Eric Brady, Sami’s twin brother, hasn’t been on the Salem scene for more than a decade — until now, that is. Daytime veteran Greg Vaughan stepped into the role, and into a clerical collar, a few months ago, with a story line that was unexpected to Greg and his fans. I spoke with “Father” Greg a few weeks back about taking on this new role and how he’s adjusting to the “Days of our Lives” set.
Daytime Dial: In order to prepare for the role of Eric Brady, did you read the backstory, watch some old episodes, etc., or did you decide to do none of this to come in with a fresh take on the character?
Greg Vaughan: I did want a fresh take, but I have history with the show from the outside looking in because I dated a young lady who was once on the show. And then I knew a lot of the cast, and one of them being Jensen (Ackles, who played Eric from 1997 to 2000). And so in portraying the role and the character itself, I was familiar with everything up and to that point. But it’s been more than 10 years, and so much has changed, and I just felt like he had definitely come into his own as a man. I wanted to use my own pallet of colors on the character, if you will. I wanted to create my own vision, and what better way to do that — especially when I was informed that he was going to be a priest?
DD: I think a lot of us were surprised by that turn of events!
GV: For me, it was more of a deer-in-the-headlights kind of shock, like: “Wow! Now THAT is going to be a challenge!” I was thinking he’d be more of a Jason Bourne type of guy. But then when I heard he’d be a priest, I explored into that and my personal life journeys, and then I’m like, “You know, this could be kind of interesting.” And it will be challenging, because I’ll be out of my element. What better way as an actor to challenge yourself than getting out of your comfort zone?
DD: How much have you filmed? I know Christmastime always plays a big part in Salem.
GV: We film very far in advance, and that’s very much out of my box. We’re shooting like three months ahead of time, so half of the stuff I’ve already done I don’t even recall. I think our Christmas scenes were filmed before Halloween. But as I recall, there’s going to be a lot of good quality and a nice, really spiritual family time, and I think everybody is going to be taken by it.
DD: How were your first few days on the set? Were you excited, nervous?
GV: There was a lot of excitement, like Christmas Day or something, because I knew a lot of the cast previously. There was just an overall feeling of “this is going to be fun.” Everybody has graciously welcomed me. I was a little bit overwhelmed because the pace is so fast. It was not something I was used to. Alison Sweeney and I were doing a movie a little while back, and she said: “Things have changed quite a bit. Not just with the genre, but each show.”
DD: How has that changed you as an actor?
GV: It definitely made me step up my game. It’s like, you’re being given a great opportunity, so take the bull by the horns, do your work and come in here and perform. You get a lot of people who are used to the stage and a lot of people who are used to prime time, and they can’t keep up with the pace. It’s so fast — you have to digest it, regurgitate it, spit it out, and then start over and move on to the next scene. Out of the gate, I didn’t eat for like the first two weeks. Not by choice; it was just I was being pulled in so many different directions because I was in so many different scenes. I was interacting with so many new faces, and I was trying to get some sense of rapport and history and education about where and who I was. But now I finally feel like it’s a nice, steady flow. I’ve gotten into a good rhythm.
DD: Can you tell me anything about Eric’s future in Salem?
GV: In Eric’s journey, he’s definitely had his own issues and battles to deal with. There are a lot of layers that are going to be revealed along the way, and we’re going to communicate that. Where he’s going, what his temptations are and reuniting with past relationships — whether it’s with Nicole and the temptation of that, and the struggle against the family and his sister, and the butting of heads with the DiMeras.
Eric is coming from a whole new perspective that’s nonjudgmental. And that’s hard. Especially when you want to stand up and fight for somebody. It’s definitely been an exciting journey so far, and I’m always looking forward to what kind of ride I’ll be taken on. I’m just glad to be working with a great cast and to be a part of such a historically great show. From the younger cast members to the veterans, there’s not one person I haven’t been taken in by or drawn in by what they’re doing.
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
Interview: Greg Vaughan's New Role on Days
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Interview — Michael Steger: Navid Explores His Dark Side
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| Michael Steger, photo by Benny Haddad |
Daytime Dial: First off, how was your summer vacation?
Michael Steger: Really good. At the beginning, I did a few small vacations. I went to Rosarito, Mexico, and Ensenada and then Chicago. And then I worked on two films in May and June, which was nice. It went by pretty quickly. And then I started back up on “90210” in July. So most of my summer I’ve been working.
DD: For those who might be living under a rock, I also want to point out that “90210” has switched to Monday nights at 8/7c on the CW. I know you are active on Twitter, so how has the fan reaction been for the new season?
MS: Very excited. I’ve been contacted by fans on Twitter: “When is the show starting? When is the show starting?” The energy is very contagious, and the fans have been really great about passing that info along.
DD: Looking back on the previous season, what have been some of your favorite moments?
MS: My favorite moments from season four is getting the chance to work with really cool character actors. I got to work with Anthony Azizi, who played my uncle Amal. And Shaun Duke, who plays my dad, and then of course all the cool recurring cast we have on the show, like Josh Zuckerman. There are so many really good actors coming on board the show. They represent the fresh energy that is so much a part of the show and is always my favorite part.
DD: How’s Navid doing this season?
MS: He starts the season in a bidding war with Liam for Silver, and now Silver has picked Teddy to have a baby with. It’s thrown Navid off-kilter a bit to where his character is tested, and he goes the route of a stranger, in a sense — he does something that’s really out of character.
He has an almost one-night stand, and he’s really not thinking. He’s trying to get back to Silver, so he’s doing as much as he can in that area. It’s completely out of character for him, but he is trying to get the attention with Silver at the end of the day.
DD: I saw some pictures of you and the rest of the guys online dressed as cheerleaders for a powder-puff football game. Was that fun to film?
MS: It’s funny, when you get a group of guys and you dress them up as cheerleaders, you have this feeling of, “OK, we’ve got to represent.” It ended up being a hilarious situation because we were all just making fun of ourselves the entire day. It was really funny. And of course, at the end of the day, we’re all like, “Oh did you guys see the paparazzi over yonder?” We were caught off-guard, but we still had a really good time.
DD: Tell me about Dixon’s recovery from the car accident.
MS: It’s going to take a while. His recovery process is a long one. The execs handled it in a very organic way and very believable. I thought they handled it very nicely.
DD: Can you give me any spoilers for down the road?
MS: I’m really not sure what will happen. Everything’s a surprise. I don’t like to know too much, you know? I just wait until I get the script to be surprised. We’ll find out!
DD: Tell me about the films you’ve been working on.
MS: They’re both in post-production. “Farah Goes Bang” is about three women who are coming into their own. They’re on a road trip to work on the John Kerry campaign during the 2004 Bush/Kerry election. It’s a very great story about these women coming into their womanhood. One is trying to lose her virginity, and they have all of the obstacles along the way. It’s a touching story of that time. I think people are going to enjoy it.
And the other one is “Blowing Vegas Off the Map,” which is a movie for the Syfy network. It has to do with an Egyptian curse, and Las Vegas is being decimated by a horrible storm. I think if you’re into sci-fi, you might enjoy it, but I haven’t seen any cuts, so I have no idea. But I’m sure it’ll be good, explosive fun.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Interview Outtakes
Most of the time when I am conducting an interview with a soap star, I have more interview material than space for printing the interview. Here are some blurbs from stars that did not make it to the print version of the interview, but were too good not to publish.
Dominic Zamprogna, pictured (Dante Falconeri, “General Hospital”), on working with James Franco: He’s great. He’s just a really nice guy and he’s a really passionate guy, interesting guy. He’s able to do a lot right now cause he’s been blessed with some great things happening in his career, and he’s taking advantage of it. There are a lot of people in his situation who don’t want as much as he wants or to accomplish what he wants to accomplish. He’s grabbing life and fulfilling whatever he wants to fulfill, which is amazing. There should be more people out there doing what he is doing. I think James just realized that [being on a soap opera] was something he wanted to try, and why not? He doesn’t care what people think, otherwise he wouldn’t do half the stuff he’s doing. I think that’s the problem with a lot of actors these days. They do it for the wrong reasons, and they’re losing sight of what matters. You’re not supposed to be doing this so you can get famous; you’re supposed to be doing this because it’s a fire burning inside of you and you have a passion to do this. I can say that’s why almost everybody on this show is doing it, and that’s definitely why James wanted to be a part of it.
Jennie Garth (ex-Kelly Taylor, “90210”), on husband/actor Peter Facinelli: “My husband is such a serious guy most of the time, but he's funny. Makes me laugh, I know that. I love that part of us when we're having fun together. Whenever we come to a crossroads and we are like, “Marriage sucks and it's hard,” I can always come back to, “But you make me laugh so much.” I don't want to end that.
Luke Perry (ex-Dylan McKay, “90210”), on his aversion to Twitter: “We live in a world where people are obsessed with the cult of Twitter, where they have to jump on and tweet every damn thing that happens. And they all have followers. Think about it: This is a media-generated thing where everybody can have followers. I question people who want to have a bunch of followers, and that presumes that they themselves are, what, the leader? I’m not buying into any of that. It’s so weird that everybody wants to tweet and everything, and I’m like, why don’t you just go and do it? I can’t do that – I like to do.
James Reynolds (Abe Carver, “Days of Our Lives”), on working with armed-forces veterans: “I started working with the active duty military about 12 years ago, working with the U.S.O. and with armed forces entertainment. It kind of took me back to those years ago when I was a young Marine serving overseas, and I began to recognize that in this country we ask a very, very small percentage — we don’t even draft anymore —and so we are asking a very, very small number of people to not only protect us in those places that we need protection, but to be the leading edge of whatever our foreign policy may be at the time. I got a letter a few years ago from a young woman whose husband was serving in Afghanistan at the time — this was about seven or eight years ago — she was losing their family home while he was in Afghanistan. It made me realize that we need to draw more attention to what is going on with these young men and women that we’re asking to put their lives and bodies on line for us, and we cheer them and do all of this here, but then we forget about them when they’re not there. So it seemed like a natural fit, and I wanted to make a point to them that all Americans care about them, regardless of political point of view.
Friday, September 09, 2011
Interview: 90210's Michael Steger Is Excited About the Future
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| (photo credit Geno Nicholas) |
Daytime Dial: When you first auditioned for the “90210” reboot, did you have any apprehensions or doubts that the show even needed a remake?
Michael Steger: I didn’t think any of the remakes were going to make it. I was very skeptical at first. I started going to more and more auditions for the show, and what got me really interested is when I found out Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah from “Freaks and Geeks” were on board.
DD: While I enjoyed the throwback of having some of the original “90210” cast on the show, I was happy when the show began to focus on the new characters and phase out the previous ones — that’s when it really hit its stride and found its focus.
MS: Yeah, the first season it seemed like we had like 50 cast members, which was really ridiculous. Whenever the vets were in the episode, Navid was out. I was like, “Aw, man! What’s going on?” We had to share a lot of screen time with everyone, so it got tricky. But now, the writers are in a place where we are all really enjoying where the stories are going, and they keep on surprising us with both funny and dramatic stuff. It’s good.
DD: What are some story lines you have enjoyed playing?
MS: The whole thing with Navid putting Adrianna through rehab and dealing with that situation. I thought it was a very difficult story line. It was so hard to pull off, and I felt like we told a great story. That was one of my favorites. And his relationship with Silver starting up has been amazing.
DD: It’s been great to be able to see Navid really grow up and mature through the years.
MS: Yes, especially when he finally put his foot down and ended things with Adrianna. He found some backbone and he was like, “You know what, I can’t take any more.” He made a huge change in his life, and I think that change came with a lot of fear. It was the best thing Navid could have ever done. That was the best part about playing the character — the idea of him maturing from a boy to a man.
DD: What can we expect for season four?
MS: We’ve all graduated. Navid is not going to college. In fact, he’s at the helm of the production company. His entire family went to Switzerland because of his father being charged with child pornography. So, Navid ends up moving in with Silver, selling his car and just putting all of his money into his business. Silver becomes his assistant. But he’s still being haunted by his dad’s past. Ex-business partners who happen to be pretty upset start showing up.
DD: What about the rest of the West Bev gang? What are they up to?
MS: Navid is going to be working with Dixon, but he’s no longer working FOR me. Also, my sister ends up not getting on the plane and stays in town, wanting to move in with me and Silver. With Max and Naomi and the whole pregnancy bombshell at last year’s finale, they address that in the first episode. Navid does see Ade again, and it’s a very awkward situation, but they do talk in the first two episodes.
DD: Much like your characters, you must be excited to graduate into the real world of adulthood and the story lines that will bring.
MS: Oh yeah, definitely. I feel like there is so much more you can do outside the high school. There are so many more mature story lines. We’re not confined to the walls of West Beverly, and it feels good. We’re doing a lot more location stuff. The sets look amazing, and we’re at the beach more than usual. I’m excited, because there’s going to be a lot more action going on.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Interview: Catching Up With Patrick Fabian
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| (Photo by Josh Madson) |
Daytime Dial: You have such a wide and varied resume of characters that you’ve played. A lot of actors are probably envious of the fact that you are not pigeonholed into any one type of character. How has that given you freedom as an actor?
Patrick Fabian: It’s funny — being the typical actor, I’m like, “Oh, I want somebody else’s resume.” You’re never happy with what you’ve got; you’re always complaining in some respects. I’ve been really fortunate, and I have played a variety of things, and I have been on a lot of cool shows. When I say “cool shows,” it’s not necessarily the most popular. Yes, I’ve been on “Friends” and I’ve been on “Will & Grace,” and those are grade-A caliber shows. But I’ve also been on stuff like “Xena” and “Burn Notice,” which have their pocket of fans, and man, they are fun to be on. I just got offered a job on “Hot in Cleveland” to play half of a pair of Siamese twins. That’s the sort of job you just don’t say no to, because how often does that come around?
DD: You got a lot of notice for your role of Ted Price on “Big Love.” Tell me about that experience.
PF: I always joke that I was playing a “real” Mormon: He loves money first and Jesus second. I don’t think that has disparaged the Mormon faith by any stretch of the imagination, but I think my character was very much a guy about business above all, and he was using his religion as just another tool to get what he wanted financially. The best thing about that was working with Bill Paxton and Jeanne Tripplehorn. They were my main scene partners. They are just consummate pros. They bring their A game to everything, and it was a real treat to go on set and see people who, frankly, could probably put it in coast, but they chose not to.
That was a real lesson to me as an actor, that you never sit on your morals and rest on them. You are always trying get the best out of whatever it is you’re doing, and it was really fun to work with them. I want to be Bill Paxton when I grow up.
I know it’s funny with me being in that series, sort of a religious bent, but I played Reverend Cotton Marcus in “The Last Exorcism” last year, and I was doing religion again (with “Big Love”). A lot of people ask me if I choose my roles according to my religious views, and I tell them, “No, I actually choose them according to who’s offering me my next job!”
DD: For squeamish folks, like myself, who shy away from horror movies because we are wimps, what would you tell us to convince us to give “The Last Exorcism” a try?
PF: (Laughs) I’ll tell you a few things. One, I wouldn’t classify it as a horror movie straight up, because I think that gives the impression of a body count — a lot of blood and arrows in the eyes. I can tell you it was rated PG-13 for a reason. Not because it wasn’t creepy, not because it didn’t get into your spine, but it’s not a graphic gore fest. We like to call it a smart thriller with a horrific ending.
DD: How was the filming experience?
PF: This was a low-budget film. It was roughly $2 million for the budget. We shot on a shoestring for four weeks down in New Orleans. I’d never been to New Orleans. It was really fun, but in terms of creep factor, it was creepy, because the woman I was working with, Ashley Bell (who plays the possessed girl, Nell), is so good at playing both sides of her character’s coin: the sweet and innocent Nell and then the possessed girl. I can be as good as I want as the priest in the “Exorcism,” but if you don’t believe the possessed girl in an exorcism film, then you don’t have a film. And we do have a film, because she’s so good. I promise you, if you watch with the lights on, you will be OK. It won’t keep you up at night. And I think it’s a much smarter film than people give it credit for.
DD: How wonderful was it for you that the movie ended up being such a hit, and you won awards for your performance at a few major film festivals?
PF: Totally unexpected. The movie grossed, I think, like $70 million worldwide, and it had such a strong opening here in America, like a $20 million opening weekend. I got to fly over to London for the premier, and I got to fly to Toronto for the premier. So, after 20 years of kicking around as an actor, it was nice to play movie star for a couple of weeks. In Toronto I got the Best Actor Award in the After Dark Festival. The film got nominated for a Spirit Award and a People’s Choice Award. I won the Best Actor Award at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival.
DD: You have so much experience in all different acting genres — is there one you prefer, or do you enjoy mixing it up and keeping yourself on your toes?
PF: I’m kind of like a sled dog in that I’m really happy with where I am at the moment. So, if I’m doing a play, like I was doing last year, it was great, and I do love the theater, very much so. It’s how I was trained, and I really feel at home there. But I also feel at home when we have four-camera sitcoms. I like being on location with films, so I’ve been blessed with a varying degree of work in my career that I haven’t had time to really get burned out on any one genre, which has been nice. Although I used to say, “I’d love nothing more than to run a hundred episodes of something.” But honestly, I don’t know. I wouldn’t know that until I actually did that. What I know is what I know, and that’s being able to pick up and adjust to whatever the situation requires.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Interview: Jennie Garth 'Accidentally' Finds Love
Jennie Garth will probably forever be known as Kelly Taylor from both incarnations of “90210,” as well as for her comedic turn on the sitcom “What I Like About You.” But she is also the mother of three adorable daughters and the wife of actor/writer Peter Facinelli, who is best known for his role of the compassionate vampire “dad” Carlisle Cullen in “The Twilight Saga” phenomenon.
Years ago, Peter got an idea for a screenplay, with the thought that it could be a project for himself and his wife. But “Twilight” and other responsibilities made it impossible for Peter to act in his movie, “Accidentally in Love,” but the project went full speed ahead with Jennie in the starring role of single mom Annie, who finds herself falling in love with an actor who’s hiding a secret identity. “Accidentally in Love” premieres Saturday, Feb. 12 at 9/8c, on Hallmark Channel and runs throughout the weekend (check your local listings).
Daytime Dial: When your husband wrote this movie, he wrote it with both of you in mind, but it turned out he couldn’t be in it. Were you sad because you’d like to act with him, or were you a little relieved because you don’t want to mix business with pleasure?
Jennie Garth: No, I’d love to work with him, but it would have been a different movie if he’d have done it. It was funny because, like you said, he wanted to play the role of Eddie, and I told him, “You know, I don’t really think you’re right for it.” He said: “What? I’m not right for my own movie?”
DD: What are some aspects of Annie’s personality that you can relate to and empathize with?
JG: Of course, the mother aspect — the love for your child and protecting your child. I like that she’s a hard worker, and she works as a waitress and has a real life. I gravitate toward real people in general, real American working people. I really have a fondness for that life, and so I loved playing someone like that. My life, as real as it is for me, is probably not what some people would consider to be normal. So I loved that sort of “Everywoman” aspect to her.
DD: Of course you are a professional, but was it weird for you to be kissing another man, ironically because of something your husband wrote?
JG: It’s always weird. There is never a time when it’s not weird doing love scenes or being romantic with a stranger, especially when you are married and your kids are going to be seeing it. Peter wasn’t on set during that scene. I was on the phone with him going: “Oh, I don’t want to do it. It’s weird.” It is NOT my favorite thing to do.
DD: At least your co-star, Ethan Erickson, ain’t too bad-looking, and is quite the charmer, so that must have made it easier.
JG: He’s a doll, and just so respectful of me and my husband and our family. I couldn’t have asked for a better co-star.
DD: Speaking of co-stars, your other co-stars were wonderful — Marilu Henner, Fred Willard and Dannika Northcott.
JG: Weren’t they great? I was shocked that Marilu was going to be my mom, because she’s so young and foxy. But we have so much in common. I had an instant fondness for her and just wanted to hear all of her stories — and she has a lot of stories. And also having Fred Willard there, I was like: “Are you kidding me? Fred Willard’s going to come in and play this?” That was so exciting for me working with him. Dannika, who played my daughter, is a sweet friend of my family now. She is such a gifted, very natural actress.
DD: What do you hope the audience takes away from this movie?
JG: The message from Eddie’s character is pretty profound: You can have money and all the accolades and success, but until you have someone to share it with, you’re really nothing. And for Annie to let her guard down and be lovable, to try to move forward and find love again was a challenge for her.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Interview: Catching Up With Luke Perry
For 10 years, Luke Perry was best known for his portrayal of troubled rich kid Dylan McKay on the seminal nighttime drama “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Since the show ended in 2000, Luke has steadily been shedding any layers of Dylan that might still be associated with him, taking on roles in the gritty prison drama “Oz,” the family-oriented sitcom “What I Like About You” and even making fun of an exaggerated version of himself in “Family Guy” and “FCU: Fact Checkers Unit.”
In 2008, he starred in “A Gunfighter’s Pledge,” an original movie for the Hallmark Channel, which just so happened to be his favorite genre of film: a Western. Luke is back in the saddle in another Western for Hallmark; this time playing circuit judge John Goodnight in “Goodnight for Justice,” which premieres Saturday, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. and re-airs all throughout the weekend (check local listings for times). I caught up with Luke recently, and he told me all about his latest endeavor with the Hallmark Channel.
Daytime Dial: Judge John Goodnight is a character that you created, although you didn’t write the movie. What was the process of Judge Goodnight becoming the central character in the movie?
Luke Perry: I was reading a lot about Andrew Jackson. Before he was the president of our country, he was a circuit judge. I found the time that he was a circuit judge in the Carolina hill country in Tennessee to be really interesting, and this whole idea of traveling from place to place as judge, jury and sometimes executioner. I thought, “That’s an interesting character.” I developed the story. I wrote three or four pages of what I thought the story would be. Then I met Neal and Tippi Dobrofsky, who are a husband-and-wife writing team that Ira (Pincus), the other producer, put me in touch with. And they fashioned a screenplay out of the story.
DD: Was it Hallmark’s idea to get Jason Priestley involved, or had you been wanting to work with him again?
LP: I like working with Jason a lot. There is a company involved in making this movie called Entertainment One. They work here in the United States, but they are based in Canada. So, if you are in business with them, you have to do your stuff in Canada, which means you have to have a Canadian director. And when they said Canadian, I thought, “I’ve got one of those.” That was easy enough, and it was the right way to go because he’s a smart director. It was great working with him on this. We got to prep the picture together and do the casting and all that stuff. We’ve had years and years of practice together, and it was just easy.
DD: Speaking of casting ... I felt the casting was superb. Everyone did a great job, whether they had a minor role or a major role.
LP: That’s nice of you to say, because we read with every single actor. I was told that most producers and directors don’t do that. We read with every single person that came into the room — every boy, girl, man, woman, child. It was fun for me. I mean, it was hard and made for long days, but it was so nice to hear you say that. It really is, because a lot of times those actors think, “Oh, Luke’s in the movie and it’s directed by Jason, and that is all anybody is going to notice or hear or talk about.” And to hear you make an observation like that, that makes me feel good.
DD: In this movie you get to work with horses, which you have told me you love to do.
LP: Yes, I prefer them over people.
DD: And you didn’t have to shave, so that was a bonus.
LP: Yeah, you just comb your face and get out there.
DD: How long did it take you to shoot the film?
LP: Fifteen days. We had exactly 15 days to do it, and that’s a crazy-fast schedule. That’s very much tribute to Jason and the crew, and how hard everybody was working.
DD: What are some things that you hope that the audience takes away from this movie?
LP: You hope that everybody has a sense of right and wrong. Sometimes I look at the stupid stuff that goes on in the world and I’m not so sure that everybody has a sense of right and wrong. You sort of want to give everybody the hope that if something bad happens to them, somebody somewhere is going to try to make it right in the right way. The law should not be about finding loopholes for guys like Bernie Madoff to steal billions of dollars, the guys at Enron, stuff like that. It’s the lawyers who allow a lot of that to take place. When you strip away all of that and you get down to the basics, it’s always about somebody trying to do the right thing. That’s always a great place to tell a story from.
DD: I love in the very beginning when your character, John Goodnight, says, “Every man is ordinary until he does an extraordinary thing.” It’s simple, but it’s profound.
LP: The best things in life are simple. I’ve always been a fan of the simple things. It doesn’t have to be complicated; it can be that simple, right there, just a thought that sticks in your mind. You’ve got to do something extraordinary at some point in your life.
DD: With you and your career, I like that you pick roles that are right for you. You seem to be a bit choosier than other actors. That way we get to see you in these good roles that are sometimes a bit obscure.
LP: The trick is you really have to keep trying different things and taking chances. When you get so precious about your work, or the perceptions of your work, you die creatively. As an actor you’d be dead in the water.
DD: What’s next for you?
LP: Well, what to do … I don’t know. I’ve got two more of these circuit-judge stories I’d really like to tell that I hope Hallmark will be willing to do. We are talking about that again next week, actually. But I’m definitely going to be getting back to work, I know that. I haven’t been doing much the past two or three years, and I feel good and rested and ready to go.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Ex-AMC Star the Latest on DWTS
Soap fans can also look forward to seeing 90210 bad girl Shannen Doherty strut her stuff as well. This news almost makes up for the fact that Kate Gosselin will be on it too.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Casting News: Daniel Cosgrove Joins ATWT
Daniel Cosgrove, who is best known for playing Bill Lewis on Guiding Light, will join the cast of As The World Turns in early 2010. Daniel is best known for his roles on Beverly Hills, 90210 and Dirty Sexy Money.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Brian Austin Green Talks David Silver
(For the full interview with Brian Austin Green - pictured with fiancee, Megan Fox - head over to:
http://television.aol.com/insidetv/2009/02/12/terminator-qanda-with-brian-austin-green/)
You've said you probably won't go back to 'Beverly Hills 90210,' but now that your '90210' wife Tori Spelling is on the show, is there any chance you might make an appearance?
I don't know … it's hard, it's a hard thing for me. It was a great 10 years, but I kind of feel like unless there's a really cool reason for it, or if they've written something really clever in an interesting way of bringing the character back ... I really don't want to just walk out and just be David Silver in the Peach Pit.
What do you think David Silver would be like now, as a guy in his mid-30s?
I would assume broke. I think he's probably completely broke cause he's been trying to do music forever, and everybody knows you don't really make money in music -- only the top, like, 2%. So, I'm sure he's broke, [but] I guess he could be DJing on some goofy morning show or something ... but nah, I don't think he's the most successful person.
Do you watch the new '90210'?
I haven't seen it yet ... I didn't watch '90210' when I was on it. So for me to watch it now just seems sort of ... you know, I would question myself.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Interview: 2008 — The Year in Review
Just like in the world of soaps, a lot can happen in a year in the life of a soap-opera actor. Let’s take a look back at some of the things that stood out in 2008:
Luke Perry (pictured, ex-Dylan, Beverly Hills, 90210): “There are certain things I wanna do before I’m done. I want to run on top of a train. If the script says I get to run on top of a train, I’ll do it. I accepted a role a while back — my manager didn’t want me to because it wasn’t that good — but the script called for running on top of a train. I didn’t care, I wanted to do it, so I took the role. The movie ended up falling through, though, which I guess was good.”
Andrea Evans (Tina, One Life to Live): “So much has changed since I’ve been gone. I am excited to find out where Tina has been all this time. She is such a glamorous, over-the-top character — I really have fun playing her. Tina is someone that so many people can identify with. I love her spirit. She is such an underdog. She tries so hard, and yet she almost always screws it up.”
Antonio Sabato Jr. (Jagger, General Hospital: Night Shift): “Working with the cast, old and new, has been wonderful. It’s great seeing Kimberly (McCullough) again and working with her. I remember working with her when she was 16, and now she’s 30. I also worked with a director I used to work with — it’s like family. It really is like coming home.”
Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe, Days of Our Lives): “She was always very likable, but she was a damsel in distress. And she is human. No one stays the same their whole life. I love the sassy Chloe. And I especially love all the catfights with Nicole. A lot of people are happy for me as Nadia the actress, because I get to play new sides to Chloe.”
Sharon Case (Sharon, The Young and the Restless): “I’m glad there are those who feel that way (want Nick and Sharon back together). If there weren’t, then they wouldn’t care so much about the current story line. The conflict wouldn’t be there, and no one would want to watch. I also think this is something that we all can relate to: being with one person that you love and longing to be with another who you’ve loved longer and who really is your soul mate. It’s a tragic love story.”
Texas Battle (Marcus, The Bold and the Beautiful): “You always hear the cliché about soaps and how it’s not real, and how the acting is not real. Well, I have to say that the people I’ve met are the nicest, kindest people, and they really know their stuff. This is the same hard work that people put into other TV and film projects. If you’re good, you’re good. Period. And these people are good.”
Tristan Rogers (Robert, GH: NS): “Night Shift is a different version of General Hospital, no question about that. It gets back, in some respects, more to the roots of the show. I wasn’t around when the show first started, but it would certainly seem to touch on a lot of those themes of when the show first originated. It has a great entertainment value. Fans basically get to see another version of the show. We get to see a lot more of the medical side; we don’t go outside the world of the hospital. While we are in the same building, it definitely is different.”
Lesli Kay (Felicia, B&B): “Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester) is the best. She is my momma. I spend every holiday with her. She took me under her wing and there was mutual respect right off the bat. I love Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke Logan) too. She’s my best friend here. As far as the rest of the cast, they are the most caring, loving, supportive people I’ve ever met. I’m very lucky to be on B&B.”
Monday, November 24, 2008
Unconfirmed: Brenda Walsh Is Pregnant
Unnamed sources have given us quite a scoop here at Daytime Dial: Brenda Walsh is pregnant. In the last episode, Brenda confessed to Kelly that she slept with Ryan. Now, we hear Brenda is going to have a "medical-related" story line. While some are speculating that Brenda has some disease or illness that will cause her demise, I have it on fairly good authority that Shannen Doherty's alter ego will be popping out a little Ryan Jr. some time next year. That will definitely cause some friction between Kelly and Brenda, ya think?
Stay tuned ... and when our prediction comes true, you can say you read it here first!
ETA: However, if my source is intentionally trying to throw us off the track, then the other scenario is that Adriana is pregnant. As you will recall, she threw up at the smell of a hotdog during last week's episode. However, they haven't shown her and Navid doing the nasty (they made a big deal out of him being a virgin), so that would be a cheap trick to make her be the one preggers. But hey, you never know!
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Jason Priestley to Return to 90210 - As a Director
A representative for The CW has confirmed that Jason Priestley will be back on the 90210 set - however, he will be behind the camera. He is slated to direct the 18th episode of the season, which should air sometime this spring.
Perhaps if he had turned out to be little Sammy's father, instead of Dylan, they could have persuaded him to come back as an actor. I know many of you, like me, hope that TPTB can still convince Brandon Walsh to return.
Also, reports are that Shannen Doherty is in talks to appear in two more episodes.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
SPOILER ALERT: 90210 Reveals Kelly's Baby Daddy
I am really trying to get into the new 90210, but I often find my mind drifting. However, I was sort of glad last night when they finally told us who the father of Sammy, Kelly's son, is. As it turns out, it is Dylan. Kind of a letdown. I was really hoping for Brandon. But then again, I don't think either of them would be a deadbeat dad, which is exactly what Dylan is, gallivanting all around the globe while Kelly raises their kid.
I kind of hope he doesn't come back to the show, then maybe I can make believe this plot point never existed.
Monday, August 18, 2008
"Classic" 90210
In anticipation of 90210 returning to television, SOAPnet will air a 24-hour marathon of the original drama, Beverly Hills, 90210 on Labor Day, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 starting at midnight and going through the entire day. The BFFs of BH marathon will feature 24 pivotal episodes of the hit TV series, during the High School Years. It's all Beverly Hills, all the time.
Episodes include:
12AM – Episode #1991-Pilot A - “Pilot-Part 1/The Class of Beverly Hills” – Twins Brenda and Brandon Walsh move to Beverly Hills where they start school at West Beverly and go to their first party. (Season 1)
1AM – Episode #1991-Pilot B - “Pilot-Part 2/The Class of Beverly Hills” – Brenda’s romance with an older man causes problems at home and at school. (Season 1)
2AM – Episode #1991-006 – “Perfect Mom” - As they prepare for the mother-daughter fashion show, Brenda's jealous of Kelly's glamorous mom, unaware of all the issues she's hiding. (Season 1)
3AM – Episode #1991-009 – “Isn’t It Romantic?” - Brenda and Dylan's first date is met with disapproval by her father. (Season 1)
4AM – Episode #1991-012 – “Slumber Party” - Secrets are exposed and emotions run high during Brenda's girls only slumber party. (Season 1)
5AM – Episode #1991-021 –“Spring Dance” - At the big spring dance, Kelly brings Brandon and is crowned Queen; Brenda leaves with Dylan and sleeps with him for the first time; Steve takes Donna, but it doesn’t go well. (Season 1)
6AM – Episode #1992-022 – “Beach Blanket Brandon” – Brenda’s so freaked out about her pregnancy scare, she breaks up with Dylan. (Season 2)
7AM – Episode #1992-034 – “Halloween” - Donna and Brenda support Kelly when she's the victim of unwanted advances at a Halloween party. (Season 2)
8AM – Episode #1992-047 – “Things To Do on a Rainy Day” – Donna goes to see her pop idols Color Me Badd, but finds out her mother is cheating in the process. (Season 2)
9AM – Episode #1992-048 – “Mexican Stand-off” - Brenda and Dylan sneak off to Baja, but then can't get back into the country; Kelly gets close with Jake, much to Steve's chagrin. (Season 2)
10AM – Episode #1992-049 – “Wedding Bell Blues” - The Walshes are furious when they realize Brenda lied and ran off to Mexico with Dylan, especially Jim who forbids her from seeing him. Kelly's pleasantly surprised when Jake shows up at Jackie and Mel's wedding. (Season 2)
11AM – Episode #1993-052 – “Too Little Too Late / Paris 75001” - Brenda and Donna have trouble adjusting to the Parisian culture. Kelly and Dylan bond in Brenda’s absence. (Season 3)
12PM – Episode #1993-054 – “Shooting Star / American in Paris” - Even after David catches them kissing, Dylan and Kelly end up spending a romantic night on the beach together; Meanwhile, in Paris, Brenda pretends she's French when she meets a handsome American student (Dean Cain). (Season 3)
1PM – Episode #1993-061 – “Destiny Rides Again” - David pressures Donna about her choice to remain abstinent; Brenda is shocked to run into Rick in L.A.; Brenda and Dylan break up when they disagree about the SATs and Dylan admits to a summer fling, but doesn't reveal with who; Dylan immediately asks Kelly out. (Season 3)
2PM – Episode #1993-062 - “Rebel With a Cause” - Kelly and Brenda get into a fight when Brenda (on a date with Rick) runs into Kelly out on a date with Dylan. (Season 3)
3PM – Episode #1993-068 – “Back In the Highlife Again” - Dylan tells Kelly that he chooses her over Brenda, and they kiss in the pool. They then break the news to Brenda and she takes it badly. (Season 3)
4PM – Episode #1993-076 – “A Night To Remember” – When Donna gets drunk at a prom party, her friends try unsuccessfully to hide it from Mrs. Teasley. (Season 3)
5PM – Episode #1993-077 –“Something In The Air” – As Donna faces the school board, her friends organize a march to protest her not being allowed to graduate with them. (Season 3)
6PM – Episode #1993-078A – “Commencement – Part 1” - As they prepare to graduate, the gang reminisces and participates in the year end rituals at school. (Season 3)
7PM – Episode #1993-078B – “Commencement – Part 2” – The gang graduates from West Beverly and leaves their mark on the Hollywood sign. (Season 3)
8PM – Episode #1994-081 – “The Little Fish” – The gang starts to adjust to college life – except for Brenda and Dylan, who have both given up on school for now and spend some quality time together. (Season 4)
9PM – Episode #1994-106 – “Acting Out” – Kelly and Brenda compete for the same role in a play. (Season 4)
10PM – Episode #1994-109A - “Mr. Walsh Goes To Washington – Part 1” – Kelly admits her feelings for Brandon to Andrea; Brenda gets an offer to study acting in London (Season 4)
11PM – Episode #1994-109B - “Mr. Walsh Goes To Washington – Part 2” - Kelly surprises Brandon in Washington; Donna catches David cheating; Brenda shares a special goodbye with Dylan before heading to London. (Season 4)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Is Jason Priestley Returning to His Old Zip Code?
Hot on the heels of the news that Tori Spelling is out of the new 90210 spin-off (rumor has is she is miffed that she wasn't going to be paid as much as Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth), CNN is reporting that Jason Priestley is in.
While I had heard rumblings that Jason was interested in returning as a director, this article on CNN.com implies that he is back as Brandon Walsh.
"To help spin the spin-off, original cast members Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestley and Jennie Garth will reprise their roles as special guest stars on 90210. Joe E. Tata will return as Peach Pit cafe owner Nat."
OMG - I really hope this means that Kelly and Brandon ended up together, because I am a card-carrying member of the Dylan + Brenda Forever club!
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Gimme Your Questions for Luke Perry
Luke Perry is currently promoting his new movie, a Hallmark Channel original movie called A Gunfighter's Pledge. He plays a sheriff of a small town whose wife and child are killed. He goes to seek revenge and accidentally kills an innocent man in the process. It's a story of his self-discovery and redemption.
I will be interviewing him tomorrow at 12:30 EST, so if you have any questions you'd like me to ask him, gimme a holler at daytimedial(at)gmail.com. I will definitely be asking him if we'll be seeing him as Dylan in the new 90210, so submit any other question aside from that.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Stanley Kamel (Days, Melrose Place, 90210) Passes Away
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Stanley Kamel, who played Adrian Monk's long-suffering psychiatrist on the TV detective show Monk, has died. He was 65.
Kamel was found dead Tuesday of a heart attack in his Hollywood Hills home by his agents, publicist Cynthia Snyder said.
Kamel, born on January 1, 1943, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, had a nearly four-decade acting career, much of it on television. He had a recurring role as an unscrupulous psychiatrist, Dr. Graham Lester, in the 1995 television series Murder One, and other recurring roles on Days of Our Lives, Melrose Place and Beverly Hills, 90210, as well as smaller roles on many other shows.
Kamel began acting off-Broadway and got his first television break playing Eric Peters on Days of Our Lives in the 1970s. He appeared in several movies.
For several years, he portrayed Dr. Charles Kroger on the USA Network series Monk. As Kroger, he dispensed advice during weekly therapy sessions to Monk (Tony Shalhoub), a brilliant but neurotic private detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Cameron Mathison Dances Into the Sunset
Cameron Mathison has made the soap world proud. He made it to the top 5 dancers on Dancing With the Stars, before being voted off last night. When you consider all he's been doing since he started the show, it's amazing he's still awake, let alone dancing up a storm.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Ian Ziering Reunites with Former 90210 Castmate Jason Priestley
Ian Ziering to Guest Star on 3 Episodes of the Lifetime Series Side Order of Life Starting Sunday, September 23 at 10 PM
LOS ANGELES, CA - Ian Ziering (Dancing with the Stars) will guest star on three episodes of the Lifetime Television series Side Order of Life, which stars Marisa Coughlan, Jason Priestley, Diana Maria Riva and Christopher Gartin. He was most recently seen in the popular celebrity dance-competition show, Dancing with the Stars where he was a semi-finalist. Ziering was recently a front-runner to host the game show The Price is Right and just completed filming Azteca, an action-adventure film in which he stars. His next film, Step Seven, begins shooting this October.
Ian, of course, is most well-known to television audiences for his role as Steve in the hit FOX series Beverly Hills, 90210 in which he starred with Jason. In the Side Order of Life episode, "Awakenings," Ian will portray Brian Fowler, a man Jenny (Coughlan) thinks might be Cell Phone Man, the man she has been having a telephone romance with but has never met in person. The episode premieres on Sunday, September 23rd at 10:00 pm (ET/PT).
Below is a description of the episode "Awakenings": Jenny (Marisa Coughlan) overhears a nearby conversation and tracks downa man named Brian Fowler (Ian Ziering) who she thinks could be Cell Phone Man. Jenny's father Richard (Joe Regalbuto) leaves town. Ian (Jason Priestley) spontaneously proposes to Becca (Ashley Williams). Vivy (Diana Maria Riva) and Rick (Christopher Gartin) plan a road trip to Mexico to buy her expensive cancer drugs. Starring Marisa Coughlan, Jason Priestley, Diana Maria Riva, Christopher Gartin and guest-star Ian Ziering.
