CBS.com: Congratulations on your nomination.
JEANNE COOPER: Well thank you my dear.

CBS.com: Tell me how your day started.
JEANNE COOPER: Well, at 6:00 this morning the phone rang and I thought, "Oh God," because why would the phone be ringing at 6:00? And I thought, "Oh boy, I hope there's nothing wrong." I pick it up and someone says, "Hello, congratulations." And it was a friend of mine in Pittsburgh. So I said, "Why?" And he said, "You were nominated!" I said, "Oh for God's sake. I had forgotten all about that." Wow! What a nice way to wake up. Then the phone rings again and it's Patty Denney in [Y&R] Makeup, she was there early. So, about ten after 6:00am she calls and immediately the phone rings again and I thought, "Oh boy here it goes." And it took off and then it went, you know. It's been calls from people all day long. It's been a lovely, lovely day. What a champion bunch of gals to be in with.

CBS.com: Did you speak to any of the other nominees?
JEANNE COOPER: I've talked to Michelle Stafford [Phyllis]. Barbara Bloom [Senior VP CBS Daytime Programs] just called me from New York to congratulate me.

CBS.com: Will you participate in the annual Lead Actress nominee luncheon?
JEANNE COOPER: Yes. Michelle said that we will be doing that. We'll both have to request that day off.

CBS.com: Do you like that the award show will be in Hollywood?
JEANNE COOPER: No. Well, you know, they're lovely. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I was just telling Barbara Bloom, [in New York] you have the theater and you go out to dinner and it's a change of atmosphere. It's a fun day. I said, "I'm Daytime's Meryl Streep," because they said geez this is the 11th nomination of all Emmys. It's quite a compliment, I have to say. I'm thrilled.

CBS.com: What show did you submit?
JEANNE COOPER: The show I submitted is where I talk to John [Abbott], he's dying and of course I chose not to make it a weepy kind of thing. I chose to go in the other direction with it where in talking the audience got an idea of what the two of us were like when we were youngsters in our 20's and being foolish and wonderful and tons of fun. [It showed] the fact that I would miss him because those are memories you only have with a few people. And I was very pleased with it. I just never thought it would lead to this, but a lot of people came up and said they loved the choice that I made. It really is nice.

CBS.com: Do you look for anyone's opinion on what you submit next?
JEANNE COOPER: No, I just have to find something that is worthwhile that goes with this one and so much of my stuff started after this particular scene and after the stop date [for consideration]. Some wonderful stuff was three or four days after the stop date. We'll go back and look at a few things. There are some things that I can hopefully match with this. Whatever happens, happens. The point being no one really steps up to the plate and says, "I hope I don't get a homerun." [Laughs] The category that I'm in with all the gals, which we all know one another and that in itself it just tons of fun and quite exciting. Kim [Zimmer, GL] is a dear, dear person. I've known her for years and years and years. Of course, Michelle [Stafford, Phyllis], I said to Michelle, "Listen, you take it." And she said, "You get your ass up. Come on Jean, come one, just do it!" And of course, she's champion stock. I love her. She's such a good actress. She's an old soul and I love her for that.

CBS.com: What will you do to celebrate your nomination?
JEANNE COOPER: Tonight I am celebrating my nomination by going to my grandchildren's birthdays. So I will go to dinner.