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GH's Tonja Walker Shares How She Is Playing Olivia's Back-Story!

Photo: TonjaWalker/Getty Images

Photo: TonjaWalker/Getty Images

As viewers of ABC’s General Hospital know, Olivia (Tonja Walker) is out for revenge for everyone that she deemed wronged her. In fact, in key scenes with her brother Julian (William deVry) on Thursday’s episode (GH was pre-empted for the presidential inauguration on Friday) Olivia says she feels cheated out of everything that her dear brother head while she was in hiding, and in exile, on the other side of the world.  It was also revealed that Olivia is still carrying a disturbing grudge for Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) over both women’s love for the late Duke Lavery.

But while plenty has yet to be explained on-air as to how Olivia ended up alive and well when she was presumed dead in the first place, Tonja Walker took to social media to share the back-story she has created for herself as an actress:  “I know. I’m playing a back story where Olivia had to create a fantasy/reality life in order to survive. Not written, but for me it works. I’m playing in my mind that Olivia was “saved” by her father’s “Friends” which they promised do for him on his deathbed. (Her casket? maybe wax figure in casket? This I’m not concerned with) These Friends disposed of Colton, whom she loved, and proceeded do all they could to break her. Torture, isolation ,mind control, were used to make her do the bidding of the Chinese and  Russian mob. Instead of taking care of her she was tortured and isolated, imprisoned and blackmailed. It order to stay alive she escaped into a world that was based on reality that could give her a glimmer of hope. She used regressive or deep seated memories or fantasies to find strength and then found allies and made strong connections .. she discovered how strong she was… Liv discovered What was happening in PC, remembering bits and pieces. Some real some not. Now we will see what she has in mind… Again….none of this is written so I’m not divulging any secrets. As a matter of fact, the writers may have something better to explain the change she’s had and Liv’s regression!! But for those who have asked me what happened, this is what I made up… The story on GH is held very close to the vest… More will be revealed !!!!  Hope you enjoy. Thank you for your decades amazing loyalty and love.  Tonja”

So, what do you think happened to Olivia Jerome?  What do you think of the back-story Tonja shared for how she is filling in the blanks right now for Liv’s back-story? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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I didn’t watch GH back then but always read spoilers and recaps in the magazines, so kind of know how she fits. Anywho, as long as this leads to redeeming Julian, I am all for it! Stranger storylines have been out there, so why not. Nice to see they didn’t recast and used the original actress.

Since Duke died….he has gotten more storyline, more mentions, more family, and more people caring about him than he had when he was alive. As someone who never particularly cared for the character during any of his incarnations (except the Gregory Beecroft version) this kind of storytelling is just bizarre and unnecessary. He is dead! Now he has one woman mourning him, a sudden son, and a psycho whack job who was obsessed with him 30 years ago….but was long over it before she “died”. She had found love and redemption with Colton Shore, Felicia’s cousin. I just hate when soaps present characters who never grow, never change, and in fact, regress. 30 years is an awfully long time to be obsessed with someone…especially when he is DEAD. Griffin should have been Robert and Anna’s son from when they were presumed dead. It would have linked him to the fabric of the show…given Robin a sibling, and Anna another child. Duke was never a legacy character. He was on for 3 years in the 80’s…and had no ties to any family on the canvas. And his 2012 return was a bust! He spent most of his time playing dress up and having tea parties with Emma. They should let sleeping Dukes lie. Unless they are leading up to yet another return from the dead….this is all pointless drivel. To put some frame of reference time wise on this….if it was 1990 right now…..and the show was reaching back for storyline ideas…they would be going back to 1961 and dredging up old obsessions. Its not relevant now, especially for a character no longer on the canvas! If the show is going full steam ahead with Olivia…then they darn well better tie in veterans who were in her storyline orbit at the time like Lucy, Felicia, Anna etc. I like the actress…I think its an okay story twist….but there has to be some follow through on what caused her to suddenly be obsessed with a dead man again. Seems to me…she should be targeting Julian. After all…he supposedly killed her in 1990 and also killed Duke.

i’m disgusted…. with the weak links these writers bring

it’s all written in stone… or is it? I swear GH and DAYS share the same storylines.

it’s a crying shame…. literally… BOTH SHOWS; bring back BIG NAMES… for both shows.. only to be dumbed down…ie: the audience crying foul… and then some

expletive expletive

both characters @GH, Olivia Jerome played by the wildly present with so much gusto… that it’s a serious let down… not to see how truly Tonja Walker is capable.

of course she’s loopy and harboring so much fault that she’s gone and nutted up.

@DAYS Anna DiMera as played by the uber sexy fantastic missed so much… that this is serious hurt. unless Andre is able to pull out a biggie and – LOL.. oh wait… just bring Anna back… and get her back involved with Roman. she is the pendulum of all that is DiMera… with what we currently have on the canvas. She is the spirit and driving force with all of Salem’ites. she’s that able.

pissed off

of course she’s loopy and harboring so much fault that she’s gone and nutted up.

I already posted… this is all being done to give the Hope and Rafe show a get out of jail free card. RIGHT? god i’m sick of Hope.

we all know… that Julian and Ava must be cleared… HEY how much you wanna bet… that Ava is going to blame sis Olivia for changing Morgans meds. just as she told Julian about giving Olivia Falconeri son sugar pills.

you know… i’m disgusted… because both shows sole focus lacks so much vitality energy and imagination.

@GH. sole focus … love bringing up the dullards… Carly / Sonny / Jason / Sam

@DAYS. sole focus… Hope and Rafe seriously ? Hope baggage has been given so much reprieve. Rafe NEEDS TO man up and partay. he’s certainly not going to be getting anything from Hope… she’s too old for him.

what a waste of two dynamic actress with character aplomb… wasted

@GH head writers Jean and Shelley are truly looped out and LOST

Pretty sure Felicia and Colton were an item before Ariel returned so I sure hope they weren’t cousins!!!

Really good post! I bet Duke resurfaces!

Sorry!! Colton was Lucy’s cousin! My bad! Lol.

i believe Olivia was brainwashed by the mob and made to believe she was a woman named Alex Olanov and sent her to Llanview to frame her for the murder of Carlo Hess so they could take over Carlos mob connections and also had her involved with and marry Asa Buchanan in a plot to get their hands on his loot!

hi Jimh
Seems she came from a time when the soaps were still intriguing & exciting ..

su…i wish you were around to see the soaps like i had…they were really great, especially the murder/crime drama The Edge Of Night…it was the most suspenseful soap and fun to watch…most of the soaps were so good back then…i wouldn’t hang with friends until i was done with my soaps!…

I love your theory!!

Yep, that sound’s great !

Those were great shows. I was raised on Ryan’s Hope , AMC, OLTL, GH and then the Edge of Night. Lol- A time when writers actually could write a story to keep you anticipating and wanting more.

It seems like Tonja has put more thought into Olivia’s story than the writers probably will…

Exactly! That’s what is wrong with the current regime at GH. (And good for Tonja for doing it!)

So far from what I’ve seen the story is weak,,
It hasn’t had suspense.
It has given wonder as to who (and even that was obvious) but that has been about it for the intrigue. There was no surprise.

And good lord! Duke, again!! (insert your fav swear word) that was the kill-point.

It should have been the mama Wu..
Give Brad and Lucus a drama adventure upfront story..
All the ingredients were there= Brad mama Wu’s son Lucus Julian’s son deep in trouble saving each other and throw in Sonny, Ava and Jason..
That is the heavy side of GH talent wasted once again on the same players.

J&S are pitifully empty of imagination. Lazy and Weak writing.

Looking forward to Tonya on GH. Used to also like her bad-girl ro.le on OLTL as Alex Olanvo with Carlos Hessser.

You need to leave your brother and annealing matter of fact leave town

I keep wanting to say she has Duke alive and hidden somehow which is the only thing that would get Julian off the hook for Duke’s murder. I know I could be way off-base but right now, that’s the gut feeling I’m going with.

I like your theory.

We can only hope for that.

Why bring him back to kill him? (I had the same gripe about AJ…. grrrr)

Don’t even go there about AJ. I am still pissed they killed him off again. That was one character I wanted to see happy and we never got the chance.

Duke will be alive. She doesnt have him since she is so obsessed with those pictures. Duke will return and it gives Anna and Griffin something big to act in.

I think I missed an episode. How many pre-emptions/ reruns last week?

ditto

all these preempts and “classic” ep

That was the greatest episode of GH in months, in much part due to Tonja’s performance as a dangerous woman, and I hope that this continues to build. I love how Anna, Griffin and Duke are in the middle of it all. Well, Duke’s pictures and name anyway (Hint to TPTB!) Many would say all of this is too much to ask for but I will anyway for those who are not brave enough to due to previous writing gone wrong. I loved the details paid to the Naxie wedding as well. See even if we don’t have the budget for a big wedding, or whatever, the writing can be our savior in daytime serials.

“I am the queen of the Jerome family, and I am calling the shots”

Hell yeah! Olivia is back and crazier than ever! She will teach baby sister, Ava, what a real villainess looks like. The creepy little shrine to Duke in her office, with pictures of her face pasted over Anna’s, just proves her cray cray hasn’t been dialed back an inch. Julian is a fool to think they came to some compromise (Olivia said she blames him also for not getting her happy ending with Duke) and they will find some poor sap to blame for the car bombing. Rudge is probably planting explosive materials in the Jerome penthouse as we speak that will make it look like Julian tried to fake his death to frame Sonny by blowing up his own car. He is such an idiot to think she is really gonna lay off him after that soft moment they shared. Ha! Love seeing Tonja Walker back on GH and that flashback with Finola Hughes was gold! Olivia: Anna will suffer, and suffer, and suffer. Woah! She is coming for her, isn’t she? I wouldn’t be surprised if Olivia takes aim at Griffin (when she finds out he is Duke’s son to get one over on Anna) and it looks like he is ripe for the picking right now.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Walker in late 2012 – around the time that GH was dabbling with criss-crossing the GH and OLTL storylines (like putting the storyline in motion that Alcazar and Tomas were one and the same person since they were played by the same actor).. which I rather liked and wished they’d been able to move forward with. Anyway, Tonya pitched the Olivia/Alex story at the time and I thought it had merit and hoped that powers that be would have made it happen.. but alas.. the collapse of all that dashed those hopes.

But, well, maybe that’ll happen now. Congrats to Tonya on reviving one of her iconic roles.

My apologies – it’s “Tonja” not “Tonya”.

I love Tonja Walker, and I loved her character, Olivia Jerome. However, it seems ridiculous that she would still be obsessed over Anna and Duke. For longtime viewers, you’ll remember that Olivia redeemed herself over time and that was through finding genuine love with Colton Shore, who was Lucy’s cousin and Felicia’s ex-husband. She gave up on her vengeful ways and was even trying to warn Anna of something in that courtroom when Julian had gunned her down. If she wants revenge on him, that’s plausible, but the Anna and Duke thing had been buried. Colton grieved over Olivia and left town. The writers need to do their homework or explain the regression in a way that makes sense.

Breaking News

(WATCH) 2024 Daytime Emmy Nominations Special Live!

After exciting morning for your favorite daytime stars when they were revealed to be nominees for the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards comes tonight 10th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special.

Beginning at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, several of the nominees will talk with Michael Fairman on their reactions to the news they have been nominated for a Daytime Emmy, share what scenes they submitted that landed in the top five or six in their respective performer acting categories and much more.

Scheduled to appear are: Days of our Lives nominees, Tamara Braun (Ava), Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Linsey Godfrey (Sarah), The Young and the Restless nominees: Allison Lanier (Summer), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), Courtney Hope (Sally), Bryton James (Devon), The Bold and the Beautiful’s John McCook (Eric), General Hospital nominees, Finola Hughes (Anna) and Alley Mills (Heather), and The Bay’s Mike Manning (Caleb).

Photo: JPI

The 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on Friday night, June 7th and emanating, once again this year from the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Photo: JPI

For a full list of this year’s nominations click here.

Now, watch below as the stars chat it up as we celebrate their Daytime Emmy Nominations. If you have a potential question you might want posed to any of our guests, drop it in the comment section below and we just might ask it on air.

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Breaking News

51st Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations: CBS Soaps Score Most, Eric Braeden, Dick Van Dyke, Guy Pearce Receive Nods

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) have officially announced on Friday, the full list of nominees for the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

While Thursday brought with it four reveals of the nominees in the Outstanding Daytime Drama, Talk Show Host, Lead Actor and Actress categories (as presented by various entertainment news programs), today’s nominations include all the other categories not previously announced.

The Daytime Emmy Awards telecast is set to be presented live on Friday night, June 7, at 8 PM EDT /delayed PT, on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+. This will mark the 18th time that CBS has broadcast the Daytime Emmys.

Photo: JPI

In addition, The Daytime Creative Arts & Lifestyle Emmy Awards will be presented on Saturday, June 8 at t9 PM ET/6 PM PT and streamed on The Emmys apps and at watch.TheEmmys.tv. The ceremonies will take place at the Westin Bonaventure Los Angeles.

Television icon, Dick Van Dyke has received his first-ever Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Guest Performer category for his touching portrayal of Timothy Robicheaux on Peacock’s Days of our Lives. The nomination makes Van Dyke the oldest Daytime Emmy nominee in history at 98-years-old.  In addition, motion picture and TV star, Guy Pearce, is also nominated as Guest Performer for his longtime role as Mike Young in the reboot of Neighbours.

Speaking of Neighbours, the Australian soap opera also received its first ever Daytime Emmy nomination for Daytime Drama Series now that its a revival can be streamed on Amazon Freevee. In addition, The Young and the Restless iconic, Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) received his first Daytime Emmy nomination in more than 20 years in the Lead Actor in a Drama Series category.

Photo: AmazonFreevee

In the Daytime Drama series categories, CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless each scored 12 nominations more than any other show. Leading the acting nominations was B&B, who landed 7 performers in the various categories, a first in its 37-year history.

In a statement, Adam Sharp, President & CEO, NATAS expressed, “We are happy to once again honor the creative talent both in front of and behind the camera of America’s favorite Daytime programs. We look forward to celebrating the icons who enliven the days of audiences across the country.”

Photo: JPI

Brent Stanton, Head of Daytime, NATAS added, “Producing the Daytime Emmys is a labor of love for all of us at NATAS. The huge popularity of these shows continues to be must-see viewing for their fans.” NATAS also revealed that Lifetime Achievement Honorees, Hosts, Presenters, and Silver and Gold Circle honorees will be revealed at a later date.

The Daytime Emmy Awards recognize outstanding achievement in television programming honoring work in a variety of categories, including daytime dramas, talk shows, instructional programming, hosting, culinary, and legal/courtroom programs. In 2021, NATAS and the Television Academy jointly announced plans to realign the Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards to be organized by content genre, as opposed to program airtime.

The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be produced once again by NATAS and Associated Television International (ATI). Adam Sharp and Lisa Armstrong are executive producers from NATAS, while David McKenzie executive produces from ATI.

Congratulations to all the men and women in front of the camera and behind the scenes for their recognition as we take a look at who will be going for gold come June. Here are the nominees below starting with the Daytime Drama Categories.

Photo: JPI

OUTSTANDING DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES

The Bay

The Bold and the Beautiful

Days of our Lives

General Hospital

Neighbours

The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: ACTRESS

Tamara Braun, Days of our Lives

Finola Hughes, General Hospital

Katherine Kelly Lang, The Bold and the Beautiful

Annika Noelle, The Bold and the Beautiful

Michelle Stafford,  The Young and the Restless

Cynthia Watros, General Hospital

Photo: JPI

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: ACTOR

Eric Braeden, The Young and the Restless

Scott Clifton, The Bold and the Beautiful

Thorsten Kaye, The Bold and the Beautiful

Eric Martsolf, Days of our Lives

John McCook, The Bold and the Beautiful

Photo: JPI

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: ACTRESS

Jennifer Gareis, The Bold and the Beautiful

Linsey Godfrey, Days of our Lives

Courtney Hope, The Young and the Restless

Allison Lanier, The Young and the Restless

Emily O’Brien, Days of our Lives

Photo: JPI

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: ACTOR

Robert Gossett, General Hospital

Bryton James, The Young and the Restless

Wally Kurth, Days of our Lives

A Martinez, The Bay

Mike Manning, The Bay

Photo: JPI

OUTSTANDING GUEST PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES

Linden Ashby, The Young and the Restless

Ashley Jones, The Bold and the Beautiful

Alley Mills, General Hospital

Guy Pearce, Neighbours

Dick Van Dyke, Days of our Lives

OUTSTANDING WRITING TEAM FOR A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES

The Bay

The Bold and the Beautiful

Days of our Lives

General Hospital

The Young and the Restless

Photo: JPI

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING TEAM FOR A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES

The Bay

The Bold and the Beautiful

Days of our Lives

General Hospital

The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DIRECTION

General Hospital

The Jennifer Hudson Show

The Kelly Clarkson Show

The View

Photo: ABC

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO

The Bold and the Beautiful

Days of our Lives

Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade

The Kelly Clarkson Show

OUTSTANDING CASTING

African Queens: Njinga

Days of our Lives

General Hospital

Start Up

The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING ART DIRECTION/SET DECORATION/SCENIC DESIGN

African Queens: Njinga

The Drew Barrymore Show

General Hospital

The Kelly Clarkson Show

The View

The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN/STYLING

African Queens: Njinga

The Bold and the Beautiful

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Sherri

Photo: WarnerBros

OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING AND MAKEUP

African Queens: Njinga

The Drew Barrymore Show

Sherri

The View

The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG

“Shine” General Hospital

“Unexpected Truth”Unexpected

“We’re Home” Reconnecting Roots

OUTSTANDING DAYTIME TALK SERIES

The Jennifer Hudson Show

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Tamron Hall

Turning The Tables with Robin Roberts

The View

Photo: ABC

OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS SERIES

Access Hollywood

Entertainment Tonight

Extra

OUTSTANDING CULINARY SERIES

Be My Guest with Ina Garten

Family Dinner

Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays

Valerie’s Home Cooking

What Am I Eating? with Zooey Deschanel

OUTSTANDING LEGAL/COURTROOM PROGRAM

Hot Bench

Judy Justice

Justice For The People with Judge Milian

The People’s Court

We The People with Judge Lauren Lake

Photo: Disney/ABC

DAYTIME TALK SERIES HOST

Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro, The View

Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show

Mark Consuelos, Kelly Ripa, Live with Kelly and Mark

Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell, Sheryl Underwood, The Talk

Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall

OUTSTANDING CULINARY HOST

Lidia Bastianich, 25 Years with Lidia: A Culinary Jubilee

Valerie Bertinelli, Valerie’s Home Cooking

Eduardo Garcia, Big Sky Kitchen with Eduardo Garcia

Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Cooks

Sophia Roe, Counter Space

Buddy Valastro, Legends of the Fork

OUTSTANDING DAYTIME PERSONALITY – DAILY

Frank Caprio, Caught in Providence

Kevin Frazier, Nischelle Turner , Matt Cohen, Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Will Marfuggi, Rachel Smith, Entertainment Tonight

Deborah Norville, Steven Fabian, Lisa Guerrero, Ann Mercogliano, Jim Moret, Les Trent. Inside Edition

Robert Hernandez, Star Jones, Divorce Court

Judge Judy Sheindlin, Whitney Kumar, Kevin Rasco, Sarah Rose, Judy Justice

What do you think about the nominations for the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards? Who do you think deserved to get in that did? Who do you think got snubbed? Who are you happiest to see receive a nomination? Let us know via the comment section below.

Make sure to be with us live starting tonight Friday, April 19th at 8pm ET/5pm PT for the Michael Fairman Channel’s 10th anniversary edition of its Daytime Emmy Nomination Special 2024, featuring some of the just announced daytime drama nominees. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Breaking News

51st Daytime Emmys: Outstanding Daytime Drama Series Nominations

On Thursday, the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards revealed nominations in several key categories via four entertainment news programs: Access Hollywood, E! News, Extra and Access Hollywood.

Three of the four announcements were major categories in the field of Daytime Dramas.

The nominees in the Outstanding Daytime Drama Series category are: The Bay, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Neighbours and The Young and the Restless.

Photo: JPI

General Hospital won this category last year, and has the most all-time wins for a series in this category. For the first time, the beloved Australian-based soap opera, Neighbours is now eligible for competition due to its reboot which streams on Amazon Freevee.

Photo: AmazonFreevee

The 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be handed out in ceremonies in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ on Friday night, June 7th.

Previous categories announced tonight via the entertainment news outlet included: Lead Actor and Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

So, what do you think about this year’s nominee for the Outstanding Daytime Drama Series? Who do you think should win? Comment below.

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