europe that summer and began attending New York University the fall of 2005.

Due to John's ill health and her stepmother Ashley being charged with the murder of Tom Fisher, Colleen retuned to Genoa City with a bad attitude. Everywhere she went she ran into Kevin who once tried to kill her. If that wasn’t enough, all her former friends were convinced Kevin had changed and were friends with him. Colleen won J.T. back from Mac after J.T. had a one-night stand with Victoria Newman - her father Brad's fiancé. Brad forgave Victoria but Colleen gave a vile speech at Victoria’s wedding shower suggesting Victoria be checked for VD before the marriage! Colleen moved into the loft apartment with J.T.

### Brad's True Identity, Adrian and Grandma Kaplan

Victor hired the Paul Williams Detective Agency to check on new son-in-law Brad's past, but after Victor sustained a head injury which changed his perspective on things, he asked Paul to drop the case. Then after Paul discovered in Cleveland from a high school annual photo, that this person was not the real Brad Carlton, J.T. became concerned for Brad's daughter Colleen, and stayed on the case. Colleen found out about it, and encouraged the investigation. With the help of Paul's Cleveland PI contact, Kara Ludwig, clues showed that the Kaplan family, including their 15 year old daughter had been murdered, and their 18 year old son George had been sought for questioning. Three months later George's body had been found, presumed the victim of a hit and run, and the police thought they had the murderer. At that same time Brad Carlton joined the Navy Seals.

JT and the virginal Colleen finally made love as she attempted to forget her grandfather John's recent death. Months later, Colleen found herself being drawn to her college Art History Professor Adrian Korbel and became his research assistant. Finding themselves trapped together at the college during an ice storm, Adrian and Colleen made love in his office. Colleen was wracked with guilt, and tried to break up with JT, but since she didn't tell him about Adrian, he didn't let her. Colleen then quit as Adrian's RA, and they admitted they were wrong as student and teacher. Adrian seemed to have moved on by bedding Amber Moore, but was still drawing sketches of Colleen and remembering their time making love together.

Brad's daughter Colleen confronted him with what she knew about his mysterious past, and accused him of kidnapping JT. Brad explained his past to Colleen, then hustled her and Abby off to the private jet where they met his mother, Rebecca Kaplan, and were jetted to safety in Hawaii.

### Solving the Puzzle, Back with Adrian and Jana

Thanks to Colleen confiding in her art history professor and lover, Adrian, he solved the puzzle which revealed a treasure worth billions that was concealed in the catacombs in the Czech Republic.

Adrian and Colleen went back to being together again secretly so that he will not get in trouble with the college, and she with her father who has forbidden the relationship. But Brad found out and Colleen stood up to him, moved out, and Brad cut off her funding and her car. Jack asked her to move in with him and paid Colleen's tuition as a loan. Adrian got an offer for a job at a prestigious museum in Paris, and they were all ready to leave GC together. But Brad found out and got the job offer rescinded by donating a piece of art to the museum. Colleen and Adrian were openly a couple now that were no longer her professor, and Adrian was writing a book on the Kunta Hora, getting dangerously close to Brad's secret past.

Jana Hawkes suddenly disappeared and so much of her blood was found in the park, she was feared dead. Surprisingly, Jana had been saving up her blood to set this all up. She kidnapped Colleen so that Jana and her father, Milan Hawkes, could get to the Nazi treasure in the Czech Republic before Brad and Victor. Once she had the secret code from Colleen, Jana admitted that her great-grandfather, a jeweler, had been forced to etch the inscription into the reliquary, and then afterward, he was murdered by the Nazis because he knew too much. She also admitted that she had killed Carmen Mesta. Then Jana trapped Colleen and Kevin in a walk-in cooler in an abandoned building and set it afire. Although Jana had fallen in love with him, framing Kevin was her necessary out, and since Kevin had once tried to the same to Colleen, Kevin would be blamed and it would be assumed that he mistakenly got trapped with her this time. Milan turned up at the catacombs after Victor, Victoria and Brad discovered the treasure. Milan locked them up, but was killed by the authorities, as he tried to escape with the treasure. As the smoke got thicker, Kevin gave Colleen his water soaked shirt to help her breathe, they bonded, and were later rescued by JT and Adrian, and Jana disappeared.

### Adrian On Again, More Trouble and Adrian Off Again

Adrian and Colleen went back to being together again secretly so that he would not get in trouble with the college, and she with her father who forbade the relationship. But Brad found out and Colleen stood up to him, moved out, and Brad cut off her funding and her car. Jack asked her to move in with him and paid Colleen's tuition as a loan. Adrian got an offer for a job at a prestigious museum in Paris, and they were all ready to leave GC together. But Brad found out and got the job offer rescinded by donating a piece of art to the museum. Colleen and Adrian are openly a couple now that he was no longer her professor, are now living together in his apartment, and Adrian was writing a book on the Kunta Hora. Jana has given him information on Brad's secret past, and Colleen has verified it, probably putting everyone in danger once again.

Meanwhile, Jana reappeared to Kevin via his computer, begging for forgiveness and proclaiming her undying love for him. Kevin was torn, knowing Jana was the only person who had ever loved him for himself, yet she had tried to kill him. Revenge won out, and he lured her back to GC by telling her he forgave her and showing her Plum's money. Kevin met her in a warehouse, she pulled a gun on him, so he chloroformed her and held her there. Colleen had followed him there, then Daniel and Michael, and they all pled with Kevin to turn Jana over to the police and not kill her. He called the police, then the others left. Jana was taken into custody, but had a seizure which turned out to be caused by a brain tumor. Kevin was torn between his love and hate for Jana, as she told the police that the others were there, and he had all that money - which they all denied saying she was crazy. Jana needed surgery for which she could not pay, and went in and out of her delusion that she and Kevin are married and have two kids. She convinced Kevin that the things she did in the past were caused by the tumor, so Kevin got her the money for the surgery by blackmailing Gloria Fisher. Colleen has now become Kevin's new best friend, and joins him in his forgiveness and support of Jana who has been released from prison and back living with Kevin, working at Crimson Lights, and they are planning their wedding.

The time finally came for Adrian's book "SAVED: From the Ashes" about Brad's former life to be published, and he gave Colleen an advance copy to read. Though she had edited and consulted on the book, she had major regrets and fear for her family once saw it all there in black in white. She gave the book to Brad, and he used his power and money to stop the publication. Adrian was enraged and felt betrayed since she had encouraged him all the way to tell all. Colleen took an offer she had gotten to do a work-study program, and seeing her relationship with Adrian in ruins, said good-by to her father and left for Beijing, China. Upon her return, Adrian was willing to forgive and forget, but Colleen broke off the relationship, and Adrian moved to Maine. Being gone so long, she lost her part time job at the Genoa City Athletic Club began waitressing at Crimson Lights.

### Sabrina, Daniel and Modeling

Although Jana was originally planning her wedding to Kevin in "Goth" style with Amber designing her gown, then influenced by being maid of honor for Sabrina Costelana Newman began dreaming of a more traditional wedding, they ended up with a hippie style wedding at an ashram in Malibu. All in hippie attire except for Jana's white lace gown, Amber was her maid of honor and Daniel was Kevin's best man with Michael as groomsman. Lauren, Gloria and Jeffrey Bardwell attended, and Colleen tagged along as Daniel's date. To everyone's shock, the guru officiating turned out to be Michael's long lost father Lowell "River" Baldwin. Gloria and Michael gave him a tongue-lashing over his abandoning them before Michael was born, and Lowell retorted with cosmic gibberish about fate and the universe, and asked them not to turn him in to the Feds. Michael gave him hell with tears of hurt in his eyes, but left saying he would not turn him in. Meanwhile, Daniel and Colleen had sex, Amber spotted them, and left. She came home claiming she met and had sex with a surfer named Liam before she left.

Colleen accompanied Daniel to New York City to attend the gallery showing of his sketches, as arranged by Sabrina before her death. All but one of the sketches were semi-nudes of Amber plus one of Colleen. Amber showed up with her new lover Liam, who turned out to be Billy, Colleen’s uncle and someone Daniel has never gotten along with. Much to Daniel’s distaste, Billy proceeded to buy all the Amber drawings which had not already sold.

Back in Genoa City again, Lily decided it was too painful working with Cane and quit the Fresh Face of Jabot job. Cane offered it to Colleen. Colleen wanted it but felt bad because she not only now has Lily’s ex-husband, but now would be taking her job. She let Lily know she couldn’t do that to her, and wouldn’t take the job.

### Daniel's Off, Brad's Death and Funeral

Once again, Daniel and Amber confessed their love on their favorite talk radio show as "Herve" and "Marlana". Daniel broke off with Colleen, and Amber told Billy he couldn’t crash at her place anymore. Amber moved out of Phyllis's penthouse and in with Daniel at his artist studio, making Phyllis crazy once again.

In late January of 2009, Sharon went up to the Abbott cabin at Twin Lakes to be alone and think about what to do with her life after divorce papers were served on Jack. Brad showed up and declared his love, but Sharon sent him away. On the drive home, Brad had car trouble, got out, and heard the screams of Noah who had gone skating with Eden Baldwin and fallen through the ice. Brad died a hero after he pulled Noah from the hole in the ice, when he fell through himself and drowned. Meanwhile back in Genoa City, Abby and Colleen, concerned that Brad never showed for his dinner date with them, got JT and Billy to help search for him. Colleen and JT found Brad’s car about the same time Noah remembered and told Victoria that it was Brad who rescued him. JT and Colleen heard a boy playing on the ice scream as he discovered Brad's body showing through the ice. JT checked out the situation and had to deliver the bad news to Colleen. Colleen and Abby were both devastated by the news, and Victoria and Ashley commiserated over the loss of their former husbands. Noah and Sharon both felt very guilty over Brad's death.

A Jewish service was held with the immediate family, his daughters Colleen and Abby, and his ex-wives Traci, Victoria and Ashley. Brad's mother was unable to attend, and former lover Nikki was out of town. Sharon visited the grave alone, told him she always loved him and thanked him for saving Noah’s life. In the Jewish tradition, a headstone was not laid until a week later. The reading of Brad’s will was held giving his mother an undisclosed share, and Colleen and Abby half of the remainder of Brad's estate. Colleen was named the trust holder until Abby is of age. A letter from Brad to Ashley explained his reluctance to trust her with this position due to her continual unwise relationship with Victor.

### Colleen's Board Membership, Rafe and Victor's Plot

As part of his manipulating Ashley away from Jabot, Victor talked Ashley into taking the deceased Brad's position on the Newman board, but Colleen showed up at the board meeting vote citing Newman by-laws that would allow her to assume her father's board seat. Victor called in JT to try to talk her out of it, but he failed. Victor suspected Jack was behind it, and he was, although Colleen wanted to do it to honor her father Brad as well. Colleen was determined to take an active role at Newman, and each appearance was irritating Victor more.

Colleen was interested in attorney Rafe Torres who was a friend of her cousin Billy's, but it was matter-of-factly revealed that Colleen wasn't Rafe's type - Rafe was gay. Colleen was maid of honor in her friend Lily's wedding to Cane, but left early after receiving word that her grandmother had been in a car accident.

After his request of JT to dig up some dirt on Colleen went nowhere, Victor asked Gloria and Jeff to create some scandal for Colleen to get her off the Newman board, and he might consider their request for repayment of all their money that was lost when Victor pulled his money out of the bank. They arranged for Aiden, the Athletic Club bartender and an aspiring actor, to get her drunk at Jimmy's Bar, where Jeff took video of her dancing on a table baring her breasts. Gloria got Kevin to unknowingly put “a video” out on the Internet, and gave her an untraceable email address to make sure everyone saw it. Victoria did, and under Victor’s orders she called Colleen to Newman to demand her resignation. Meanwhile Victor gave Ashley the news that she would be getting the board position. Colleen brought Billy along and refused to sign, accusing Victor of arranging the setup. Victoria told her they would have her removed, and Colleen said she would sue. Victor and Victoria were also furious with JT because the video showed him pulling Colleen down off the table. Victor asked JT for an explanation, and he said he felt that it was important to help a friend keep from humiliating herself, to which Victor asked for his resignation. JT and Victoria's relationship eroded further when JT suggested that Victor had set up Colleen. JT gave Colleen a ride home where reminiscing about their former relationship led to necking on the couch. Meanwhile Victoria and Deacon Sharpe closed an art deal with champagne in his suite, and were getting cozy when Amber interrupted. Both JT and Victoria left before it went any further, JT telling Colleen that he wouldn't jeopardize his marriage and child. But within days, after an argument with JT, Victoria went to Deacon’s room at the GCAC and they had sex.

### Patty Williams and Colleen's Death

Colleen lost a job prospect teaching at GCU when they saw the video online, so after confronting Victor about it, she went out to the Abbott cabin to get over it. She arrived to find a woman unknown to her tied to a chair and let her loose. It was Patty Williams who had been held there by Gloria and Jeff, awaiting the arrival of Victor and Jack for the ransom they paid. Patty turned on Colleen and kidnapped her at gunpoint, taking her to Camp Cheveyo, and tieing her to a tree.

After Patty used Colleen's phone to call Jack, and Colleen hollered "cow", (because the camp slogan was "Cowabunga", and she and Jack had both gone there as kids) before she was disconnected. Jack, JT, and Paul searched for her, convincing even Victoria that Victor had set this all in motion by bringing Patty back to Genoa City to get back at Jack. Meanwhile Patty was bitten by a spider and had a bad reaction, Colleen got loose, and held the gun on Patty, unsure what to do as Patty begged her for help.

When Colleen tried to help her, Patty grabbed the gun away, but Colleen was able to convince her that she would get help and return, and left in a canoe. She fell out, and hit her head on the bottom of the boat when she surfaced, sending her sinking again. Colleen was clearly drowning in the same lake as her father, with an eerie sequence of visions she was visited by the people who loved her, begging her to fight and come back to them, even visiting her best friend Lily giving her final advice.

### Colleen In The Beyond and A Difficult Decision

She saw her dead father and grandfather, ready to take her to the beyond. Jack realized where Colleen was, raced to the camp, and pulled her out of the lake. But as he tried to administer CPR, Patty was there holding the gun on him. Victor arrived and tried to convince Patty to drop the gun and let Jack save Colleen. Patty shot Victor 3 times instead and ran into the woods with Paul following, and JT stayed to help Victor. Colleen's mother Traci and step-father Steve, Billy, and Abby were at the hospital when Colleen was brought in, with Nick and Victoria there for Victor.

Tests confirmed Colleen was brain dead, and Traci finally made the heart-breaking decision to take her off life-support. All of Colleen’s friends came to say goodbye including her best friend Lily. Kevin and Jana told Traci and Steve what a wonderful person she was, that she had turned their lives around by forgiving them for trying to kill her.

### Goodbyes

A broken-hearted JT whispered, "Goodbye Sweetheart" into Colleen's ear and went off to be with his wife, but he returned the next day and spent some time alone with Colleen. Her uncles Jack and Billy and half sister Abby had a hard time comprehending it all. Then Traci and Steve were told that Colleen was an organ-donor, and Nikki had the nerve to intrude to request Colleen’s heart to save Victor. Jack Abbott and Billy protested, then Jack reconsidered and agreed since Victor basically saved his life.

Victor and Colleen turned out to be a match, and Traci decided in favor of the transplant despite Billy ranting how Victor was responsible for "Cee Cee’s" death and certainly would not have approved. Billy arranged a celebration of Colleen’s life instead of a funeral, with red balloons, and all wearing bright colors. In addition to the Abbotts, among those attending were Kevin and Jana, Phyllis and Noah representing the Newmans, JT, Mac, Kay & Murphy, and Daniel who presented Traci with a portrait of Colleen that he drew.

"Aunt" Mamie and Dina Mergeron sent flowers, Adrian and Brad’s mother both unable to attend, phoned Traci. Victoria arrived and read a letter from Victor full of thanks and gratefulness. Traci, Jack, Ashley, Abby, Neil, Kay, Kevin, and JT gave eulogies about what they remembered most about her. Neil broadcasted his eulogy to Lily who was restricted to home due to her low immunity level. At the end all released red balloons. Including Lily at home, to "An Angel’s Lullaby" sung by Traci.

### The Burial

Colleen was buried next to her father Brad, her kidneys donated to a 16 year old girl and corneas to a father who had never seen his children. Traci stayed in town long enough for Ashley's baby Faith Colleen Newman's Christening where Traci and Adam were Godparents, and the baby wore Colleen's Christening gown.