Interviews

The David Gregory Interview – One Life to Live & She Walks in Beauty

November 9, 2012

Courtesy/DavidGregory.com

Courtesy/DavidGregoryOfficialSite

It has been exactly one year since On-Air On-Soaps ventured to New York City to say goodbye to the amazing cast of the beloved One Life to Live. And as hard as that was, we will treasure it for the rest of our lives. But as this year has played out many of your favorites have gone on to new projects, new roles, and new endeavors. One such performer is David Gregory, who as hottie Robert Ford, spent his time in Llanview bedding many of the young ladies, being the big brother to his two younger siblings, dealing with his abusive dad and the issues that caused, and finally finding love and becoming a dad in his own right shortly before his untimely death.

Now the multi-talented Gregory can add writing and directing to his resume, as this weekend (with a show tonight and on Sunday) his new play, She Walks in Beauty, has performances at the prestigious Manhattan Repertory Theatre in New York City. David does not act in it, but tells On-Air On-Soaps how the play came about, and how he cast some folks with a close connection to Llanview in it. David also filled us in on some very great news during our conversation that he has been cast in a recurring role on the upcoming NBC primetime soap, Deception! If you recall, this was the opulent soap announced by the peacock network that was originally titled, Notorious.

Of course, there was so much to discuss about the final days of One Life, and how David felt about the way they chose to wrap up Ford’s story, what he thought of the final juggernaut of an ending to the 43-year-old soap, and his chance meeting post-Llanview with Erika Slezak (Ex-Viki) that put the loss of the series in proper perspective for him. With David, we looked at the past and what he has accomplished, and how important it is to remember to cherish memories, but also to move forward with a passion for life, and to more importantly, keep oneself open to new and exciting things ahead! And certainly for David, dreams come true!

MICHAEL:

David, what a week for you! Putting your first New York play on stage that you wrote and directed! And, this was also the same time last year that we got together with the cast of One Life to Live for the final press junket, which was the last time I saw you in person! How have things been for you post-One Life?

DAVID:

Courtesy/ABC

It’s been almost a year-to-the-day that we did all of those final One Life to Live exit interviews! Of recent, I have been extremely busy! This play that I wrote I submitted it to a festival, basically to have something to do. This summer was a little slow, and as soon as it got accepted and we started rehearsals, I got another acting job. It’s been a challenge and joy to juggle these two things, and we are putting the show on its feet this week.

MICHAEL:

But if I understand correctly, this is pretty fantastic for you! The very highly regarded Manhattan Repertory Theatre chose your play from submissions from hundreds of upcoming playwrights. How did this all go down? It’s kind of thrilling, actually!

DAVID:

The Manhattan Repertory Theatre does a play festival each season of the year. I submitted my play and they picked it, and the best part about it is they provide the space for you to perform it, and you have stock sets you can use. They provide the lights, and the sound system, and that whole thing. And, you get about three performances out of it, and more if it does well. I took a play writing class in January because OLTL had just ended, and I wanted to get into acting class and do things to keep my chops sharp, but I did not want to get too burned out on it, especially because losing One Life was such a loss. So I thought, “I will take up a playwriting class. That is something different!” And, it’s something I have always been interested in. This play I wrote in late August and finished in a decent amount of time. I submitted it for, for a lack of a better term, “shits and giggles,” and here we are!

MICHAEL:

And … there are some familiar faces connected to the play that One Life to Live fans will know!

DAVID:

Photo Credit: Steven Bergman

So, I was able to get Barret Helms (Ex-Baz) from One Life to Live and I needed a middle-aged man to play the sort of father figure, doctor, kind of role. I thought of Gary Donatelli for that, who was one of our directors at One Life, and it was just a shot in the dark. I sent him email and said, “Hey, you are really right for this role. I don’t know if you act, or if you would be interested, but I would love to talk to you about it.” He sent me back an email that he was really interested, and that he was very flattered. I had auditions for the lead female role, and Gary showed up to audition as well for his role, like everybody else! And, you’ve got to give it to this guy. He rose to the occasion! Gary was man of much power at One Life, and someone who I always admired, and one of the first directors I worked with. He directed the famous “Ford and the Bucket Scene,” which was one of my first days of work. We had a great time working together, and when would I have seen him again if not for this play, post One Life?

MICHAEL:

Did you know Gary even acted?

DAVID:

No, I did not know he acted, but I went with “type” first. When I heard him read the part I knew he was exactly right, and my girlfriend Jen, who is an actress as well, sat in with me when I did his audition, just so I could get another perspective as well. She said, “I think you have got to give it to him. He is great!”   Not that I did not want to be surprised, but he brought it.

MICHAEL:

When we last talked a year ago, you had informed me that the end of One Life to Live probably would not hit you as much as would some of the long standing veterans of the series who gave decades to their roles. Looking back now, do you still feel that way? It must have a very deep emotional connection for you.

DAVID:

Courtesy/ABC

When One Life to Live ended, I had sort of had bits of panic the last week we were shooting. We were sort of a family and people we going to miss each other a lot. And a lot of times, I wouldn’t remember certain episodes, but I do remember days I had with Bree Williamson (Ex-Jessica) or Brittany Underwood (Ex-Langston) or with my boys on set. And the longer the show had been off the air, the more of a gap you start to feel from that. Lenny Platt (Ex-Nate) and I still see each other a lot, and I see Barret obviously, but a lot of people moved to the west coast. Months later it started to bug me.   You are back to a totally different life style of auditioning and hitting the pavement. I went to get a hair cut from Wayne Bilotti, who was one of our hair guys on One Life, and he happened to be cutting Erika Slezak’s hair while I was there. Erika started talking to me, asking how I was doing. I think this was late January and I did not want to ask her, but I did want to know. I asked her, “How are you?” She said, “Great.” She seemed to say she had time to do things now that she did not have time to do before, and by that she meant having time with her family. You know how she is … she is such a personable person. I am sure she misses One Life so very deeply. And I do not want to put words in her mouth, but I got the sense from her that if she was OK, then I had to be OK myself, because she was trying to see the silver lining it. I don’t mean that in a false sense. I genuinely believed she saw the next step in her life, whatever that may be. I thought whatever is going on in my head, if Erika Slezak has got her heard on straight, which she does, then I should absolutely too! For so many years everyone looked to her, and now if she is not panicking, or freaking out, then what choice do I have? That is also the same way she worked. She was always prepared, knew her lines better than anyone else, and everyone else’s lines!

MICHAEL:

True that! Well, Erika knew everybody else’s lines better than them!

DAVID:

She did! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

When we last talked, the final episodes of One Life had not aired yet. What did you think of Ford’s big scenes in Hell with John Wesley Shipp (Ex-Eddie)?

Courtesy/ABC

DAVID:

What a blast! (Laughs) We knew we were shooting out of order. I knew that Ford was hovering and Frank Valentini (EX EP, OLTL, now EP, GH) came up to me one day out of the blue and said, “You know you’re dying, right?” (Laughs) And I said, “No, I didn’t.” And he said, “Well, someone had to go!” And I almost said, “Thank you,” and here’s why: In a show that has such a huge history, and that has characters on it that deserve a strong ending and deserve to be written for in the last week, I knew that if they were going to kill me off that meant they had to then write a story for it, which meant that I was not going to be twiddling my thumbs the last couple of weeks. So I thought of it as a blessing in disguise … and great! Then I got the script that said that John Wesley Shipp was coming back in and that we were going to duke it out in Hell! (Laughs)    They wrote these wonderful scenes, but to sort of cap off what it was about … has Ford changed? Or, has he not changed? In addition, Ford got to stick to his old man in the end. Ford has got to throw his father into the burning pit of Hell to survive, but then, Ford sort of runs into Heaven, and we all know how that ended.

MICHAEL:

Also remember, the original show title of OLTL was Between Heaven and Hell, and you got to play that throughline at the end of the show’s historic run. You know, I thought maybe they would let Ford pay for being such a dog with women! And I mean more than making him dress up like a hotdog to pay his bills! (Laughs) Anyway, I thought Ford would actually end up in Hell, but in the end, he did get a reprieve, if you will, and he did wind up in Heaven.

DAVID:

I tried to explain this to my family before it aired. I said, “I am going to sort of be in between worlds. They are not sure if Ford is going to Heaven or Hell, and they want to show that.” But I think it worked! They were able to bring back some very familiar faces for the Heaven sequences, and I think they utilized it beautifully. I was actually in Chicago for an event on the last episode airing of One Life. The actors in attendance watched it together with the fans in this huge bar area. And … what a topper! Having Trevor St. John (Ex-Victor Jr.) show up in the last scene! I did not know that was coming. I did not know ‘till it aired. It was such a blast for us, because we were watching it with fans of the show, and it was such surprise to them as it was for us! And we were all thinking, “This is the last one, and what a way to go out!”

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

OK, being the man who clocked the most shirtless scenes in soapdom … what happened with the infamous bucket scene? Was that always supposed to be the plan? Was it in the script that way?

DAVID:

It was written that way! I got the script, and I will never forget this. I am a big fan of Hugh Jackman, and ever since I was a kid, he has been the guy I want to emulate. I got the script for the scene and it literally said, “Ford picks up the bucket of water in the barn to cool off.” And then they wrote as a note, “It should look like Hugh Jackman in Australia!” I saved that script, because I was so excited that, that is what they wanted me to go for. There were a few episodes I had prior to that, but when it came to the bucket scene I thought, “Oh, now we are getting into soapy goodness! This is good and fun!”   We literally shot it as plain as day. It was supposed to be a little more in slow-motion, but they shot it and that was the first day I met Gary Donatelli. I had no idea it would cause the tremor that it did. I am so glad it did! You know how this goes? Fans can make you or break you in this soap business. I was supposed to only be on OLTL for two and half weeks, and I was there instead for two and half years, because these people kept me in my job. I am reminded of that all the time whenever I go to something someone says, “I miss your character, or we miss the show,” but you know what? “We miss you guys!” It boils down to that.

MICHAEL:

I will never forget our special BlogTalkRadio OLTL final two-hour finale broadcast, where fans spoke to members of the cast live on-air telling them how much they will miss them and One Life. It was heartbreaking!

DAVID:

Jerry verDorn (Ex-Clint) had his recent annual charity event, and the year before I attended, fans were saying, “We are so sad the show is going off the air,” and this year, it had been more of, “We really miss it” and some people were talking to me as if One Life had just finished, and I realized it was still that fresh to them. If you watch a show, for say 25 years, when a year goes by without it, you still feel that void in your life. I just sat and talked to some people about this for a while, and you get the sense that it was more than just a television show that people would sit down to watch. It was families who would watch it together. I talked to a husband who said, “I am not a soap guy, but my wife and I have opposite schedules, and the only time I get to spend with her and do something she likes to do, is watching OLTL with her.” I thought that was really neat of him as a husband, and the fact that it brought them together. So when something like that for them ceases to exist, that is a huge void.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

You got a lot of flack for coming on and stealing air time from some of the main characters of the series. Your family then expanded to bringing on your two brothers, Nate and James. You must have a special place in your heart for Lenny Platt (Ex-Nate) and Nic Robuck (Ex-James).

DAVID:

Listen, those guys are always going to be important to me, always. No matter where we go, or what we do from here on out, we are going to remember this is where we started out. I was raised to believe you never forget how you began and at OLTL, I learned everything that I needed to know. Now obviously, I want to learn more, but I have done primetime work since, and it is never as stressful. You are shooting fifty pages a day in three hours on a soap, and it can take its toll on you after awhile, but you can go do a guest spot on a primetime series, and it’s three pages in four hours. One Life prepared me for anything that I could possibly have to deal with, and I did it with Lenny and Nic, because we often had scenes together, or stunts to do together. We were all kind of in the same boat. It sort of helps to have guys who are thinking what you are thinking.

MICHAEL:

Now let’s talk about Bree Williamson (Ex-Jessica)! I know you two are once again on the same show! Explain! (Laughs)

DAVID:

Bree is doing Haven on SyFy, and she is going to be on this new show on NBC series called Deception, which they just changed the name of to that. It’s going to be a mid-season series. I just got hired on there as well! I am about to shoot my fourth episode. Bree and I ended up working the same day, and so we got to see each other for a little bit. What the odds are of that? Unfortunately, we do not have scenes together as of now, but she plays a very important role in the show. I think it should start airing in January. It’s a killer; it’s being billed as primetime soap. I am playing Kyle, he is sort of a bad guy with a motorcycle, maybe with a heart, but we are not sure. Does that sound familiar at all? (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

You? Playing that kind of role? No! (Laughs)

DAVID:

He swoops in … and the show is about this big family, The Bowers, and he has his eye on the youngest daughter. I think I start airing on the third episode.

MICHAEL:

Now let’s get back to your play, which I found the subject matter quite intriguing. Tell me the basis of She Walks in Beauty? What would you tell people is at the core of the story?

DAVID:

The way I have it structured is in the first scene, it’s a husband and a wife, and we get the idea that they haven’t been married very long, but there are problems developing in their relationship, and very soon after that we realize that she is in fact a mechanical human prototype! Her husband helped invent her and his boss, who they just refer to as “dad”, is the mastermind behind the entire project. So what I wanted to explore was – are the problems in their relationship because she is a robot? Or, is it because she is actually starting to have human characteristics, and they are just normal problems everyone experiences, which sort of make this a dark comedy! It’s what we would laugh at if it was somebody else, and what we would not laugh at if it was. What ends up happening is, she gets very curious. So the questions become: Is she capable of having children with her husband? Can she go to school like everyone else? One of the things her father says is, “We can input anything into your system? “ She says, “I don’t want to be inputted. I want to learn.” And it holds up a mirror to us in a sense, and shows us maybe that we are better off the way we are, because we have all the tools and the abilities and we just have to make that choice. Without giving the story away too much, it sort of heats up when there are problems where she may have been made faulty, and maybe they should make another one … and so, if they make a 2.0 version of this woman, does this make it the same thing, or something different? And, the guy ends up having an affair with the 2.0 and it starts riddling him with guilt, and so he actually starts to develop this guilty conscience about it. The best way to describe it is …. a sci-fi dark comedy.

MICHAEL:

Who plays the robo-woman?

Photo Credit: Steven Bergman

DAVID:

The robot woman is played by Andrea Leach. She made me laugh when she read for the part and took it places I did not expect. She reminded me of a Bree Williamson, in that they have a relationship a little like Ford and Jessica – like you get on my nerve, but you really don’t, but I really like you! (Laughs) I could not stop laughing at Andrea’s reading, because it was like here is someone who found humor in something that maybe was not funny, but she sees the reality of the situation, and she is great. I needed someone who could hold their own on stage against two very strong men. She has Barret on one side and Gary on the other. Gary is like 6’4” (Laughs) He can be a very intimating presence, and I can attest to that when he came in to direct my first scenes years ago saying, “Who’s that Ford kid? What is a Ford?” (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Many of your former One Life to Live co-stars are on the west coast, as we have discussed. Are you content staying on the east coast?

DAVID:

I have definitely thought about it. As of now, with Deception shooting now in New York, I am staying put. My heart is in TV and film. But what I am doing now, and what I had been doing, is exactly what I want to be doing, which is a wonderful thing to be able to say, because I don’t think a lot of people can say that about what they do for a living. I guess, I would just know if it was the right project, or if the time was right for me to move to L.A.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

Have you been auditioning for other daytime soap roles, although that would now bring you to L.A.?

DAVID:

I have not been. You know, I signed for another four years at OLTL before it was canceled. In my mind, it was sign to stay in New York and see what happens. I kind of left it at that. Deception happened, and I felt like it was the right thing at the right time.

MICHAEL:

So, do you get a sense that this role on Deception could turn into something bigger for you?

DAVID:

I was talking to one of the writers today, and they told me they like the character I play and the chemistry they are seeing, so I am just taking each episode as a blessing and seeing what goes on. I was kind of keeping this low key until I started shooting and got a few episodes under my belt. Just because I know how quickly things can change, and when I auditioned for it, it wasn’t supposed to be a recurring role, but it was suppose to be an episodic and then done. They are now getting back in their production offices once we got Hurricane Sandy out of the way. I feel more confident now that I am really involved in this show in some small way.

MICHAEL:

The big question David … Will you be on Deception with your clothes on? Or, off?

DAVID:

Courtesy/ManhattanRepTheatre

Believe it, or not? I am wearing layers of clothing. .. A lot!   I am a motorcycle guy and I have my hoodie and leather jacket. He is a little rougher around the edges than Ford. It’s a blast. I am working with a girl named Ella Rae Peck. She was heavily recurring on Gossip Girl last year. When I saw she was attached to it, I was thrilled. She and I had actually done a Gossip Girl episode earlier in the year. On Gossip Girl we were playing best friends, and on Deception we are playing lovers. So, we are playing opposite of what we played before, which is great.

MICHAEL:

In closing, I just want to say kudos to you, David. Best of luck with putting up your play! You must be very proud.

DAVID:

It’s a little nerve-wracking thinking about what you are doing, but my girlfriend told me, “You are creating something in the middle of New York City. How many people get to do that?”

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Interviews

(INTERVIEW) B&B’s Annika Noelle Reveals Her Lead Actress Emmy-Nominated Scenes, and the Ups and Downs of a Tough Year

April 27, 2024

When the nominees were announced last week for the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards, six women wound up in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category and that included The Bold and the Beautiful’s Annika Noelle (Hope Logan) who had quite the heavy on-screen story.

For months, Hope initially tried to hold her marriage to Liam (Scott Clifton) together, gave into her passion for Thomas (Matthew Atkinson), and became a stronger more independent woman in the process. Noelle was previously nominated in 2020 in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category, but this marks her first-time presence in the highly-coveted Lead Actress race.

On Friday, April 26th, The Bold and the Beautiful celebrated their leading 12 nominations, as well as being the show with the most acting nominations going into the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards set to air live on Friday, June 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

Photo: JPI

During the on set celebration, when B&B’s Emmy-nominated executive producer and head writer, Brad Bell, introduced each of the acting nominees, they took a moment to address their colleagues, and for Annika, her speech was touching and emotional. She expressed, “I’m so grateful to Brad Bell for believing in this dark brunette, and allowing me to be a part of this family. And when we say that we’re a family, it’s not just because we get along. It is really because we are here for the majority of the year with each other. I know for a lot of people, 2023, was a difficult year. The thing about this beautiful show is that it was my constant, and it’s what I could depend on during a tough year. And there are beautiful days like this when you come in and everything in your life is going amazingly. And then, there are days where your world is falling apart. And the crew, honestly, you guys kept me afloat this year and that’s why this is so meaningful to me.”

Photo: MFTV Inc

Annika added, “I don’t think I could have gotten through this year without the love and support from this family. So, thank you for being there for me on days that I needed the strength and you gave that to me. I’m so grateful to my co-stars and who I get to share these beautiful scenes with. I just wanted to say, I appreciate all of you and thank you so much. You all mean more to me than you will ever know.”

Michael Fairman TV caught up with Annika immediately following the Emmy nominee celebration, to her thoughts on this momentous occasion in her professional life and what it means to her personally, plus what did she choose for her scenes when Hope had such, shall we say, a torrid year of story to choose from. Here’s what she shared below.

Photo: JPI

Dare I say, I called this nomination for you? Back on New Year’s Eve, I revealed My “Best Of” Picks for 2023 and I had you as the Best Overall Performance by an Actress for the year, and alongside your fellow nominee, Cynthia Watros (Nina, GH), to boot!

ANNIKA: Thank you for believing in me that I could do it.

How did you to tackle your Emmy-nominated reel and what you were hoping to showcase?

ANNIKA: I was just so grateful to have the story to be able to pick from, and to really try to show the character growth and the arc of everything that happened to Hope Logan in the past year. For me, I really wanted to take the voters on a journey from her really being heavily influence by everyone’s opinions and everyone else’s voices, to her really coming into her own and going, “I don’t care if it’s the right or wrong choice, it’s my choice.”

Photo: JPI

What scenes did you end up submitting the landed you this Lead Actress Emmy nomination?

ANNIKA: I started with this great scene that our producers, Casey Kaspryzk and Rachel Herman actually remembered, where Hope walks in on her mother in her lingerie flirting with Ridge. And they remembered that scene. So, that really launched us off to Hope being kind of in this deep denial of, “I’m nothing like you. I’m not going to follow in your footsteps. I don’t have feelings for Thomas.” Cut to Liam confronting her about watching her give into her desires in Rome. And him saying, “Where were you Hope? At the Colosseum?” and then kind of in a roundabout full circle way, Brooke finding Thomas and Hope in bed together and then Hope really kind of going toe to toe with her mother. Then, ending with her kind of fully coming into her own as a woman and saying, “You wanted a divorce, Liam, here’s your divorce.” I really wanted to show the journey of her finding her own voice and advocating for her own choices and finding that inner strength, basically.

Photo: JPI

Was choosing the reel difficult given you had so much material within the 2023 calendar year of eligibility to consider?

ANNIKA: It was hard to pick and choose. There were a few I ended up leaving out. There was a really beautiful scene with Thomas where she realizes he overheard her kind of talking ill of him. That one was really hard to let go of. I was also considering another scene with Liam where they actually signed the divorce papers. I’m just so grateful to even be able to have the material to choose from.

Photo: JPI

How did you find out you were nominated?

ANNIKA: Eva Basler, our VP of Communications & Talent Relations, called me and it meant so much to me to get that call from her. I tend to get nervous and have anxiety, so that day I just had to not think about it. So, I was out on a walk with my love, and my dog. We’re just in the middle of a cul-de-sac and my phone starts ringing. And it was the best surprise ever! Then, when I found out that Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B) got nominated alongside me, I immediately FaceTimed her. It was the funniest thing because she literally picks up and she is wearing a sun visor and sunglasses wrapped up on top of a horse as she’s in the middle of a mountain and in a valley on this beautiful white horse. It was the most picturesque thing.

Photos: ABC, JPI, NBC

I believe you know some of the women you are nominated with, obviously Katherine, but also Tamara Braun (Ava, Days), Finola Hughes, (Anna, GH), Cynthia Watros (Nina, GH) and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R). What are your thoughts on these nominees?

ANNIKA: Well first, I’m just so excited to be in this category with the other women. Tamara Braun, who I was nominated with previously in the Supporting Actress category I’m excited that she’s in this category with me. Michelle Stafford, who I see in the hallway all the time, is great, and Finola Hughes, I’m just like obsessed with from afar. I even watched her on Watch What Happens Live! Cynthia, I hear her work is tremendous, and with Katherine, I’m just really grateful to get to share this with her. To be honored amongst these legends of daytime is amazing. Just to be seen in that way, that means more to me than anything.

Photo: JPI

You mentioned during B&B’s on-set Emmy celebration that this past year was a difficult one for you, and that everyone at the show really helped you through it. What meaning would winning the Emmy hold for you?

ANNIKA: That would be overwhelming. I wouldn’t even know how to describe it – an honor, a privilege, a blessing? It would mean the world to me, especially after this past year. That’s why it’s so significant, because even on the darkest days, the storms passes. You just have to hold on for that brighter day.

So, what did you think about the scenes Annika submitted for Lead Actress? Were they some of your favorite moments from the Emmy season? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

Interviews

Y&R’s Allison Lanier Lands Her First Daytime Emmy Nomination and Shares “Being a Recast Can Be Daunting”

April 25, 2024

When the nominees were revealed for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series for the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards, a fresh face was in the running for the first time as The Young and the Restless Allison Lanier (Summer Newman) scored her very first Emmy nod.

Lanier took over the highly-coveted role of Nick (Joshua Morrow) and Phyllis’ (Michelle Stafford) daughter from two-time Daytime Emmy-winner Hunter King, who won gold for this role in the now defunct Younger Actress in a Daytime Drama Series category.

During the Michael Fairman Channel’s 2024 Daytime Emmy Nominations Special on Friday night, April 19th, Allison was one of the nominated guests, who shared her reaction to the news that she was a first-time Emmy nominee earlier in the day.

Photo: JPI

When speaking of how challenging it can be to be a recast on a soap, and in particular on the top-rated drama, The Young and the Restless, Lanier filled us in how she dealt with it.

Photo: JPI

Allison related, “I’m decent at compartmentalizing, but yes, it was daunting. Being a recast is daunting. Going on a show, especially, one where we work the way that we do, that’s just daunting in and of itself. I do think that when you’re sort of having to follow in somebody’s footsteps, they’re (the audience) automatically going to compare you to somebody else. That’s daunting. But I do think that I was able to hold that was happening for me, but also I have to ignore that and I do have to make it my own thing, because we’re different people. We’re bringing different things to the character and that was really the only way forward for me.”

Photo: JPI

When speaking of the nominees along with her in the Supporting Actress category, of course, she is close with Y&R co-stat and fellow nominees, Courtney Hope (Sally Spectra): “I’m not as familiar with everybody from the other shows quite yet, but I can’t wait to get to know them and to see what they’re putting out there and watch their episodes and their scenes. However, I am so glad that Courtney Hope is nominated in this category. Her storyline was so heartbreaking and the way that her and Mark Grossman (Adam Newman) played that, it just like shot me straight in the heart.”

Photo: JPI

As far as what scenes were on her nominated-reel, Allison shared she first had a reel of 30-minutes in length, just to see how all the scenes played out she was considering, before whittling it down: “So, what ended up on my reel was Summer confronting Diane (Susan Walters) directly after the gala after Phyllis “died.” It’s this kind of heartbreaking moment of anger mixed with pain and grief. I included the scene where Kyle (Michael Mealor) informed Summer that it is time for a divorce in her hotel suite. There was also one scene with Daniel (Michael Graziadei) after Summer knew Phyllis was alive, and I also had another scene with Michelle Stafford when Summer found out that her mother was alive.”

Photo: JPI

To check out the full interview with Allison, watch the Daytime Emmy Nominations Special below featuring ten of this year’s nominees chatting live.

Now let us know, do you think Allison has made the part of Summer her own? Happy to see her nominated? Comment below.

Days Of Our Lives

Wally Kurth Talks on His DAYS Daytime Emmy Nomination, His Emotional Scenes, and Remembering John Aniston

April 24, 2024

During our 2023 year-end honors at Michael Fairman TV, we named Wally Kurth as our pick for Best Overall Performance by an Actor for his double-turn as both Ned Quartermaine on General Hospital and as Justin Kiriakis on Days of our Lives. So, it was absolutely no surprise to us that Wally landed a Daytime Emmy nomination for his riveting work as a grieving Justin in the Supporting Actor category for the upcoming 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

On DAYS, Justin had been put through the emotional wringer, of first, losing his beloved Uncle Vic, played by the late John Aniston, and then finding out that Victor was the supposed biological father to Justin’s son, Alex (Rob Scott Wilson). If you didn’t reach for the hankies during some of Kurth’s work in these scenes, we don’t know what will make you do so.

Michael Fairman TV caught up with Wally to get his reaction to his fourth Daytime Emmy nomination in the last six years. Kurth was nominated in the Supporting category in 2018, 2020 and now 2024 and Lead Actor in 2021.

In addition, Wally shares what scenes were on his nominated reel, how John Aniston impacted his work, how he has changed as an actor over the years with a new outlook, and being the only actor out there with two long-running roles on two long-running soaps, and much more. Here’s what Wally had to share below.

Congratulations on your well-deserved nomination. You decided to submit yourself this year for Emmy contention in both Lead Actor for GH and Supporting Actor at DAYS, correct?

WALLY: I did. I thought the DAYS reel was a little more dramatic, much more emotional. I had thought with the way the judging goes that it might be a little bit more, winnable, if you will. I enjoyed and was proud of my work at General Hospital, so it’s all good. I’m thrilled. It’s always nice to be nominated.

Photo: JPI

What scenes did you ultimately choose for your Supporting Actor reel?

WALLY: I started chronologically, as always, trying to tell a little bit of a story. I actually started with a scene where Justin has to tell Maggie (Suzanne Rogers) that Victor’s (the late John Aniston) plane went down and it was not found. Then, the scene with Bonnie (Judi Evans) where I sort of have to let it all out, and grieve the loss of this man who was practically Justin’s father, but it was his Uncle Vic. We have a little scene talking about Victor, and then there is a short snippet at the funeral where Justin eulogizes Victor. Next, we jump to scene where Justin discovers the letter where Angelica admits that indeed Victor is Alex’s father (Rob Scott Wilson). So then, Justin has to tell Alex, and then I also sort of grieve the fact that I’m no longer his father. Justin basically lost his son. It was very dramatic and very emotional. I was guessing the judges would be like, “Hey! Enough with the crying! Stop, you big baby!” But, they didn’t. They must have thought that it was convincing enough that it felt really truthful at how Justin was upset about these two unfortunate realizations.

Photo: JPI

You bring up a really good point. I talk to actors all the time about crying on Emmy reels. Sometimes, many feel it might put voters off. But obviously, this time it worked well for you!

WALLY: What I liked about the crying scenes was that, like in real life, you’re not crying all the time when something bad is happening, right? I think crying happens and it takes you off guard. It happens without you realizing it. These were all moments when Justin was alone, really. Bonnie comes in the room where Justin is just kind of like dealing with it. And then her coming in, opens up Justin and she is there to hold him. I think that often happens in real life. I thought that was correct for the writers to do that, you know, that Justin would break down when he was alone.

Photo: JPI

Did you feel the pressure of wanting to get these scenes when Victor died and at his memorial, just right due to the enormity to it, and to do justice for John Aniston?

WALLY: I allowed myself to use my heartbreak over John Aniston. I loved him. I just sort of allowed his presence for me in the scenes. It was sweet. It was good for me. I’m just thinking about it now and I feel teary-eyed. John was such a sweet man. He led by example, and he really did teach me how to be a professional actor, and he was a mentor. He never told me anything specific, but he was just John, and in the scenes, this was the time for me tell him how I feel.

Photo: JPI

Then, you had the heartbreaking scenes with Rob Scott Wilson where Justin tells Alex he is not his father!

WALLY: I thought that was just really challenging material. As I get older, I just trust the material, and don’t get ahead of myself. I trust myself with the emotion. Just let it happen if it happens. When I first read it, I kind of imagined what it could look like and then you just let it unfold from there.

You’ve got Robert Gossett (Marshall, GH), A Martinez (Nardo, The Bay), Mike Manning (Caleb, The Bay), and Bryton James (Devon, Y&R) all in your category. Robert has won two Daytime Emmys in a row, last year for Supporting Actor and the year before for Guest Performer.

WALLY: l love Robert. I worked with the character Marshall on General Hospital, and we had so much fun. He’s a great guy and a really good actor. A Martinez is the best guy ever. I have such admiration for him. Whenever I see him, we always really connect and to be in included with him is great. Bryton James, I don’t know, but I know he beat me in this category in 2020. Mike Manning, I didn’t get the opportunity to know when he was at DAYS as he weren’t in scenes together, but I hear good things about him, too.

Photo: JPI

When you are judging Emmy reels, what do you look for when you’re voting on a performance?

WALLY: That’s a really great question. And because let’s face it, there’s just a lot of terrific talent in daytime. This year, I judged two categories. I don’t just go with, “Okay, who’s crying the most.” I really try to go with the one who’s touches me the most, who surprises me and moves me. And so, if you go with that, you’re probably going in the right direction. I also think that upfront you do need to kind of give them something in the first couple minutes that shows you know what you’re doing and don’t make it too repetitive.

Who did you first tell you were nominated?

WALLY: My manager, Michael Bruno called me. I was in Chicago with my daughters having a late breakfast and I knew the nominations were going to happen around 11 am Chicago time. I didn’t tell my daughters about what was happening, just in case, I didn’t get nominated. So, when Michael called, I went, “Oh, boy!” I told my daughters who were sitting at the table with me. So, they were the first two people that I could tell, and that was really nice. We had champagne which was really funny because I bought three little glasses of champagne, and as soon as I bought it, we toasted. They said, “We don’t really like champagne.” So, I ended up drinking all three glasses. (Laughs)

Photo: JPI

What do you think of Eric Martsolf (Brady), your Day Players Band member, and DAYS co-star getting a Lead Actor nomination?

WALLY: I remember, I was like talking to him and I was like, “Eric, are you going to submit yourself?” And he is like, “I don’t know. I don’t really have anything …” And the next thing you know, he’s nominated. I’m like, “Wow! I guess he found something!” (Laughs) I love Eric. I have such respect for him and his gift, and he works really hard. So, I was very happy for him. I’m glad we weren’t in the same category, however.

How many years now have you been playing Justin on DAYS?

WALLY: I started here 37 years ago in 1987. I was there for four years and then I left. Then, 18 years later, Ken Corday (EP, DAYS) invited me back in 2009 and I’ve been on the show now for 15 years. So, I guess a total of 20 years on and off over the last 37 years. Everyone remembers 1987-1991 … those were big, big years for Justin and Adrienne who back then were a supercouple.

Photo: JPI

Have you determined who you would thank in your acceptance speech if you win this year’s Supporting Actor Daytime Emmy?

WALLY: I feel like this year I kind of have an idea of what I would say. I think I can remember all of that without writing it down. If I had gotten nominated for both shows, I was definitely going to point out and thank the powers-that-be for giving me dual citizenship and how much I appreciate that. I do think that being on both soaps, I will go to my grave believing that it’s made me a better actor. In fact, since I’ve been doing both shows, I’ve been nominated for Daytime Emmys. I’ve become a better actor. I feel like maybe it’s just that I’ve gotten older and wiser, but I feel as though when I go in there to work, I’m really focused and I’m really prepared. I know I pretty much get one shot to get it. We’re in the business of “one takes” now in the soaps.

Photo: Peacock

People are so lucky to even have one enduring role in their careers, but you’ve been able to have two, and they’re completely separate characters on two legacy shows; one which just turned 61, General Hospital, and the other Days of our Lives which will soon celebrate 60 years, as well.

WALLY: I didn’t plan on it. I must have done something right. Back in 2009, Ken called me up and invited me back to DAYS. I really jumped in. I’d been out of work for four or five years. I went back with a whole new attitude about the work, about the genre. In 2004, when I left General Hospital, I was kind of burnt out. Looking back on it, I didn’t have a good attitude and I was just done. I was kind of tired. New writers come in and sometimes, when you have new writers that look at your character differently, it can be very difficult, because you just know that their passion is not with your character. However, in this case, I’m like, “I’m going to take whatever the writers give me and do the best I can and do my job. Let the writers do their job.” I think the writers also know that I really respect them and I’m not going to complain. I’m not going to tell them what to do and I’m going to stay out of it. They have enough to work out. They have enough to do. I’m going to be the problem solver, not the problem creator. There are enough problem creators. Believe me when I tell you that every time I leave those sets, I’m like, “Thank you. I love it. See you the next time I see you.” I know how lucky I am to do both shows and to have this opportunity to act at my age and still be sent scripts. I love the art of acting. I’d do it for free. The fact that they’re paying me and I am able to do this and work with these great, wonderful, talented actors every day, it’s kind of mind-blowing.

So, will you be rooting for Wally to take home the gold in this year’s Outstanding Supporting Actor in Daytime Drama Series at the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards on June 7th live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+? Let us know if you remember his nominated scenes from Days of our Lives via the comment section below and how they affected you.