colourful; whereas GH is not a colourful show. GH is like a black leather jacket. Which is OK, but too much of that….
We need to come out with T-shirts with: “What would Roxy do?” And do the opposite!
Yes, indeed. I feel blessed with Roxy. I got to do everything I ever wanted in my career with Roxy. Previously, I experimented with a Roxy-type of character in a show called MARVIN’S ROOM but Roxy was a completely labour of love. Maybe GENERAL HOSPITAL will need someone like Roxy to run a bar or something.
Would you bring Roxy over to GH? Or would you like to tackle a new role? Some in the press think you would be perfect as Laura’s sister, Amy, on GH.
I remember that character — and I didn’t like her at all! Also, I don’t ever want to play a nurse because it limits me [as an actress]. Who played her? Shell Kepler? I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but that character annoyed me so much. Unless they were going to do something different with the character…. Like if Amy was a doctor now. Look, I would like to have a job, but it has to be a role I can really throw myself into.
You’re work better at playing characters that are disenfranchised…
Oh, yeah! I met Shell — and she’s a very sweet girl and liked her a lot but her voice really annoyed me. I would love to do something on GH, but I don’t know how long the show will be on the air.
You’ve played Roxy for 10 years… and she’s only been married once! That’s unheard of… Leave it to Roxy to break all the rules!
You’ll have to ask Brian Frons why! If you could find him… I have a feeling the show wanted Roxy involved with other men, but I feel the network didn’t want Roxy with a love interest. Roxy did have Nigel…
No one took that relationship seriously. It was cute.
It wasn’t a real romantic relationship.
I was like, “Well, that cements it: Roxy’s an official fag hag!” [Laughs] I mean, it’s obvious to anyone with two eyes and ears that Nigel’s gay! Hello!
[Laughs] Yes!
Wanna know my end story for Roxy? I would’ve had Rox smashed after saving FRATERNITY ROW at Rodi’s, and the next day, we see Roxy in bed with Max Holden!
Oh, wow: that would’ve been great! But they didn’t ask Jim DePaiva back. Kassie was very upset, and I don’t blame her. I was upset, too! It would’ve been interesting if Max returned….
And Jim was a huge fan of ONE LIFE before joining the show… along with a lot of cast members. Yes, I know he had his difficult moments on the show…. Did you get along with Jim?
I loved working with him! I really did. We developed a really close relationship. It was also the first time he had some material in a long time. I was almost Jim’s straight person — that’s how funny Jim was. And the reveal happened on our live show! That was a mammoth undertaking, especially when Roxy burrows up to the bed and Max has no idea who is sleeping with him. Anything could have happened, especially when you’re live. There were a lot of cues… there were a lot of difficult things in the scene. It was wild. But we pulled it off. At the time, I think he was bored and disenchanted. And the fans loved us. But ABC wasn’t going to let us live. Also, we all suspected there was a plan to get rid of Jim before Roxy came into the picture. We’re not really sure why, but Brian Frons wanted Michael Easton on the show, so ABC traded Jim out.
And Jim was a big superstar on ONE LIFE. It’s kind of a cautionary tale.
It really was.
Did you watch the SOAPnet marathon of ONE LIFE’s most classic episodes the other day?
I didn’t yet. I taped it. I think I was only in one of the episodes.
Did the 10 years go by quickly?
I remember a lot of it. It wasn’t a blur. My time there was unbelievably positive, even if I wasn’t on all the time. But when they did write something for me, I found it very special. I really had some great stuff. Roxy was always a character that was present in people’s minds.
In my opinion, Roxy has become the heart and soul of the show, moreso than Viki Lord. Which is why when deciding on who should be the last ONE LIFE actor I interview, you immediately came to mind.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Thank you so much. I was very happy ONE LIFE gave me the FRAT ROW storyline because it was so important to the fans to know that they were being represented. That their pain and anguish was not going unnoticed — and there is a lot of pain associated with ONE LIFE’s demise.
And we’re always told our voices don’t matter. Clearly, they were heard on various fronts: From Hoover, Prospect to head writer Ron Carlivati, who wrote us in to the show. What are hearing from the industry about the FRAT ROW story? Because it’s also a love letter to the business in general…
Yes, it is. I haven’t heard from anyone on the other show, but I have from the audience who stop me on the street. I would hope writers and actors from other shows are watching because they’re in jeopardy, too. This could happen to any show. If CBS is smart, they’ll keep Y&R and B&B on forever because there will be a huge audience tuning in because soaps are becoming a [luxury item]. It may not be eight million viewers anymore, but there is still a four million-person audience out there. There’s nothing like a soap. Nothing!
I’m so thankful to have had such a fun, challenging, and versatile career on soaps: From RYAN’S HOPE, LOVING and ONE LIFE. I actually had fabulous stuff on LOVING. Remember Millee Taggart and Tom King?
Yes.
I’ve been really blessed. But my time on ONE LIFE has been my most memorable and fun. I always say, “Roxy is the most fun you can have legally” [Laughs]
[Laughs] You never age… but how young were you when you booked RYAN’S HOPE? At the time, you played older…
I was 22 years old. I was not new to the business. I’ve been working since I was 14. I had been on some TV but not a whole hell of a lot of TV before RYAN’S HOPE. Before RYAN’S HOPE I played these bad girls — mostly because they weren’t baptized or had no mother — so I was ready for Delia, and of course, I was really ready for Roxy. And when I got Roxy, it was after 9/11, I remember vowing: I’m going to so entertain people because we’re all so screwed up and bereft after this terrorist attack.
And you did, Blanche; you did, Blanche!
I was very inspired. [Then-executive producer] Gary Tomlin felt my energy so strong. I remember on my first day, he looked at me and thought: “What are you doing for the next six months.” He was astute enough to know Roxy had legs.
And hair! Are you like Rox at all?
Roxy is more retro than I am. She’s more ‘70s. Yet, I’m closer to Roxy than Delia in a way, especially our attitudes about things. We’re both hopefully optimistic. Here’s a perfect example: When ABC sent us the notice to clear out our dressing rooms by Dec. 9, I actually thought that meant we were going to a new beautiful studio in Long Island City or in Brooklyn. That’s how stupid I am! But I think Roxy would have thought that, too. To my credit, that was the day that Rich Frank was supposed to come in to do those scenes with me so I thought he was going to announce our new digs that day, too.
It would be nice if the “masterminds” at Prospect Park sat down and really answered our questions.
It would be. My big gripe with them is that they put out really negative things in the press that are lies. It’s completely inexcusable. If I were Susan Lucci, I think I would sue them. It’s been horribly unfair to a lot of people. I don’t know how people can get up in the morning and look at themselves and lie. They lied about the unions, our cast’s relationship with Prospect, buying the sets and the costumes, which they didn’t, and everything with Lucci.
It’s borderline slander what they did to Susan. This woman’s looking for work and they are leaking that she’s a big diva with all these demands for an upstart web show reboot.
It’s not cool. It’s really wrong. Also, putting it out there that they were moving the production to Canada. It’s despicable.
That was a lie. Our dollar is worth more now than your dollar — so it wouldn’t have been cheaper for them to come h
ere and film. In my opinion, Prospect is making ridiculous offers so this supposed venture never comes to pass.
Prospect Park just needs to give up the rights. Please give them up. Shame on them…
Do you think Prospect even has the rights?
I think they do. But I don’t know for certain…
When PP negotiates with the unions, I hope the unions demand to see proof they have the rights.
I’ve heard no money even exchanged hands. Anyone else coming into business with ABC would’ve had to offer more than just a handshake. It’s very bizarre.
My tweeps wanted me to ask if you have any plans to write a book? With all your soap hopping, I’m sure it would be juicy! We need to play six degrees of Ilene Kristen!
That would be cool! It would be juicy, but I wouldn’t have any crazy sexual adventures… I mean, there are a couple! Yep, there is a couple. I was smart: I made sure I didn’t get involved sexually or romantically with people I worked with. Yeah, I would write a book but I’d like to focus on the art of acting, not just soaps, because I’ve done everything from TV to Broadway. Right after LOVING, I had a very shallow time where I had to work for my friend’s dog walking agency. I was the world’s most well-known dog walker, for sure. And I learned a lot during that difficult
Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 12 Page 2