Table of contents for April 25, 2016 in ABC Soaps In Depth

“Jason will never be ‘hers’ the way he used to be!” The In Depth Story: Things are definitely looking up for Jason and Sam as they turn up the heat. But even as they are trying to figure out what their romantic status truly is, guess who comes knocking on the door? That’s right… Carly! Given everything going on with Sonny (see the In Depth Cover Story, page 24, for details), it’s perhaps not surprising that she wants Jason to help deal with the situation. Equally unsurprising is the fact that Sam is not necessarily anxious to hear Jason ask “How high?” every time Carly suggests he jump! Are the ladies in Jason’s life about to butt heads again? “At the moment,” says headwriter Shelly Altman, “Sam and Carly are…

Spring may have only just sprung, but summer’s not too far away… which makes this the perfect time for soaps to begin beefing up their young sets. With that in mind, GH has cast John DeLuca — perhaps best known for having played Butchy in the Disney Channel’s Teen Beach movies — in the role of Aaron. Given that those wildly popular flicks involved singing and dancing, we can’t help but wonder if perhaps DeLuca will be called upon to perform at this year’s Nurses Ball. Look for the annual extravaganza — which will be taped in mid-April — to start airing on Tuesday, May 24, meaning that the various stor ylines sure to kick into high gear during the May Sweeps period will no doubt take center stage alongside…

Martha Madison (Belle), Brandon Beemer (Shawn), Marie Wilson (Summer) and Sal Stowers (Lani) have all reportedly been let go from DAYS OF OUR LIVES under the new regime of co-headwriters Dena Higley and Ryan Quan, a former associate headwriter who was promoted upon Josh Griffith’s exit earlier this year. Madison had returned in November in connection to DAYS’ 50th anniversary, and In Depth hears that she was shocked by her release. “Au revoir, Salem!” she tweeted after the news broke. Stowers also chimed in on Twitter, thanking fans “for making me feel so loved. Your tweets and support never fail to brighten my day.” Beemer returned to the soap in Januar y after Jason Cook decided not to stay longterm, and after playing a short arc as Bree in late…

Has Abigail become mentally unstable? That’s certainly the question being debated on Monday, April 11. Meanwhile, a badly burned Ben fights for his life on Tuesday, April 12. Nicole’s search for answers on Wednesday, April 13, finds her chatting up Deimos. But will he provide her with answers? Summer interrupts Theresa and Brady’s big night out on Thursday, April 14. Perhaps not surprisingly, this leads to Brady and Theresa having a pretty big fight on Friday, April 15!…

For a person who just weeks ago was so done with life that she attempted suicide, DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Summer sure does seem to be looking forward to the future. Not only has she settled into Salem, but she’s also gotten closer to Maggie, whom she now knows is her very wealthy biological mother. But is Summer to be trusted? And what might she have up her sleeve? “From Summer’s perspective, it looks like Maggie isn’t sure about having [another] child in her life at this point,” Marie Wilson (Summer) observes. “I think that’s what made Summer really nervous about revealing that she’s her daughter. She feels like that’s the last thing Maggie needs right now.” While it’s evident that the younger woman is mentally unstable, might there be…

FYIFYIFYI Rock ’N’ Roll: Learning to pop wheelchair wheelies was “a highlight” of Miller’s hospital stays. Tube Time: GH was a part of Miller’s therapy. “There was a lot of waiting. A lot of downtime. And a lot of daytime television!” Growing Experience: “You learn a lot” during extended hospital stays, says Miller. Playing It Safe: “I’ve got pretty girls everywhere — not bad!” Miller quips, skirting love triangle questions with a joke. GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Billy Miller (Jason) can relate on a personal level to what his onscreen son, Jake, has been through at Shiners Hospitals For Children. “I was a Texas Scottish Rite kid, which is very similar to being a Shriners kid,” reveals Miller. “I had tarsal coalition, which means I had tons of ankle surgeries and was…

GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Emme Rylan (Lulu) has played her fair share of vixens over the years. So she had just the advice for her son, Jackson, 6, when he came home crushed over being cast as The Lion King’s wicked Scar in a children’s theater production. “I gave him this whole pep talk about how, prior to GH, I always played the bad guy — like forever!” she says. “I would go in to audition for the nice girl, then they would give me the mean girl script and have me come back to read for that.” Rylan suspects she landed those roles because she’s not afraid to go big. “You can do nice, but can you do outrageous, crazy things and not care what people think of you?” she poses.…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: July 25. Hometown: Stuart, FL. Her Main Squeeze: Godfrey is currently in a relationship with actor Marco James Marquez (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES). Spring Flings: During B&B’s extended break last month, the actress traveled to Hawaii to attend the nuptials of her costar, Darin Brooks (Wyatt). She then flew to her native Florida to catch up with family. They say the truth will set you free, but when it comes to the secret THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Caroline is harboring — namely, that her newborn son’s purported babydaddy is actually his grandfather and that Ridge’s son, Thomas, is actually the pop — you’ve really got to wonder about that old adage. “The truth might set Caroline free,” agrees her portrayer, Linsey God-frey, “but it would also cause a…

Dear Alexis, I’m saving the good stuff for the altar. But I just want you to know that when I found you again after all those years, I was reborn. Not only did I leave my crime family, but I got what I wanted the most: a real family. And it’s all thanks to you. You’ve made me a better man — both by what you expect of me and what you give to me. You’re my guiding star, my best friend and my true home. I can never repay you for everything you’ve given me, but I’m going to do my best to try — starting today, for the rest of our lives. I can’t wait to see you walk down that aisle to me. I know you’ll take…

Vilasuso is a guest at a dinner party from hell in The Invitation, which was just released in theaters and on Video On Demand. “It’s probably the best film I’ve ever been in,” he enthuses. “It’s so good. It’s a thriller that builds up.” Fellow GL alum Tammy Blanchard (Drew) stars as Eden, who, along with her new husband, David, has invited her ex, Will, and several friends over for a dinner party to reconnect — two years after she and Will lost their son and she fell out of touch. It doesn’t take long before a paranoid Will begins to suspect that Eden and David have more on their agenda than serving dinner. “It’s a very psychological, well-told story that gets under your skin,” Vilasuso shares. “I’m really proud…

Sam would love nothing more than to combine business and pleasure with Jason by having him join her private investigation biz. And heaven knows that in Port Charles, couples who play (detective) together tend to stay together, at least for a while. For example……

Three ABC Daytime alumni welcomed babies late last month! GH’s former Lucky, Jacob Young (now THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Rick), and his wife, Christen, welcomed Grace Elizabeth on March 20, 11 days ahead of schedule. “She is a beauty, like her mother,” the proud pop shared on Instagram. The 6 lb., 11 oz., darling joins big brother Luke, 7, and sister Molly, 2. Then, on March 24, ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s Melissa Fumero (Adriana) gave birth to son Enzo, her first child with husband David Fumero (Cristian). The couple told People.com that their 7 lb., 15 oz., newborn had “a lot of dark hair.” Baby Enzo was born an hour before the announcement that her hit FOX sitcom, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, had been renewed for a fourth season. David currently…

The latest comings and goings — and how they will change your shows! The In Depth Story: After spending a few delicious months with son Sebastian (born January 20) and daughter Victoria, almost 2, Castillo tells Soaps In Depth that she’s “definitely ready” for some GH drama. “Although I’m incredibly grateful for the time with my family, I’ve missed playing Sabrina so much,” says the actress, who has been off since December. “I begin shooting the third week of April, and I’m excited to jump back into Sabrina’s story. I took a long leave this time around, because I wanted to be able to give my best when I came back.” While Sabrina has been on the run with Carlos, Castillo has been busy adjusting to having two babies in…

GH’s Nikolas has been dropping Spencer’s name a lot in scenes lately, keeping the young Cassadine present even while his portrayer, Nicolas Bechtel, is working full-time on Disney Channel’s STUCK IN THE MIDDLE. So when the young star began posting social media videos and pictures from the soap’s set in mid-March, fans got excited. “He was here for a photo shoot,” explains a show spokesperson, referring to a two-day gallery session with the entire cast — and that’s good news! Bechtel’s involvement proves he’s still part of the GH family, and the social media-savvy kid confirms that he will “be back soon” but teases that fans will have to “wait and see” whether Spencer makes it back for The Nurses Ball. ABC is still mum on when Spencer will return…

An unexpected person becomes Quinn’s knight in shining armor on Monday, April 11, freeing her from her con finement, but with Dollar Bill on the hunt for her on Tuesday, April 12, she may not be free for long! Nicole feels utterly betrayed on Wednesday, April 13, after Sasha reveals that she and Zende are in love. Brooke and Bill are disappointed to discover Katie’s hidden stash of booze on Thursday, April 14. On Friday, April 15, Ridge and Caroline’s happy life is on the verge of unraveling when someone threatens to expose their secret.…

YOU WIN SOME... GH fans got an update on Epiphany’s romance with Milo… YOU LOSE SOME... … but the entire thing is unfolding offcamera! There’s nothing better than when we are talking with soap fans on Twitter — you can find us at @soapsindepthabc — and they notice a hole in a plot point which is addressed soon after by the soap. That was the case when Kristina’s professor, Parker, showed up on her doorstep for a chat which included a whole lot of mixed messages. Even as the twitter verse found themselves saying, “Hey, you could have called instead of confusing things with this visit!” Parker admitted that she should have done just that. Meanwhile, watching Kristina’s journey of self-discovery has been fascinating, but it’s also left us almost…

While Jake’s recent hospital stay was packed with the requisite GH drama, the Shriners kids who had roles brought an energy to the scenes that Miller recognized. “You can see them in the background, cruising around with their big smiles, which was like my experience,” he says. “People are afraid of the hospital and children’s hospitals — ‘Oh my gosh, it’s so sad!’ “I get that,” he goes on, “but the fact that places like this exist and try to address those issues is amazing. It’s an uplifting spirit, and you felt that on set.” And for the record, Miller also got in on the fun. “The kids were having a good time, and I’m basically a big, giant kid!” he says. “So I was making jokes off screen. On…

Matt Cohen (Griffin) knew his family would be thrilled he’d booked a full-time gig on GH (or anywhere, for that matter!). But he says that he was “blown away” by his father’s response. “When I called him to tell him about the job, he said, ‘Just so you know, I named your sister after Sonny’s wife,’” explains Cohen, who has a half sibling named Carly. “My father’s been a longtime fan of GH. I had no idea!” As it turns out, Cohen’s pop is a fan of Maurice Benard’s Sonny in particular — and the actor notes that there are “strange similarities” between the men. “When I first laid eyes on Maurice, I was like, ‘Man, you could be my dad’s brother!’” Cohen recalls. “My dad has a lighter eye…

On ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Trevor St. John was fascinating to watch as he masterfully transitioned from playing Walker Laurence to Todd Manning and finally Victor Lord. Now, he’s taken on a new challenge as Leo, an investigative journalist-turned blogger who’s poised to uncover a government conspiracy in The CW’s new drama, CONTAINMENT (premiering Tuesday, April 19, at 9 p.m. EST). Secrets And Lies “The show is about what happens to the people within and without a cordon that is constructed as a result of a viral outbreak,” St. John reveals. “It’s also about the possibility of bureaucratic deceit.” As the tale unfolds, Leo will go to great lengths to cover the story in the hope that it will boost his career. “I’m suspicious of authority and bureaucracy, and some…

For years, GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Kin Shriner (Scotty) has been riding around Ft. Lauderdale and Los Angeles on a Vespa. But it’s his brand-new twowheeler that is currently his prized possession. Soaps In Depth caught up with him and then followed along for a day of open air in the City Of Angels.…

Seamus Dever had been screentesting for GENERAL HOSPITAL for years before the show finally created the character of Dr. Ian Devlin for him in 2008. “Devlin was supposed to be this guy who was smuggling in cancer drugs from China, and then it became heroin, and then he decided to try to assassinate Sonny,” the actor recalls, adding that things changed when the writers’ strike ended. “[Headwriter] Bob Guza came back, and I don’t know if Devlin fit in with his vision for the show.” His Silver Lining Indeed, it was tough to recover from being the guy whose stray bullet landed a young Michael in a long-term coma — Jason made sure Devlin paid for the mistake with his life! “My hope was that maybe being on GH would…

… or has THE WALKING DEAD become the unlikeliest — and arguably the best — soap opera on television? Though the AMC hit’s sixth season has served up as much zombie mayhem as ever — possibly more, considering that memorable midseason massacre — it’s also beautifully played its makeshift families. (Did anyone not choke up when Spencer had to put down his undead mother? Or when Carl told Michonne that he loved her enough to do the same for her?) What’s more, the series’ couples are so appealing — from beleaguered marrieds Glenn and Maggie to newly paired Rick and Michonne — that when they’re not tugging at our heartstrings, they’re making our pulses race for fear that they’ll be broken up — or worse, literally torn apart! (Poor Denise…

Q: What makes you cry? William Devry (Julian, GH) “All you have to do is go watch a Hope For Paws animal rescue video and you’ll see. Cruelty is difficult to comprehend.” Matt Cohen (Griffin, GH) “The smell of my son’s breath. Right now, he smells like 11 months of sweet oxygen.” Kate Linder (Esther, Y&R) “A sad movie will make me cry. I cried when Studio 31 was dedicated to [B&B’s executive producer/headwriter] Bradley Bell. That was very emotional.” Jordi Vilasuso (Dario, DAYS) “My daughter, Riley. As parents, we get worried and [think], ‘If something ever happens… ’ We go there because we care so much about our children. That definitely makes me tear up. My wife, Katie, is the only woman who has ever made me cry.” Sean…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL Brooke checked up on Katie to be sure she didn’t do any drinking at Steffy and Wyatt’s wedding, only to catch her about to sneak a drink! When Bill walked in on their argument, Katie pleaded with her sister to keep quiet. The newlyweds, meanwhile, shared ideas on how to solidify their marriage, but Steffy still couldn’t resist reminiscing about her time with Liam. And when Bill revealed that he’d unsuccessfully sent Justin on a search for Liam, she couldn’t help but start fearing the worst. Liam, meanwhile was slowly recalling his past, leaving him more and more distrustful of Quinn. And when he finally remembered his name and his love for Steffy, Quinn was left panicking that she’d soon have to face an encounter…

While Molly talks about T.J. all the time, her beau hasn’t been seen since Valentine’s Day. Why? His portrayer, Tequan Richmond, has been extremely busy working on other projects, like reshoots for a hot Showtime pilot, THE CHI, a movie he wrapped in Febr uary called Ringside (airing on TV ONE in August) and the in die thriller he’s currently filming in Michigan titled Nowhere, MI. “I play the lead, David, who’s on the run from meth dealers that he stole from,” Richmond tells In Depth of his latest project, also his first producing credit. “So we’re blowing up ice shacks and doing underwater explosions, and I’m shooting a sawed-off shotgun. It’s pretty cool!” Yet despite his hectic schedule, the Emmy nominee would always find time for a Port Charles…

With Nathan keeping secrets about his mysterious wife, his portrayer, Ryan Paevey, imagines it’s just a matter of time before Claudette shows up in Port Charles. “I think it’s going to happen,” he contends. “Why else would we be stirring up all this drama?” While that is pure speculation on Paevey’s part, the soap did send out a casting call back in February for a fiery leading lady in her 20s to play a new character. In Depth hears a heavy casting push had the GH halls crawling with women vying for the part, and the pool was narrowed down from several hundred to a few dozen. At press time, an actress had yet to be cast, and Paevey laughs at the idea that he would have a clue about…

A rather unexpected alliance may be formed when on Monday, April 11, Adam turns to Dylan for help. That same day, Nikki winds up alienating daughter-in-law Sage, which could make things awkward for Nick! Tensions rise between Billy and Jack on Tuesday, April 12. Victor and Nikki find themselves getting lost in memories of happier days on Wednesday, April 13. Ashley has some pretty harsh words for Phyllis on Thursday, April 14. And on Friday, April 15, Billy and Phyllis wind up playing a dangerous game! Will someone get hurt?…

On most topics, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Sasha isn’t one to hold her tongue. And yet, she has so far refused to broadcast the news about her real connection to the Avant family — namely, that she’s part of it! “[Her Daddy Dearest] Julius has wronged her so much, so why would she keep that a secret?” ponders Felisha Cooper (Sasha). “I’m not going to lie to you; I’ve wondered about that myself!” The actress suspects that her alter ego has grudgingly remained quiet because her level of feeling for her father runs deep, despite their strained history. “Maybe she’s thinking, ‘If I keep this secret, then one day he’ll realize what a burden this has been for me, and then he’ll finally love me,’” Cooper says. Then again,…

… or were some of you ladies slightly o f fended when GH’s Griffin shared his “policy” with Maxie? It seems the hot doc doesn’t “spend private time with attractive women who are also in a relationship. It just seems pointless.” Because God knows there’s no use for a beautiful woman besides a romance! Wowser, Griffin. If we were Maxie, you would have gotten a much different response. We realized that was a hint about his backstory, and we even got what he was saying, but it was a jarring moment. Up until that point, Griffin had proven pretty infallible. Sure, he’s sporting a mysterious bullet scar and has something dark in his past, but he came offas an incredibly respectful and godly guy who wouldn’t objectify a woman by…

Crimson Pride I love having Crimson back. Maxie, Nina and Dillon are perfect for the job and should be able to make the magazine flourish. I love the way they’ve been able to fix the problems with the first two issues. Barb McCart Simpson via Soaps In Depth Facebook page Too Old School All this Helena DARK SHADOWS bull is not working. It’s 2016! Her curses and threats and GENERAL HOSPITAL bringing back people from their graves, time after time? It’s too old and unbelievable. Come back to this century! Carmen Milagros Torres via Soaps In Depth Facebook page Bring On The Baby! I love Nina and Franco together. It would be tons of fun seeing them with a baby. Mari Smith-Roerig via Soaps In Depth Facebook page More Than…

William deVry (Julian) has one of the hottest bodies on daytime. And he works at it! “I do CrossFit,” reveals the actor. But he’s not into the lifestyle culture associated with the craze. “At my age, I don’t want to go to the gym and spend two hours pushing weights around. I’m selfmotivated,” he explains. “I have all the equipment in my garage — tires, sledgehammers, battle ropes, kettlebells, pull-up bars, sticky ribs… ” The hunk’s main motivation for working out is staying “functional in life,” he says. “It should be a prerequisite for every American citizen to stay in shape. It helps your mind — in terms of Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory loss — [plus] bone density and muscle density. Especially for men. The more we work out, the…

Tamara Tunie. In addition to her role of Jessica on AS THE WORLD TURNS, Tunie played coroner Dr. Melinda Warner on LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. Victoria Rowell. For years, Rowell managed to portray Druon Y&R while also making the rounds as Dr. Amanda Bentley on primetime’s DIAGNOSIS MURDER. Greg Rikaart. By day, Rikaart continued to stir up trouble as Kevin. By night, he slipped into the role of legal eagle Bobby Monroe on MAJOR CRIMES. Karla Mosley. When she wasn’t playing Maya on THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL, Mosley knew how to put together a mean mint julep as Southern belle Elodie on HART OF DIXIE. Justin Hartley. Stepping into the shoes of Adam on Y&R didn’t mean Hartley stepped out of the shoes of Scott Trosman on…

Julian — AND — Alexis Friday, February 19, 2016 With Olivia’s bloody premonition looming over his head and a gun deal spiraling out of control, GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Julian tempted fate by seeing his bride-to-be before the wedding — hair curlers, reading glasses and all! But nothing was going to stop this pair from saying “I do.” “Today I will rectify years of mistakes by marrying you,” Julian promised. “We’re finally going to have the life we deserve.” Family Affair With the big day upon her, Alexis was wound so tightly that Kristina feared her “head’s about to pop off!” Luckily, Diane provided a distraction by bursting into the house spouting a feminist rant against marriage… only to erupt in giggles. Then, as Molly, Kristina, Sam and Diane worked their way…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: June 15. Hometown: Miami, FL. A Hallmark Moment: Mrs. Vilasuso’s younger sister is in-demand teen actress Bailee Madison, currently starring in Hallmark Channel’s THE GOOD WITCH series and Northpole movies. She also plays the young Snow White on ONCE UPON A TIME. “She does not stop working,” Vilasuso says of the 16-year-old. Must-See TV: The shows that have season passes on Vilasuso’s DVR include 60 MINUTES and DAYS. “I like watching DAYS and seeing the other stories. And, of course, we watch Bailee’s show, THE GOOD WITCH.” DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Dario is a guy with a lot of baggage — and his portrayer, Jordi Vilasuso, is loving getting to unpack it bit by bit. “He’s been floating under the radar, so now getting back to his family……

MY FAVORITE DAYS ARE: “When I have character-related dialogue with no exposition.” MY VERY FIRST DAY, I REMEMBER THINKING TO MYSELF: “‘Holy [bleep], there’s Maurice Benard (Sonny)! I hope I don’t screw this up.’ He’s very intimidating when you first meet him — before you know he’s also a goof! It had been a few years since I’d been on a soap set, so I was thinking, ‘Am I going to bring it? Or am I going to totally whiff?’ That day remains one of my favorite days at GH. I cherish those scenes with him. They were beautifully written. We were in a bar in Bensonhurst, and he was inviting me to his wedding to Megan Ward’s Kate. It was one of those completely non-expository scenes, with two characters…

The reveal of Hayden’s secret identity pulled the rug right out from under her, but the fast-talking con artist never stopped fighting to get back on solid ground. And the harder the GENERAL HOSPITAL vixen kicked, connived, begged and cried, the more impressed we were with portrayer Rebecca Budig! Busted By Sam And Liz! Upon hearing Sam utter the name Naomi Dreyfus, Hayden blanched but quickly caught herself and, arms crossed protectively, played dumb. When that didn’t work, she went on the attack, even kicking Sam out before panic took hold. Alone, Hayden clutched the couch, quivered and exhaled. After an anxious call to Diane about her backup plan, she sat down at the computer to see how bad this was… only to make it worse by talking to herself!…