The Young and the Restless’ Kate Linder is still a flight attendant

The Young and the Restless star Kate Linder isn’t ready to quit her side job as a flight attendant at United Airlines.

“It’s really interesting because one day I can be on set, the next day I can be here doing this Hollywood Christmas parade, and then I can be serving coffee at 35,000 feet,” Linder said, 77 years old, exclusively. Us every week on Sunday December 1st. “That way we don’t forget who we are. This allows you to keep your feet on the ground.

More than four decades ago, Linder starred as Esther Valentine in The Young and the Restless. This year, the CBS soap celebrated its 50th season.

“We just aired our 13,000th episode and I was so honored to be a part of it,” she said. We of the Hollywood Christmas Parade in support of Marine Toys for Tots. “It’s been over 42 years and it means a lot to me. I am absolutely delighted.

She is also excited to see what comes next for her character. While Esther is the receptionist and new manager of the Crimson Lights cafe, Linder explained that her character is busier than ever.

“I have all these jobs but Sharon is struggling at the moment, and Esther is extremely worried about it,” she teased. “There are all kinds of good things to come.”

When she’s not memorizing lines or filming on set, Linder is packing and serving as a flight attendant for United Airlines. When serving snacks and drinks, the actress said she is sometimes recognized by passengers.

“I was standing at the gate, ready to get on a plane, and this woman looked at me and she said, ‘Kate Linder? No, it’s not,” Linder reminded We. “And I said, ‘I was when I woke up.’ So something is wrong. I don’t know what’s wrong. She couldn’t believe I was going to work on this flight. And she ended up being on that flight.

Part of the reason she keeps this job is because she knows how lucky she is to have so many opportunities in and outside of Hollywood.

“I’ve seen a lot of people sometimes believe their own press,” Linder said. “I feel so lucky to do what I do. It’s all I ever wanted to do. No one in my family was in the business, so it was always like taking one step forward and two steps back, and yet how lucky and how lucky am I?

The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. Plus, see Linder when The Hollywood Christmas Parade airs on The CW Network on Saturday, December 14 at 8 p.m. ET.