Indice dei contenuti per March 14, 2016 in ABC Soaps In Depth

The latest comings and goings — and how they will change your shows! The In Depth Story: As we went to press, neither the actress nor GH were officially commenting on the situation, although several sources reported that contract negotiations were still under way. But some have theorized that with Jason currently cozying up to Sam, and Elizabeth’s son dealing with both a physical crisis and some pretty severe emotional issues (see News, page 2, for more), it wouldn’t be overly difficult to send Jake and his mommy off the canvas should the negotiations fail to result in a new contract. And rumors have circulated for weeks that DAYS OF OUR LIVES would be interested in bringing the popular actress on board should this prove to be the case. As…

While Parry Shen (Brad) is hoping to see more action in Port Charles, he’s been keeping himself busy with other projects! In addition to playing a lead character in a new THE WALKING DEAD video game series, the actor lent his voice to several episodes of the upcoming season of Disney Junior’s popular DOC MCSTUFFINS! “I can’t say whether I’m playing a toy or a human,” teases Shen, who won’t show up on the preschooler series until sometime next year! “The animation takes so much time. My girls [Avery, 10 and Kori, 7] watch it, and their friends are really excited about it. But they’re going to have forgotten all about it by the time it comes out!” Shen doesn’t even know what his character is going to look like…

The least surprising thing about Helena Cassadine? That even in death, she has managed to continue tormenting those she left behind. Heck, even viewers have been on pins and needles awaiting the reading of her will! While counting down to the big moment, Nikolas finds himself taking a long, hard look at his marriage, spending Tuesday, March 8, wondering whether or not he can trust Hayden. (Wonder if the progress Sam makes into her investigation of Nik’s bride that same day will help sway his decision.) As the day of Helena’s will reading draws closer, Laura braces herself for what it might reveal on Thursday, March 10. And at last, we’ll all find out exactly who got what from the Dragon Lady when Helena’s last will and testament is presented,…

Wyatt begins to lose patience while waiting for Steffy’s answer to his proposal on Monday, February 29. On Tuesday, March 1, Liam searches desperately for the answers to questions that he feels certain Quinn is evading. Deacon assists Quinn in keeping up the con with Liam on Wednesday, March 2. Sasha’s come-ons toward Zende become even more aggressive on Thursday, March 3, and the young man finds himself undeniably tempted. On Friday, March 4, Bill and Katie get into a heated and forthright discussion about the state of their union!…

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ fans should be happy, now that Hilary and Devon have reconciled. But could Hilary’s driving ambition prove to be a major problem for the couple? “Hilary still loves Devon,” insists her por trayer, Mishael Morgan. “There is still such an amazing love story between them, and he’s still the only guy who ‘gets’ her. But right now you’re seeing a more driven side to Hilary. When she came to Genoa City, we saw that. She’s always been organized and driven. She took a little break to have a love life, but now we’re seeing the other side to Hilary again!” Ah, but is it a side that could eventually repel Devon… especially when the vixen isn’t above manipulating her spouse if it suits her own…

… or has GH managed to make you feel sorry for Ava? Yes, A.J. killing, daughter mistreating, marriage-wrecking Ava. When she paid a pre-wedding visit to Julian, it was clear that she’d regretted the choices she’d made. There he was, Mob free, ready to marry the love of his life, and there stood Ava, surrounded by all the things that continued to elude her grasp because she’d gotten in over her head with Paul. Ava is a complicated woman who has committed more sins than most of us could name, and yet by giving us glimpses into what makes her tick, the soap has managed to create with her a character we want to see become something other than her own worst enemy.…

GENERAL HOSPITAL new addition Anthony Montgomery (Andre) is no stranger to TV, but it has been a while since he’s landed a part he can sink his teeth into. “This role is a resurgence of my career, and me weathering the storm,” reveals the STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE alum. “A Hollywood career ebbs and flows. When people say they’re in it, not everybody realizes what that means. I came out from Indiana, and it was five years before I had consistent work. Then I worked on ENTERPRISE for four years. It’s been a decade since I’ve had consistent work!” Montgomery kept busy with guest gigs (including that time he bedded Maya on GH!) and small movie roles, and also wrote a successful graphic novel, Miles Away. Throughout this “quieter” time, however,…

1. The Floating Rib used to be called: a. Jake’s. b. Coleman’s. c. Morgan’s. 2. Kate Howard’s alternate personality was: a. Megan Falconeri. b. Kelly Falconeri. c. Connie Falconeri. 3. Sonny was pulled into organized crime by: a. Luis Alcazar. b. Joe Scully. c. Victor Jerome. 4. Port Charles, NY, is near: a. Buffalo. b. Saratoga Springs. c. Manhattan. 5. Scotty got his kidney from: a. Meg Bentley. b. Lee Baldwin. c. Luke Spencer. gh trivia answers (from page 44) ANSWERS: 1. a, 2. c, 3. b, 4. a, 5. b…

Growing up in Alberta, Canada, Thompson says that becoming an actor was something always in the back of his mind, but he never gave it much serious thought until a particular Hollywood movie starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins arrived for the local scenery. “Legends Of The Fall was filmed near my hometown,” he shares with a smile. “It was one of those things that really made me think, ‘Wow, maybe [being an actor] isn’t so far away!’ So when I was 16 or 17, I got into drama class in high school, and then I slowly, quietly worked my way towards this goal!”…

FYIFYIFYI Hometown: Jamaica, NY. Birthday: December 1. The Family Trade: Babatundé’s brother, Akin, is also an accomplished actor, director and writer. Saddle Up: When he’s not on set, you’ll likely find Babatundé at an equestrian center training horses. “I’ve been a horse whisperer for over 23 years,” explains the actor, who has also competed on the rodeo circuit. “I’ve won some buckles that I’m very proud of.” One might, at first glance, be tempted to paint THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Julius with a villain’s brush — the bigoted, emotionally distant parent whose “My way or the highway!” approach failed his family in so many ways. However, it’s what veteran actor Obba Babatundé brings to the show’s groundbreaking transgender storyline — namely, a wonderfully nuanced portrayal with many layers of…

Soaps In Depth is giving away a pair of platinumlevel VIP tickets to each of the upcoming GH Fantasy Weekend events in New Jersey (Sunday, April 10), Nashville (Saturday, April 16) and Atlanta (Sunday, April 19)! Transportation and lodging is not included as part of the prize. For full rules and free entry, log on to winit.abc.soapsindepth.com. No purchase necessary. Open to current legal residents of the United States and the District Of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older. Void elsewhere and where prohibited or restricted.…

For Brittany Under wood, saying good-bye to both ONE LIFE TO LIVE and Langston Wilde was an emotional experience. “I was honored to go back for the last episode,” she reflects. “I was there when they turned the lights off, and I was with Kristen Alderson (Starr), who represented everything that the show was for me.” Room To Grow However, not being tied down to a contract turned out to be a pretty good thing. Not only has it netted Underwood time to play competitive beach volleyball with her boyfriend, AJ Oliveira, but it’s also allowed her to participate in some fun new projects. “I put it out there that I want to be constantly busy,” she explains. “And I don’t think I’ve gone more than two weeks between [jobs]…

Adam warned Marisa that Victor blamed her for Noah’s betrayal… and she could be charged as an accessory to Noah’s hit-and-run! Kevin confronted Natalie about double-crossing The Mustache. Nikki threatened to expose Elise’s past affair with Victor unless the judge helped deal with Noah’s situation. Hilary tried convincing Devon to give her a bigger role at the foundation, prompting Ashley to worry that the vixen was edging her out! Victor warned Luca to leave Noah alone. Later, Victor cranked up the pressure on Natalie to produce results on her Internet program! It looks like someone is working really darn hard to try and cover their tracks!…

Actor, author and transgender activist Chaz Bono will make his daytime debut on THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL in late March! Sonny Bono and Cher’s son (who completed his female-to-male transition in 2010, a few years after first coming out as a lesbian) will play a minister in the episodes airing Thursday, March 31, and Friday, April 1. “I’m very excited to have been cast,” Bono told People.com of his B&B guest spot. “I’m grateful that they are willing to pay me to do something I love, which is to act.”…

Fans who have anxiously been awaiting their chance to see The Ghost And The Whale — starring GH’s Maurice Benard (Sonny) and executive produced by his wife, Paula — will finally get their chance when it is released on Digital HD and various On Demand platforms beginning Tuesday, May 17. “If it wasn’t for Paula, this film would not have been made. I’m sure of it,” an excited Benard tells Soaps In Depth, adding that two other executive producers, Tori and Steve Humphrey, were equally invaluable to the passion project. “Tori and Steve are two angels to me — they gave without expectations,” Benard says in expressing his gratitude for all they have done. Besides the hard work of that trio, Benard raves that co-executive producer Liz Gaspari actually “arrived…

Chelsea can’t help but worry that her marriage is in trouble on Monday, February 29, while Phyllis asks Summer to keep a secret on that same day. Victoria best be wearing flame-retardant gloves on Wednesday, March 2, because she’s playing with fire! Kevin and Luca find themselves having a confrontation on Thursday, March 3. And on Friday, March 4, Phyllis finds someone to join her vendetta against Victor. Should The Mustache be concerned that forces are rallying against him?…

The rumors. We can’t imagine Port Charles without Rebecca Herbst’s Liz!…

This week, DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Steve continues to pay the price for having opened the door even a crack to Ava, who was nothing but trouble from beginning to end. Given their histor y, perhaps Steve should have shut the door in Ava’s face the moment she showed up? “When you know someone well, I think they remain who they are in your eyes,” Stephen Nichols (Steve) acknowledges. “The essential nature of a person remains unchanged.” Knowing just who he was dealing with did indeed give Steve cause for pause, but when it came down to it, he still allowed himself to be manipulated by the vixen… in large par t because of the child she dangled before him like an apple. “Being a better father is paramount in…

FYIFYIFYI Beating The Odds: While trying to get pregnant, LoCicero was obsessed with “Googling fertility stats.” Ready For Her Close-Up: Playing Leo at GH’s recent Crimson shoot, “Verity kept hamming for the camera!” says Mom. Food For Thought: LoCicero has never seen breastfeeding backlash in “incredibly liberal” L.A. or NYC. Identity Crisis: “Olivia’s been so many different women over the years,” marvels her portrayer. “I just go with it.” GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Lisa LoCicero (Olivia) and her husband, Michael Patrick Jann, have gone back to square one. When their son, Lukas, was closing in on his teens, they were finally ready to have another baby. Two years later, they have daughter Verity! Which confounds Angelenos! “If someone doesn’t know us well, the first thing out of their mouth is, ‘Oh, second…

Elizabeth may have lost some fans — and her fiancé! — over hiding Jason’s identity, but her portrayer, Rebecca Herbst, is loving the conflict. “This whole storyline is what made people become Team Liz or Team Sam,” reflects Herbst, who keeps tabs on the Liason vs. Jasam feud via social media. “I love how each side is so passionate and so convinced that their girl is in the right.” Sure, she knows Liz should not have lied. “But this is a soap,” laughs the beauty, “and that’s what we do! I know everyone was just waiting for the truth to finally come out — and so were we! It’s been a fun reveal, and we’re still in the thick of it! We’ve all had to step up and be convincing.”…

Like most people, Minae Noji (Kelly, GENERAL HOSPITAL) used to have a distaste for rats. That is, until she met one, realized how incredibly smart they are and started taking them on as pets. “I’m now an advocate for rats and have a blog,” she reveals. “My rats have thousands of followers — my intention is to spread awareness, compassion and love.” An Incredible “Tail” Noji’s affection for the long-tailed creatures came to the attention of APOPO, a nonprofit organization that uses the African giant-pouched rats to sniffout thousands of dangerous landmines, as well as quickly and more accurately detect tuberculosis in sputum samples than humans can. Recently named APOPO’s first ambassador, Noji is eager to spread the word about how the world can help. “People can go to www.apopo.org…

Miss Evers’ Boys This 1997 HBO film portrayed the true story of the Tuskegee Experiment, a 40-year, secret (and highly unethical) government medical study on poor, African-American males. Babatundé played one of the men who unwittingly signed up for the socalled “treatment.” Philadelphia Babatundé portrayed a courtroom lawyer in this critically acclaimed film, which was one of the first Hollywood projects to tackle the AIDS epidemic and homophobia. Introducing Dorothy Dandridge Starring Halle Berry, this 1999 HBO biopic followed the sultry chanteuse through her travails battling racism and Jim Crow laws in the entertainment industry in the 1950s. Babatundé played Dandridge’s first husband, tapdancing legend Harold Nicholas.…

dAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Gabriella Hernandez missed out on a lot while doing time for killing former husband Nick Fallon. Not only did she miss time with her baby daughter, but she also messed up her fledgling career and left big brother Rafe alone in Salem. Now back in society — albeit without her late babydaddy — Gabi’s got a second chance at life. Can she make the most of it? “She has been in places in her life mentally and physically that she knows there’s no going back from,” the character’s portrayer, Camila Banus, reflects. “She’s had to make very big sacrifices. Whatever she does now, she wants to make sure that it counts.” Model Citizen Amongst Gabi’s first big moves was looking for work, and fortunately, an opportunity…

Q: Is there anything from your childhood that you still own? Vinessa Antoine (Jordan, GH) “My parents still have my first Cabbage Patch Kid doll, because it took them forever to get it! It’s a black Cabbage Patch doll, and those took forever to find. Her name was Carmela, but I changed it to Denise, after a family friend who died in a car accident caused by a drunk driver.” Rena Sofer (Quinn, B&B) “No, I never had a special blanket or teddy bear. My little girl has a blankie and if we ever lost it, I don’t know what would happen. We always know where it is, because I don’t want to be around her if she doesn’t have it! But I never had anything like that.” Hayley Erin…

The softer side of Quinn emerged as she turned over a new emotional leaf with Liam. But when Wyatt showed up unannounced, he had a number of questions about the new man in his mother’s life. Later, another visit from Deacon added extra stress to the jewelry designer’s scheme, but she bribed him into helping her carry out her plan. Rick wound up on the losing end of his turf war with Ridge, leaving Brooke surprised to discover that she had new roommates! The brothers’ feud left Nicole worried about where she ultimately fit in with the Forrester family. Tensions arose between Bill and Katie when she tried to convince him that Brooke was a threat to their marriage. Still wary of Nicole’s surrogacy arrangement with Maya, Zende planned a…

The In Depth Story: Bechtel says that his new TV family is comprised of some pretty crazy characters… but they’re nothing like the Cassadines! “STUCK IN THE MIDDLE is a Latino sitcom about a girl who’s ‘stuck in the middle’ of six siblings,” he explains. “It’s about how she navigates her way through life with her gigantic family!” Bechtel plays Lewie, who has a twin named Beast. “I’m the master planner,” he previews. “I come up with crazy things to do. Then Beast will just go do them!” While working for the Disney Channel has been a blast, it’s also been a big change. “I miss GH terribly,” the young star admits. “It’s a lot to get used to, because I’m so comfortable with all the people there. Over here,…

The citizens of Port Charles should definitely brace themselves, because Constance Towers is bringing Cassadine matriarch Helena back for an appearance on Friday, March 11. In what form remains to be seen, given that the villainous viper passed away (again) a few months ago! “I love these people with all my heart,”says Towers of being asked to make another appearance. “And Helena’s so fun to play! She’s bigger than life and does such horrendous things. They write her in such a delicious way.”…

PUNKY BREWSTER pop George Gaynes — who played GH’s first Frank Smith way back in 1980 — passed away on February 15 at the age of 98. Gaynes is survived by his wife, actress Allyn Ann McLerie, daughter Iya, a granddaughter and two great-granddaughters. Former GH headwriter Ron Carlivati and his team took home the Writers Guild award for Best Daytime Drama during a ceremony held on February 13.…

It’s starting to look as if Nathan is keeping a big ol’ secret from everyone… especially after he suffers a slip of the tongue on Monday, February 29! Will he be able to cover his tracks before anyone notices? It looks that way, because on Wednesday, March 2, he’s still managing to keep his secret alive! Being the good guy that he is, Nathan can’t help but feel guilty about keeping secrets from Maxie. That said, will he actually come clean with his girlfriend on Friday, March 4? One thing we do know: The hunk pulls Dante aside and fills him in on the truth about “Claudette” on Friday, March 11!…

Hope can’t help but worry that perhaps she made a huge mistake on Monday, February 29. Kayla might want to brace herself, because on Tuesday, March 1, Joey is going to hit her with a shocking bit of news. By Thursday, March 3, Steve is trying to figure out a way to get himself out of trouble, while Brady is busy trying to dig up answers about mysterious newcomer Summer. And as Ciara has a major freakout on Friday, March 4, mom Hope decides it’s time for her to rejoin the police force!…

During one of our recent chats with GENERAL HOSPITAL’s headwriters, they warned that even those who felt Elizabeth didn’t “pay” for having lied to everyone about Jason might soon eat those words. Well, they weren’t kidding! Jason’s explosive, last minute rescue of Sam was played as if it proved, once and for all, that they were “connected” by something both unexplainable and undeniable. And even Eliza-beth wound up bemoaning the fact that she had been so focused on having lost Jason that she didn’t pay enough attention to Jake’s issues and, in essence, set in motion the events that nearly got both her son and Sam killed. But if we had any question about the real message GH was sending, it was cleared up when Liz went to check on…

Danny Horn, author of our favorite soap-related blog, DarkShadowsEveryDay.com, often says that there are three steps to making the audience accept a new character: They have to make a friend, make a joke, and make a plot point happen. And with the introduction of Dr. Griffin Munro, the GH writers managed to do all that and more. In the handsome newbie’s very first scene, he befriended Sonny, someone the audience has known for de-cades. During their initial encounter, he actually managed to make the Teflon Don smile, which totally counts as “make a joke” in our book. We later found out that Griffin — whom we had by then dubbed Dr. Sexyscrubs — went to school with Lucas, giving him another point in the “make a friend” category. And he…

When Olivia refused to back down to Mayor Lomax over breastfeeding Leo in public, Lo-Cicero’s Twitter feed blew up — mostly with raves! “There’s always a few trolls under the bridge, but overwhelmingly, everybody was supportive of Olivia and the show for taking on something that’s true to a lot of women,” says the actress. As a nursing mom, LoCicero floated the story during her first sit-down with GH scribes Jean Passanante and Shelly Altman. “I cracked a joke in my meeting about Olivia doing some kind of soapbox monologue,” she recounts. “Olivia’s trying to breastfeed the baby in the Metro Court and some guy gives her trouble, so she goes off on him. I thought it could be a funny one-off… but I guess they liked it, because they…

Erin Scarola is “having a blast” working on GH with her twins, Ava and Grace, who play Avery. The twins’ mom has nothing but raves about the show’s “warm and welcoming” cast and says watching Sonny and Ava fight over her girls is “hilarious.” But every once in a while, the Mob scene and attitude do give her pause. “I’m just hoping we’re not going to do something that corrupts their little minds — and that as they get older, they don’t turn into this!” Scarola says with a laugh. The cuties are just starting to talk and so far, so good. No sign of machinations. But this development has been keeping on-screen parents Maura West (Ava) and Maurice Benard (Sonny) on their toes of late! “They have their standard…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: November 20. Hometown: Edmonton, Canada. Learning Curve: Thompson says that he loves when people share Billy’s history with him, such as a stage manager telling him that Billy’s conception had been a mistake. “I had never heard that before, and I thought it was so interesting! It explains a lot about the character. Billy is always trying to be ‘enough’ for people, which might be why he puts himself into not the best situations!” Remember When: Like many people in Canada, Thompson’s grandparents would watch Y&R and THE PRICE IS RIGHT when he was growing up. “My grandfather passed away, but my grandmother is going to keep watching Y&R, I’m sure. The show is huge in Canada. I’m actually running for office now automatically!” When it was announced…

Tristan Rogers (Robert, GENERAL HOSPITAL) didn’t just enjoy a stay at ABC’s landlocked LOVE BOAT — HOTEL — he enjoyed it with Leann Hunley (ex-Anna, DAYS OF OUR LIVES), who at the time was new to DYNASTY as Dana. Erika Slezak (Viki, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) got lucky at the 13th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, picking up the second Outstanding Lead Actress statuette of the six that she’d go on to win. Castmates on the DYNASTY spin off THE COLBYS, Kim Morgan Greene (Nicole, ANOTHER WORLD) and Emma Samms (ex-Holly, GH) hit a fashion show with each other as their most stylish accessory. After being killed off of ALL MY CHILDREN as Jenny, rising starlet Kim Delaney went on to play an art teacher opposite Jerry Levine in the pilot…

MATT COHEN (Griffin) GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Matt Cohen has made quite an impression as hot new doctor Griffin Munro, immediately stepping into the role of daytime’s next big thing in a most super natural way. It was clear from his first scene — with daytime superstar Maurice Benard (Sonny) — that Cohen has the presence and acting chops to jump into the Port Charles upper crust. While GH fans, as well as his new costars, have taken a quick liking to the actor, he’s already quite fond of his alter ego. “He’s a good guy that wants to help people,” he says. “It’s that simple right now. Maybe he comes from a broken place, and that’s why he insists on trying to fix others.” Okay, we’re sold. Tell us more. “We’ll…

Amongst Banus’ recent projects is a role in SNOWFALL, a promising new FX pilot about the rise of the 1980s cocaine epidemic in Los Angeles. “There are three main families that are portrayed,” Banus reveals, “and I’m a member of the Latino family that Billy Magnussen’s [Casey, AS THE WORLD TURNS] character has interaction with.” Banus’ wild and crazy character, Lucia Villanueva, couldn’t be more different from Gabi. “She’s a party animal and the daughter of a very important man that sells very important drugs. She gets access to that,” the actress previews. “She’s not very responsible.” For Banus, the best part of the experience was getting to work for famed director John Singleton. “He’s a man with a vision,” she observes. “I think that’s what makes him so great…

GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Elizabeth finally stopped rationalizing her sin of omission regarding Jason’s identity when she realized what her machinations had done to Jake. And as she worked through it all, there were no histrionics. That just isn’t Rebecca Herbst’s style — or Liz’s! The heroine fought desperately to control her emotions, while Herbst kept them seething quietly underneath. Acceptance Is The First Step In the hospital chapel with Franco, Liz was trying to make sense of Jake’s confession that he’d killed Sam when she stumbled upon her own culpability. She wrang her hands, her words spilling out faster as she recognized how her obsession with Jason had distracted her from protecting her kids. She was the root of Jake’s anger. Can it get worse than realizing your son has serious…

After goading Kayla into attacking her, Ava accused her nemesis of trying to kill her. Brady was stunned to learn of Summer’s connection to Daniel. Nicole got reacquainted with Dario. Philip delivered important information to Deimos. Belle’s gift to Claire backfired. Andre helped Chase disappear. Hope was concerned when she caught Ciara acting out with Theo. The cop’s world was then turned upside down by an anonymous phone call. And the Salem PD finally made an arrest in Stefano’s murder case only for another shocking murder to occur! Eric finds out that Jennifer doesn’t even remember the moment they shared. Ouch.…