John Finnegan is a fictional character from ''

The Bold and the Beautiful ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (often referred to as ''B&B'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera ''The Yo ...

'', an American

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

on the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

network, portrayed by

Tanner Novlan Tanner Novlan (born 9 April 1986) is a Canadian actor and model. He is best known for starring as "Struggling Actor" in a Liberty Mutual commercial (2019), as Gregory Manes on The CW Television Network, The CW's ''Roswell, New Mexico (TV serie ...

. Created by executive producer

Bradley Bell Bradley Phillip Bell (born June 29, 1964) is an American television writer and producer. Bell is an eight-time Daytime Emmy Award winner and is executive producer and head writer for ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', an American soap opera. Ea ...

in 2020, Finn made his first appearance on July 23 of that year, and is introduced as the doctor who treats Steffy Forrester (

Jacqueline MacInnes Wood Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (born 17 April 1987) is a Canadian actress, musician and television personality. For playing fashion executive and heiress Steffy Forrester Finnegan in the CBS soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (2008–present) ...

) after she sustains injuries in a motorcycle accident and develops a dependency to her pain pills. In addition to the character's presence as part of an

opioid addiction Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a substance use disorder characterized by cravings for opioids, continued use despite physical and/or psychological deterioration, increased tolerance with use, and withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing opioids. Op ...

storyline, Finn evolved and became Steffy's love interest, subsequent to the pair meeting originally when she landed at the hospital, and both experiencing an immediate attraction to one another and, essentially, fell in

love at first sight Love at first sight is a personal experience as well as a common trope in literature: a person or character feels an instant, extreme, and ultimately long-lasting romantic attraction for a stranger upon first seeing that stranger. Described by p ...

. Months later, Finn impregnates Steffy, the duo gets engaged, and then delivers their son, Hayes Finnegan, via home birth. They later marry one another in an intimate ceremony at the Forrester Estate. Finn is later revealed to be the long-lost son of the nefarious villainess

Sheila Carter Sheila Carter is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'' and ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', American soap operas on the CBS network. Created by William J. Bell, the role was introduced in 1990 — by Edward J. Scott — under th ...

(

Kimberlin Brown Kimberlin Ann Brown Pelzer (born June 29, 1961) is an American television actress, best known for her role as Sheila Carter in the CBS daytime soap operas ''The Young and the Restless'' and ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' from 1990. Career Brown ...

). Finn is the product of an extramarital affair between Sheila and Jack Finnegan ( Ted King) while he was married to Finn's adoptive mother, Li Finnegan (Naomi Matsuda). Unbeknownst to Li and Finn, Sheila gave Finn up as a newborn and Jack arranged a secret adoption of his own biological son in order to keep his affair secret. Sheila made many attempts at contact with Finn, most of which were unsuccessful or disjointed due to Steffy's disapproval. ''

TV Source Magazine There are multiple media outlets which focus primarily on television soap operas and telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television" ...

'' acclaimed Finn as a "strapping young doctor" who infused "a breath of fresh air" to the show; Carly Silver from ''

Daytime Confidential There are multiple media outlets which focus primarily on television soap operas and telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television" ...

'' asserted that the character was a "good seed". Commonly referred to by the

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words

Creation

Casting

Tanner Novlan's

daytime television Daytime is a block of television programming taking place during the late-morning and afternoon on weekdays. Daytime programming is typically scheduled to air between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., following the early morning d ...

debut and casting was exclusively reported by ''

TVLine ''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. History In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s Michael Ausiello announced that he would be leaving ''EW'' after nearly two years in their employ to est ...

'' on July 9, 2020, alongside Delon de Metz's as a recast of

Zende Forrester Dominguez Zende is a village in the Lobaye region in the Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR; ; , RCA; , or , ) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, Sout ...

. Novlan was previously known for appearing as "Struggling Actor" in a

Liberty Mutual Liberty Mutual Group is an American diversified global insurer and the sixth-largest property and casualty insurer in the United States. It ranks 71st on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the United States based on 2020 revenue. B ...

commercial and guest starring appearances on primetime series such as ''

Modern Family ''Modern Family'' is an American family sitcom television series created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan for the American Broadcasting Company. It ran for 11 seasons, from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020. It follows the lives of thr ...

'', ''

Mohawk Girls ''Mohawk Girls'' is a 2005 documentary film by Tracey Deer about the experiences of adolescent girls growing up on the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawake, across the Saint Lawrence River from Montreal, Quebec. Deer, who was born and raised in Kahnawake, f ...

'', ''

Rizzoli & Isles ''Rizzoli & Isles'' is an American crime drama television series starring Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles. Based on the series of ''Rizzoli & Isles'' novels by Tess Gerritsen, the plot follows Boston Homicide polic ...

'', and ''

Roswell, New Mexico Roswell () is a city in, and the County seat, seat of, Chaves County, New Mexico, Chaves County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Chaves County forms the entirety of the List of micropolitan areas in New Mexico, Roswell micropolitan area. As of ...

''. '' Soap Hub'' specified that Novlan, as John "Finn" Finnegan, was tapped to play Steffy Forrester's (Wood) potential love interest. On June 17, 2020, after fourth months of hiatus due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the Uni ...

production shutdown, the series became one of the first American scripted television series to resume recording, although production went on a one-week hiatus to accommodate modifications to its protocols. With the accompanying news that the series would return with original episodes on July 20, 2020, ''

Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, with ...

'' announced Novlan's first episodic appearance was slated to be July 23. Novlan revealed he had secured the role back in March 2020 but had to keep it quiet due to the coronavirus shutdown. He explains that he "wasn't able to speak about it or tell anyone about it because we didn't know how long the shutdown was going to be." Novlan felt that he was in bit in a pickle due to the fact, that "my family, my mom especially, has been a life- long B&B fan. I mean, she loves the show. Our family dog's name was Thorne — with an e — so I remember ever since I was young hearing the theme song, hearing the storylines, so it was so exciting, and a real honor to be welcomed into that family." When speaking about the shooting method, Novlan, express that "I don't know their old way of filming, so this is my new normal," but "it's been such a unique process but it's been amazing how all the producers have come together to figure this out and put forth these groundbreaking guidelines, making things safe and efficient and being able to work around all of this and keep everything alive." Novlan is married to

Kayla Ewell Kayla Noelle Ewell (born August 27, 1985) is an American actress known for her roles on television as Caitlin Ramirez on CBS's long-running soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', as Maureen Sampson on NBC's ''Freaks and Geeks'', and as Vicki ...

, who previously portrayed Caitlin Ramirez. She returned to play an intimacy double or a

stand-in A stand-in for film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting and camera setup. Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of film and television production. Stand-ins a ...

(from September 2020 to March 2021) for Wood as a result of the onset protocols. Due to social distancing on set slowly coming to an end in the filming process, since May 2021, Novlan and Wood, began filming their own intimate scenes. In April 2022, after nearly two years on canvas, it was announced Novlan had exited, after the show had decided to subsequently kill off Finn. He revealed to ''

Soap Opera Digest ''Soap Opera Digest'' is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional in ...

'' that he, himself and alongside the entire cast, were "pretty surprised" in regards to his character's direction and most predominantly, co-star, Wood, who he described as rendered "speechless" due to the magnitude of the 'Sinn' fanbase. Novlan re-appeared on the series in the episode dated May 23, when Finn was revealed to be alive, in a coma, to the viewers. Novlan disclosed on that same day during a segment episode of '' The Talk'', that he had never departed the series in the first place and had to keep the secret of Finn's resurrection under wraps.

Development

Characterization

On the conceptualization and significance of the character's name, particularly of "Finnegan",

reveals in ''TV Soap''

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, that the name was an inspiration taken from past cast members such as Finnegan George, who portrayed Will Spencer from 2018 to 2019 and

Jennifer Finnigan Jennifer Christina Finnigan (born August 22, 1979) is a Canadians, Canadian actress, best known for her role as Bridget Forrester in the American soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' from 2000 to 2004, for which she won three Daytime Emmy Aw ...

, who had played the role of

Bridget Forrester Bridget Forrester is a fictional character from ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. She first appeared in 1992 as the infant daughter of Brooke Logan and Eric Forrester. The character was portrayed by actress ...

from 2000 to 2004. He also denotes that it honors "all the great 'Finnegans' we've been in touch with over the years" and that Bell admitted that he has "friends with the name Finn." He adds on that "it seemed to fit ovlanand its unique." Bell describes Finn as a "young, accomplished, kind, handsome doctor." Bell continues in explaining that "he's a fresh new presence. Finn has some mystery to him." Novlan notes that Finn "is a helper. it's in his nature. He's a doctor. I think he can't help but fall for a girl like Steffy. He's got a big heart. Maybe too big. And I think sometimes that gets him into trouble." Carly Silver from ''

'' called Finn a "good doctor" and a "good seed." Meanwhile, ''

Soap Central There are multiple media outlets which focus primarily on television soap operas and telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television" ...

'' described Finn as a "hot new doc" and "Mr. Wonderful." ''

'' described Finn as a "strapping young doctor" who instilled "a breath of fresh air" to the canvas. Novlan emphasizes that Finn "really does have other people's best interests in mind, although that can sometimes get cloudy." Alternatively, Novlan indicates that "being a doctor, Finn is obviously very patient. He's pretty black and white and analytical." Novlan accentuates and underlines that Finn "has been able to kind of change the perspective of a lot of the other characters that have been in these storylines for a while now and there's a fresh face to deal with. Maybe he doesn't have all the knowledge of the past but sees the situation for what it is in the moment and I think that's really refreshing for the B&B fans." Janet Di Lauro from ''Soap Hub'' characterizes Finn as "kind and caring, smart and savvy; the type of man worthy of the Forrester fashion heiress." Novlan states, "for Finn, one of his values is having faith in people." In 2022, Adam-Michael James of ''SoapCentral'' wrote that Finn became the "Most Rejuvenated Character" of the show, noting that "something new emerged ..when he woke up from his Sheila-inflicted coma." James continued that when Finn "realized the level of his mama's crazy", he was able to "matched wits with her, occasionally even getting the upper hand." When Finn uncovered that Sheila had faked her own death, James noted that Finn "traded his stethoscope for a detective pipe", which permitted for the addition of an "interesting" layer to the character.

Backstory

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' exclusively reported on June 21, 2021, that ''

Charmed ''Charmed'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company Spelling Television, with Brad Kern serving as showrunner. The series was originally broadcast ...

'', ''

General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...

'' actor and soap veteran Ted King and actress Naomi Matsuda had been cast as Finn's parents,

Jack Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, ...

and Li Finnegan, respectively, in what would be the part of the development of Finn's "very dramatic backstory." King first aired on July 30, while Matsuda followed on August 2, 2021. It was later revealed onscreen that Jack and Li, were Finn's adoptive parents who had taken him in as a newborn. Li is likewise a physician, surgeon, specifically, and it was revealed that Finn opt to follow in his mother's footsteps. On August 2, 2021, ''Soap Opera Digest'' broke the exclusive announcement that

, who is well-known, for playing the notorious

villainess A villain (also known as a " black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character a ...

would return to the role on August 6, 2021, with the accompanying revelation that Sheila is Finn's biological mother. It is later divulged that Jack, is in fact, Finn's biological father and he conceived Finn with Sheila, while married to Li. Both Li and Finn were unaware of this information in the entirety of Finn's life, as Jack arranged this secret adoption and took on this deceptive route in order to hide his affair with Sheila.

Relationship with Steffy

Jacqueline MacInnes Wood - Monte-Carlo Television Festival

Previewing Finn's introduction as the romantic interest for the established character of Steffy Forrester (

) in the summer of 2020, Bradley Bell expresses that Steffy "is an accomplished mother, businesswoman, and fashion icon. She's an independent woman. Finn is a doctor and has his own life and his own desires and goals separate to hers. They're two complete individuals who can hopefully find a special love with one another." Finn enters the canvas as the

emergency physician An emergency physician (often called an "ER doctor" in the United States) is a physician who works at an emergency department to care for ill patients. The emergency physician is a specialist in advanced cardiac life support (advanced life suppo ...

who treated Steffy after she gets involved in a motorbike accident. When Steffy wakes up at the hospital, the pair immediately locks eyes with one another, highly suggesting a

experience between the two. After she gets discharged from the hospital, Finn prescribes Steffy, pain pills, most specifically,

opioids Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects. Medically they are primarily used for pain relief, including anesthesia. Other medical uses include suppression of diarrhea, replacement therapy for opioid use ...

for her hip pains and backaches. Due to his realization that he resides in close proximity to her, Finn also soon began visiting Steffy and provided her with medical care, psychological counselling and friendship. Steffy began feeling vulnerable, and the pair open up and bond, to one another about their past emotional burdens, simultaneously burgeoning an attraction for each other. On Finn's attraction to Steffy, Novlan notes that "I think he's slowly learning more and more about her, because, at first, he is very professional and very clinical. But as he sees the dynamics of the orresterfamily, and he's able to observe the relationships that are around her, and he learns how amazing she is, and of course, how beautiful and intriguing and interesting a woman she is, how could you not get sucked in?" Finn had accepted to prescribe Steffy an extra set of a bottle of pain pills at a moment of time but refused to continue thereafter due to their addictive nature. Bell, indicates, "it's fertile ground for the building of a new romance" when referring to Finn becoming Steffy's confidant as she deals with both her physical and emotional pain and growing dependency on her pain pills. He later reveals to Steffy that in order to maintain his professionalism and ethics, that it would be more plausible, that he no longer acts as her medical doctor and that he will refer her to another physician. Finn precisely confesses that he has developed romantic feelings for her. Steffy admits that she shares those sentiments and the duo passionately kiss for the first time. Later, Finn alongside, Steffy's father

Ridge Forrester Ridge Forrester is a fictional character from the CBS Daytime soap opera, ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. The character was introduced in the series premiere on March 23, 1987 and has been a regular fixture ever since. Ronn Moss played the role ...

(

Thorsten Kaye Thorsten Kaye (born Thorsten Ernst Kieselbach, 22 February 1966) is a German-British actor. His best known roles include Patrick Thornhart on ''One Life to Live'', Dr. Ian Thornhart on ''Port Charles'', Zach Slater on ''All My Children'' and R ...

) and ex-husband

Liam Spencer Liam Spencer (born 1964) is a British artist. Early life Spencer was born in Burnley, Lancashire and attended St Theodore's RC High School. He studied at Burnley College and the Manchester School of Art (now Manchester Metropolitan Universit ...

(

Scott Clifton Scott Clifton Snyder (born October 31, 1984), better known as Scott Clifton, is an American actor, and video blogger. He played Dillon Quartermaine in '' General Hospital'' (2003–2007), Schuyler Joplin in '' One Life to Live'' (2009–2010) ...

), set an intervention for Steffy, after she is found passed out on her couch after taking unprescribed pain pills. Finn agrees to place Steffy in rehabilitation facility and vows to help her every step of the way. Subsequent to her stay at the facility, the pair express love for another and agree to begin an intimate relationship. On their relationship, Novlan declares that "it's time that Steffy meets a man with a new set of values, and a new version of what passion and love can bring. She just had her daughter and I think she's ready. Finn seems to have her best interests in mind, and I think that's a good thing for Steffy." Months later, Steffy finds out she is pregnant. However, due to a drunken stupor that culminates into a

one-night stand A one-night stand or one-night sex is a single sexual encounter in which there is an expectation that there shall be no further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single ...

with Liam, she is unsure of her unborn child's paternity. In spite of the betrayal, Novlan asserts that "Finn loves Steffy very much and he's really praying this goes his way," Novlan continues to emphasize that "

inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

hopes in his heart that the baby is his. There's a lot riding on this test!" Finn alongside Steffy's brother,

Thomas Forrester Thomas Forrester is a fictional character from ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. Created and introduced by Bradley Bell, the role has been portrayed by multiple child actors. In 2004, the role was rapid ...

( Matthew Atkinson), later learn together that he indeed is the biological father of Steffy's unborn after a paternity switch orchestrated by Vinny Walker ( Joe LoCicero) had originally and falsy claimed Liam as the father of the child. Finn rushes to Steffy and attempts to stop her from leaving town for Paris to reveal the celebratory news, as she, herself, opted not to burden Finn, by letting him raise another man's child. Novlan underlines that "Steffy was running away and here's a guy who has put his life on the line and said, 'I'm going to stick by you,' and trying to get through to her. She's going to try to say, 'Oh, you don't have to do that.' She feels that 'if you love them, let them go,' kind of thing." With such a happy-filled revelation, Finn then proposes to Steffy, and she quickly accepts. Later, with the accompanied assistance of a midwife, the pair welcome their biological son, Hayes Finnegan (Samantha Worden), at home, via

water birth Water birth is labor and sometimes delivery that occurs in water, usually a birthing pool. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not recommend birthing in water as the safety has not been determined. Proponents believe chi ...

. The duo later exchange vows and marry at the Forrester family mansion, which was billed as the "Wedding of the Year" in front, of their family and friends. At their wedding reception, notorious villainess Sheila Carter reveals herself to be Finn's biological mother. Sheila's desire to contact Finn developed into an uncontrollable obsession, and anybody condemning contact attempts, were subjected to Sheila's attacks, leading to Finn stepping in front of Steffy (one of Sheila's strongest opposers) and taking the bullet, and was reported to have succumbed to his injuries. Unbeknownst to Steffy, Finn was later to be revealed alive and being taken care by his adoptive mother Li, in her apartment. Steffy was whisked away to Monaco, checking herself in a mental health care facility, unable to cope with Finn's presumed death. Later, Finn escapes from Sheila's clutches, who had found him alive in the apartment, attacked Li and held him hostage for weeks. Finn arrives in Monaco, where he and Steffy reunite, in front of the French Riviera located church. The ringing of church's bells directed both Finn and Steffy towards the church. On the cinematic details of the reunion, Novlan reveals that "the church bells were used as a calling to each other, it had a real emotional impact on both characters" specifically "on a spirit and subconscious level", indicating the couple's soulmate connection. Novlan continues to declare that their "love is so deep and so connected" and classifies the pairing as a "mature relationship."

Storylines

Finn comes upon his patient, Steffy Forrester (Wood), at the hospital after she collided with the vehicle of

Bill Spencer, Jr. Bill Spencer Jr. is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. He is portrayed by Don Diamont. Bill Spencer Jr. is the previously unknown illegitimate son of media mogul, Bill Spencer ( Jim Storm), a ...

(

Don Diamont Don Bruce Diamont (born Donald Feinberg; December 31, 1962) is an American actor. His best known roles include Brad Carlton on ''The Young and the Restless'' and Bill Spencer Jr. on ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. In 1990, Diamont was chosen as ...

) while she was out riding her motorcycle. Finn later visits Steffy at her home, as she had forgotten her discharge paperwork, and he reveals to her that he lived nearby and that he opted to bring them in person. Suffering from her injuries and excruciating pain, Steffy pleaded to him that she needed more pain pills, and Finn was reluctant to do so due to their addictive nature. Steffy reveals to Finn the past emotional burdens that have been affecting her, including the dissolution of her marriage to ex-husband and father of her daughter Kelly,

(

), the death of her twin sister

Phoebe Forrester Phoebe Forrester is a fictional character from the CBS Daytime soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. The first actress to play the character on a contract basis was Addison Hoover, who joined the show in April 2005 and left the following y ...

(

MacKenzie Mauzy MacKenzie Grace Mauzy (born October 14, 1988) is an American actress. She played the role of Phoebe Forrester on CBS daytime soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' from 2006 to 2008, and recurred as Abigail on the 2014 ABC television drama s ...

), the loss of the adoptive child that she named in honor of said twin sister as well as the missing presence of her mother Taylor Hayes (

Hunter Tylo Hunter Tylo (born Deborah Jo Hunter; July 3, 1962) is an American actress, author and former model. She is best known for her role as Taylor Hayes (The Bold and the Beautiful), Taylor Hayes (1990–2002, 2004–14, 2018–19) on ''The Bold and t ...

, later

Krista Allen Krista Allen (born April 5, 1971) is an American actress, model and Stand-up comedy, stand-up comic. She is best known for her work in the television series ''Days of Our Lives'', ''Baywatch Hawaii'', and the Erotic art, erotic TV series ''Emman ...

). Liam visits Finn at his office in the hospital, to get some insight into Steffy's current condition and state of mind, and through this conversation, Liam finds out that Finn has been visiting Steffy at her home, reminiscent of house calls. This revelation prompts Liam to begin questioning Finn's motives and objectivity and he ponders if Finn has a romantic interest in Steffy. Finn assures Liam that his primary concern is Steffy's recovery and her health. Thereafter, Finn goes to Steffy's home and expresses to her that while it has been wonderful getting to know her, that since he has begun developing romantic sentiments for her, it would not be wise for him to continue to be her personal physician and he would refer her to another professional. Steffy refuses and expresses to Finn that she always feels good when she is around him and that she would like him to continue to treat her. Steffy confesses that she herself begun developing romantic feelings for him and plants a kiss on him. The two agree to explore how things could go. Steffy later takes a pill from an illegal bottle of the set provided by Vinny Walker ( Joe LoCicero), which causes her to pass out while taking care of her daughter Kelly. Liam enlists the help of Finn and Steffy's father,

(

) to stage an intervention and convince her to admit she has a problem and agree to enter drug rehabilitation facility. Finn agrees to place Steffy in an institution that would best fit her needs. He began visiting Steffy routinely at the facility. With the assistance of Steffy's caseworker, Michael Tanner (Jarvis George), Finn excitedly tells Steffy that her treatment has been completed. He opts to drive Steffy home and surprises her with her daughter at home by contacting Steffy's nanny. Liam finds out and is infuriated that Finn bypassed him and his wife

Hope Logan Hope Logan is a fictional character from ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. The character was portrayed by several child actors since Hope's introduction in 2002, most notably Rachel and Amanda Pace. In 2 ...

(

Annika Noelle Annika Noelle Kucheman (born December 24, 1986), better known as Annika Noelle, is an American actress and model best known for playing the role of Hope Logan in the soap ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. Biography Annika Noelle was born in Bost ...

), to have Kelly arranged back at Steffy's home. Liam confronts Finn, and accuses him of attempting to circumvent him out of Steffy's life, and attempts to discourage Steffy to date Finn. Finn and Steffy thereafter professed their love for one another and agree to begin an intimate relationship. At a visit to Steffy's workplace,

Forrester Creations The Forrester family is a family in the CBS Daytime soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. The Forresters own and run the Los Angeles-based fashion house Forrester Creations. This is a list of all known members of the Forrester family, both p ...

, Finn encounters Steffy's brother,

( Matthew Atkinson), who has a history of mental illness and also had a strong rivalry with Liam over Hope's affections. Thomas reveals to Finn, his contempt for Liam and to be wary of Liam, due to his tendency of flip-flopping between Steffy and Hope. Finn begins to suspect Thomas' odd behavior. Thomas assures both Steffy and Finn, that he is genuinely has let go of his obsession with Hope. Later, Finn pays Thomas a visit to his apartment to see how he is doing and concludes that Thomas may be unwell. Finn then reveals it to Hope, that it may beneficial if she goes to see how Thomas how he is doing. Hope notices that Thomas has been talking to a mannequin that is a replica of Hope, and began deluded to himself that it was a real-life person. Thomas then collapses, and Hope calls Finn. Finn procures the help of first responders, reveals to the Forresters, including, Steffy, that Thomas has suffered a brain injury. Finn takes part in a surgical operation and saves Thomas' life. As a showiness of gratitude, Steffy spends an intimate night with Finn. Steffy emotionally confesses to Finn that she had a drunken

with Liam prior and that she is pregnant, and isn't sure who fathered her baby. Finn confronts Liam and accuses him of having no integrity and using Steffy and attempting to ruin their relationship. Finn then tells Steffy that he isn't at the stage of forgiveness but that he is willing to work with her on their relationship and hopes the baby she is carrying is his. Steffy expresses that she intuitively felt that the baby was Finn's. Steffy and Finn take a paternity test and to their dismay, the results came claiming that Liam fathered the baby. An inconsolable Steffy pleads to Finn to not leave her and to give their relationship another shot. Finn apprehensively agrees due to his love for her. Finn walks in on Vinny and Thomas, in the hospital laboratory, and overhears Thomas accusing Vinny of altering the paternity test. Finn confronts the pair and engages in a physical altercation. Vinny confesses the truth, that he indeed switched the results and Finn is the biological father of Steffy's baby. Vinny escapes the custody of both men and is later arrested after an investigation opened at the hospital found evidence of his tamperings. Finn rushes to Forrester Creations, hoping to tell Steffy the good news. Upon arrival, he learns from Ridge, that Steffy opted to leave to Paris with her daughter Kelly, in order to let Finn go and not have him endure the responsibility of raising a child that isn't his. Finn catches up to Steffy and reveals to her the celebratory news: he was in fact the biological father of their child and Vinny tampered with the results. Finn proposes to Steffy, which she accepts. Steffy still opts to leave town with her daughter up the coast, however, due to scheduling conflicts, Finn is unable and has to remain in Los Angeles. He checks in with co-worker Dr. Ricks (

Vasthy Mompoint Vasthy E. Mompoint (born September 7, 1980) is an American tv/film & theatre actress, singer/songwriter, dancer, voice-over artist, and director/choreographer. Mompoint, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, grew up in Hoover, Alabama and gradu ...

) at the morgue, due to the fact both had to attend a conference together. Much to Finn's shock, the body that Dr. Ricks was examining, was that of Vinny, who the night he had been let go out of on bail, had been the victim of a

hit-and-run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...

(it was later revealed that Vinny had died by

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

as he jumped in front of Liam's car). Finn calls Thomas to identify Vinny's body, and later joins Steffy on her trip out of town. Upon their return to Los Angeles, Finn and Steffy reveal to Ridge they spent months camping with Kelly at

Joshua Tree ''Yucca brevifolia'' is a plant species belonging to the genus ''Yucca''. It is tree-like in habit, which is reflected in its common names: Joshua tree, yucca palm, tree yucca, and palm tree yucca. This monocotyledonous tree is native to the ar ...

before the arrival of their child. At a check-up appointment, the duo also happily learns the sex of their baby; a boy. Thereafter, they welcome their son, Hayes Forrester Finnegan (Samatha Worden), via waterbirth, who is named after his maternal grandmother, Taylor Hayes. Not long after the birth of Hayes, Finn and Steffy tie the knot at the Forrester mansion. Prior to the wedding, Finn explains to Steffy that he was adopted, and Steffy meets his parents Jack Finnegan ( Ted King) and Li Finnegan (Naomi Matsuda). During the reception, Finn goes to the guest house to check on a message from work. When he gets off the phone,

(

) appears from the shadows. She congratulates him and reveals to him that she is his biological mother. Finn is excited to finally meet his birth mother, and wants everyone to meet her. Though unbeknownst to him, she already knows them. Everyone is shocked to see her, and believe she is lying and scamming them. Jack confirms the truth, and confesses he had known for years about Sheila and had not told Finn or Li. During a visit where Jack attempts to warn Sheila off from Finn, Steffy, and Hayes, it is revealed that Jack was, in reality, Finn's biological father. Jack and Sheila had engaged in a past sexual relationship that often took place in the same hospital in which Sheila, a nurse, and Li, a surgeon, were working, and after impregnating Sheila, Jack arranged for Sheila to give up Finn as a newborn, with the objective of having him and Li raised Finn and simultaneously keeping his affair hidden. Sheila's desire to contact her son developed into an obsession and anybody interrupting or disapproving contact attempts - particularly those who blatantly deny her access to Finn and/or Hayes - would become enemies of Sheila and targets of manipulation, schemes or attacks. It was ultimately a slew of Sheila's crazed attacks that led to Finn being accidentally shot by Sheila herself. Finn had stepped in front of Steffy and took a bullet as Sheila was pointing her gun towards Steffy. Finn later "died" in Steffy's arms. In late May 2022, Finn was later revealed to have survived the shooting and thus alive, however in a state of comatose, being taken care of, by his mother, Li. Li kept Finn hidden unbeknownst by his wife, Steffy and the rest of the Forresters, his father, Jack, and his birth mother, Sheila Carter. Finn woke up several weeks later, disorientated and confused, inside Li's apartment. At his bedside was Sheila Carter, who had escaped from prison and had attacked Li and drove her off the road, after she tried to alert the police of Sheila's whereabouts to save herself and her son from Sheila's clutches. He soon recalls that Sheila had shot him and becomes furious and pleads with Sheila to tell him about Steffy, Hayes and Li’s whereabouts. Sheila tells him that Steffy and Hayes are on vacation and that everyone believes he’s dead. Finn soon realizes that he’s in a hostage situation as Sheila refuses to let him out or bring him to a hospital. Sheila eventually confesses that Li had died, which Finn harshly reacts and begins to choke Sheila, which leads her to sedate Finn. Later, Finn wakes up and vows to enact revenge to Sheila for the crimes she had committed against him, his wife and his mother. Meanwhile, Li who has survived the car explosion, was discovered, disheveled, traumatized and mute by Bill Spencer, in alley, and brings her to his mansion, whom he believes, is a complete to stranger to him. Days later, Li's memory returns to her and she confesses that Finn is alive and quickly recognizes that her son is at Sheila's mercy. Bill brings Li to the apartment where she was taking care Finn. On his way to escape his captor, Finn emotionally reunites with Li and quickly embraces her. Finn learns from Li and Bill the extent of Sheila's attacks to Li and that Sheila had also shot Steffy, angering Finn further, who lounges her at once again. Bill and Finn overpower her and tie Sheila to the bed before the police arrives, leaving Li with her. Finn learns that Steffy is in Monaco and has been checked into a mental health care facility due to her inability to cope with him being gone, rendering Finn more determined to find Steffy. Bill whisked Finn into his private jet to meet with Steffy. Finn attempts to leave Steffy several messages, but no response. As Finn arrives into Monaco, he reunites first, with his in-laws, Taylor and Ridge, his step-daughter Kelly, and his son Hayes. They are also unaware of Steffy's whereabouts and are told that Steffy often takes lonely stroll. Determined to find Steffy, Finn sets of to find her in the various streets of Monaco. The ringing of church's bells drew both Finn and Steffy towards the church. While inside the church, Steffy tearfully lights a candle of remembrance of Finn. As she leaves the house of worship, Steffy and Finn laid eyes on one another, call on each other's name and run into each other's arms. Steffy, in pure shock, felt she was hallucinating and could not believe her husband was alive. Finn, Steffy, Hayes and Kelly had completed their reunion back to the hotel, before jetting back to home, in Los Angeles.

Reception

Critical and viewer reception

'' Soap Opera News'' ranked Novlan at number-one on its list of the "Top 15 Soap Newcomers of 2020". Next, ''Soap Opera Digest'' recorded that Novlan was one of their "Soaps Hottest Newcomers." Charlie Mason, in

Soaps.com There are multiple media outlets which focus primarily on television soap operas and telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television" ...

's "Daytime Soap Operas Best and Worst of 2020," Novlan was bestowed as the "Best Hire" of the year and the site expressed how he was "fitting in nicely as Finn" on the series. Chanel S. Garner from Soapcentral.com praised Novlan's casting, and emphasizes that "the high point of the year was learning that Tanner Novlan had taken on the role of Dr. John Finnegan." The site named that the series' "Best moment of the year" was when "Finn walks into Steffy's life." ''Soap Hub'' placed Novlan at number six on its list of the "Top 10 Soap Opera Newcomers of 2020 We Absolutely Love." The site noted that Novlan, who is "tall, dark, handsome" and whose "calm demeanor" truly "embodies the perfect guy." In 2021, Michael Maloney, from ''Soap Hub'', honored Novlan in mid-January on their site with his first "Soap Hub Performer of the Week for The Bold and the Beautiful" and exclaimed that "as the story calls for Finn to stand up and be strong, we know that Novlan will deliver!" He later earned a second "Performer of the Week" honor from the website in March, for his performance during the paternity reveal and Finn's engagement proposal to Steffy. ''

Michael Fairman TV There are multiple media outlets which focus primarily on television soap operas and telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television" ...

'' gave Novlan recognition for delivering his scenes opposite Brown, when Finn learns and meets, that the ruthless villainess, Sheila Carter, was his birth mother. Fairman wrote, "Finn is overcome, and Tanner Novlan turned in a very good performance as a son who has longed to know his real mother unaware of Sheila's history with the Forresters." For the scenes in which Jack (King) confesses to Finn, that he is indeed, his biological father and has lied for thirty-plus years, Maloney from ''Soap Hub'' awarded Novlan, "Performer of the Week for B&B", exclaiming that the actor "not only brought Finn’s betrayal as a son to light in these recent scenes, but he also shined as a son, wanting to support his mother, Li." Maloney continued with "Bravo to Tanner Novlan, who brought new and powerful dimensions to Finn in this current development." In addition, ''Soap Opera News'' also praised Novlan for Finn's paternity revelation scenes, commending the actor for his "gold performance" and how those scenes amounted to "an Emmy reel" as he conveyed "Finn's anger, disgust and hurt so powerfully." In July 2022, Novlan earned another "Performer of the Week for B&B" by ''Soap Hub'' for the scenes where Finn woke up from his three-month-long coma and subsequently recollected that Sheila was the one who pulled a trigger on him; the site stating that the actor "not only used his voice but he used his eyes to convey Finn’s feelings" which made for "compelling performances" and allowed him to portray "Finn’s determination and perseverance in a challenging storyline!" ''Soap Opera News'' selected the actor as their "Performer of the Week" for those same scenes, asserting that "Novlan's masterful performance captured Finn’s shock and fear" and that his "slow and stuttered speech pattern was spot on for someone who just awoke from a coma." ''Soap Opera Digest'' acclaimed the portrayer for his work where Finn was kept hostage by Sheila, stating that "the real revelation in this story is Tanner Novlan, who has displayed new dimensions of his abilities as he brings Finn's strength in the face of overwhelming adversity to life." Adam-Michael James of ''Soap Central'' wrote that "Tanner Novlan has been turning in some killer performances in this arc" and "his scenes with Kimberlin Brown have been the main reason to watch." ''Soap Hubs Garren Waldo wrote "kudos to Tanner Novlan for delivering a tour de force." ''Michael Fairman TV'' praised the dynamic between Novlan and Matsuda, when the mother and son were reunited subsequent the Sheila attacks they endured and expressed that it was "a hankie-inducing moment in the story played to the hilt by Tanner Novlan and Naomi Matsuda." The site also exclaimed that "a very touching performance by Novlan" occurred when Finn reunited with his son Hayes, step-daughter Kelly, as well with his in-laws, Taylor and Ridge. Fairman later emphasized that "throughout this story arc, kudos has to go to Tanner Novlan" as "without his emotional performances and the viewers investing in Finn’s freedom from the hands of Sheila, this would not have played the same." In August 2022, ''Soap Opera News'' named Novlan as the Star of the Month for his work that aired during the month of July, depicting Finn's path to evade captivity and his later reunions with his family, including his mother and children. Adriana Grecco wrote, "Novlan did not disappoint as he delivered a powerful performance after a powerful performance" and successfully took "fans on Finn’s emotional journey." In December 2022, the aforementioned site placed Novlan at number-one, in their list, of "Top 10 Breakout Soap Stars of 2022", asserting that the portrayer "showed off himself during the storyline surrounding his character's "death" and fighting to get back to his wife and child." In the same month, ''Soap Opera News'' published their list of "Top 10 Male Soap Performers of 2022", ranking Novlan at number two. For the "Sheila has Finn kidnapped" story arc, Novlan received an honorable mention for "Best Single Performance by an Actor in a Storyline" by ''Michael Fairman TV''. In January 2023, Novlan earned another "Performer of the Week for B&B", with the site declaring that "the more B&B hands the actor solid material, the more he takes the bull by the horns and delivers."

Romance

Less than a year into his tenure, Novlan's Finn pairing with Steffy proved to be well-received with viewers and critics alike, calling them a "handsome coupling" and "dynamic duo." Finn's relationship with Steffy garnered quite a vocal fan base very quickly with the duo debuting on fan polls in both magazines and online sites, praising their spitfire chemistry both during social distancing protocols as well as post restrictions. Charlene Bazarian notes that "Finn is the first man" in a very long time "who has captured Steffy's heart and fans of

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are excited to see what's in the future for this couple." Meanwhile, journalist Jeevan Brar from ''The TV Watercooler'' argued that "usually, it takes a while for audiences to warm up to not only a new character, but a new pairing. B&B fans quickly jumped aboard for

and for Sinn" ''SoapCentral'' named "Steffy and Finn" to be the show's "Best New Couple" of the year 2020 and the subsequent year in 2021, the site declared the duo as "Best Couple". Meanwhile, ''Soap Opera News'' listed Steffy and Finn at number six on its list of the "Top 10 The Bold and the Beautiful Couples for 2020!" In ''Soap Opera Newss list of "Top 10 Soap Couples of 2021!", Steffy and Finn were ranked at number four meanwhile the following year in 2022, the pairing ascended at number-one, with the site declaring that the "couple proved to be the ultimate duo of the year." When Steffy learns she is pregnant and is uncertain whether her ex-husband Liam or current mate Finn, fathered her baby; viewers were also left pondering the paternity. On numerous online publications and social media sites, fans, more often than not, highly preferred Finn to be the father. In response to an online poll by ''Soap Opera Digest'', that inquired "Who were you hoping would prove to be the father of Steffy's baby on B&B?", 95 per cent of readers hoped that Finn would be the father of Steffy's unborn child over Liam. Such lopsided results conveyed the positively strong support from the audience of the Steffy and Finn relationship. In July 2021, Steffy and Finn's welcoming of their son Hayes, via, waterbirth proved to be polarizing from audiences, however, earned much praise and acclaim due to the excellent intimacy factor. M. Skye from ''TVSource Magazine'' noted that the home birth displayed how "the chemistry between Jacqui

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and Tanner ovlanwas off the charts." Skye continued to write, "How could they take something like childbirth and make it sexy? Their natural chemistry oozed into all the moments, and they made giving birth look—erotic. They raised the bar, and I truly don't ever want to see a normal soap opera birth again." In August 2022, ''Soap Opera Digest'' published the results of the poll where readers were asked to vote on the "Best Current Pairing", Finn and Steffy led the poll with 59 per cent of the total votes, defeating Quinn and Carter (18%), Brooke and Ridge (16%), Donna and Eric (5%), and Liam and Hope (2%). Finn and Steffy's reunion, which occurred on location in

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...

, has garnered much positive reviews. The reunion received ''Soap Opera Digests "Editor's Choice" in an August 2022 issue, describing it as a "perfect, precious, poignant moment, all was well in the B&B world, and in the 'Sinn' fandom." In their collection of "Soaps’ Best and Worst of 2022", Soaps.com named it as the "Most Romantic Reunion", stating that "it was everything a soap fan could want… and more." ''Soap Hub''’s Best and Worst of 2022 declared that they are "#TeamSinnAllTheWay", naming it to be the "Best Reunion" on the series.

Departure and return (2022)

When Finn was killed off in April 2022 which would signify Novlan's exit from the soap, such a decision was met with severe backlash amongst viewers and critics. In response to an online poll by ''Soap Opera Digest'' which asked "How do you feel about ''B&B'' killing off Finn?," 84 percent of readers stated that they were devastated and enjoyed the Finn and Steffy romance, indicating major support for the character of Finn. Errol Lewis from ''

Soap Opera Network There are multiple media outlets which focus primarily on television soap operas and telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television" ...

'' asserted "fans are currently in an uproar following the recent twist which found Finn’s biological mother, Sheila, being the one to pull the trigger after he came upon her". Meanwhile, Richard Simms from Soaps.com affirmed that "whole lot of anger was being directed toward the show’s scribes" over Finn's exit on social media and jokingly explained that the outrage has illustrated that "perhaps the writers might want to seek shelter." The hashtag #SaveFinn, as well as online petitions, began to circle across various social media platforms, including

Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...

, in which fans, were notably advocating and campaigning for Novlan's return on the soap as Finn. The negative response was quite palpable, co-star Wood (Steffy) was inquired, by the series' supervisor producer, Casey Kasprzyk, during an episode of ''BoldLive'', who himself confessed the level of fan reaction towards the storyline and, essentially asked the actress if she "expect dfans to be as sad as they were when Sheila put a slug in her son?" which Wood responded with "I expected this reaction 'cause I reacted the exact same way." In May 2022, Soaps.com released their list of "The 35 Actors Soaps Need Back in Action", Novlan was amongst those actors included, and the author of the article stated, "when fans freak like they did over the death of Finn on ''Bold & Beautiful'', you know the actor’s someone who should get a new lease on life," noting that the adverse reaction over the character's death was conspicuous and the wish for his return is strongly yearned for by the audience as he is a fan favorite. As a shocking twist to the audience, Finn was revealed to be alive, in a coma, on the May 23 episode, which meant Novlan had not truly exited the series. As a guest on '' The Talk'', Novlan reaffirmed the intense reaction by the viewers when his character was thought to be dead but how he was sworn to secrecy in regards to his return, he stated; "I was blown away at the fans' reaction to this and 'Sinn' nation...I couldn't believe the support, but, in fact, I'm contractually obligated not to tell you guys and I felt awful about it." Soaps.com listed Novlan's return and Finn's resurrection as "Best May Sweeps Reveal" in their repertoire of "Soaps’ Best and Worst of 2022". Out of all current daytime dramas, ''Soap Opera Digests named "Finn is alive" as the "Best Story" in their "Best & Worst of 2022" list, stating that "resurrection tales are not super-common in the B&B universe, but by granting Steffy her miracle eing reunited with Finn the show provided the romantic apex of the year." ''Soap Hub''’s Best and Worst of 2022 classified "Finn's alive" as the Biggest Shock, while, ''SoapCentral'' described it as one of the "Most Riveting Moments" of the show in 2022. "Finn is alive" was bestowed the "Best Storyline" honor amongst all four daytime soaps in ''Michael Fairman TV'' 's "The Best and Worst in Soaps 2022" list, detailing that "it was a shocker", "this story worked on many levels" and with Finn and Steffy's reunion in Monaco as the resolution, "the story came full-circle."

References

External links

John "Finn" Finnegan
at SoapCentral.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Finnegan, John The Bold and the Beautiful characters Television characters introduced in 2020 Male characters in television Fictional physicians Adoptee characters in television Fictional characters incorrectly presumed dead