Table of contents for August 17, 2015 in ABC Soaps In Depth

ONE LIFE TO LIVE fan fave Erin Torpey (Jessica) is pregnant with her second son! The actress and her husband, Hamilton Von Watts, are already parents to 5-year-old Izaiah (pictured on the left at age 2) and will welcome the new baby later this year. Meanwhile, Terri Conn (Aubrey) and Austin Peck (Rick) only announced that they were expecting their second child together a few weeks ago, and the baby is already here! Morgan Theresa was born on July 18 and was welcomed into the Peck family by big sister Keira as well as Conn’s daughter, Julia, and Peck’s sons, Austin and Roman, from their prior marriages.…

We’ve got good news and bad news for DAYS OF OUR LIVES fans. First, the good: Nicole gets a not-so-friendly visitor this week when Daniel’s ex, Chloe, returns to town. Now, the bad: Chloe’s portrayer, Nadia Bjorlin, is only scheduled to appear in a brief arc. (What would it take to keep the knockout in Salem?) In other news, ONE LIFE TO LIVE hunk John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex) has been tapped to succeed Jay Kenneth Johnson and Kyle Brandt in the role of Victor and Kate’s son, Philip. He’ll debut in early December — sadly, long after OLTL sis Melissa Archer (Natalie) will have last appeared on DAYS as Serena! Finally, soap newcomer Olivia Rose Keegan has been cast as Shawn and Belle’s daughter, Claire. The young actress will presumably first…

Tensions arise between Ridge and Thomas when they squabble over the quality of the younger man’s recent work on Monday, August 3. Caroline thinks seriously about her romantic past — and future — on Tuesday, August 4, and later surprises Ridge with a startling request on Wednesday, August 5. Brooke confides in Eric about her skepticism regarding Julius on Thursday, August 6, and they wonder whether his attitude toward Maya is sincere. On Friday, August 7, Dollar Bill does the unthinkable: offers an apology where it is due!…

Recovering from a breakup with a first love can be rough going, but while the heartbreak of DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Paige is the normal stuffof a teenaged girl, her reaction to it is not. And really, can you blame her? Finding out about JJ and Eve’s affair was a double whammy that also left Paige distanced from her mother. “Look, love is blind,” observes Paige’s portrayer, True O’Brien. “You can completely trust someone, and then when you break up with them, you look back and realize that all the signs were there.” Not only is Paige now berating herself, but the poor girl is also feeling very alone. That’s why it’s no surprise that she’s connecting with inappropriate strangers like Kyle, the cute new drug dealer she recently met.…

Have you noticed an easy, breezy connection between Ric and Nina that almost makes it seem like they’ve known each other for years? Well, that’s because in real life, their respective portrayers, Rick Hearst and Michelle Stafford, have! “We go way back, even before she was Phyllis on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS,” Hearst reveals. “I’ve known Michelle for years. She was roommates with my kid’s godmother. So I had actually met Michelle 20-some years ago, when Nicky was a baby. She always had that ‘Let’s go get it!’ kind of energy. She was always up, and always very real. Always very positive.” Although both actors were on Y&R at the same time during Hearst’s stint as Matt, they never worked together until GH. “Now,” he marvels, “we just look…

Let’s face it, Nick has had more relationships than Don Juan. But Morrow says he’s having a blast being paired with Sage’s portrayer, Kelly Sullivan (ex-Kate, GH). “She is like an awesome action movie whenever I work with her — just fun, free and cool.” And the hunk loves that Nick and Sage are being cautious about their relationship, even after agreeing to move in together. “The characters haven’t fallen in love completely with puppy dogs and white picket fences,” he says. “It’s complicated, which makes it a very good, mature story. I’m having fun!”…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: December 9. Hometown: Brisbane, Australia. Yada, Yada, Yada: SEINFELD is one of the actress’ favorite TV shows. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Clothes Encounters: Brewer digs her character’s cute midriffdresses. “I really like her wardrobe. It’s young and great fun. She dresses very differently than I do, which is a nice change for me.” THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Ashleigh Brewer (Ivy) has a bucket list of places she’d like to explore in the United States, but the native Australian may have to wait to start ticking locales offher list. “I’d definitely like to see a few things, but for the last year, I’ve been so focused on this job,” she admits. “I’m taping a lot — and that’s a good thing!” Indeed, the return of…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL Liam called it quits with Ivy, unaware that she knew a game-changing secret about Steffy. Wyatt did his best to cheer Ivy up, and Steffy worried about her deepest, darkest secret being revealed. Thorne became increasingly concerned about Aly’s mental state as accusations about her behavior ran rampant following the fashion show. Thomas returned to work at Forrester more determined than ever to make his mark as a designer, but he and his father didn’t see eye to eye on several matters — including the topic of Caroline! Quinn fumed when she found Deacon and Brooke palling around, but he made it clear to his wife that he was committed to only her. What does one young woman do when she thinks that no one…

The In Depth Story: Valerie is in a pretty awkward position these days. Sure, Lulu is trying to forget about the fact that her husband and cousin locked lips, and Dante is doing everything he can to get his marriage back on track. But Valerie is still being painted as a lady on the make by folks like Maxie who refuse to believe that the new girl in town isn’t trying to steal Dante away from his wife! Fortunately for Valerie, Dillon is a nice guy who just happens to have an empty dance card. His suggestion that they go on a few dates in order to stop tongues from wagging about her relationship with Dante is the perfect offer coming at the perfect time. And while Dillon has the…

The latest comings and goings — and how they will change your shows! The In Depth Story: Moments before Hayden was shot, you’ll recall that she had an attack of conscience and was determined to inform Jake that he was actually Jason. Should her memory remain intact postcoma, she would have nothing to gain by keeping Liz and Nikolas’ secret. That is, unless the dark prince threatens to finish what he started and put her in a body bag instead of a hospital bed if she blabs! If Hayden does the right thing and reveals to Liz’s boyfriend that he already has a wife, that’s where Soaps In Depth sees Ander-son and his alter ego returning to the storyline: Once Jake knows that he is Jason, his BFFcan help him…

Jack and Phyllis take the honeymoon they never got to have after their first wedding, but things take a shocking turn on Monday, August 3! Noah and Marisa turn up the heat on Tuesday, August 4, while things could potentially get awkward for Hilary and Neil on Wednesday, August 5! It’s looking on Thursday, August 6, as if Billy and Victoria may be reconnecting. And on Friday, August 7, Stitch is getting closer to… hey, that’s not Abby! It’s her mom!…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: December 6. Birthplace: New York, NY. What’s In A Name?: Shriner’s father, satirist Herb Shriner, named his twin sons, Wil and Kin, after fellow humorists Will Rogers and Frank McKinney “Kin” Hubbard. Early To Bed: “If I can be asleep by 8:30 or 9,” the actor admits, “I’m out.” Ladies’ Man: “Over the years, Scott’s had relations with a lot of women, and each one of them brought something different to his life,” says the GH-er. “You want fun, you’ve got Lucy Coe. You want old-fashioned love, you’ve got Laura. Want hot stripper sex? Bobbie. They are all great.” “Iwas pretty much born on television,” GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Kin Shriner (Scotty) says proudly. Okay, maybe he doesn’t mean that literally… but close. “My father had a show in the…

Upon first finding out that she’d be donning a black wig and accent to play Denise, GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Maura West (Ava) wasn’t convinced she could pull it off. “She called me when she got the script,” says headwriter Ron Carlivati, “and she said, ‘Woah, woah, woah… what is up with this Denise? I can’t do that accent!’” The scribe, however, knew otherwise. “I told her, ‘You’re Maura West! You can do anything!’ She insisted she couldn’t do a Brooklyn accent, and I said, ‘That’s okay, Denise isn’t from Brooklyn, she’s from Queens!’” After practicing at home for a while, West showed up on set and nailed the outrageous character. “I knew she could,” says Carlivati. “I saw her performance, and it was exactly what I’d imagined. I never doubted for…

… or is GH’s Ava making some pretty poor decisions of late? First, she decided to fill Franco in on her true identity. Given their past — she tried to assassinate him and he left her to be killed by Carlos during the jailbreak — he’d be just about the last person Ava should trust! Then there’s her inability to stop sexing up Morgan. Hey, we get that the guy is hotter than the surface of the sun, but what we assume is supposed to be coming offas undeniable chemistry between them is actually making both look like despicable horndogs who don’t care who they hurt!…

This summer, ABC’s THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB is telling more than just the tale of the women who stood behind America’s brave first men in space. It’s also sharing how the emotionally taxing experience impacted their families. In the episode airing Thursday, August 13, at 8 p.m. EST, GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Jimmy Deshler (ex-Rafe) guest-stars as Marty, the son of astronaut Wally Schirra and his pragmatic wife, Jo. “I did a lot of research when I found out about the role,” Deshler confides. “I loved that there’s so much actual history behind it.” They Held Their Breath In the episode, look for Marty to share the angst and conflict that comes with watching his famous father risk his life among the stars. “Marty’s close with his dad, even though he’s rarely…

Kin Shriner (Scotty, GH) “From the minute Tony set foot at GH — and it seems like only yesterday — he brought a game that caused actors to sit up and take note. Tony and I became fast friends, and we have remained close friends through the years. His humor is like no one else’s. And all of his Emmys are well-deserved. His talent was quite obvious on day one back in 1978. We’ve promised to keep in touch, and I have threatened to visit him in Amsterdam. He said the key will be under the mat — when that day comes.” Nathan Parsons (ex-Ethan, GH) “I’ve been so blessed to work with Tony for seven years, and in those seven years, I’ve learned so much from him as a…

FYIFYIFYI All You Can Tweet: @wallykurth. His Hometown: Billings, MT. Top 5: The soap star is the youngest of five children. On The Road: In his free time, Kurth enjoys bicycle riding. Saddle Up: In 2014, Kurth appeared in Tall In The Saddle Building Champions, his brother’s documentary about high school rodeos. If Wally Kurth could have continued doing double duty on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, where he plays Justin, and GENERAL HOSPITAL, where he was Ned, he would have done so indefinitely. “I tried,” he insists. “But it became pretty clear [once DAYS put me under contract] that I couldn’t do both.” Being able to play both of the roles that had long felt like his alter egos was fun, especially since the two characters were at radically different…

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Alyvia Lind (Faith) has been tapped to play a young Dolly Parton in the upcoming NBC flick Coat Of Many Colors, based on the iconic singer’s early life. While Lind will be taking some time offfrom the soap to film the made-for-TV movie, that doesn’t mean that Sharon and Nick’s daughter will necessarily be offscreen. In fact, Lind shares her Y&R job with another young actress, Mckenna Grace, depending on which child is available. Earlier this summer, Grace was filming Independence Day 2, which meant that Lind was Faith in recent episodes, so now Grace will take over while her counterpart steps into Dolly Parton’s life for a bit.…

When Helena told Luke, “Sadly, this may be the last time we see each other,” we were hoping that Nikolas’ wicked grandmother was only saying farewell to her longtime nemesis — since Anthony Geary was retiring — and not the audience as well. But was she? “There is certainly unfinished business with Jason, Liz and Jake,” points out her portrayer, Constance Towers. “She did have Little Jake in Greece since the accident. And wouldn’t it be fun to find out that Spencer is keeping Helena informed about everything going on?”…

Let’s get ready to rumble! Or rather, let’s get ready to watch other people rumble, because that’s what is likely to happen when Carly pays “Denise” a visit on Tuesday, August 4. By Wednesday, August 5, Carly is looking at her son, Morgan, through suspicious eyes, while Sonny is across town setting up an important meeting. Friday, August 7, finds Morgan being called on the carpet by his parents, while at the same time, Ava prepares to drop one heck of a bomb… but will she do it as herself, or her dark-haired alter ego? Morgan remains in the hot seat as his parents grill him about his recent behavior on Monday, August 10. Although Julian continues to claim he has nothing to do with the recent attacks, Sonny decides…

Poor Nicole is going to start offthe week on a sour note when she winds up in a major catfight with Daniel’s ex, Chloe, on Monday, August 3. Wonder how Daniel will react when he walks in on their showdown on Tuesday, August 4? With things at the Kiriakis mansion in a state of upheaval, Theresa manages to turn things to her advantage on Wednesday, August 5. But just when she thinks that things are going her way, she finds out otherwise on Friday, August 7!…

Rick and Ridge aren’t clasping arms and singing “Kumbaya,” but THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL siblings have come pretty darn close in recent months. Are their days of slinging insults and throwing punches really over for good? Being a man in love has helped Rick come to terms with his corporate defeat, thinks his portrayer, Jacob Young. “He was willing to drop everything [including his CEO position] for Maya. She’s much more important to him than any job.” Still, it’s difficult to imagine that Rick will be satisfied playing second fiddle, having previously been the one calling the shots. His aspirations to run his father’s company have bordered on an obsession for years. “As far as he’s concerned, he’s been the best CEO Forrester ever had, after Eric,” says Young.…

Ryan Carnes took a break from playing Lucas last fall to shoot a movie in Arizona and New Mexico called False Memory Syndrome, and the plot is out of this world… literally! “I play the lead, a guy n a m e d Chris Norton, whose father was obsessed with aliens his whole life,” the handsome actor explains. “My character’s mother was actually abducted by aliens, but he rejected that theor y. So he goes out with his best friend to make a documentary to debunk the myth of aliens.” Anybody else suspect that things don’t go exactly as planned for Chris and his buddy? “It’s a cool story,” Carnes smiles, adding that filming the special effects required him to use a lot of visualization techniques. “It’s difficult to act…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: February 8. Birthplace: Juneau, AK. Book It: Morrow recently read Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas L. Friedman’s book, Hot, Flat And Crowded. “It’s so depressing, but it’s eye-opening!” he declares. “It’s a blueprint of where we’re heading if we don’t wake up!” Two and a half years ago, the reallife family of THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Joshua Morrow (Nick) changed forever when his wife, Tobe, gave birth to daughter Charlie Jo — the first girl in their clan, which includes sons Cooper, Crew and Cash. “For wont of a better word, she’s just a different human being!” laughs the proud father. “Even when my sons were little boys, all I could think about was turning them into men. How do I make these little cavemen into respectable, productive,…

When Nathan Parsons (ex-Ethan, GENERAL HOSPITAL) signed up to be a part of the parade of stars returning for the send-offof Anthony Geary (ex-Luke), he had no idea that he’d actually have fun, too! The busy primetime actor was on hiatus from his starring role on The CW’s THE ORIGINALS but fit right back into Ethan’s boots. “Driving into the studio this morning, I was apprehensive because I knew everything had changed,” he told Soaps In Depth, the magazine that he invited to follow his hectic day at GH. “But as it turns out, I’m having a great time.” Parsons taped two episodes during his one day in Port Charles. “Just how I like it,” he said. “Keeping busy!” After executive producer Frank Valentini wove his scenes together with Emma…

It was a crazy, topsy-turvy day for GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Carly, who found herself dealing with joyful news, a proposal and a shocking realization in quick succession. And as each new twist unfolded, portrayer Laura Wright rose to the challenge by always keeping a firm grip on exactly where on the emotional spectrum Carly was at any given moment! Once More, With Feeling! The day started with Sonny and Carly looking like a picture of the perfect family, complete with baby Avery and sun streaming through the windows. And just when Carly thought things couldn’t get any better, Sonny suggested she try one of the special treats he’d presented her with. There, she found an engagement ring as Sonny suggested that they tie the knot one last time. It was a…

Q: If you could add any new category to the Daytime Emmy Awards, what category would you introduce? Hayley Erin (Kiki, GH) “Best Love Scene. That’s not easy! They are the hardest! It would be so funny, too, because everyone would be at the Daytime Emmys and they’d be playing clips of all these love scenes. Can you imagine how awkward that would get? I would turn so red that my head might explode.” Dominic Zamprogna (Dante, GH) “An award for the actor who’s the best with the least amount of takes and the most amount of pages.” Sean Kanan (Deacon, B&B) “One in which I could be nominated — and win!” Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth, GH) “Best Performance For The Whole Year. I think it’s always unfair how we’re judged…