Michele Val Jean

Michele Val Jean
Born
U.S
Occupation(s)Writer, producer
Years active1989–present

Michele Val Jean (b. 1950s) is an American television writer and producer, best-known for her work on daytime soap operas. Val Jean has written more than 2,000 episodes of daytime soap operas and won seven Daytime Emmy Awards and five Writers Guild of America Awards.[1][2]

Life and career

Val Jean began her career as a writer in the first African-American daytime soap opera, Generations in 1989. The series was canceled in 1991. In 1990 she worked on the prime time series, Jake and the Fatman.[2] She returned to daytime as a writer on Santa Barbara from 1991 to 1993 receiving her first Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Daytime Serials. In 1993 she joined General Hospital. Val Jean wrote the critically acclaimed 1998 re-visitation of Luke Spencer's rape of Laura Spencer, the rape of Elizabeth Webber, Luke and Laura Spencer's 2006 wedding. In 2000 she was promoted, alongside Elizabeth Korte, to the post of head writer, making her the first African American in the history of daytime television serials to hold the post.[3] She won four Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for her work on General Hospital.[2] She left the soap in 2012.

In 2012, Val Jean joined the CBS soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful as a script writer. The left the soap in early 2024.[4][5] In 2019 she also worked as a episodic writer and producer on the Oprah Winfrey Network prime time soap opera, Ambitions.[6] In 2024, Val Jean created a new daytime soap opera, Beyond the Gates for CBS that centers a wealthy Black family. She will serve as a writer, showrunner and executive producer.[7] The soap will debut in February 2025.[8][9]

Positions held

Beyond the Gates

  • Creator and producer

Ambitions

  • Consulting Producer 2019
  • Writer

The Bold and the Beautiful

  • Script writer: January 16, 2012 – April 3, 2024

General Hospital

  • Occasional breakdown writer: February 2007 – December 26, 2007
  • Co-head writer: January 2001 – April 2001
  • Breakdown writer: 1996–2000
  • Occasional script writer: 1996–2000
  • Script writer: 1993–1996, June 2002 – December 21, 2007, April 7, 2008 – January 10, 2012
  • Script editor: 1993–1995 (hired by Claire Labine)

Generations (hired by Sally Sussman Morina)

  • Script Writer: 1989–1990

Port Charles

  • Occasional Script Writer: 1997–1998

Santa Barbara (hired by Bridget and Jerome Dobson)

  • Breakdown writer: 1992–1993
  • Script Writer: 1991
  • Script Editor: 1992–1993

Jake and the Fatman

Awards and nominations

Val Jean has been nominated for several Daytime Emmy Awards.

Writers Guild Of America Award

  • 1993–1998 seasons, 6 nominations for General Hospital
  • 1991 and 1992 seasons, 2 nominations for Santa Barbara

TV Guide

  • Best Daytime Soap Writer (2004, 2006 & 2007)

References

  1. ^ Rice, Lynette (April 15, 2024). "CBS Orders 'The Gates' To Series; Daytime Sudser That Centers On A Black Family To Debut In January".
  2. ^ a b c "Veteran soap scribe Michele Val Jean exits The Bold and the Beautiful's writing team". soapcentral.com.
  3. ^ "DC #713: EXCLUSIVE — Michele Val Jean Reflects on #GH50 and Career in Soaps | Daytime Confidential". March 24, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-03-24.
  4. ^ Bowe, Jillian (February 23, 2024). "Famed Soap Writer Michele Val Jean Exits The Bold and The Beautiful". Daytime Confidential.
  5. ^ Lewis, Errol (February 23, 2024). "Daytime Emmy Award-Winning Writer Michele Val Jean Exits 'The Bold and the Beautiful'". Soap Opera Network.
  6. ^ Newcomb, Roger. "'Ambitions' Production Underway with Stars Robin Givens, Essence Atkins, Brian White, Kendrick Cross, Brely Evans & Erica Page".
  7. ^ Rice, Lynette (March 6, 2024). "CBS Studios NAACP Venture To Develop New Daytime Drama For CBS Called 'The Gates'".
  8. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (April 15, 2024). "CBS Greenlights the First Black Daytime Soap Opera in 35 Years". The Hollywood Reporter.
  9. ^ Otterson, Joe (April 15, 2024). "CBS Orders Daytime Soap Opera 'The Gates' Under NAACP Content Partnership".
Preceded by Head writer of General Hospital
February 5 – April 27, 2001 		Succeeded by