SOAP OPERA: UNCENSORED
Volume 1, Issue 7
BY NELSON BRANCO
Copyright 2011 Nelson Branco
INSIDE — Prospect Park Permanently Suspends Online Reboots of AMC and One Life! Is Disney to blame? Plus: AFTRA Responds! Exclusive Interview: Lexi Ainsworth sounds off on her GH firing! Plus: Has another soap approached her? Is she joining Dirty Soap? Also: Lexi sounds off on Kimberly McCullough’s upcoming exit! Will Robin die of AIDS? Exclusive: Y&R’s Eric Braeden on Melody Thomas Scott’s comeback, six-month absence, Madison Avenue “ridiculous” demo obsessions, and soap cancellations! Which soap villain is headed to the slammer? It’s Venice: Season Three Premiere Week! Plus: Win a season-three pass! Also: Why did Venice recast Gina Tognoni? Shocker: B&B’s Jack Wagner Reunited With Daughter He Never Knew About! #OccupyLlanview: Secrets from One Life’s Last Tape Day! Another World’s Queen Victoria Wyndham speaks about the future of soaps! DAYS recasts Susan with One Life vet! Lauralee Bell: “My family was offered a reality-TV show!” Y&R’s Kate Linder Talks Jeanne Cooper and Michael Learned Over Tea! Last week’s Soap Reviews; Next Week’s Preview Cheat Sheet! And every week: Unbelievable Blind Items!
UNCENSORED MASTHEAD:
FOUNDER/EDITOR: Nelson Branco
EDITOR AT LARGE: Denette Wilford
ROVING REPORTERS: Shawn Brady, Tammy Kreiss
Follow Soap Opera Uncensored at: @nelliebranco or @SoapUncensored
UNCENSORED QUOTES OF THE WEEK:
“I don’t think ABC values our demographic. They really want that 18-25 demographic. And they did have it at one point; they had it in a big way. They ultimately don’t give a shit about our age group. Interestingly, Y&R really does. They know their bread and butter; they don’t want to alienate that part of their demographic.”
—Emmy winner Genie Francis contrasts GH and Y&R in an interview with Michael Fairman’s On Air, On Soaps
Translation: … Y&R just alienates their entire audience.
“I want to cut the 50-year cake — even if I have to do it in my living room. This is a medium in which I write for the next eight months and that spins off into another eight months worth of scripts and stories. You can’t do this job and think about an ending. (Writing for a soap is) like unstringing Christmas tree lights. Once you straighten it all out, you have a long line of (stories) going all over the place. It’s (easy to) just tell the stories, have fun and see where it goes. I don’t think about it ending ... Am I writing (in the shadow of) the Great White Shark, Katie Couric? No. I have stories for at least a couple of years down the line. Even if we do the best show ever every day, if no one is watching, it does not matter. Business people see how many people are watching and who is watching. That's what it comes down to.”
—Head writer Garin Wolf on the future of GH in an interview with knoxnews.com
Translation: If you believe all of that, I have a Port Charles bridge to sell you.
“There was nothing wrong with the storylines or the cast. It was the cost and nobody could change that. But it’s been 42 wonderful years, and how many people have that? I can’t complain too much.”
—Agnes Nixon to the Wall Street Journal on One Life’s cancellation
Translation: Who knew One Life was still on the air?
COVER STORY:
Soap mafia princess Lexi Ainsworth: In her first interviewing since being fired, the GH ingénue thanks her fans for their support and sounds off on Kimberly McCullough’s exit!
Next to the firing and re-hiring of fan favourite Becky Herbst, 2011’s most shocking dismissal was Soap Opera Spirit Award winner Lexi Ainsworth. But don’t cry for Lexi, Port Charles: Days after being fired from GH, the Emmy-nominated actress booked a film, So This is Christmas, co-starring Vivica A. Fox and Eric Roberts.
Wise beyond her years, the 19-year-old is doing remarkable well. Uncensored spoke with the talented actress about her future, her tour-de-force performances on the embattled sudser, and how she felt when she lost the Emmy award this summer to AMC’s Brittany Allen.
Congrats! Did you get this movie while you were on GH or after you were let go?
I got the movie while I was still on GH. For a while, I could tell [the powers-that-be] were talking about aging my character. My agent called [executive producer] Jill [Farren Phelps] to ask what was happening so we could prepare for pilot season. The next day she told my agent she was letting me go. That happened a week before I had booked the movie. At that time, GH agreed to work around my schedule. My last tape day was two days before I had to shoot in Oklahoma City for So This is Christmas. And while this was all happening, I had to move out of my apartment and put everything in storage! It was a crazy week!
That sucks. Your life literally changed within a couple of weeks!
Yes, big changes. I’m getting my own place in January. I’m becoming an adult. I believe everything happens for a reason.
Did having to shoot the movie right after you left GH lessen the blow?
It definitely helped. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation post-GH. It was perfect timing, actually. I miss my castmates the most. I believe everything happens for a reason and works out for the best. It was just my time … and I really wanted to do more movies.
You already sound like an adult!
[Laughs] Thank you!
Were you stunned when you were let go? Even your co-star Kimberly McCullough spoke out in the press in your defence. I mean, we were all stunned because you’re one of the most talented and popular actresses in the business.
I kind of sensed it was coming. Over the past few months, I had been working less and less. After being on the show for almost three years, I quickly recognized the pattern: you get a big storyline, and then you work less and less before they let you go. Some of the actors on the show even took pay cuts to keep their jobs. When my agent called, I was already mentally prepared. I found out the news before my last episode.
Soaps In Depth tweeted that they had known about your firing for some time but agreed not to reveal it at ABC’s request. Do you think ABC was scared of a Becky Herbst-esque fan campaign, which singlehandedly saved her job? Could your fans have saved your job with some notice?
I don’t know … that’s a good question. Fans definitely have a voice — and they have brought back people because of the fans. But I doubt it would have made a difference because it was too late already.
Kimberly just announced she’s quitting …
I’ve know for quite some time that Kimberly was planning to leave because we’re not just castmates; she is also a good friend. So just as Kimberly was asked not to say anything about her leaving, I was told the same thing when I found out I was leaving the show ... which is why I appreciated her talking to Digest about her take on the circumstances. I know she always has my best interests at heart … and knows a lot more about how things in the industry work because she’s been in it for so much longer than I have. I’m so excited about her plans to direct more things. I hope I can continue to be a part of her projects because she is very talented, as seen by all the awards Nice Guys has been receiving.
You and Nathan Parsons’ had great, albeit provocative, chemistry. Do you think that was the main reason you were let go?
Well, they are recasting Kristina with someone older so I think that’s true. Some of the fans loved us but some didn’t. I think the age difference really made GH nervous. In real life, Nathan and I are only two years apart. Instead of recasting Nathan, they decided to make Kristina older.
Yet, Nathan may be leaving the show. I find it telling that by ABC’s standards, it’s OK to beat the living daylights out of a teenage Kristina but God forbid she fall in love with
a man!
[Laughs] I know.
You can’t take your recasting personally because they’re recasting everyone around Maurice Benard. It’s kind of fishy …
Yes, they are.
As much as we miss you, I do have to say that I’m happy you’re out of there and focusing on the future because it’s clear ABC wants to cancel this show. Do you still wish the show well?
Yes, of course. I have no ill feelings towards GH and I hope it still stays on the air. It’s sad that soaps are being cancelled and everything is moving to the Internet now. I mean, I get it… no one’s at home during the day and everyone uses TiVo. But I feel bad for people who have watched the show for decades. Many of our fans began watching the show with their grandparents, just like I did. Yes, eventually the show will go off the air but I hope it will go on the Internet.
Did you watch GH or any other soaps before you were cast?
Yes, I did. I watched GH, Y&R and B&B. My grandmother loves all the soaps!
As a fan, was it surreal when you first stepped foot in Port Charles?
Yes… a little bit. I never thought I’d be on a soap before but it was a lot of fun. It’s probably the best acting experience I have ever had. It was a great training ground. Yes, you have to act out these crazy storylines but it’s great for an actor because you never get bored. Especially when it came to my character because she had so many juicy storylines!
Have you been approached by any other soaps, or are you over soaps?
No, I haven’t been approached. I don’t know … I just want to continue to act and work. It depends on the character and where I’m at in my career.
You must have been touched by the unconditional support of your fans and castmates. GH fans are the most loyal I’ve ever seen. I try never to cross them!
[Laughs] Yes, our fans are the best! It was great. Soap fans are the most loyal fans you’ll ever have. And they’ll follow you throughout your career. A lot of my fans advised me not to take the firing personally. That was very helpful because I haven’t.
You poured your heart and soul into Kristina’s abuse storyline. Looking back, you must be very proud of yourself. You transcended that fine line between fiction and truth. You punctured that special artistic threshold that is so magical — and rare — to watch. I don’t know how you did it. There were moments when I was like, “I can’t believe she went there at her age!”
I was proud of that storyline. I am definitely proud of my work. It was also a lot of fun. Everyone on the show was so helpful. I got to do a lot of research on teenage dating abuse. It was nice to meet real-life victims and lend my time to a bunch of charities. It’s always rewarding to play out a storyline you have never experienced in real life. I’ve made a lot of great relationships … and learned a lot!
You must have been exhausted during those scenes! I mean, I was exhausted watching you.
[Laughs] Yes! It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I wanted to do all my own stunts — so that wasn’t easy. I was bruised a lot! I’m happy I did my own stunt work because that physical experience ended up helping my performance. The storyline was very emotional. When I got home after a long day at work, I had to endure major headaches due to crying all day. I also worked longer hours because I had to rehearse all the stunts on my lunch break. It’s my best storyline thus far.
We were all stunned when you lost the Daytime Emmy award! We all went bat shit crazy … especially Nancy Lee Grahn!
[Laughs] She’s great. Honestly, I was so nervous about my acceptance speech, that when my name wasn’t called, I was instantly relieved.
Will you submit yourself next year?
Yes. I definitely want to. I want to submit this storyline again because [it bled] into 2011.
Many Emmy pundits don’t believe the blue ribbon panel doesn’t watch the younger performer reels.
Yeah. This was my first year to vote … and I did vote. But let me tell you, it’s not easy to watch every reel in a category, but I did. I wouldn’t be surprised if some voters skipped the reels in our category.
It’s bad karma. It would explain a lot of head-scratching winners in your category in the past few years. Having said that, a lot of younger actors win an Emmy once they’ve left their show: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anne Heche, etc. … I pray you win!
It was hard picking my reel this past year because I didn’t want it to be too graphic. I ended up submitting a clip of Kristina telling her parents what had happened to her. I think the Emmys are very political. For starters, it was my first nomination and a lot of people didn’t know who I was. It was also the last year the two other girls in my category were on their shows … I was against a lot.
Speaking of graphic, the makeup team had a field day bruising the hell out of Kristina! Was that your idea?
I didn’t have that much input. I trust all the girls who do makeup on the show. They are phenomenal. Because I’m allergic to latex, we originally tried to glue my eyelids together but that didn’t work because when I cried, my eyes opened. So we decided to put a fake eye over my real eye. It was very hard to cry with just one eye!
What have your soap parents, Maurice Benard and Nancy Lee Grahn, taught you as an actor?
A lot. They mostly taught me to pay attention to the details of my character … things I may have not looked closely at enough. Nothing really specific but they helped by just talking to me about a scene before we filmed it.
They took you out for lunch on your last day. That was sweet. Were they upset with your departure?
Yes, they were upset. We’re still in touch with each other.
What do you think of Kristina’s psychology?
I think Kristina is in a lot of pain. I wish GH had told a self-abuse storyline where she cut herself. She has so many issues … and has gone through so much. I thought that would be a realistic storyline for her.
I pray GH doesn’t cast a Kardashian as Kristina!
[Laughs]
You and Haley Pullos had great chemistry! Did you feel like a big sister in real life?
Oh, absolutely. I don’t have a younger sister in real life so she felt like one. We had a lot of fun together!
Did you always want to be an actor? I know you started in ballet …
Yes, I started ballet at 3. I’ve always loved performing and performing on stage. That led me to musical theatre in Oklahoma at age 6. During a workshop there, a manager from L.A. saw me and suggested I attend acting classes for the summer when I was 11. After two weeks there, an agent signed me! For a while, I flew back from home to L.A.
Your parents were supportive of your show business ambitions …
Oh, yeah. They’ve been very supportive. Certain things along the way led me to acting. All my friends wanted to go to college, but I thought, ‘I don’t know what I would study there.’ I just love acting. It sort of just happened.
It’s kind of ironic that the Christmas movie was filmed in Oklahoma. You returned to the scene of the crime!
[Laughs] I know, exactly! It was a lot of fun to be there. I got to visit my mom, dad, and my friends. It’s always nice to take a break from L.A.
Tell me about your character in Christmas.
I play Ashley. Her mom died when she was really young. Her stepmom doesn’t treat her well, so she fights for her dad’s attention. Then, a handyman arrives to fix our house, but what he really ends up doing is fixing the family. Ashley ends up working at a shelter and working with underprivileged children. In the end, she changes for the better.
What was it like working Vivica?
She’s awesome! She’s so funny. We talked about you a lot! She had great ideas when it came to our scenes. She’s very giving.
Did you talk about soaps? Viv was on Generations, DAYS and Y&R.
Yeah, she did bring up soaps. We mostly talked about what’s happening in soaps right now.
Who are your acting idols?
There are so many! I like Meryl Streep — I mean, who doesn’t? —
and Johnny Depp. I admire actors like them who can play any type of character. A lot of actors are typecast or play themselves. Meryl and Johnny can do anything.
Depp physically reminds me of Nathan Parsons a little bit.
Yeah, I can see that. For sure.
Did you watch Dirty Soap at all?
Yes, I did. I haven’t watch the last few shows because I’ve been travelling. I’ve never had a friend on a reality show so it was surreal to see that.
Would you ever join a show like Dirty Soap?
I’d consider it. I’ve never thought of doing a reality show. I might be interested in doing something like that. I know Kelly Monaco and I were talking about doing something on Dirty Soap, but it didn’t work out.
Well, you’re going to be a big star. None of your fans are worried about you.
I have high hopes!
THE EDGE OF SOAP:
The Rat House: Bob Iger Disses One Life!
Bad karma alert: Disney Chairman Bob Iger visited Live! With Regis and Kelly for Regis Philbin’s last show to announce that ABC Disney has put a plaque on the building in tribute to Regis. FYI: Iger began his successful career on AMC and Ryan’s Hope.
Down the street, the cast and crew of One Life were in tears as they taped the last broadcast show of the 40-plus-year-old soap. Iger, who got his start on ABC soaps, was a no-show and didn’t thank the serial that helped fund the alphabet network’s prime-time schedule for decades.
EJECT/PLAY:
Christmas in Oakdale: New DVD set out for the holidays!
Merry David Kreizman! Thanks to the success of SoapClassics.com’s release of the best As The World Turns episodes from the past, the company has released a new five-episode holiday-themed DVD set! Head over to soapclassics.com to purchase your stocking stuffer.
PODCAST OF THE WEEK:
Silas Kain’s Birthday Bash Extravaganza Spectacular!
Hosted by yours truly (pay cut included), my friend and pseudo lover Silas Kain celebrated three centuries on Earth this past Monday with an all-star guest list, which included the boldface likes of Another World’s Linda Dano and Victoria Wyndham; One Life’s Ilene Kirsten, Tonya Walker, and soap activist Catherine Hickland (who was flying through the hypnotic skies, but managed to visit our