Colleen Carlton

Colleen Carlton
Tammin Sursok as Colleen Carlton
The Young and the Restless character
Portrayed by	Lyndsy Fonseca (2001–05) Adrianne León (2006–07) Tammin Sursok (2007–09) (and child actors)
Duration	1992–95 2001–10
First appearance	March 5, 1992
Last appearance	December 23, 2010
Created by	William J. Bell
Introduced by	Edward J. Scott
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Other names	Colleen Cecile Carlton
Occupation	Student at Genoa City University Waitress at Crimson Lights Spokesperson for Jabot Cosmetics
Family Abbott Father Brad Carlton Mother Traci Abbott Half-sisters Abby Newman (adoptive) Grandfathers Arthur Kaplan John Abbott Grandmothers Rebecca Kaplan Dina Mergeron Uncles Jack Abbott Billy Abbott Aunts Ashley Abbott Stephanie Kaplan First cousins Keemo Volien Abbott John Abbott III Kyle Abbott Abby Newman Delia Abbott Johnny Abbott Katie Newman

Colleen Carlton is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, last portrayed by Tammin Sursok. The character was born onscreen during the episode airing on March 5, 1992, as the daughter of Brad Carlton (Don Diamont) and Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland). After leaving the soap opera three years later, the character returned as a teenager in 2001, portrayed by Lyndsy Fonseca, who remained in the role until 2005. The following year, the role was recast with Adrianne León, who portrayed the character for a year until Sursok took over. Colleen died onscreen in 2009. In 2010, an uncredited actress reprised the role in a dream.

The character was portrayed as a "sweet Daddy's girl" who rebelled during her teen years. She was also notorious for her romance with J.T. Hellstrom, a relationship considered a soap opera supercouple. Viewers voted them onto top couple lists multiple times. The character's onscreen death in 2009 met with both positive and negative reviews from critics.

Colleen was born onscreen in 1992 and, after being portrayed by a string of child actors between then and 1995, the character left Genoa City for New York City with her mother, Traci. Colleen was rapidly aged to fifteen in 2001 when Lyndsy Fonseca assumed the role. In 2004, Fonseca was let go, as Colleen returned to New York to live with her mother. The Young and the Restless executive producer and head writer Jack Smith left the door open for Fonseca to return. "That means a lot to me," Fonseca said. "He's been really cool about that." Fonseca briefly reprised the role from December 2004 to February 2005. In January 2006, the role was recast with Adrianne León. Previously, Leon is recognized for her role as Brook Lynn Ashton on ABC's General Hospital. As her storyline on General Hospital diminished, executive producer Jill Farren Phelps told Leon to commence auditioning for other projects including other soap operas, and was soon cast as Colleen. Fan response to this news was negative, as viewers felt Leon would not fit in the role. Leon wanted to help the viewers with the transition. "Since I was leaving GH one day and airing the next as Colleen, it was a decision on my part to blend in her look with Brook's," she said.General Hospital also planned to write Brook out by scripting her new destination as the Carlton Music Academy in Genoa City. That plan was not followed through.