Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 23

by Nelson Branco

stories that are the foundation of soaps… but it’s firing — mostly — on all cylinders now. I never thought I would see a day when DAYS would write Marlena, a hip shrink, intelligent dialogue again — but they have. I’m digging Marlena again.

  Yes, it’s good!

  I love Marlena and John together — and happy. Yes, they have challenges, but unlike Y&R’s Victor and Nikki, whom I prefer apart than together, John and Marlena work better as a unit. I also love the humour in their relationship — which I think is a nice, refreshing change from all the sturm und drang they’ve endured and survived over the years. Are you happy with how they are writing Jarlena?

  Daryl and Marlene, our writers, believe there has to be stability in town, in the family and on the show. Since Tom and Alice are gone, John and Marlena are the stable couple.

  Except John and Marlena still have sex! [Joking] Though I wouldn’t be surprised if Alice was a nymphomaniac! Clearly, she had a lot of secrets!

  [Laughs] John and Marlena have naughty sex — but no one has figured that out.

  Oh, I have! Does it surprise you that John and Marlena are still as sexually charged and inspired as ever? It’s magical chemistry — you can’t create that kind of visceral, primal on-screen connection.

  You know you are sweet to say that. The truth is: we love working together, we’re each other’s safety net… but I don’t see it until it airs and then I’m like, “There it is!”

  It’s there, all right! Is it surreal that DAYS is telling arguably the best coming-out storyline ever? And daytime has told award-worthy coming-out tales before.

  We’ve done a lot of that kind of stuff. And I still think about those kind of stories a lot. For example, I did the first crib death ever. There was a lot of debate over that! I remember the powers-that-be at the helm asking: “How do we do this? Do we want the audience — which includes a boatload of people who have gone through this in real life — sitting in their living room enjoying the show trying to escape their problems and Marlena’s baby is dead.? Where is the emotional responsibility in the story?” We just had to go for it because if you don’t, you’ll fail.

  God, you’re lucky a writer didn’t bring back Marlena’s baby back from the dead like they did with AMC’s Erica Kane and her abortion.

  DAYS brought a lot of groundbreaking stories to the screen. People forget that.

  Do you think James Reilly would love this story? I think he would, despite his own personal demons with religion and homosexuality but, I will say, I think he would have devoured the rich, Shakespearean drama that it elicited from Sami, Marlena and Will.

  I don’t know. [Pauses] Will’s story is so humanely based that I don’t know how James would feel. Daryl and Marlene have been doing such an amazing job making this story so humanely based and taking their time with it in a realistic sense. The viewers love Will so much… and they want to know what is going on with him that they support him. You care about Will — especially when you see his anguish. Because we love him, we want him to be OK.

  Marlena knew right away. I love how you conveyed that to the audience so subtly. It’s rather beautiful. Other than Marlena grappling with John’s “death,” I think you are hands down doing your best work right now.

  It’s probably the most casual, rewarding work I’ve ever been able to do. Thank you. Yes, thank you.

  You’ve always been a gay icon, much like Susan Lucci, so I think it’s perfection that you are involved in this coming-out storyline with a relative much like Erica Kane was with her lesbian daughter.

  Hmmm… I didn’t know that.

  I just realized that the two biggest female superstars and soaps’ biggest gay icons have on-screen gay offspring! Chandler Massey is stealing the show. You must remind your “grandson” that you’re the definitive DAYS superstar!

  He gets me and likes me every day. The other day, we did scenes in the driving, pouring rain where everybody was wet and we were all running to all our various destinations, but Will was so filled with angst and soaking wet; and I thought, “Wow, it’s James Dean.” He’s such a sweet-faced man… so I think of him more like my young son. It’s going to be a great scene… you see all of him.

  While it’s often torturous to watch Chandler’s scenes, because they are so real, he’s transcended the art form and created something truly compelling and authentic on-screen. The boy needs a vacation, though, because he has cried enough for a lifetime. Next to Katherine Kelly Lang, he’s the best soap crier in the business because it’s so real.

  [Laughs] He is the best!

  Personally, while I don’t want you to stop acting, I’d love to see you host a talk show because as your books have proven people desire your advice and input. After all, you are the people’s Goddess.

  I don’t think the talk-show medium is my format. I don’t know…. while I do love talking to people and getting to know them, I’m not sure. Let me tell you, I’ve been loving going back to college….

  For more on Dee, tune in next week to SOAP OPERA UNCENSORED to find out what Hall is studying (you’ll never guess), more about Hall’s book series, what makes someone really beautiful, AMC and ONE LIFE’s cancellations, Brian Frons, and if we deserve to see more of Marlena’s back-story and the Evans’ family.

  Follow Deidre Hall on Facebook and at @deidrehall on Twitter. To purchase her books, Deidre Hall’s HOW DOES SHE DO IT, and Deidre Hall’s KITCHEN CLOSE-UP, head over to her website, deidrehall.com or visit amazon.com/amazon.ca.

  SOAPILEAKS:

  This Week’s Hottest News, Gossip, and Reviews!

  ALL MY CHILDREN — Susan Lucci: Not a Desperate Soap Star!

  • Leave it to Susan Lucci to be the only daytime superstar to land work right after leaving an iconic role. Most casting directors and producers like to wait a while before casting an iconic performer so closely related to on role before reinventing them, but the Emmy winner continues to be the exception to the rules.

  As previously reported, Lucci — along with a recurring roles on ARMY WIVES, HOT IN CLEVELAND and a hosting a new Discovery series, DEADLY AFFAIRS — has just signed to star in Marc Cherry’s new prime-time soap, DEVIOUS MAIDS. Slapping excluded, I pray.

  This past weekend, Susan gave THE L.A. TIMES a lovely update on her life and career. And below are the highlights:

  When AMC was cancelled, there were rumours you'd join DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, which didn't happen. What happened with Marc Cherry?

  There was a lot of rumours about my joining DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. I believe it was largely fan-driven. It was everywhere; I was reading it too.

  You mean they didn't start with Marc Cherry?

  I don't think so. I believe they were fan-driven because when Marc and I had a wonderful lunch together and met for the first time, Marc was aware of all of that in the press as well. At that time he said the show was just about to wind up. He was developing two new shows and he preferred to consider me for one of his new shows, if I was interested. And I said of course I was. So I flew out and read for him. I auditioned for him. It's part of his process. You know what? I'm really happy I auditioned for him. First of all, I feel that he knew what he was getting, and I knew what I was getting. And also I auditioned because I know I got the part, and it feels very good.

  When the production company Prospect Park bought AMC [sic] to produce it online, you ended up deciding not to continue?

  They put that out, I believe. That just simply was never true. I did not walk away from them. Suddenly there was something all over the Internet saying I had walked away when I had not. As far as I knew the lines of communication were ongoing, so I was quite shocked to read that I had walked away. Finally I did speak out and say on my blog that I wanted fans to know the truth. And I dated my last communication saying, "Please let's keep the doors open and when you're ready to go ahead, please do come back to me. I'd love to play Erica Kane on ALL MY CHILDREN.

  And they never did?

  They never did. Then they announced th
at they were not going to go ahead.

  What other kinds of nibbles came your way after AMC was cancelled?

  This pilot that I just finished for Marc Cherry called DEVIOUS MAIDS, I'm so excited about that. And I just finished shooting my part in the pilot yesterday.

  Who do you play?

  Her name is Genevieve Delacourt, and I love the name. The character breakdown is this: She spent her life attracting one powerful man after the next but now in her 50s she has been reduced to having affairs with the pool boy and not feeling very sexy anymore, and it's driving her nuts. She is a woman who lives in a beautiful Beverly Hills home and has two maids working for her. I'm one of the households with the wonderful maids.

  Unlike Erica, she's somebody who tries to get people to do things for her, whereas Erica was much more do-it-herself. It's just very juicy, the script, and very fun.

  You asked about the nibbles. The one I took and I'm thrilled about this too is a brand new show on Discovery I.D. called DEADLY AFFAIRS, and it's crime reenactment, which is such a flourishing part of TV right now.

  So DEADLY AFFAIRS is about romantic affairs?

  Yes, it's about crimes of passion. That seemed like such a nice idea for me, something different. I always like to try something new and