Carmen Mesta
Encyclopedia
Carmen Mesta is a fictional character
in the CBS
soap opera
The Young and the Restless
. Marisa Ramirez
played the role from May 8 to October 30, 2006, and returned several times as a sighting or in a part of a new flashback during the next few months. She last aired as Carmen on February 17, 2007.
hires for Jabot Cosmetics in 2006 because of Jack Abbott's (Peter Bergman
) handling of a scandal that results from Jabot's test release of tainted face cream. Jack resents her involvement but soon becomes attracted to her and eventually he and Carmen have a one-night stand
. Afterward, Carmen is hired by Victor Newman
(Eric Braeden
) to work for Newman Enterprises' new cosmetics division, Beauty Of Nature.
While at Newman Enterprises, Carmen begins an emotional affair with Neil Winters
(Kristoff St. John
), who is estranged from his wife Drucilla (Victoria Rowell
). The physical extent of Carmen's relationship with Neil is a kiss. Believing that the two are having an affair, Drucilla ransacks Carmen's room and cuts her clothing with scissors. Carmen has Drucilla arrested for aggravated
burglary
and gets a restraining order. Dru violates the restraining order on more than one occasion, even attacking Carmen in Newman Enterprises' break room. Unbeknownst to Dru, the attack is captured on a hidden video camera accidentally left on by Noah Newman
(Hunter Allan
). The footage is discovered by Dru's enemy Phyllis Newman
(Michelle Stafford
), who alerts Carmen, who in turn takes the tape to the police, which lands Dru in more trouble.
During these events Neil helps Dru deal with her feelings towards Carmen and tries to act as peacemaker. Carmen can not understand how he can condemn Dru's actions. She informs him she is going to ask the District Attorney William Bardwell (Ted Shackelford
) to prosecute Dru. Neil believes that Carmen is overzealous in wanting revenge on Drucilla.
Dru hires Michael Baldwin
(Christian LeBlanc
) as her attorney, and Michael asks Paul Williams (Doug Davidson
) to investigate Carmen's background. Paul discovers that at Carmen's previous job (prior to her arrival in Genoa City
) she had an affair with a married executive, and that she left the job after being paid a large settlement. Michael confronts Carmen with this information in an attempt to get her to drop her lawsuit against Dru, but she refuses.
Carmen is found dead behind Neil's jazz club, Indigo, on the club's opening night. Will Bardwell believes that she was murdered and, out of numerous possible suspects, arrests Devon for her murder. Michael Baldwin becomes Devon's defense attorney and looks for other plausible suspects, particularly Brad Carlton
(Don Diamont
) and Jack Abbott, so that he can establish reasonable doubt as part of Devon's defense.
Carmen's murderer turns out to be Jana Hawkes
(Emily O'Brien
). Jana killed Carmen because Carmen saw Jana looking through a folder containing pictures and facts about the Grugeon Reliquary
(a fictional piece of medieval art with foreign letters engraved on it, revealed to be the keys to a massive fortune), which Jana stole from Victoria Newman's car.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
. Marisa Ramirez
Marisa Ramirez
Marisa Carolina Ramirez is an American actress.-Early life:Ramirez attended an all-girls' school in Alhambra, California at the Ramona Convent Secondary School. Her career began at age 13 when she was brought to the attention of a major L.A...
played the role from May 8 to October 30, 2006, and returned several times as a sighting or in a part of a new flashback during the next few months. She last aired as Carmen on February 17, 2007.
Character
Carmen is a freelance public relations consultant that Katherine ChancellorKatherine Chancellor
Katherine Chancellor Murphy is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless...
hires for Jabot Cosmetics in 2006 because of Jack Abbott's (Peter Bergman
Peter Bergman
Peter Bergman is an American soap opera actor best known for his portrayals as Dr. Cliff Warner on All My Children, as well as Jack Abbott on The Young and the Restless.-Biography:...
) handling of a scandal that results from Jabot's test release of tainted face cream. Jack resents her involvement but soon becomes attracted to her and eventually he and Carmen have a one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
. Afterward, Carmen is hired by Victor Newman
Victor Newman
Victor Newman is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless played by actor Eric Braeden from February 1980 through November 2, 2009 and again from January 15, 2010 to present. The character briefly appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful in 1999...
(Eric Braeden
Eric Braeden
Eric Braeden is a German-American film and television actor, best known for his role as Victor Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film Titanic...
) to work for Newman Enterprises' new cosmetics division, Beauty Of Nature.
While at Newman Enterprises, Carmen begins an emotional affair with Neil Winters
Neil Winters
Neil Winters is a fictional character in the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by actor Kristoff St. John since his first appearance in January 1991...
(Kristoff St. John
Kristoff St. John
Kristoff St. John is an American actor, best known for his role as Neil Winters on the daytime US drama The Young and the Restless.-Career:...
), who is estranged from his wife Drucilla (Victoria Rowell
Victoria Rowell
Victoria "Vicki" Lynn Rowell is an American actress and dancer. She is best known for her portrayal of ballerina-turned-model Drucilla Winters on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless, and medical examiner/pathologist Dr. Amanda Bentley on the CBS drama Diagnosis: Murder...
). The physical extent of Carmen's relationship with Neil is a kiss. Believing that the two are having an affair, Drucilla ransacks Carmen's room and cuts her clothing with scissors. Carmen has Drucilla arrested for aggravated
Aggravation (legal concept)
Aggravation, in law, is "any circumstance attending the commission of a crime or tort which increases its guilt or enormity or adds to its injurious consequences, but which is above and beyond the essential constituents of the crime or tort itself."...
burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
and gets a restraining order. Dru violates the restraining order on more than one occasion, even attacking Carmen in Newman Enterprises' break room. Unbeknownst to Dru, the attack is captured on a hidden video camera accidentally left on by Noah Newman
Noah Newman
Noah Christian Newman is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless.He is the eldest biological child of supercouple Nicholas Newman and Sharon Collins , born onscreen on March 3, 1997. The role was played by a series of infant and toddler actors during the character's...
(Hunter Allan
Hunter Allan
Hunter Allan is a young American actor who is most famous for playing the recurring character of Noah Newman, the ten-year-old son of Nicholas and Sharon Newman on CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless up to May 9, 2008.Allan guest starred on the The Foam Finger episode of Nickelodeon sitcom...
). The footage is discovered by Dru's enemy Phyllis Newman
Phyllis Summers Newman
Phyllis Summers Newman is a fictional character in the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Phyllis has been portrayed by actress Michelle Stafford from the week of October 17–21, 1994 to February 17, 1997 and from July 13, 2000 to the present. From March 21, 1997 to February 22, 1999, the...
(Michelle Stafford
Michelle Stafford
Michelle Stafford is an American actress, best known for her role as Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless.-Career:...
), who alerts Carmen, who in turn takes the tape to the police, which lands Dru in more trouble.
During these events Neil helps Dru deal with her feelings towards Carmen and tries to act as peacemaker. Carmen can not understand how he can condemn Dru's actions. She informs him she is going to ask the District Attorney William Bardwell (Ted Shackelford
Ted Shackelford
Ted Shackelford is an American actor best known for his role as Gary Ewing on the CBS television series Knots Landing, in which he starred from 1979–93...
) to prosecute Dru. Neil believes that Carmen is overzealous in wanting revenge on Drucilla.
Dru hires Michael Baldwin
Michael Baldwin
Michael Baldwin is a fictional character on the CBS television soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by Christian LeBlanc originally from late December 1991 until June 1993 and then he returned on April 25, 1997. The character has also crossed over briefly to As the World Turns on April...
(Christian LeBlanc
Christian LeBlanc
Christian Jules LeBlanc is an American actor.LeBlanc currently plays Michael Baldwin on The Young and the Restless. He first played the role from 1991 to 1993, and then resumed the role in 1997. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for the role six times, and won for Outstanding Lead Actor...
) as her attorney, and Michael asks Paul Williams (Doug Davidson
Doug Davidson
Douglas Donald "Doug" Davidson is an American television actor. He has portrayed private investigator Paul Williams on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless since May 1978, making him the series' senior male cast member.On September 12, 1994, he began hosting a five-night-a-week,...
) to investigate Carmen's background. Paul discovers that at Carmen's previous job (prior to her arrival in Genoa City
Genoa City (fictional city)
Genoa City, Wisconsin is the fictional setting for the long-running American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The real U.S. village of the same name is otherwise unlike and unrelated to the mid-size city depicted in the series.- Overview :...
) she had an affair with a married executive, and that she left the job after being paid a large settlement. Michael confronts Carmen with this information in an attempt to get her to drop her lawsuit against Dru, but she refuses.
Carmen is found dead behind Neil's jazz club, Indigo, on the club's opening night. Will Bardwell believes that she was murdered and, out of numerous possible suspects, arrests Devon for her murder. Michael Baldwin becomes Devon's defense attorney and looks for other plausible suspects, particularly Brad Carlton
Brad Carlton
Bradley "Brad" Carlton was a fictional character on CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Actor Don Diamont played the role since May 1985 until he departed the show in 1996 and returned on July 28, 1998. Diamont was temporarily replaced by Russell Todd in 1993. The character has also...
(Don Diamont
Don Diamont
Don Diamont is an American actor, best known for his long-running portrayal of Brad Carlton on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless. In 1990, he was chosen as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People Magazine, becoming the first daytime drama actor to receive the honor...
) and Jack Abbott, so that he can establish reasonable doubt as part of Devon's defense.
Carmen's murderer turns out to be Jana Hawkes
Jana Hawkes
Jana Hawkes was a fictional character in an American soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by actress Emily O'Brien first on recurring status from May 11 to September 5, 2006, and then on contract from October 10, 2006 to February 20, 2007. The actress returned on June 15, 2007...
(Emily O'Brien
Emily O'Brien
Emily O'Brien is an English-born American actress. She is known for her role as Jana Hawkes Fisher on The Young and the Restless off-and-on from May 11, 2006 until her character died on May 6, 2011.-Personal life:...
). Jana killed Carmen because Carmen saw Jana looking through a folder containing pictures and facts about the Grugeon Reliquary
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
(a fictional piece of medieval art with foreign letters engraved on it, revealed to be the keys to a massive fortune), which Jana stole from Victoria Newman's car.