Familiar Faces Return to Oakdale

Lesli Kay reprises her role of Molly Conlan beginning Tuesday, November 17.

Paul Leyden reprises his role of Simon Frazier when we first see him on location at the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh, PA on Friday, November 20.

Leslie Kay on Ghost Whisperer

Lesli Kay (Felicia on The Bold and the Beautiful) will play a daytime actress on a special episode of CBS's Ghost Whisperer. In the episode, Lesli portrays a soap star who visits the fictional town of Grandview to tape her show on location. Of course, the cast and crew bring a ghost along with them. You won't want to miss it! Tune in on Friday, April 24, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.

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.”

Y&R Celebrates Two Milestones

The Young and the Restless reached 1,000 consecutive weeks as the #1 rated daytime drama series against regular scheduled programming, according to Nielsen ratings for the week ending February 29, 2008. The streak began more than 19 years ago in December, 1988.

ALSO

The Young and the Restless will celebrate 35 years on the air on March 26, 2008. Y&R’s 35th anniversary storyline revolves around Restless Style Magazine, a print and Web-based magazine run by Nick and Phyllis Newman (Joshua Morrow and Michelle Stafford) and Jack and Sharon Abbott (Peter Bergman and Sharon Case). In the March 26 episode, a launch party is thrown by the magazine during which surprises occur, former favorites return and old rivalries are renewed. Fan favorite Michael Damian, who played Danny Romalotti from 1981-1990, 1993-1998 and 2002-2004, returns for several episodes, and actors Eileen Davidson and Lesli Kay cross over from sister show The Bold and the Beautiful as their characters attend the Restless Style party. Tatyana Ali appears as Roxanne, Patty Weaver appears as Gina Roma and Entertainment Tonight Correspondent Thea Andrews appears as herself.

Are Felicia and Storm Sittin' in a Tree?

While interviewing Lesli Kay for my interview column (which will run the week of April 27), I asked her if there is any truth to the rumors that Felicia might become involved with Storm Logan? She replied: “With Brad, rumors are just rumors until you see it on the written page. But no, it’s not in any of my scripts.”

So, as of now, it's just rumor. But, in the world of soaps, as we all know, anything can happen!

In the interview, Lesli opens up about her father's fight with colon cancer, and what it took out of her to play this part, and to do the part justice. It's a really great interview, so please try google it (if your paper does not carry the column) anytime after April 27 so you can read this interesting interview. It's definitely worth it!