She’s back! After last appearing on “General Hospital” in June 2009, Emma Samms has returned to the show for a limited engagement as Holly Sutton. There were mixed reactions about the circumstances of her character’s most recent return, but Emma is thrilled to be back as Holly, and is equally thrilled with the story line surrounding it — and she promises that fans will be too. I spoke with Emma recently about her much-anticipated return.
Daytime Dial: I was delighted when I heard you were coming back to the show, because everything’s better with Holly.
Emma Samms: Thank you. You know, it’s the most wonderful thing. How many people get to return to a job they love and that they started — goodness — over 20 years ago? It’s such a treat. It’s extraordinary, and I’ve enjoyed myself enormously. I just did my last few scenes this morning. It’s been a complete joy.
DD: What made you decide to return to the show?
ES: They got in touch with my agent, asking if I’d like to return. I asked what kind of story did they have in mind, because I know that a lot of people weren’t particularly happy with the last time Holly came back. It wasn’t the Holly that everybody knew, and that was quite disturbing for the audience, and I think in a way for me too. Generally speaking, it wasn’t the ideal return, and I certainly didn’t want it to be the last time anybody ever saw Holly. So, when they told me what they had in mind — which, of course, I can’t tell you — I said, “Yes, please.”
And what I’m delighted about is that the new regime — the new writers and the new executive producer — are very sensitive to the history of characters and the development of the character, and they wanted it to ring true, because otherwise you might as well bring in an entirely new actor. What they have done is something that I’m very much hoping the audience will not just be pleased by, but will make them want to continue watching even after I’m gone.
DD: Can you tell me anything about Holly’s return to Port Charles? Who does she interact with?
ES: Well, this morning I did a scene with both Tony (Geary) and Tristan (Rogers). The last scenes are the best ones to me personally, in terms of being the most pleasing. I urge everybody to keep watching, even if they start thinking, “Ooo, hang on a second.” Just wait until the end of my episodes. I don’t know if that’s enough of a hint, but I really enjoyed the scenes I filmed today.
DD: Each time that you do return to the set, does it feel like a family reunion of sorts?
ES: It does. It really does feel like family, and it’s so interesting, because I’ve done lots of other works since “General Hospital.” But “General Hospital” has spoiled me, and it’s very hard to come across that wonderful atmosphere full of people who work so incredibly hard. They all know what they’re doing so well that it’s just the smoothest-running machine, and it’s such a glorious atmosphere where everybody’s equal; the crew, the actors — everybody’s on a level with everybody else.
DD: I always love hearing how warm and supportive soap-opera communities are.
ES: Yes, exactly. It really, truly is. But it’s also high pressure, and there’s a lot of homework involved, because you’ve got to know your lines when you go in. In the old days when you had all morning there rehearsing, you could almost learn them as you went. And certainly if it was less than, say, 10 pages, I didn’t even look at it the night before. I read it while getting my hair done in the morning. Sometimes you had a great deal more than that. In fact, I think I had the record for a while of 86 pages in one day, which was absurd. You get very used to working with loads of dialogue, but now they’ve speeded up the process, and this is one of hopefully many ways that they’re finding that they can make it a worthwhile financial venture so the show can continue for as long as possible.
DD: What is it about Holly Sutton that keeps you coming back to “GH” and to this role that you created?
ES: I think it’s the combination that she has, which is that she’s very bright; she’s very quick-thinking; she’s very street-smart; but she’s also compassionate. And I think that’s possibly the thing that was missing last time around, but hopefully people will see that her compassion has returned. Compassion is a really important part of her, and so it’s a lovely combination that’s very interesting to play. She’s not cynical. She’s got this big heart.
DD: Whenever you return for these stints as Holly — as well as the fact that Tristan Rogers is back, and Rick Springfield — it must feel like a fun family reunion for you.
ES: Oh gosh, yes. We were all reminiscing a lot when we were working together. You can’t help but do that. We were laughing about that first location, big location, shoot where we wake up in Victoria. That was in the very early days. Also, I was remarking about how the set that was the Scorpio house had the open staircase at the back of it, and how we kind of moved into that. We kept things in the drawers. That really did feel like home. I know it was missing a fourth wall, but actually we kept stuff in there.
DD: With the demise of “One Life to Live,” the higher-ups decided to bring some “OLTL” characters over to “GH” …
ES: I think it’s genius that they’re bringing in some characters from “One Life to Live.” That makes absolutely perfect sense. It was a great show, had some great characters and, gosh, if they can combine those two audiences — it’s a bit of a no-brainer, really.
DD: How do you feel about the future of soaps, in this time of cancellations?
ES: Obviously I think it would be a terrible shame if America lost “General Hospital,” but I think if anybody can save it and keep it on and keep it vibrant and relevant, it would be (executive producer) Frank (Valentini), because I’ve been watching the difference with him at the helm, and it is quite drastic. He’s interested in all aspects of the show, so hopefully that will make it a much more cohesive product. He was there on the set when we were shooting my scenes, and he was interested in the performance and the camera shots and the wardrobe and everything. He obviously cares about it, and I admire that so much. It reminds me of the days of Gloria Monty, when I first started, because it was her vision, and it has to be a complete vision. All of the different departments and features of the show come together on the screen, and Frank wants to see everything and put it all together. I’m really impressed by that, and that therefore gives me a lot of hope for the show.
The one thing that all of us on daytime dramas know is the audience is still there. Soaps are still enormously popular, and I think it’s just a matter of finding a way to make them financially viable. But there’s got to be a way to do that, and ABC obviously wants to make “General Hospital” work, or else they wouldn’t have brought in Frank. Hopefully they do have in mind that there is an absolute goldmine there, and if they can just get it right for the current market, it could go on forever.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Interview (GH): Emma Samms Is Back!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Days Actors' Appearance in Atlanta
“Days of our Lives” actors to appear at charity events to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association in Atlanta.
“Days of our Lives” actors James Scott (EJ, pictured), Galen Gering (Rafe), Eric Martsolf (Brady), Shawn Christian (Daniel), Wally Kurth (Justin), Matt Ashford (Jack) and Patsy Pease (ex-Kim) will be in attendance.
The Days Charity Events will take place on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel Atlanta. The weekend will start with a “Kick Off Party” on Friday at 7 pm, where some of the actors may attend. Then on Saturday, the Questions and; Answers Session will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, the Meet and Greet will be held from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM and the Cocktail Reception will be held from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM
“I have the great privilege of being invited to many different charity events, but I’ve always considered the events coordinated by “Days Charity Events” to be the most worthwhile and the most fun.” James Scott (EJ, “Days of our Lives”)
“I love being with the fans and the best part is when it’s something you believe in and you know that the events are run by good people.” Brandon Beemer (Owen, “Bold and the Beautiful”)
Tickets prices start as low as $20 per person and the events will have novelties, raffles, and auctions available. For more information please go to www.dayscharityevents.com.
The events are coordinated and organized by Days Charity Events Inc.
All celebrity guests have agreed to and confirmed their appearance on the date listed above but if unforeseen circumstances do arise and the celebrity cancels or is replaced this is beyond our control and beyond the control of the actor. We will do everything we can so this does not happen but we thank you for your understanding if it does. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Ex-GL and AMC Star Attempts Suicide
Daniel von Bargen, perhaps best known in the soap world from Guiding Light and All My Children, was hospitalized this week after shooting himself in the head in a botched suicide attempt.
The Montgomery, Ohio, resident shot himself in the temple with a Colt 38 gun on Monday. He called Hamilton County 911 after his attempt failed.
According to the call, Von Bargen shot himself to avoid going to the hospital. After the dispatcher asked if the shooting was accidental, von Bargen responded, " No, I was supposed to go to the hospital today, didn't want to … well, I shot myself." Von Bargen is a diabetic and was supposed to have two of his toes amputated that day.
Get the full story here.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Interview (Army Wives): Brigid Brannagh: "I'm a Little Geeky"
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| From left: Wendy Davis, Brigid Brannagh, Kim Delaney, Sally Pressman, Catherine Bell |
Daytime Dial: I can’t believe it’s almost time for the sixth season of “Army Wives” to premiere. I can remember the day I received the press screener for pilot, and I knew right away that you had something special there.
Brigid Brannagh: I know, it’s crazy to me. Time flies! It feels like yesterday to me, and it also feels like a million years ago.
DD: Last season was especially heart wrenching, with Frank and Denise losing their son Jeremy. The scenes dealing with that — especially the funeral — must have been torture to film.
BB: Oh my God, we were all like, “Make this episode stop.” It was bad. I’ve been to enough funerals where “Taps” was played and the song is, just hearing it, it just evokes so many things. It’s impossible not to feel completely consumed with melancholy when “Taps” comes on, let alone that it’s playing over and over [for filming the scenes]. We’ve been surrounded by this world, by this military army life, for all of these years that you just think about a soldier that you love being gone, and you know he’s done his best for his country, and he’s gone, and he’s just a boy. It tore all of us up. Watching Terry Serpico (who plays Frank) walk in and trying not to cry.
It was so exhausting that I didn’t watch that episode for a few weeks, because I didn’t feel like crying again. I was like, “Enough.” And we certainly didn’t go light on it. It was kind of relentless to shoot it, but we all really appreciated what it was. It was just a long day of shooting.
DD: Tell me about working with Jeremy Davidson, who plays your husband, Chase.
BB: We work really hard on trying to get things right, working with the writers and trying to really dig into some of the things that have gone on for Pamela and Chase, and the arc of what our characters have done. We’re very much alike; we’re both a little geeky. Everybody has a different way of rehearsing. Some people think that if they work on something too much it takes away spontaneity. I disagree. For me, I think if you work on something so much, it becomes second nature. So, he and I do that together. There are so many things in our story lines that I’m proud of. Right now I’m just thinking of the divorce, which also killed me. That was heart wrenching. But when you’re working with somebody who you work well with, it’s like a dance. It just flies and it’s amazing.
DD: What’s it like on the “Army Wives” set?
BB: Everybody’s a decent person — there’s no drama about trailers or anything like that. Nobody cares about that sort of stuff, which is nice, because I hear horror stories about other shows. Everybody’s a decent person. Just starting with that is a pretty big deal. I spend a lot of time with Sally Pressman (Roxy) on screen, and she and I have a really easy working relationship. And I always feel humor working with Sally. Everything she does has a wink in it. And then Kim (Delaney, who plays Claudia) is really an emoter. Like when you’re doing an emotional scene and you’re watching Kim do her thing first, you’ll start crying just because she’s so good. She just always has that emotion right there at the ready.
Catherine (Bell, who plays Denise), we’re always cracking up, because Catherine has her phone in one hand and a sandwich in the other, and is totally doing her job. It’s very funny. I’m like, “Are you doing a love scene and you’ve got a turkey sandwich in your right hand?” It’s hilarious. And then Sterling (Brown, who plays Roland) is just standing back, kind of looking at everything. He’s such a good and decent person — although he likes to cause a little trouble. We have a good time.
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, February 03, 2012
Interview (Days): James Reynolds, "Abe Is a Man of Integrity"
James Reynolds has portrayed Abe Carver on “Days of Our Lives” since 1981 (taking leave from 1990 to 1991 to portray tycoon Henry Marshall on “Generations”), and in that time, his character has ascended the ranks of the Salem Police Department from police captain to commissioner to Salem’s mayor. Now, honest Abe is in the fight of his political career as he battles the not-so-upstanding EJ DiMera to retain his position of mayor. I spoke with James about his tenure as Salem’s stalwart public servant, as well as the fireworks that this impending election definitely will set off.
Daytime Dial: You’ve been quoted as saying: “Abe was a minority character of tremendous integrity who was not working for somebody else. He was in charge — and that meant a lot to the African-American audience.” Tell me more about Abe’s impact on “Days” and the “Days” audience.
James Reynolds: Well, Abe’s kind of an iconic character in a lot of ways, because he’s been there for so long. He has been the guy in charge for most of the time that he has been in the public eye. He is so strongly woven into the tapestry of what Salem is. You can’t have a picture of Salem or the people of Salem without Lexie and Abe, and that can’t be said for many of the other shows that are on the air, whether they are daytime or nighttime shows.
DD: Abe has always been a man of integrity, but now he is running against EJ for mayor, and we all know EJ will stoop to just about anything to be elected. How can Abe hope to prevail?
JR: He hopes to prevail by actually giving answers, actually presenting solutions to problems. That’s Abe’s plan. The issue is that EJ plans to win through chicanery. The city’s important to Abe. This is the city he grew up in. This is the city he loves. There was a point where Stefano offered Abe the governorship if he would drop out, and Abe refused that. While that’s something he thinks about for the future, the city of Salem is where the people he loves and his family are, and that’s something he wants to leave a stamp on. He wants to see this town succeed and grow and progress. With Abe, he really does want to serve.
DD: I love the strong, protective relationship that Lexie and Abe display for one another. She is standing by him and sticking up for him through all of this, even though EJ is her brother.
JR: Yeah, well, everything in Salem is a little bit incestuous, as we know. It would be difficult to run for office in Salem without someone being related to someone else. There is a conflict there with Lexie, but her husband always comes first. She loves Abe deeply and dearly, and has always been conflicted about her brother and about being a DiMera.
DD: The big debate is coming up — can you give me any teasers as to what viewers can expect?
JR: Very much like the recent debates in the real world, our debate is going to make a huge difference going forward in this campaign. Both of us are going to perform fairly well, but there are going to be some things that happen during this debate that will affect the election deeply.
DD: As you look back on your career with “Days,” what have been some of your favorite story lines for Abe?
JR: I’ve been fortunate; there have been so many. My first one absolutely was the Salem Strangler, where Abe came on the show just a few weeks ahead of Roman. Abe and Roman were designed to come on the show together. So, the Salem Strangler will always be a fond story for me.
Abe finding out that he had fathered a son with Fay was a story that I think really resonates even today. And when Abe and Lexie wanted to have a son together and adopted Isaac, which transformed in a baby-switching story. There have been so many over time, and I’ve learned to appreciate all of them.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Interview: Luke Perry Gets Back in the Saddle
When “Goodnight for Justice” premiered on the Hallmark Movie Channel in January 2011, it became the network’s highest-rated film ever. “Goodnight” star, series creator and executive producer Luke Perry returns as Circuit Court Justice John Goodnight for the second part of the intended trilogy, which premieres on the Hallmark Channel Saturday, Jan. 28 at 8/7c. “Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Man” follows Justice Goodnight as he travels alone through the Wild West dispensing justice to towns that would otherwise stumble into chaos. On this particular journey, John finds himself facing a woman from his past, Callie Bluepoint (played by Stefanie von Pfetten), who lives in a town threatened by a murderous outlaw, Deke Spradling (Teach Grant).
Daytime Dial: When you learned that the original “Goodnight for Justice” broke records for the Hallmark Movie Channel, what were your hopes for the future of the “Goodnight” franchise?
Luke Perry: I was hoping maybe to get the chance to do another one. That’s what I was hoping. I just don’t go into it with any expectation other than I just try to make the best movie every time. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes there’s a baseball game or basketball game or something on that draws all the television audience away. There are just too many variables to worry about and that kind of stuff, so you just make the movies that you can.
DD: Because of the success of the previous film, did you feel the pressure to really deliver with “Measure of a Man”?
LP: I felt pressure to deliver a really good movie. I feel the pressure to do all I can to promote the film, but I’ve been doing this long enough to know that audiences are fickle and different things happen. You just try to make the best movie you can and control what you can, which is your part of the process.
DD: Last we saw John Goodnight, he had a lady friend, Kate Ramsey, who isn’t in this movie. I assume the traveling required of him for his job makes maintaining relationships pretty difficult.
LP: Yeah, it’s just the nature of the position — you have to travel. She wasn’t in a position to go with him, and he’s got to keep traveling. But it would be great for him to get back to her eventually.
DD: When we first see John, there is definite evidence being on the road is wearing on him: His hair is shaggier; his clothes are a bit shabby …
LP: I’m glad you liked that and noticed that, because those are the kind of things — believe it or not — that you have to fight for. People were like: “No, clean up. Look good in the clothes.” I said: “Wait a minute, guys. He’s out there weeks at a time; it’s just not going to happen. You gotta look rough.” And I do look rough.
DD: Since there are few ties to the original film aside from some explained back story, “Measure of a Man” really can be viewed as a stand-alone movie as well as part of a series. Was that your intention?
LP: I hadn’t thought about that. That’s a very interesting point that you make. One of the things that I had discussed was that with each movie and the nature of the franchise is that each one is going to be a different story. He’s going to be in a different place, always traveling, so within the telling of the actual story, you don’t have to cover [what he’s been doing between movies]. The next movie that you will see is the one where it all comes full circle. I feel like we really hit our stride completely. “Measure of a Man” is the perfect segue between the two. It all ramps up, and by the third one we just all go in gangbusters.
DD: I also have to tell you that from the opening frames of the movie, the musical score really caught my attention — it’s just beautiful.
LP: I’m glad you mentioned that, and I would really like to take the time to talk about Graeme Coleman, our composer. He’s just such a talented guy. I told him: “Graeme, go for it. Give me that big Western stuff.” I want the music to be as much a character in this movie as anything else, because in all my favorite ones it is. And he doesn’t shy away from it. He steps right up to it. People who love traditional Westerners are looking for a good score. I’m very proud of Graeme’s work.
DD: You have a lot of scenes with Cameron Bright (of “The Twilight Saga”), who plays Will. Did you spend a lot of time together off set to build up camaraderie and chemistry?
LP: Oh, yeah. We had dinner together almost every night. I spent a lot of time with Cameron, and he was cool because he came in and put some time in — as much as he could — before the movie, getting to learn stuff he didn’t know how to do. If you don’t know how to ride a horse, don’t say you do. He didn’t do that. He was really honest about what he could do, but he was also really honest about being willing to learn, and he had a good capacity for it, so it was cool.
As we were shooting, I’d think, “Let’s just see how much of this we can get shot today, and Cameron was really great. He stayed in that saddle a lot longer than a lot of other people would. He hung in there, and we climbed him up there in those mountains, and he was great.
DD: Cameron plays Alec in the phenomenally successful “Twilight Saga,” which has a screaming-fan contingent wherever the stars seem to go. You’ve had to deal with your share of screaming teens; did you give him any advice?LP: (Laughs) I wouldn’t know anything about that sort of thing.
DD: This time around, John has really found his niche and is in his element. What does he enjoy about his job and his life?
LP: Anytime you have to kill someone, even in the name of the law, it is no small feat. It’s not something this character does lightly. I think it’s really rewarding for him because you can see how the law can really be the great leveler in protecting the weakest among us, and that’s what it’s supposed to do. What I think is interesting about him also is he’s an active participant in this world by traveling through for his job.
DD: You mentioned a third “Goodnight” film. Can you give me any details?
LP: Well, we shot the third one. We started shooting it the day after we finished the second one. The third one is, it’s not as heavy a story. I said they can’t all live in a super highly dramatic state. Sometimes this guy is just out there, and there is still some justice that needs to be weeded out, but it doesn’t always come down to a life-or-death thing, and it doesn’t always come down to something intensely personal for him. Some of my favorite Westerns were a little bit lighter in tone, and there’s some good run and jump in the next one.
DD: Is the third film the end of the John Goodnight saga, or can we expect a new chapter?
LP: We are actively negotiating the future for this character, because so far it’s something that has worked out well for everybody. I like making them, and they do very well for the channel, so if that continues, then we will continue.
DD: You could be like Tom Selleck with his “Jesse Stone” movies …
LP: Aw, man — compare me to Tom Selleck. Yeah, I wish. He’s so great. I’d love to do a Western with him.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
OLTL's Final Episode
In case you missed the final episode of One Life to Live, here are some highlights:
- Clint (not Mitch) turned out to be Jessica's biological father, much to her relief.
- Tomas came back and wanted to tell Blair the truth (that he did not kill Victor Jr.) but alas she was now in bed with Todd.
- Starr went to L.A. to visit Markko and Langston and to tell them that Cole was alive but that she would never be able to see him again. Shortly thereafter, a knock at the door produced Cole there in the flesh, ready to join Starr and their daughter happily ever after.
- Destiny went into labor with Matthew by her side. They named the baby Drew.
- Clint asked Viki to marry him.
- Allison finished reading aloud her story about Llanview and the camera panned over to her listener — a bound and gagged, and very much alive, Victor Lord Jr (Trevor St. John).
(Thanks to Dana Block for help with this story!)
Thursday, January 12, 2012
OLTL Says Goodbye
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| (ABC/Lou Rocco) ERIKA SLEZAK, JERRY VER DORN |
Friday, January 06, 2012
Interview (Days): Renee Jones Takes a Look Back
As the old year draws to a close and a new one begins, I start to feel nostalgic, eager for a trip down Memory Lane. On this particular trip, I decided to take Renee Jones, who plays Lexie Carver on “Days of Our Lives,” down the lane with me. In part one of my interview with the gorgeous and talented actress, I asked her to reminisce with me about days past, and she was only too happy to oblige.
Daytime Dial: As you think back on the almost 20 years you’ve been on “Days of Our Lives,” what have been some of your favorite story lines to play?
Renee Jones: My favorite story line was Lexie finding out that Celeste was her mom and then trying to figure out who was her father — and then finding out it’s Stefano. That was a wonderful story line, and it went on for quite a few years — there were all these clues that lead to one thing to another, between the Parrot Man and all these different characters.
And then there was the whole baby-switch story line, finding out that the baby I was raising was Bo and Hope’s baby, thanks to my father. And then becoming attached to the baby and turning evil because I wanted to hold on to this child. The whole thing was maybe like a three-year arc, and it was the most exciting time for me as an actor because I got to play on so many different levels. It was the best story line that Lexie ever had, I feel, and the longest-running story line that she’s ever had.
DD: You mentioned Celeste, played by Tanya Boyd, and it makes me realize I miss her presence in Salem so much!
RJ: I know! I do, too. She brought such mystery to the show, and she was so exotic. I miss her so much. Recently I was switching my tapes from VHS to DVD, and I saw some takes between us and I thought: “Aww, I miss her. We were so good together, too.” Even though she was just five years older than I am, we were believable as mother and daughter.
DD: Speaking of mothers, now that Lexie is a mother to an autistic child, Theo, we’ve really seen her grow up and become a strong and caring woman, wife and mother.
RJ: An interesting thing that someone had asked me recently was, Isn’t it about time for Lexie to have another affair because that’s what she seems to do every couple of years? And I said that the thing that would stop her from doing that is Theo. She didn’t have a child when she did that in the past. Now her responsibility is to her child and making sure her child feels safe at all times, and her having an affair would not help the situation whatsoever. Another way that having Theo has changed Lexie is this whole situation with the mayoral race. If it were just a situation of me being pissed off at (her brother) E.J. because of how he’s being so underhanded against Abe, I would just wash my hands of him. But because Theo adores his uncle and his grandfather, I just can’t rip them out of his life, because it would affect him even stronger than a child who isn’t autistic. He’s so sensitive about things, and he likes to know that certain things are regular in his life. He’s definitely made Lexie more responsible.
DD: What can you tell me about the upcoming tensions between all involved in the mayoral race?
RJ: You’re going to see me having lots of talks with E.J., and it will seem like maybe my talks with him are getting through to him, that this is the kind of person he wants to be. Each time Lexie has a talk with him, it seems like it chips away a little bit at him and who he is, and it kind of softens the edges a little bit — although 10 minutes later he might go and do it again, but Lexie knows she softened him a little bit. I would love to keep their relationship intact, but I have to defend my husband.
DD: Lexie’s relationship with Abe is definitely getting stronger as a result of all of this. It’ll be nice to see a good, strong relationship survive all this election drama.
RJ: It’s so interesting, because I’ve had so many people, especially in their 20s, who say to me: “I want to see Lexie back with Tek or Brandon. The two of you were hot together.” And then you see people maybe mid-30s and older saying: “I’m happy to see you and Abe sticking together. I’m happy to see that somebody is sticking together.” They don’t know that as an actress, that can get boring.
DD: That’s true — it is a daytime drama, so we need some drama! Maybe just not the cheating-wife kind of drama.
RJ: Yes, if you can’t have me fool around on my husband, at least have me do something that’s fun and that I can get my teeth into. This election story line is something else that will get those acting juices flowing.
DD: On a personal note, I was astounded to learn that you recently turned 53! How do you stay looking so young, healthy and fit? Is there a secret pill, or do I need to start eating better, drinking lots of water and exercising?
RJ: That’s it. It’s the simplest thing — it’s what you put in your body. Big-time! If you put junk in your body — the chips and the sweets and the sodas — your outside is going to reflect what your inside is. I go through my time when I’m stressed and I want bad food, and so when I do indulge, I can literally see myself aging before my eyes. And I feel awful and sluggish, but then I get back on my routine — which is basically a lot of vegetables, fruit, chicken, fish and lean beef. I eat a gigantic salad every day for lunch. All the vegetables you can think of, I put together. I make sure I take my omega-3 fish oils, GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) and primrose oils. I just recently found out about omega-3 oils that you can put on your face, and it’s amazing. I put it on my face at night just a little bit before going to bed, and I just have this glow the next morning.
You’ve also got to rest. For me, I need eight or nine hours of sleep a night. If I don’t get it, it shows. Caffeine ages you fast. It’s amazing how it just dries your skin up. I allow myself a cup of black tea every day. I love it with Silk (soy milk) and honey. And, like you said, drink lots of water.
