Table of contents for September 24, 2018 in ABC Soaps In Depth

Former daytimers Ryan Paevey (ex-Nathan, GH) and Kelly Kruger (ex-Mac, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS) are starring opposite one another in BFF Bride, a movie that just wrapped filming in Toronto! Little is known about the premise of the flick, but behind-the-scenes images posted on social media by Kruger and other cast members indicate that her alter ego, reformed mean girl Kimberly, is marrying Paevey’s character… and his female best friend is not happy about the union! “It’s mostly happy, I promise,” the actor Instagrammed. Stay tuned for further details!…

PSST! Genie Francis (Laura) is due back on the GH set this month. And with Kevin’s psycho twin, Ryan, on the loose, the timing may not bode well for the heroine… but it certainly promises to deliver some great drama! “Everyone’s incredibly excited to have her back,” shares co-headwriter Shelly Altman, while writing partner Chris Van Etten hints that Francis “returns to a very big story.” Many viewers are hopeful that Laura will bring grandson Spencer back since she’s been off screen taking care of the boy following his skiing accident. Portrayer Nicolas Bechtel’s kidcom, STUCK IN THE MIDDLE, was recently cancelled, so the young actor could be available to reprise his role. And as a GH rep teases, Spencer’s return is “always a possibility.”…

On Monday, September 10, Bonnie introduces Lucas to the daughter he didn’t know he had! Blown away, he turns to Chloe on Wednesday, September 12. In other news, Ben has a very special gift for Ciara on Thursday, September 13. But everything could change when on Friday, September 14, Hope claims that new evidence has come to light which implicates Ben in a crime. And wait until you hear how Ben responds to Hope’s accusation!…

General Hospital In Depth asked... Do you think Brad will tell the truth about Wylie? It looks like fans have much more faith in Brad than they once did. Though when he might come clean is another matter! This issue’s question... Do you think Kiki will turn out to be Nina’s daughter? Reader Reaction: 79% EVENTUALLY 21% NEVER! TOP 5 GH COUPLES 1 Liz Webber & Franco Baldwin 2 Laura & Kevin Collins 3 Alexis Davis & Julian Jerome 4 Sam McCall & Drew Cain 5 Carly & Sonny Corinthos TOP 5 ACTORS (as voted by Soaps In Depth readers) 1 Last Issue: 1 Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) 2 Last : 2 Steve Burton (Jason GH) 3 Last Issue: 3 Roger Howarth (Franco GH) 4 Last Issue: 4 Billy Miller…

OUR TAKE GH Hot Topic: The Baby Swap! say are so many stories out there to tell. That means it’s pretty much inevitable that soaps are going to recycle tales, whether their own or those of other shows. The way writers make them distinct is by putting their own spin on a story. In the case of GENERAL HOSPITAL’s baby switch, the twist is removing the villain of the story — Nelle — from the picture and watching everyone else deal with the consequences of her actions. Some might look at Brad askance for having accepted the baby Nelle thrust into his arms, but we feel as if we’re seeing him deal with the repercussions of a decision made in a moment of grief, heartache and desperation. So quickly cluing…

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Michael Mealor (Kyle) is still in pinch-me mode about being a working actor in Hollywood. “I’m from a small town in Georgia, and you just don’t think it’s possible,” he shares. “You go to school, get a degree, get a job and get married — wife, kids, and you live happily ever after. It’s the American dream. But I remember staying up late, watching movies by myself and always thinking, ‘Wow, that would be so cool to do!’” Still, it wasn’t until he was tapped by a talent scout when he was in Atlanta that Mealor thought becoming an actor could actually be a reality. “He ran a talent convention at Disney World, and he asked me to come and participate in his talent search,”…

The FEI World Equestrian Games, held every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle, combines eight equestrian world championship-caliber events for an exciting global sporting experience. When it begins this week at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, NC, GENERAL HOSPITAL alumnus Steve Bond (ex-Jimmy Lee) will be there! But don’t look for him astride one of his favorite horses. Rather, he’ll attend in support of his daughter, champion show jumper Ashlee Bond. “I was born in Israel and Ashlee just changed nationalities, so now she’ll compete for the Israeli Olympic team,” Bond says proudly. “She had previously represented the American team and has won five gold medals in national and international competition.” Actually, Bond does a whole lot more than merely cheer his daughter on…

Michael Easton and Roger Howarth didn’t allow any recording devices at their GHFCW event… which meant that they could get extra silly and off the cuff with their fans! It also means that we can’t tell you about most of what went on. But we can reveal that Finn and Franco’s portrayers fielded questions about real life and GH, and garnered so many laughs along the way that you’d have sworn you were at a comedy club! Those laughs only continued when the former ONE LIFE TO LIVE castmates (as McBain and Todd) surprised fans by welcoming Jeffrey Vincent Parise, who played naughty and nice twins Carlos and Joe on GH. After the mayhem, it was time to sign autographs, snap pictures and hug it out!…

Q: Which movie are you most likely to be able to quote from memory? Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth, GH) “It’s kind of a lie to say I know most of the words to any movie, but one of my favorites is Overboard with Goldie Hawn. I’ve probably seen that movie 500 times. Not too excited about the [recent] remake!” Lisa LoCicero (Olivia, GH) “That’s very easy. I’ve seen Gone With The Wind well over 200 or 300 times, and I used to be able to recite it from beginning to end. We had it on VHS when I was a kid.” Joshua Morrow (Nick, Y&R) “The Shawshank Redemption or Braveheart — two of my all-time favorites. I’ve seen them upwards of 50 to 75 times. Or Anchorman. There’s a lot of…

DAYS’ Lucas really should’ve given Anne more than half a chance when he had the chance. Every relationship the perpetual alsoran has actually committed to has lasted approximately as long as a commercial break. Being young, rich and good looking makes it easy for GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Michael to find love. Keeping it is another story. He’s lost ladies whether to death or prison — more often than most people lose their keys! Okay, so maybe DAYS’ JJ does brood a little too much. He’s still the rare guy who is as sweet as he is sexy (and he’s awfully sexy!). So why on Earth is he spending Saturday nights alone? Are the women of Salem all near-sighted? THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Thorne is making a major play for Katie…

The In Depth Story: Adain Bradley (Xander) admits he’s been asking himself the same question of late, and he’d love to see it happen. “I’d be excited!” Though Bradley has not heard anything to indicate the show is actively looking to cast those characters, the bad blood between Claude and his brother, Julius, would certainly provide some built-in drama. “There seems to be some [friction] between Uncle Julius and Xander’s father,” says the actor. “I’d love to see Xander caught in the middle of it.” Given that Daytime Emmy winner Obba Babatundé (Julius) tends to juggle myriad acting projects that preclude his committing to B&B for longer than a few episodes at a time, it’s possible viewers won’t get to meet these other Avants until his schedule is more wide-open.…

The In Depth Story: McCullough’s beloved alter ego should show up on the canvas any day now. And while GH is remaining mum about just how long the Berkeley-based doctor will stick around Port Charles, it bears mentioning that Netflix has been keeping her portrayer quite busy as of late. In August, as her two ALL ABOUT THE WASHINGTONS episodes began streaming, she was directing FULLER HOUSE and ONE DAY AT A TIME. In other words, “living the dream,” as the working mom put it in a tweet. Several GH visits ago, McCullough told Soaps In Depth that she’s always happy to reprise her role as long as there’s room in her jam-packed calendar. “It all just depends on the schedule,” she previously shared, noting that executive producer Frank Valentini…

IN GH’s new Jordan, Briana Nicole Henry — who briefly played troublemaking model Esmerelda on Y&R in 2014 — started taping on August 14, which means she’ll make her Port Charles debut any day now! “Survived my second week,” she said in an Instagram story posted August 22. Donnell Turner (Curtis) shared at the GH Fan Club Weekend that he’d gotten to participate in the recasting process the same week that he was working on Amazon’s upcoming crime drama, TOO OLD TO DIE YOUNG. “I got to play a skeevy, sleazeball cop,” he tells In Depth. “It was a small co-star spot, but they upgraded the character to guest star and gave me some meat. It’s fun, because it’s different. “It’s also everything I stand against!” he adds. “My character…

On the heels of facing her own mental-health issues in 2017, GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Kirsten Storms felt empowered, centered and ready for some on-screen drama — and she sure got it when a pregnant Maxie lost her beloved spouse, Nathan! “That is going to go down as one of my favorite storylines, and I can’t thank the writers enough for making me feel like such an actor,” she raves. “I’d spent a lot of that year wondering who I am and experiencing heavy things that left me a little confused about my purpose. Being able to dive right into that story was huge for me. “Of course, I had my own feelings about Ryan Paevey leaving,” she says of Nathan’s portrayer. “But I had a great time challenging myself. Maxie’s got…

Don’t Tell Mama! When onetime Carly Tamara Braun decided to return to GENERAL HOSPITAL as Kim, she had to keep the news hush-hush for awhile. “That’s just being on a soap — any soap,” notes the daytime vet, who has a keen respect for abiding by the genre’s rules. “You always have to be quiet. My first time around on GH, my mother didn’t even know what role I was playing until I was about to start work, and I asked if I could tell her. They were like, ‘Wait, you didn’t tell your mom?’” she recalls. “I was told not to say anything, so I didn’t!” This time, however, Braun’s mother was in the loop… sort of. “I’ve grown and I know I can tell my mother — although…

Mealor admits that he still has moments when he has to pinch himself to believe he’s really playing Jack Abbott’s son. “We have multiple stages and multiple sets, and they were filming on a different set and I was sitting in the Abbott family living room going over my lines,” he shares. “The lights were dim, but I knew the next scene would take place there. I wasn’t paying any attention, because I was so focused on memorizing my dialogue, then they brought the lights on. The spotlight hit me in the face, and I looked around and was like, ‘Wow, this is my life right now! This is pretty amazing being part of the Abbott household!’”…

The Main Event The GENERAL HOSPITAL Fan Club Weekend had a huge turnout for The Main Event and while no storyline dish was spilled, guests had a blast hearing behind-the-scenes stories from their favorite Port Charles players. In a surprise turn, Steve Burton stepped up to play master of ceremonies for the Q&A panels — bringing a level of energy that shocked fans who only knew him as Jason before the brunch. While it was mostly fun, games and lively auctions, fans also raised over $6,000 for research on Alzheimer’s! After the group action, the cast took over the second floor of The Hilton Embassy Suites Glendale to meet, greet and snap photos with fans. And as you can see in these shots, a good time was had by all.…

Scotty and Lucy’s romantic relationship may not have been able to go the distance, but portrayers Kin Shriner and Lynn Herring remain the best of friends to this day. And the fans who gathered for their intimate event saw the longtime castmates’ connection up-close as the actors finished each other’s sentences while sharing memories and behind-the-scenes insights. Also joining them was surprise guest Marie Wilson, who played Scotty’s daughter, Karen, on GH spinoff PORT CHARLES.…

As a psychologist, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Taylor is used to settling conflicts by talking things through. But when the frustrated doc returned to the canvas earlier this year, she used a bullet to get her point across! It’s not exactly the Taylor longtime fans are accustomed to, but it’s actually what enticed her portrayer, Hunter Tylo, to come back. “It just sounded fun,” she says of the storyline that revealed Taylor to be the mystery person who’d gunned down Dollar Bill. By the time Taylor ’fessed up to what she’d done in a hostile encounter with the businessman, it was clear the character was more than a little unhinged. “I had to make her a different person temporarily, someone who had obviously had a meltdown behind the scenes,”…

After months of hints, Ferncliff’s mystery patient finally spoke, and it was definitely Ryan… or was it Kevin? GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Jon Lindstrom first kept us guessing and then made the answer crystal clear as he brought his infamous dual role back to life to win this week’s Gold Star. Seeing Double With Kevin drowning his sorrows and pretending not to care that it was his birthday, Lucy didn’t hesitate to call him out for brooding. So he gave her the cold shoulder. Though the exes exchanged some cute banter, Lindstrom refused to play into his epic chemistry with Lynn Herring — which eventually led to her character storming off in a huff. And when Kevin talked to Laura, he had to apologize for his distance of late. Because Lucy was,…

If we didn’t know better, we’d think DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Brady was the inspiration for Lady Antebellum’s new country song, “Heart Break.” If anyone needed a time-out from the pursuit of love, it’s definitely him. In the last few years alone, he’s bounced between Theresa, Nicole and Eve like a pinball! “I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say I had qualms about Brady’s constant rotation of women — I think he’s written to fall prematurely for them,” portrayer Eric Martsolf suggests. “To me, he’s a strong character: He’s an addict, but he’s kept his demons at bay. And he’s completely capable of love. I would enjoy seeing him in a relationship that had some sustainability and investment.” When Disaster Strikes… To his credit, not all of Brady’s…

Smooth Rider With his rebel-cool good looks, GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Michael Easton (Finn) was born to wear an edgy leather jacket… and voters seem to agree! Match Game Voters couldn’t seem to resist Carly Schroeder (ex-Serena, GH) in this black-and-beige ensemble, which was perfectly coordinated from her choker necklace right down to those ankle-strap heels! Mad About The Plaid! This go-to print for lumberjacks and daring golfers works just as well on these famous faces from ABC Daytime! What Were They Thinking?…

Chris Van Etten (Chet, GH) is a proud new dad! The real-life wounded veteran and activist and his wife, Samantha, welcomed their first child, son Milo Taylor, on August 21. “We did a thing!” Van Etten announced on social media, showing off the adorable, sleeping newborn. “It’s a boy and our very first kid, so we’re really excited about that,”Van Etten told Soaps In Depth at April’s Daytime Emmy Awards. “So that’s basically been our whole life for the last six months or so.” Congratulations!…

B&B’s Karla Mosley (Maya) and her significant other, John Rogers, welcomed daughter Aurora Imani on August 17. Born at home, the baby weighed in at 8.1 lbs and was 22 inches long. Her name, which means “dawn,” seems the perfect choice, given that Mosley’s family has been through some dark days of late. The actress’ beloved 5-year-old niece, Lilia Sophia, passed away in early August after battling complications stemming from a congenital heart condition. Meanwhile, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Hunter King (Summer) is engaged to her beau of two years, B&B camera operator Nico Svoboda. After he popped the question — complete with a photographer hiding in a tent to capture the moment — the couple were feted by family and friends at a surprise engagement party Svoboda had…

Things remain complicated where Drew, Sam and Jason are concerned. On Tuesday, September 11, Drew gets to spend a little bit of time with his ex-wife. But what is it that brings them together? Given Margaux’s questionable motives, should Drew be concerned when she begins working with Jordan on Thursday, September 13? While the women are busy brainstorming on Friday, September 14, Drew is across town being ripped into by Kim. A week later, Sam finds herself having to offer Jason both a bit of advice and maybe a shoulder to cry on. That same day, Drew is put on the spot by Kim.…

Brooke and Steffy’s argument on Monday, September 10, leads Ridge to make a decision regarding the future of Forrester Creations. Steffy joins the Forrester models for a test run of the Intimates show on Tuesday, September 11. Zoe spies on Xander and Emma’s interlude, making a bold move at an opportune time on Wednesday, September 12. Brooke and Bill have a clandestine meeting to discuss his custody battle on Thursday, September 13. Thorne expresses his love, loyalty and commitment to Katie on Friday, September 14, capping it off with an important question and a significant gift!…

… or has seeing a lighter side of Sonny been a wonderful perk of the Mike storyline? What’s been fascinating is watching Maurice Benard play both sides of the scenario. For example, after having a blast watching a baseball game with his dad, Sonny almost immediately was faced with the effects of Mike’s disease when he began talking about past bonding experiences which had never actually taken place. The story has taken viewers on an emotional roller-coaster ride, and it’s one we won’t soon forget.…

“It’s been over a year since my last break from work, and I feel great,” reports Storms, who took off several months in 2017 to handle her depression. “I’m just working, hanging out with my kid and living life. I’m also back in a relationship with someone [Elias Paul Reidy] I was with for four years in my early 20s — back when I thought I knew everything! God, I was so stupid. You get to your 30s and you realize not only do you still not know everything, but your parents don’t know everything, either. You spend your whole life learning, and I’ve finally gotten that. I understand that people make mistakes, you can’t put pressure on somebody else to always have the answers, and I have to just…

1. Peter/Henrik is Emma’s: a. uncle. b. half brother. c. cousin. 2. Frank Smith was ultimately taken out by: a. Sonny. b. Luke. c. Mac. 3. Patrick Drake gave Noah: a. part of his liver. b. one of his kidneys. c. a blood transfusion. 4. Oscar was conceived in: a. Bensonhurst. b. Chicago. c. San Diego. 5. Cameron Spencer’s biological father is: a. Zander. b. Nikolas. c. Lucky. see page 93 for answer key…

We’re not sure who was more excited to be at the Glendale, CA, celebratory gathering for GH’s Tamara Braun: the fans or the actress herself! Upon arriving, she whipped out her cell phone and asked, “Can I take a picture of all of you, since you guys always take one of me? If only I knew how to do panorama!” Attendees who’d followed her career from her early days on GH as Carly to her time as ALL MY CHILDREN’s Reese, her two stints as DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Ava and her current GH role as the mysterious Kim were eager to applaud her work, ask their burning questions and get the inside scoop on what would be happening next! While plenty of folks had thoughts about what could happen…

GH’s Donnell Turner danced into his third GHFCW to the tune of the ’80s classic “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” — and you’d better believe fans let Curtis’ portrayer hear it! With his pal and former director, DJ John Trujillo, spinning old-school hits to keep the energy up, Turner dished GH and his path to Port Charles before getting into some Q&A with the audience. No surprise, the very first question he fielded was about how Vinessa Antoine’s exit as Jordan would affect Curtis’ impending nuptials. “You just got right to it, didn’t you?” he laughed before revealing that a recast was underway — Briana Nicole Henry has since won the role — and promising, “We’re looking for a big wedding!” With that resolved, the hunk covered everything from…

When Taylor first arrived back on the scene this spring, she was sporting blonde hair that was lighter than we’d ever seen it on the show. The new hue wasn’t the result of some lifelong desire to see if blondes really do have more fun, but rather, it was all in the name of helping out her 20-year-old daughter, Katya. “She’d been going to Paul Mitchell [hairstyling and cosmetology school] to learn how to do hair, and so I became her subject,” says the actress. “I got to get gel nails, and she started giving me all these nice treatments — including bleaching my hair.” Though Tylo had never had hair that blonde before, she opted to give her daughter carte blanche. “It was a little scary, because we went…

Happy Anniversary! On October 10, Martsolf and his wife, Lisa, will celebrate 15 years of wedded bliss. Double Trouble: Martsolf is kept busy by his 12-year-old twins, Mason and Chase, who compete in aquatics. Did You See It? In To The Beat (now on Netflix), Martsolf went “pop.”“I really wanted to be my version of a dad,” he says. “Awkward but caring and fun, and trying to relate but failing.” Road Trippin’: The actor capped off his summer with a family trip to California’s Mammoth Mountain.…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL Bill for custody of Will, but Thorne allayed her doubts. Bill blamed Thorne for convincing her to take such a drastic step, but was pleasantly surprised when Brooke let him know that she didn’t agree with her sister’s decision. She agreed to speak to Katie on Bill’s behalf — with one major stipulation. Steffy supported Hope and Liam when they had a concern regarding their unborn child’s health. Ridge announced that he needed to scale back at Forrester Creations, which meant axing either the Intimates line or Hope For The Future. But Brooke hit the roof when she learned that Steffy had asked Hope to give up her line! Sneak preview  Get ready, because Steffy is going to bring the sexy when she hits the…