Nelson Branco's SOAP OPERA UNCENSORED: Issue 84

by Nelson Branco

  One of the reasons I thought it was impossible for you to return to Y&R – other than you being back on GH – were rumours you and exec Jill Farren Phelps didn’t get along. Is that true? What’s your relationship with her at this point?

  To be perfectly honest with you, the last time that I worked with Jill, when I did see her because I didn’t see her too much, the show revolved more around [former head writer] Bob Guza’s input. But one was never quite sure at the end of the day if the show was really Bob or Jill’s vision. My experience working with Jill, a part from working with her in the early 80s, is very, very limited. It is my understanding over at Y&R she’s a lot more hands on.

  She sure is! She’s actually on set now!

  That’s going to be interesting. But now that I’ve been brought back, I keep hearing lots of good things are going to happen there. Yes, they’re rumours, so you take that as it’s worth, but I’m going back there with a completely open mind. I don’t have any expectations. I’m prepared to accept what happens. I don’t have any preconceived ideas from the past. Let’s just get on with the job.

  Is this contract or recurring?

  It goes for 12 months.

  Wow! That’s great news. Colin’s return is the only thing giving me life at the moment in regards to Y&R. The show really needs a complex villain. Victor Newman has become a caricature. Also, I’m a huge Colin and Jill fan, as you know. Heck, Jess maintains Colin is the love of Jill’s life!

  It’s going to be great working with Jess again. We had such an engaging connection. Last time, understand that I didn’t really have a storyline the entire time I was there. I was like this appendage that danced outside a storyline but I was never really connected to that storyline unless it was something I created on my own. You mentioned the fact that Colin’s a bad guy but he’s complex, and a lot of that I’ll take credit for that. I hear this time around they’re actually going to start writing for the character.

  Good.

  There’ll be a much more connected Colin than there was in the past. He’ll still be the same Collin, but he’ll just be more connected to the storyline. And that’ll be more interesting, I think.

  Most soap hoppers can’t translate success from one show to another but you’re two for two now. Three if you count PORT CHARLES. Have you figured out why Colin struck a chord with viewers?

  Yes. He was entertaining! Whether he had something or nothing to say, he was always fun to watch. That’s my mantra in daytime. I’m not an actor who looks for truth in a scene or the honesty of a character or all that stuff everybody else looks for; for me, I focus on entertaining the audience. I want the audience to go, “I like what this guy is doing. I’m going to tune in tomorrow.” If I can do that, I’ve earned my money.

  Have they told you what Colin’s storyline will be?

  No. I haven’t had any connection to Y&R yet — other than with my representation. I guess I’ll be connecting with them soon at the Hollywood Christmas Parade. Ironically, I’ll be riding in the Y&R car even though I’m still airing on GH! So that’ll be my first official gig for Y&R.

  I’ve always called you a soap opera star without a home. A foster TV actor! Has that been hard to deal with over the years? Or is that a plus as an artist?

  It keeps it interesting. One of the reasons I originally got off GH was because I couldn’t see where the character was going. It felt like we were repeating the same ground; and that’s one thing I hate most — repeating myself. Apart from many other things, I realized that was one of the top of the reasons I had to leave. A lot of daytime people don’t get restless like that. They accept the solidarity and security that a long-running job in show business gives you. And, let’s face it, soaps are the only place in show business you can have security and longevity and earn good money. I don’t know of any other place you can do that. So, consequently, that’s a very attractive element for an actor. For me personally, I like to keep testing myself. There are still many things I haven’t done that I want to do. When I turned up on Y&R, my gig was intended for 10 shows. That was spelled out for me. My management advised me not to take it because it would prevent me from taking a longer running role down the road should it ever present itself. But I said, “Hey, it’s just before Christmas; I’ll take the money!” And immediately from my first show, Jess and I connected. Bang! You could see it happening. The original reason I was brought on the show was to bring Daniel Goddard off it. And then, of course, all that changed. When the ten shows ended, they called to say, “Don’t pack your bags just yet.” I was flying to Australia to spend Christmas with my mother. Literally the day I arrive waiting for my luggage, my manager calls to say, “You’re back on Y&R and you’ve got a contract!” And it went on from there. They brought on Genie Francis and things got complicated for Colin at that point.

  And your lips were never the same again after Gen bit ‘em! One thing I respect about you is with each role or return you continue to grow as an actor. You were always a good actor during your early GH years, but you really blossomed into a great actor on NIGHT SHIFT. Then, on Y&R, you exploded all over again in such a different way. Artists should always evolve with each project.

  Thank you.

  Did you know who Colin was right away or was it a journey to figure out how to play him?

  I wasn’t sure what kind of heavy he’d be. Consequently, I wanted to give the guy more levels than the script had. The script was pretty one dimensional and I figured I wasn’t going to play him that way. As it turned out, the opening scene with Jess gave me the opportunity to break away from the way he was written and come out with some personality. Give the guy a different dimension like, “Hey, he’s a bad guy — but maybe there’s more to him.” I kept that going all the way through. And they could’ve pulled the plug on that whenever they wanted and forced me to play the role as it was written on the page. But luckily, [former Y&R co-executive producer] Paul Rauch said, “I’m just going to let him do his own thing.”

  I had only met Paul once before when he was producing ONE LIFE back in the 80s. I happened to be in New York at the time visiting Bob Woods, my buddy, at the studio. Paul found out I was in the building and told them to invite me up the office before I left. We had a bit of a chat. We shared a common interest in cars. That’s where we picked up again all those years later after I saw him again at Y&R in the control booth. I took Colin and molded him the way I thought Colin should be molded. Later on, I was told that was very unusual for Paul to allow that because he was a stickler for following the script. But, in my case, he turned a blind eye and deaf ear.

  I spoke with Paul right until his death. Daytime lost a unique innovator and leader when he died. Yes, he was a slave to the written word – he believed it all began on the page – but he knew when to stand back and let the magic happen when he saw something explode off the page. I also think, because Paul was a man’s man, he wanted more masculine men on daytime and Colin is definitely one of those alpha males. Paul hated weak men — both on and off screen.

  A lot of the liberties and additions I added to the character were opposite Jess and Jeanne Cooper. I made Colin have an attitude with Kay bordered on seriousness but it was also tongue-in-cheek. He knew which buttons to push that would piss Kay off! That’s why I’ll miss working with her. There could’ve been some more magical moments between us.

  It’s weird how I find Colin sexy but I don’t find Robert particularly sexy.

  That’s the difference between the two shows. The Scorpio we are seeing now on GH is more true to the Scorpio he used to be in the 80s. There’s a much more a dangerous side to Scorpio. We’re just getting into it now: how dangerous Scorpio can really be. They’re allowing that to happen. And you can only do that if the script allows it and it’s organic… and it is. On Y&R, the show is much more about the humanity and the interpersonal relationships between two people. On GH, not so much. GH is much more about romance-adventure situation where action is the centre issue. On Y&R,
action is far from the centre issue. Because of that, it’s more fascinating when a couple is romantically involved because they’re dealing with each other [vis-à-vis]. On GH, a couple was together because of the action. On GH, action and attraction are one in the same. That’s why you never saw the kind of character Colin evolved into on Y&R on GH. You mention Colin’s complex — and you’re right. Yes, he’ll shoot and kill you, but on the other hand, he loves his grandkids to death. Family is very important to him as we got a glimpse of that during his end run. We’re going to see more of that this time around; certainly more with Cane and his children.

  Why do you think there’s a Y&R-GH casting war?

  I don’t have a rational answer to that question. I don’t know if it’s quite by accident or whether or not they seek out certain actors who can bring in a certain audience. Looking at myself, I can see why I was approached because I’m different. Some people recognize that — and think that’s important and others don’t. Counterpoint to that: the first time around I went to Y&R, I don’t think Colin attracted a crossover audience from GH. It doesn’t work that way. People who watch GH watch GH; people who watch Y&R watch Y&R. Never the twain shall meet. They’re vastly different audiences.

  I agree. Steve Burton didn’t bring a significant ratings bump to Y&R.

  Because they deal with vastly different subjects They’re vastly structured, put together, and managed differently. So, because of that, I decided to play to the Y&R audience not the potential GH transplants.

  I think the reason behind the childish casting war is more like a pissing match between execs.

  I would totally agree with that.

  Sometimes it works like Emme Rylan as GH’s Lulu or in your case, but often times, it doesn’t, ie. Genie Francis.

  Listen, I’m sure there are fans out there that view me as a horrible traitor for leaving the show. But, come on, it’s business!

  For part two of our interview, pick up UNCENSORED to find out why the Scorpio family is star-crossed and what’s next for Colin on Y&R.

  Suds Magazine Flashback

  JEANNE COOPER AND TRISTAN ROGERS:

  DIGEST CO-STARS

  In 1992, Y&R’s Jeanne Cooper and GH’s Tristan Rogers graced the cover of SOAP OPERA DIGEST in a story analyzing what makes an actor a popular star. Two decades later, Cooper and Rogers would co-star on Y&R. And all these years later, Rogers still remains one of daytime’s most popular leading men who boasts one of the strongest and loyal fan bases in daytime.