Detroit's Sharon Case turns 44 today

Soap opera fans, celebrate: It's the birthday of Young & Restless star Sharon Case. Case moved with her family to California at a young age, and actively sought out soap opera acting work after a modeling stint. In 1994, she stepped into the role of Sharon Newman on The Young & the Restless. It's quite a role to play for 20-plus years, a "shero" who's had to face it all, from being born on the wrong side of the tracks through all the melodramatic plot turns that span three decades. One commentator has described the character of Sharon Newman as soap operas' "hottest mess".

Case, however, is doing just fine, secure in a role she thought at first she'd only have for six months, and working on her line of jewelry and clothing. Sometimes, however, when you have an actress and a character who share the same name, the lines get blurred. Take for instance, the quote from the fan who created this tribute video below: "Despite awful writing, I will always support Sharon. She is such an interesting and unpredictable character and SC is a flawless actress."