Connect with us

All My Children

AMC's Eden Riegel On The Fast Forward Five Years, Where's Erica? & Bianca's Future!

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

We are now less than a month away and counting down the days till the return of All My Children when it launches online at Hulu.com.  AccessHollywood.com caught up with returning favorite, Eden Riegel who is reprising her role as Bianca Montgomery to help kick-off the online revival of Pine Valley.

During the conversation,  Riegel addressed some hot topic and want-to-know questions, and was able to tease some story information which the savvy soap fan will try to detect.  Here are a few interesting excerpts below!

Riegel on where All My Children picks up after the ABC final cliffhanger, which had J.R. firing a shot from his gun at the Chandler gathering featuring many Pine Valley residents:  “By having a quick sort of fast forward you get the opportunity to restart things because things have changed a lot in these people’s lives and yet, they’re still struggling with some of the same issues, and, of course, that final cliffhanger has definitely affected — it’s ricocheted and affected people’s lives and Miranda and A.J. who were just little kids at that point are now teenagers and dealing with the fallout themselves. So I think it was a really, really smart move to do this time jump because then you just get so many more possibilities. You don’t have to quickly rehash and finish up old stories. You get to start fresh with the same people, but at a slightly different point in their lives.”

Riegel on if the reboot explains the absence of Eden’s on-screen mother Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci:  “No. I think in a good way… there isn’t a lot of time on like, ‘Oh, where’s so and so?’ ‘You remember she’s out of town doing this…’ They don’t spend a lot of time on the exposition of that stuff so what you end up getting is the feeling that those people still are present. They’re just not featured. And soap audiences are used to there being a large cast and not every storyline can be dealt with every day so, it doesn’t have to be mentioned that Erica’s at the nail salon today. So I don’t know if it’s specifically mentioned where she is or what she’s doing… I don’t think that her absence is gonna be quite as palpable for the audience, which is good because I’m sure they’re gonna miss her enough and they can sort of believe that she is present.”

Riegel on if there is romance this time around for Bianca:  “They’re being very secretive and I can’t reveal anything and some of it has to do with — Bianca was very affected by what happened at the end of the show — the big cliffhanger and her family is very affected by it, so if I tell you what’s going on with her romantically, it’s a big reveal.”

So soapers, how do you think AMC will pick up five years later after the shot was fired? How was Bianca affected by what happened at the end of the last episode of AMC on ABC?  What do you think about not addressing where Erica is? Smart move?  Share your thoughts!

Click to comment

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Really excited to see Eden as Bianca and what new paths she will take. I guess this five years ahead angle will be alright. Where is Erica, anyway? Shooting movies as shown on the finale?

I really think it’s, for the best! It would be too difficult to pick up right where they left off. I just can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. April 29th can’t get here fast enough!

IF the shooting affected Bianca in some way, it seems perhaps it involves Erica? Maybe she could also be off somewhere with Jackson? If Erica is ever needed for storyline purposes and Susan isnt available, id bring back Anna Stuart in the part. She does resemble Lucci in some ways and her acting style is the same, so i feel AS would be the perfect recast. Same 4 Tad…James Depaiva ex Max OLTL could pass as Tad. But i feel in the beginning
there are no immediate plans to use those characters, and like Dallas not needing Pam or Rays wife when its reboot started, im certain AMC can move on without certain characters as well. And just because AMC jumps 5 years, i know itll still be 2013 in Pine Valley!

I absolutely LOVE Anna Stuart! Loved her on Another World, loved her when she came to AMC. But, replace Susan Lucci and play Erica Kane? No way. There’s only one person for that role, and that’s why they’re not recasting…

I couldnt imagine replacing Lucci in the iconic role of Erica that made her famous, but if its ever needed and Anna is available shes the only one i feel close enough to play the role. She was kinda like Erica on AW. Ive liked her since she was Toni on The Doctors and she also played Gina on GH during the late 70s.

Anna Stuart was classic years ago on Another World among others….. HOWEVER as a viewer of AMC since Erica was in High School……
NO ONE can or should ever replace Susan Lucci as Erica Kane……. if Ms. Lucci does not chose to come back then Erica shall remain off camera or killed off….. No one else can EVER be ERICA KANE ! Case closed…

I meant that as a ‘temp’ recast if Erica was needed and Susan wasnt avaiable…kinda like they did for Erika Slezak as Viki on OLTL when they needed a temp for Viki when Christine Jones filled in for her years ago!

I am sure they are leaving the Erica story blank in hopes that Susan Lucci will return when she see’s how this new media will play out. I am praying for the show to be a success. I miss it so much, I don’t care how it starts out, I just want it to begin already. Good luck to everyone involved in putting this show back up from cast to crew, from writers, to producers, directors, and everyone else in-between.

Knowing Susan Lucci has other commitments – I am fine with them leaving it open. I know she will work her schedule out and show up in Pine Valley.
I am also not worried about the changes. I am confident they will do Pine Valley justice. With Agnes Nixon consulting, I can’t see it any other way!
SO looking forward to 4/29/13!!! 🙂

I’m betting JR shot Marissa. It would help continue that on again off again feud with not only the Kane women, but Zach as well as David. Who’ll probably blame him for both his daughter’s death. Gives AJ reason to hate his father. Continuing on with that Chandler men family drama.

I know it’s just wild guessing, but I’m sooooo freaking excited about these reboots.

And though I’m one who is still struggling really seeing Pine Valley with no Erika Kane on a regular basis, it’s probably best they aren’t spending a lot of time on where exactly all the missing folks are from the start. Gives a chance to embrace the new stories and hopefully build up more suspense got future returns.

It seems as if Marissa isn’t going to be in Pine Valley and won’t be with Bianca, and that makes me happy purely because of Eden in the role. I’m sure they’ll bring Reese back either with Tamara Braun or a new actress, or just create a new love interest for her.

I just wish Christina Bennett Lind and Sarah Glendening were returning together!

All My Children

Carol Burnett Talks About Being a Superfan of ‘All My Children’ on ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’

In a heartfelt reunion, of sorts, the one and only Carol Burnett appeared on Monday March 25th episode of Live with Kelly and Mark.

Burnett had first met Kelly Ripa (Hayley) and Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo) back when they all appeared on All My Children together. Carol played Verla Grubbs first in 1983 and then again in the 90’s.

Host Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley, AMC) noted to Burnett that “we go back a long time”. She also described Burnett’s character of Verla Grubbs, “extraordinary in every way.”

Carol’s love for All My Children is well-documented, hence legendary soap creator, Agnes Nixon, created the role of Verla for Burnett.

Photo: ABC

Speaking on how her passion for All My Children began, Carol told Kelly and Mark, “It started with my kids. They would watch at noon. I said, ‘What are you guys doing?’ I sat down and I started to watch and I got hooked!”

When Carol’s family decided to travel through Europe during one summer, the comedic legend recalled thinking, “How am I going to last if I don’t know what’s going on in Pine Valley?” She revealed she had a friend, “who sent me a telegram to the (different hotels) on Fridays to bring me up to date.”

Photo: ABC

In a hilarious moment from the segment, Carol recalled receiving a late night telegram while in Lake Cuomo when there was a knock at her hotel room door from the hotel manager who was shaking.

Carol related what it said, “Erica is still in a coma. Mark slipped again and ran away from rehab.” As Kelly and Mark broke into laughter, Burnett continued, “Chuck has learned that Donna is carrying his baby, who was once a hooker.”

Check out Carol explaining how she became an AMC Superfan below.

Now, let us know, did you enjoy Carol as Verla Grubbs? What show do you consider yourself a Superfan of? Tell us in the comment section.

Continue Reading

All My Children

Malachy McCourt, ‘Ryan’s Hope’ and ‘All My Children’ Actor, Dead at 92

If you watched Ryan’s Hope through its 14-year-run, you know that Kevin the bartender became a beloved “member’ of the Ryan clan on the defunct ABC daytime drama series. The character of Kevin MacGuiness became so loved by the fans because of the actor who portrayed him, Malachy McCourt.

Sadly, according to his wife Diana McCourt to The New York Times, Malachy passed away on Monday from a heart condition and battling cancer. The actor was 92-years-old.

Playing Kevin on Ryan’s Hope was not much of a stretch for McCourt, because in his lifetime, he was the owner of 1950s Irish pub Malachy’s on Third Avenue in Manhattan. Known as one of the city’s great story-tellers, patrons from longshoremen to the actor Richard Harris would stop in and talk all things Irish with . On Ryan’s Hope, Kevin was best friends to “Ryan’s Bar” owner, Johnny Ryan (Bernie Barrow) and he tried to keep Delia (Ilene Kristen) on the straight and narrow.

Photo: ABC

In his soap opera career, McCourt also was widely-known for his role of Father Clarence McCourt on All My Children especially come Christmastime. Was Clarence, actually St. Nick? That was always the proverbial question. McCourt also appeared on the New York soaps: One Life To Live, Search For Tomorrow and Another World. Other roles included: Devil’s Own, Brewster’s Millions, The Molly Maguires, and Starman, to name 

Later in 2006, Malachy ran for governor of the state of New York as a Green Party candidate. He tackled social issues of the time including being an advocate for gay and lesbian groups to march in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Photo: ABC

McCourt’s childhood was recounted within his brother Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angela’s Ashes, which detailed their mother’s attempt to raise the four of their surviving seven children in poverty in Limerick, Ireland. Later, Malachy wrote his own memoirs: 1998’s Monk Swimming, and 2000’s Singing My Him Song.

Malachy is survived by his aforementioned wife, Diana, daughter Siobhan McCourt; sons Malachy Jr., Conor and Cormac; stepdaughter Nina Galin; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Share you remembrances and condolences for Malachy McCourt via the comment section, but first check out this scene from a 1983 episode of “Ryan’s Hope” featuring the late actor with Ilene Kristen.

Continue Reading

All My Children

‘Live with Kelly and Mark’s’ Annual ‘After the Oscars’ Show Brings Backstage Interviews, Fashion Review and Red Carpet Arrivals from Movie’s Biggest Night

Monday morning, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos took to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood for the talk show’s annual Oscar post show.

However, this time it would be Consuelos’ first time as the co-host of ‘Live’ for an Oscars episode. Mark took over the gig from Ryan Seacrest to team with his wife back in April of 2023 and since then the show has seen a ratings spike hitting several all-time highs.

The After the Oscars show opened with a tribute to the movies were the former All My Children stars took on iconic roles from: Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct to Barbie and Ken in Barbie, to the Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller role’s in the romantic comedy Something About Mary and more.

Courtesy/DisneyABC

During After the Oscars, Kelly and Mark were shown in clips backstage as the first stop for the newly-anointed Academy Award winners including: Finneas and Billie Eilish and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. The Bachelor host, Jesse Palmer was the talk show’s guest correspondent who spoke to the nominees, and celebrities as they were entering the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night.

Singer Andy Grammar took to the stage and performed on Live’s  After the Oscars show as well, and Project Runaway’s Elaine Welteroth shared her thoughts on the night’s Oscar fashion.

You can watch the full ‘Live with Kelly and Mark After the Oscars’ show below, plus the full movie parody below that. Now let us know, what do you think of Kelly and Mark’s first post-Oscar show together on ‘Live’? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

 

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Kim Coles as Whitley

Days of our Lives

Airdate: 7-24- 2023

Popular