Interview (GH): Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo Gets Her Man!

Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo had been AWOL from Port Charles since 2003 — that is, until late summer 2010. At that time, she returned in true “Brenda Barrett” fashion: shrouded in glamour and mystery. Her previous beaus (Jason, Jax and even Dante) were left panting in her wake, but her heart still and always belongs to Sonny Corinthos. Now “General Hospital” is gearing up for the wedding of the decade, as Brenda and Sonny finally make it down the aisle. I spoke with Vanessa recently about her return and about Brenda’s coming nuptials.

Daytime Dial: Ever since you left “GH” in 2003, it seemed that every year there was a new rumor that you were returning to the show. What made you decide that last summer was the time to come back?

Vanessa Marcil-Giovinazzo: Bob (head writer, Robert Guza Jr.) and I have been trying to make it work with my schedule and his stories on the show. We finally figured out a way to make both work. I love these people and these characters.

DD: What were those first few days of being back like?

VMG: Very surreal — and I was quite surprised at how much more they shoot compared with when I was here before. It also felt like the best high-school reunion ever.

DD: Did you prepare to get yourself back in the “Brenda” mind-set by watching old video, reading old articles, etc., or is Brenda so ingrained in you that it was like riding a bike?

VMG: I wanted Brenda to be different and changed after eight years of running from the people she loves — shut down in many ways to show how much she needs these people, her family, to be herself again. I wanted her to only begin to blossom again once she was with Sonny.

DD: Of course, now that you are back, Brenda has a huge secret (baby with Dante). Were you excited when you learned you’d be the catalyst in such an explosive story line for so many people?

VGM: Everything Bob writes excites me.

DD: As Brenda and Sonny’s wedding gets closer, so many things threaten it (and Brenda’s happiness), like: Will the secret of the baby come out? Will the Balkan exact his revenge? Will Carly spill the beans? How will Brenda handle all this?

VMG: Brenda handles threats and danger very well. She’s much more afraid of real intimacy. It’s easier for Brenda to have to walk away from people she loves than it is for her to believe in love, safety and happiness. She’s never had that before.

DD: Are you excited to see/read about “GH” fans’ reactions when all of this craziness does air?

VMG: We stay very isolated from watching anything we do or reading anything about ourselves at my house. I don’t think it’s helpful as an artist. In fact, I think it can be very damaging. We are just so grateful to get to do what we love for a living.

DD: Now that you are back, how has the fan reaction to you been?

VMG: “GH” fans are truly the best in the world. I love talking to them. They are smart and lovely people.

DD: After all this stuff has settled down for Brenda, are you excited to see what else the writers have planned for her, or do you think she deserves a little break?

VMG: Maurice (Benard, “Sonny”) and I are very excited to get to portray real-life relatable issues between a married couple.

See Eileen Fulton in Pennsylvania

PRESS RELEASE

Legendary soap star, cabaret singer and raconteur, Eileen Fulton, will appear at Bob Egan’s – New Hope Cabaret, at the Ramada of New Hope, PA on Sunday afternoon, April 17th at 3:00 PM, in a new show, Blame It On My Youth.

Directed by Diana Basmajian, with Bob Goldstone as Music Director and Tom Hubbard on Bass, Fulton will delight audiences when she adds her signature flair to such classic standards as "Fever," "Blue Moon" and "Stormy Weather," among others. She will also perform a special rendition of "Blame It On My Youth," the famous jazz standard written by Oscar Levant and Edward Heyman.

Fulton will also share memorable stories of growing up as a preacher’s daughter in North Carolina; becoming the vixen of daytime television; her time spent in Hollywood and all of her loves and let go’s — the men who got away — and the men who she survived to tell about.

Most recognized for her role as Lisa Grimaldi on the popular CBS soap As the World Turns, Fulton is also an established recording artist and cabaret performer as well as author of multiple books. She has also performed on stage in such Broadway productions as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf as well as many off-Broadway productions such as The Fantasticks. She has been the recipient of many prestigious awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Award by the TV Academy and was also inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame.

The show has a $25 music charge with a $15 food and drink minimum. The Ramada of New Hope is located at 6426 Lower York Road. (Route 202) New Hope, PA 18938. For reservations or to purchase tickets please call: 215-862-5221 or visit: www.BobEgansnewhope.com