Drucilla Winters

Drucilla "Dru" Winters (née Barber) was a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Victoria Rowell portrayed the character from August 1990 to April 6, 2007 respectively. She was temporarily replaced by Dawn McMillan in 1996 and by Kent Masters King in 2000.

Character biography

Drucilla Delores "Dru" Barber runs away from home as a teenager, due to her problematic relationship with her mother, Lillie Belle (Norma Donaldson), and goes to stay with her aunt Mamie Johnson (Veronica Redd) who is a housekeeper for Jabot Cosmetics founder John Abbott, Sr. In doing so, she sacrifices her opportunity for a promising career as a ballerina.

Drucilla is illiterate, but is taught to read by private detective Nathan Hastings (who was once also illiterate). Nathan later marries and fathers a child by Dru's successful physician sister Olivia. Drucilla and Olivia originally have a relationship fraught with tension and anger, due to mother Lillie Belle's favoritism of Olivia over Drucilla, but the two eventually reconcile in a very emotional manner and have more or less been best friends ever since.

Drucilla eventually marries Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John), but only after many trials and mistakes. One such misstep, is posing nude for Sensuality magazine, though Jill Abbott (Jess Walton) discovers and destroys the film. Over time, Dru eventually evolves into a glamorous model. In June 1993, after marrying Neil, Drucilla finally receives closure by telling off her mother for wanting to abort her and not showing love for her as a child. Dru becomes close with Neil's brother Malcolm (Shemar Moore), who develops a crush on her. While she is under the influence of cold medication, the two engage in sex. When she ends up pregnant they decide not to uncover the child's paternity and keep their affair a secret. Dru gives birth to her daughter, Lily, in 1995. Dru's marriage to Neil ultimately collapses because her desire for a career clashes with his desire for a wife who stayed home. Dru develops very close friendships with people in town, including Brad Carlton (Don Diamont), Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), and Jack and Ashley Abbott (Peter Bergman and Eileen Davidson). She develops an adversarial relationship with Phyllis Romalotti (Michelle Stafford), which only intensifies as the years go on.

Dru and Lily move to Europe where Dru continues her modeling career. They return to Genoa City for brief visits until 2002 when they come back to stay. Dru comes back hoping for help in reining in their now 14 year old daughter Lily (Christel Khalil). Instead, it is Lily and Dru who end up helping Neil deal with his drinking problem. Neil and Dru fall back in love and remarry in Japan in 2003.

In early 2006, Lily (Davetta Sherwood) and Neil learn the truth about Lily's paternity. Neil wonders if he will ever be able to forgive Dru for her betrayal, and begins a flirtation with Carmen Mesta (Marisa Ramirez). Drucilla shows up at an important Newman function, gets drunk and slanders Carmen Mesta in front of everyone. She later lies her way into Carmen's hotel room and ruins many of Carmen Mesta's expensive clothes. Drucilla attacks Carmen in the offices at Newman Enterprises. The entire attack is caught on a video tape found by Phyllis, who gives a copy to Carmen. After Carmen gives copies of the tape to the district attorney and her former lover David Chow (Vincent Irizarry), Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) is forced to fire Drucilla. Dru is arrested, and though Neil is very much attracted to Carmen, he ends their relationship to stand by his wife. Dru ends up receiving probation for her crimes, and court ordered therapy.

Dru's attention shifts to focus on Indigo, a night club she and Neil are opening. The night it opens, Carmen is murdered and her body is discovered behind the club. Dru's adopted son Devon Hamilton (Bryton) is arrested for the crime, and Drucilla believes her sanity is crumbling as she begins to see Carmen around town. Drucilla is convinced that Carmen is still alive, and after accidentally injuring her daughter, Neil has her voluntarily committed to a mental hospital. After Devon is cleared of all charges, it is revealed that Carmen's former lover David and her look alike cousin Ines are responsible for the hauntings that sent Dru over the edge and Crimson Lights worker Jana Hawkes (Emily O'Brien) is responsible for Carmen's death.

Things are looking up for the family, as Neil receives a promotion to the board of directors at Newman Enterprises, Drucilla regains her job, and Lily and Devon receive high marks in their college courses.

After Sharon asks Dru to be her maid of honor at her upcoming wedding to Jack, Dru accompanies her and their mutual enemy Phyllis to a cliffside photo shoot for NVP. When Phyllis threatens to use her cell phone to reveal Sharon's affair with Brad to their friends and family, Drucilla reaches for Phyllis' cell phone, and a brief struggle with Phyllis causes Drucilla to fall off the cliff and into the shallow waters below. Sharon hangs on to Phyllis as she, Lily and Daniel Romalotti try to pull Sharon up. Eventually she lets go and she too falls into the shallow waters below. A nearly dead Sharon is eventually rescued, but search and rescue personnel only find the remains of Drucilla's jacket. Her body is never recovered.

External links

• Victoria Rowell's Official Site
• Drucilla Barber Winters at soapcentral.com|Y&R Online