User:Miss X-Factor/Mariah Copeland

Mariah Copeland, portrayed by Camryn Grimes, was introduced to the series by Jill Farren Phelps and head writers Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante on January 27, 2014. The character is a lookalike of Cassie Newman (also portrayed by Grimes), the daughter of Nick and Sharon Newman (Joshua Morrow and Sharon Case).

Casting
On May 24, 2013, it was announced that Grimes had started filming scenes to reprise her role of Cassie Newman on July 8, 2013. However, in early 2014, the character was revealed to be an entirely different character all together. It was announced on May 5, 2014, that Grimes was put under contract with The Young and the Restless.

Grimes spoke about the transition of her character, saying "I did not know that all along. It originally started as four to six episodes and it elongated from there. I did not know what the plans were. I just thought that Sharon was going through an episode of seeing Cassie, and that was it. It only really started to develop back in October, but at that point I knew something might be happening, and they wanted to keep me around for bigger story. I waited, and I waited, and I waited, (laughs) until probably not long before everybody knew. That is when I found out what this was all going to be, and I am still learning new things about who the character is. So, it’s very much a reveal for me as it is for the audience".

Development
On February 14, 2014, Grimes revealed in an interview with TV Guide that it would take a while for the story around the new character to unfold. Grimes said of the her character: "She's a very ballsy character." Grimes said viewers would be surprised by the "nature of her relationship with Victor." According to Grimes, the original plan changes when "Fake Cassie" learns Sharon is keeping a secret that Nick won't forgive her for. Grimes was shocked by the twist, but admitted that she heard rumors of plans to change the storyline. "This new character has so much potential to go all over the place. I'm looking forward to reaction from the audience as it all unfolds," Grimes said of the storyline.

Producer Jill Farren Phelps spoke about the character, saying “Very early on. As soon as Tyler even mentioned there was a Mariah, the writers knew it would be Fake Cassie. She is going to be a huge threat to the Abby-Tyler relationship, which we know really needed some help. Mariah will also continue to have enormous involvement in the Sharon-Nick story and, obviously, her relationship with Ian is going to be big when it’s finally discovered by other people. She’s a wild girl, not a good girl like Cassie, and that will impact the whole Newman family.”

Rivalries and friendships
Mariah is known for her rivalries with Abby Newman, Victor Newman and Nicholas Newman. Producer Jill Farren Phelps conformed the Mariah would be an huge threat to Abby's engagement to Tyler Michaelson due to Mariah being Tyler's ex-fiancée. Abby made several attempts to get Mariah arrested in order to get rid of her, but those attempts would backfire leading to Sharon baling Mariah out of Jail, Mariah assaulting Abby and Tyler breaking off their engagement.

Mariah has been known for her relationship with Cult leader Ian Ward, who she considers as her "father figure" and has connections to her childhood. Ian referred to her as "his" Mariah during an conversation with Sharon Newman in which he thanked her for giving Mariah an future.

Family and relationships
After months of trying to get Mariah to open up about her past, Mariah reveals that her mom, Helen Copeland (Karina Logue), was in and out of life only when she needed something. However, Nick tracks down Sharon's old friend Grace Turner and the doctor who delivered Cassie, in a twist, it was revealed that she was the twin sister of Cassie Newman, half sister to Noah Newman and Faith Newman as well Sharon Newman's daughter. Mariah has had a bitter relationship towards Sharon ever since she insulted and kicked Mariah out of her home. Despite this, Mariah has defended Sharon after Abby Newman began to become bitter towards Nick and Sharon's relationship.

Prior to moving to Genoa City, Mariah had developed a serious romantic relationship with Tyler Michaelson, to the point the two became engaged. However, the two broke up.

Storylines
In July 2013, Sharon, who had recently stopped taking her bipolar medication, started seeing her deceased daughter, Cassie. Cassie urges her mother to come clean about the secret she is hiding from Nick. However, once Sharon starts using her medication again, the hallucinations stop. Cassie last appears to Sharon on her birthday, January 8, urging her to tell Nick the truth. In January 2014, "Cassie" appears watching Sharon and Nick through a window. "Cassie" later breaks into Sharon's house, and spells out the word "phantasm" in toy letters. Sharon is shocked when she can touch "Cassie". She even starts following Sharon around town and even shows up at Sharon's job. On Valentine's Day, it is revealed that she is someone who looks like Cassie, who was hired by Cassie's grandfather, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) to keep Sharon away from Nick. In late April, it is revealed that "Cassie" is also working with Ian Ward and that she is really Mariah Copeland, Tyler Michaelson's ex-fiancée.

On May 16, Mariah reveals to Sharon that her mother's name is Helen Copeland. On May 19, Mariah was arrested for outstanding warrants for robbery in Portland, leading to Tyler to reveal that he had to help Mariah because she had once kept him out of jail after he was accused of stealing from a wealthy client - by sleeping with the man. On June 5, Sharon is attempting to change Mariah's life for the better by putting her up at a hotel, getting her a job and helping her to make amends with Abby and Tyler. On June 9, Nick offered a bartending job to Mariah at The Underground and she will be working with their son, Noah Newman.