Table of contents for 6/19/2017 in ABC Soaps In Depth

The In Depth Story: With the baby’s due date approaching so quickly that the actress might have delivered by the time you read this, she admits, “I’m kind of getting tired now. I’m really nervous about [giving] birth, but I’m super excited.” And she, her man and her dog, Jack, are as ready as they can be for the new addition to their home… which is also still pretty new to them. “We moved [to a chill town about an hour outside of L.A.] about six months ago, so it was perfect,” she says. “We had plenty of time to get used to the new neighborhood and do all of the things that we wanted to do to the house.” Naturally, GH fans shouldn’t expect to see Robin back in…

The In Depth Story: Though the details regarding Howarth’s new pact with the show are being kept under wraps, Friz fans can rest easy knowing that, even if their favorite couple is torn apart, it won’t be a contract that comes between them. Both Franco and Elizabeth are “aware of the possibility of a future” together, the actor previously told In Depth, adding that he liked the optimism that the unlikely romance has given his character. It’s “really sweet and very youthful.” ABC’s manager of current programming, Nathan Varni, has praised the fact that there are “some really interesting underlying emotional currents in that W W W. S O A P S I N D E P T H . C OM 7 relationship” and has suggested that, given Franco’s…

Grif fin… Nathan… Michael… you’ve been warned! GH has cast in a top-secret recurring role Jennifer Bassey, the veteran actress best known for playing ALL MY CHILDREN’s Marian Colby, the Mrs. Robinson whose attraction to Tad The Cad tempted her into a love triangle with her own daughter’s boyfriend! When In Depth caught up with the alumna of LOVE OF LIFE and RYAN’S HOPE earlier this year, though it didn’t sound like she was anticipating a daytime return, her appreciation for the genre was as impossible to miss as the mischievous gleam in her eye. “I’m moving into other things,” she said at the time, “but I still think my greatest legacy will be Marian.” In other GH casting news, Bradford Anderson tweeted that the rumors aren’t merely true, it’s…

What will Franco and Elizabeth come up with when they put their heads together on Monday, June 5 • On Wednesday, June 14, Liz does what she has to do in order to keep Jake safe. • Laura receives an unexpected visitor on Tuesday, June 6. And on Thursday, June 15, the beauty is whisked away by her favorite doctor, Kevin. But where is he taking her? • Curtis is in for a surprise on Wednesday, June 7, while Jordan finds herself making progress where her relationship with son T.J. is concerned on Thursday, June 8. • Lulu receives a visit from Anna on Tuesday, June 13. And on Thursday, June 15, Dante and his wife realize just how far over their heads they really are!…

With things getting increasingly worse at Brash & Sassy, Victoria tries to do damage control on Monday, June 5. She definitely shouldn’t turn to Kevin for help, because he spends that same day losing his cool. Tuesday, June 6, finds Reed doing a whole lotta flirting. Billy has a bunch of questions about Juliet’s story on Wednesday, June 7. But will she tell him the whole truth? And Jack finds himself wanting to know exactly what the nature of the connection between his mother and Graham is on Thursday, June 8!…

Chad Duell (Michael, GH) This summer, Michael will _ nd himself in the most unusual of love triangles — caught between his mother and her sworn enemy! “Carly has a problem with Nelle, but Michael’s kind of dumb when it comes to relationships,” cracks portrayer Chad Duell, adding seriously, “Michael can see the softer side of Nelle. He understands her, because he’s been through a lot of crap. He’s also a _ xer in general, and maybe he can get that good he sees to come out fully.” Of course, Carly sees only bad in Nelle — but the notion that she has a say in Michael’s dating life is “ridiculous,” sco. s Duell. “He’s an adult. He can make his own decisions.” (Good luck with that!) Meanwhile, with Tracy…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Nicole did the most selfless thing imaginable in giving Maya and Rick the baby they couldn’t have conceived on their own. Yet now that the younger woman has learned that Lizzy is likely the only biological child she’ll ever be able to have, will she aim to take her back? “This could possibly lead to lots of drama,” notes Reign Edwards (Nicole), who has long wondered whether complications might arise from her character’s decision to be a surrogate. “She gave this child to Maya and Rick, and it’s very possible she may [ul t ima tely] think, ‘That’s my baby.’” A potential custody battle would be devastating to Maya as well as Rick (who has previously lost a child he mistakenly believed to be his…

Some actors watch their work to learn from both their mistakes and their power ful scenes… but not Kelly Monaco (Sam)! “It’s really important for me not to, because I’m my worst [critic],” Monaco confessed to fans at the GH Convention. “I hate myself mo r e tha n anyone does, so I will tear myself apart. I’m really insecure when it comes to that. I don’t like the sound of my voice, and everything looks b a d . I j u s t c a n ’ t [watch].” The actress added that it’s not just about her own feelings — it’s also about protecting the character that viewers have come to love so much! “Maybe things that are working for the character and that the audience really…

There may not be enough letters in the alphabet to aptly describe THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s daringly vivacious Steffy Forrester, but we thought we’d try with this A-to-Z encomium of what’s been known to make her tick! A Aspen: The mountain resort town where Steffy first wed Liam, it’s also what she intended to name their daughter, whom she tragically miscarried. B Boss lady: What Forrester employers know Steffy as ever since she was promoted to CEO of the company. C “Cha-cha-cha”: The sexy catchphrase Steffy employs in conversations with Liam. D Dollar Bill: Fiery father-in-law whom Steffy once carried a major torch for! E Edgy: Could describe her fashion sense, including the black lace number she wore to her second wedding! F Faker: Word that described Steffy when…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Scott Clifton (Liam) is not only father to 1-yearold son Ford but Dad to several cats, and sometimes, it’s not easy to tell the difference among them! “It’s weird, because Ford thinks he’s a cat,” explains the actor, who has posted several videos on Instagram of the baby cuddling with, giggling at and even getting groomed by Walter White, the cat Clifton adopted several years ago after B&B filmed scenes at a South Los Angeles animal shelter. Ford and Walter are such good pals, in fact, that the baby has even adopted the feline’s method of showing affection. “Ford cuddles the way a cat does, by rubbing his head on us,” Clifton says. “He definitely thinks he’s part cat, and I love it.” When it…

There’s nothing hotter than a woman who knows her mind, so DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ JJ had better hold onto his heart. He’s partnered with a sizzling Lani Price both on the job and off! But is he man enough to handle her? Sal Stowers says that her detective character is still figuring that out. “She loves love, and she wants that as much as she wants her career,” the actress maintains. “It’s just about finding the person that she can have it with.” Being more experienced than her rookie partner is problematic enough, but him behaving like a protective boyfriend is where Lani drew the l ine . “She chose not to bring him in [on the case against drug-pushing pimp Snake] because she knows how much he cares…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL When faced with an ultimatum, Thomas chose Sally over his own family, a decision that shocked many employees of Forrester Creations. Sally was enthused about moving forward with Thomas as her business partner and head designer, but a very jealous Saul was not so keen on this arrangement. After critiquing Katie’s new jewelry designs, Quinn worried that her foe would blab to Eric about her past flirtations with Ridge. Katie stopped just short of telling Eric everything, but she was greatly concerned to hear him say that Ridge was now living in one of the guest houses on the Forrester grounds! While discussing their “Katie” problem, Quinn and Ridge once again got too close, but they had differing opinions on how they ought to interact…

As OLTL’s Todd, he turned GH upside-down. Or vice-versa. Ava didn’t know what hit ’er when he stepped in as Franco. Curious… Franco clicked with Carly as well as Todd had. Franco went a little crazy for Nina. But in a totally non-tumorous way. Finally, Franco found true love with Liz. At least for now……

MELROSE PLACE vet Grant Show (Rick, RH) will play John Forsythe’s old role of tycoon Blake Carrington in The CW’s DYNASTY reboot. His former DEVIOUS MAIDS castmate, Brianna Brown (ex- Lisa, GH), will succeed Pamela Bellwood as Claudia. Lindsay Price (An Li, AMC) has a ringside seat to the strangest of divorces in SPLITTING UP TOGETHER, an ABC sitcom starring onetime NASHVILLE denizen Oliver Hudson and former OFFICE secretary Jenna Fischer. Kelley Missal (OLTL’s Dani) scored a part in THE CROSSING, an ABC drama in which refugees from a war-torn country come to America seeking asylum… only the country they’re . eeing is also America — and the war that’s raging is taking place 250 years in the future! Somebody, cue the TWILIGHT ZONE theme!…

It appears that Abigail is already regretting having tried to help Dario when, on Monday, June 5, she asks someone to do a little digging into her new husband’s story. Hope has some questions about Dario, too, and she hopes that Myron will be able to provide her with answers on Tuesday, June 6. That same day, it looks as if Marlena and John will be separated yet again thanks to his work with the ISA! And on Wednesday, June 7, Claire’s head explodes when she finds out exactly what Jade has done. Something tells us this showdown won’t be pretty! Note: DAYS OF OUR LIVES will be pre-empted on Thursday, June 8, and Friday, June 9.…

Alan Wrongly believing son A.J. had been fathered by Rick, Alan tried to kill his philandering wife, Monica! Tony Rather than let Carly (then Sarah Brown) raise Michael with his supposed dad, Jason, Tony kidnapped the boy… and Robin, too! Laura Her attempt to reclaim son Nikolas from Helena led to the boy’s paternal grandma “killing” his maternal grandma, Lesley! Madeline Madeline slipped her daughter a drug which killed the unborn child linking her to Silas… and landed Nina in a 20-year coma!…

Jack and Gloria’s current r elat ionship on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS didn’t start out in the most romantic way. Yet the fact that it is continuing when they are sober has a lot of fans wondering if their lust for each other could turn into love! “Jack is working with a different deck now since the whole Phyllis thing happened,” says his portrayer, Peter Bergman. “He’s a different man!” That said, Jack’s not so different that his heart has begun pounding a little faster in his former stepmom’s presence! “I don’t want to demean the character of Gloria, but Jack is not looking for fulfillment with her!” says the Emmy winner. “He’s looking for some physical outlet for his absolute pain.” Indeed, now that Phyllis is publicly with…

When Vinessa Antoine (Jordan) told her parents she intended to skip college and move to New York City to study at the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater instead, they took it in stride… sort of. “They said, ‘That’s great. You can pay for it with your own money,’” the beauty recounts. “I figured the only way to get the money that quickly would be to do a commercial of some kind.” So the 17-year-old beauty hit the streets of Vancouver to find an agent… and got much luckier than most. “I walked into the first agency and she said, ‘I think there’s an audition I can send you to right now, down the street,’” Antoine recalls. “It was for the new Barbie doll, the black Barbie doll.” Antoine was…

Longtime GENERAL HOSPITAL fans were sorry to see Emmy winner Jane Elliot take her final bow as Tracy Quar termaine. Perhaps making things slightly easier to take was a quick glimpse of a familiar face: eight-time Emmy winner Anthony Geary (ex-Luke), who honored a promise to his leading lady that he’d make himself available to see her off the show!…

It’s no secret that the camera loves Stowers. Prior to becoming an actress, the beauty had a successful modeling career that resulted from winning AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL. “One of my mom’s good friends was a model, and she was like, ‘You should do it! Let’s go meet s ome a g e n c i e s ,’” Stowers recalls. “We went to Wilhelmina, and that was the first agency I got signed to. So it kind of happened really fast.” The next thing she knew, Stowers found herself auditioning for Tyra Banks’ modeling compet i t ion in 2008. “They actually found me o n My Spa c e , which is so funny to think about now. I didn’t think that it would even happen, but I…

you decide! Remember when GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Sonny and Brenda _ nally married in 2011 and you marveled over her gown and wondered if (or wished!) you could pull it o. ? Well, Lexi Ainsworth (Kristina) felt the same way and while prepping for the Daytime Emmys this year, she decided she could — and would! “When I saw the dress a few years ago, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I want this dress. It’s so beautiful,’” she recalls. “And then, when I was going through dresses at GH, I saw it again, and that was it. I had to wear it.” The beauty felt like the epitome of elegance in the memorable gown, which she accessorized with bling by Margaret Rowe and Kim’s Destiny, but she has to admit…

“You’ve gotta keep ’em guessing.” Wi th GH’s Sonny and Carly on the outs, and Jax making regular visits to Port Charles, the time has never been more right for Vanessa Marcil to reprise her role of Brenda. And the good news is… the Emmy winner is not only willing, she’s “always” willing! During a recent appearance on TODAY, the soap superstar made it clear that she still considers GH a home away from home. “I love the show so much,” she exclaimed. “Oh my gosh, it was the best job ever — and the nicest people ever!” What’s more, the Sonny/ Brenda/Jax triangle remains one of the most popular in the daytime drama’s history, right up there with Scotty/Luke/ Laura and Sam/Jason/ Elizabeth. So, were there a chance to…

Still struggling to deal with the aftermath of the fire, Carly turns to Jason in her time of need on Monday, June 5. Jason continues to be there for his friends when, on Tuesday, June 6, he shares a scotch and some commiserating time with Sonny. As Michael and Nelle find themselves slowly growing closer on Thursday, June 8, Carly decides it’s time to call in reinforcements. While Dante looks for answers on Friday, June 9, Sonny and Carly hold out hope for the future. Sam’s feeling a bit discombobulated on Tuesday, June 13. Jason does what he can to get ahead of a rival on Wednesday, June 14, but what he learns on Thursday, June 15, could change everything!…

When Quinn’s on the receiving end of a threat on Tuesday, June 6, let’s hope she’s smart enough to take it seriously! While Ivy tries to reason with Katie about her suspicions on Wednesday, June 7, Quinn confides in Ridge that she is actually afraid to return to Forrester and work alongside the woman who holds their fates in her hands! The feud between Katie and Quinn ultimately reaches dangerous new levels on Thursday, June 8, while on Friday, June 9, Thomas finds himself having to figure out how to smooth the rough waters between Steffy and Sally!…

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GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Maura West (Ava) is one of daytime’s greats, and she’s got the Emmys to prove it. While viewers might think playing mom to Benjamin, 20, Joseph, 17, Katherine, 15, Basil, 10, and Birdie, 7 would distract the actress from her craft, it turns out her kids have actually given her perspective on her technique. “I have five children and so far, two of them are actors, as well,” West told fans at the GH Convention. “So when I talked to them, I was able to verbalize to them exactly what I do when I do it. I just picture a giant well — it’s the well of my life. So when I have to go in and get ‘someone is frightening me,’ I go in there, and I’ll…

Hollywood doesn’t bat an eye at casting an older man with a younger love interest, but it’s rare to see an older woman paired with a younger man. Which is why THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS raised eyebrows when a romance began brewing between the sweet but nerdy Ravi and his boss, Ashley. Abhi Sinha, for one, be lieves that there’s a lot to root for with the couple. “What doesn’t Ravi like about Ashley? He’s a puppy dog following her around!” he shares with a smile. “But I think Ashley gets mistakenly labeled as being hard. She does keep these walls up, but Ravi has seen a side of her that is loving, caring and sweet. “For Ashley, the age difference is an issue,” he adds. “But Ravi doesn’t…

Returning to ALL MY CHILDREN to allow his popular character, Leo, to help wrap up the soap’s network run proved fulfilling for Josh Duhamel. “I loved that show — it was really formative in my early career, and I never take that for granted,” he reflects. “Having done some other stuff, going back to it made me realize and respect how good those people are.” Another Epic Battle When Transformers: The Last Night, opens on Friday, June 23, Duhamel will reprise yet another role that he’s wellknown for — William “Wild Bill” Lennox, who in this fifth film of the series is now called Colonel. “In the beginning, I’m dealing with four-star generals being briefed about what is going on, and reluctantly, I get sucked back into it — I…

For DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Jordi Vilasuso (Dario), having two little girls — Riley, 4, and Everly, 11 months — has meant unspeakable joy. However, it’s also meant giving up his desire for an ordered space. “I’m a little bit of a neat freak, so it’s just accepting that the house will be a mess,” he admits. “We’ll clean up, and then it will get messy again. That’s just the cycle.” Deciding instead to embrace what comes with having young kids, the ALL MY CHILDREN alum (as Griffin) found a creative solution: He gave up his man cave! “I converted our garage into what we call the ‘creative workout studio’… It was about figuring out a space where [our daughters] can do what [they want] but while expanding [their] imaginations,”…

The Seventh Annual GENERAL HOSPITAL Fan Build with Habitat For Humanity Of Greater Los Angeles was a total hit, but it wasn’t all fun and games. While past builds have seen fans and stars putting the finishing touches on homes, this time, Lisa LoCicero (Olivia), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Ryan Paevey (Nathan), Vinessa Antoine (Jordan), Michelle Stafford (Nina), fans and Soaps In Depth actually helped build a house. We’re talking power tools, hammers, measuring tapes — the works. “I’m so grateful to my castmates and the fans for showing up to do something that’s more than just a fan event,” gushes coordinator LoCicero. “They were willing to get down and dirty, give back and help out — while hopefully having some fun with the people you see on your screens during…

Lynn Herring (Lucy): “The _ rst time I met Jane, she poked me in the chest and said, ‘Oh, they are real!’ We have been friends ever since, on and o the show — through the birth of our children, she gave me my _ rst son’s baby shower, through being employed and unemployed, through her moving back and forth across the country and through many adventures in between — and I am honored to say that she will be my forever friend till the cows come home. I and our wonderful, loyal GH audience and family will miss Tracy Quartermaine very much, but fortunately, I won’t have to miss Jane!” Rebecca Budig (Hayden): “We’ve become good friends, so I’m going to miss her a lot. Working with her was…

For working a “double” shift and beautifully bringing to life not only GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Anna but Alex, her twin from ALL MY CHILDREN, Finola Hughes earns this week’s Gold Star! Double Trouble We’d known something was “off” about Anna for some time. And, once GH brought home the real McCoy, it was easy to pinpoint the subtle differences between her and Alex. It wasn’t just the wave that Anna’s sis added to her hair but the twist that she gave her personality. Unlike rigid, righteous Anna, Alex loved spy games, whether she won them or not. So the siblings’ inevitable face-off was a fascinating study in contrasts. As Anna grilled her sister, rolling her eyes and furrowing her brow, Hughes consistently reined in her reactions — because our heroine was…