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Andrea Evans Chats On Her Latest Project Hidden Gems, OLTL, Erika Slezak, & Her Daytime Roles!

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: Jago Soria

She’s synonymous with daytime drama for her memorable roles as: Tina Lord on One Life to Live, Tawny Moore on The Bold and the Beautiful, Patty Williams on The Young and the Restless, and Rebecca Hotchkiss Crane on Passions.  While soap fans dearly miss seeing Andrea Evans every day on their screens, the talented and clever actress has been busy with films, and her own projects.

In her latest entertainment adventure, Hidden Gems, Andrea, along with her producing partner Minh Collins, have created a new concept for a “unique” travel show, which has comedic actress Tara Erickson along for the ride with Evans.  These two very disparate women come together and check out some of the more intriguing, fabulous, and little-known places in America, and seem to get themselves in a whole heap of trouble while doing it!  As Andrea details, think of the 1991 motion picture classic Thelma and Louise as a sort of prototype for Hidden Gems.

On-Air On-Soaps caught up with Evans to find out details about the Hidden Gems Indiegogo campaign, and how fans can participate in the series fundraising efforts.  Plus, this being the 48th anniversary week of the beloved One Life to Live, Andrea discusses some of her most famous scenes, reflecting on her time there, and working alongside daytime legend Erika Slezak (Viki), and what she has thought of Stacy Haiduk’s turn in her former role as Genoa City’s Patty Williams.  In addition, you will learn what soap opera Evans could see herself on in the future.  So, let’s hit the road with Andrea, and find out what she had to say about it all.

So watching the Indiegogo teaser for Hidden Gems, it seems like a reality show, crossed with some scripted elements, and crossed with travel.  How would you explain the concept?

Courtesy/HiddenGems

ANDREA:  It’s kind of a weird hybrid.  I worked with this director on a film and we hit it off so well that we started our own production company, and optioned a couple of films, and came up with this show idea, because I love to travel, and he loves to travel.  We found that we both had gone to the same places that nobody ever heard of, and had great times.  So, that is how the Hidden Gems idea was born.   However, when we started shooting it we hired Tara to come with us.  She was so fun and wild.  Then strange things started to happen on the shoots.  We then kind of altered what we were doing from a simple travel show to a “Thelma and Louise” hit the road.  I think fans will see me in a different way than they have before, which is me out on the road having fun, and being a little wild and crazy with Minh and Tara.   They will catch me reacting to things, and it’s not entirely scripted.   You won’t just hear, and I don’t want to hear, that the “Ritz Carlton is a beautiful hotel.”  (Laughs)

When watching the teaser, I thought it was a very fun amped-up version of “Andrea Evans” you were playing.   Is that how you view it?

Courtesy/HiddenGems

ANDREA:  Well, (laughs) it’s not the glamour puss that people are use to seeing me play, but I love to travel, and I have a little rebellious side.  And as I say in the clip on the teaser, “I’m going rogue a little bit.”   In my off-soap career, I like to have fun, and do projects that interest me.  This was a riot to shoot.  The whole reason we are on Indiegogo is that we have some interest and a showrunner.  If you look at travel shows there is no “Thelma and Louise” about two women traveling.  One way to protect ourselves, and our idea, and our concept, is to shoot a few episodes ourselves first, which is why we are doing the Indiegogo campaign.

How did you find your on-screen sidekick, Tara Erickson?

ANDREA:  We had auditions, and talked with people.  When I met her we instantly clicked.  I thought she was hysterically funny.  She is very different from me, so we wanted that. We wanted someone quirky and still attractive, and to have someone else in a bathing suit, because God knows, I hung up my bikini a while ago! (Laughs)  I wore my bikini and my underwear on TV enough! (Laughs)  As for the reference to “Thelma and Louise”, I am more the Susan Sarandon to her Geena Davis.  But, at the same time in the teaser, I don’t tell my husband where I’m going!  Tara is more of a comedic actress, and I am known, whether I am funny or not, as a soap actress.

How much funding do you hope to raise through the Indiegogo campaign?

Courtesy/HiddenGems

ANDREA:  It’s a flexible goal, but we need about $4-$5,000 per episode just to complete them.  We try to put perks in there that we think those who contribute, and my fans will be interested in, and would like.  One of the biggest perks is that they could be on the show, and part of one of the road trips.

Where would you like to shoot and travel to, if you make more episodes?

ANDREA:  We have been researching travel places to go that are luxurious, fun, and a bit weird, and places people don’t even know about.  For instance: we have been researching route 66, and in Nevada there are all types of “alien” things that people don’t even know about.  There are crazy mansions in Northern California with doors, stairs, and rooms that were built, because the “spirits” told people to do that to protect themselves!  We are going to shoot right now in the U.S., but we would love to eventually shoot out of the country, because there are so many unique and unknown places around the world.

One Life to Live celebrates its 48th anniversary this Friday on July 15th.  It premiered on that date back in 1968.  I was thinking about you, and if it was still around, or was revitalized again, it would be great if Tina could come back and drop right back in the story!

Courtesy/YouTube/ABC

ANDREA:  Oh, absolutely!  One Life to Live is one of the great loves of my life.  I miss it dearly.  I think it’s a crime they took it off the air.  Happy 48th to One Life!  I know it still lives in a lot of people’s hearts.

Recently, I came across a clip from One Life, which was the set-up of the Marco Dane (the late Gerald Anthony) murder!  Looking back on it, it was still one of the best stories ever plotted, and there was you and Erika Slezak in the middle of it.  Wasn’t Tina being framed by Marco via a porn picture? (Laughs)

ANDREA:  What happened was Marco Dane was putting innocent 16-year-old Tina’s face on naked women and making porn!  Viki found out about it.

Do you ever talk to, or stay in touch with, Erika Slezak?

Courtesy/ABC

ANDREA:  Not that I talk with her a lot.  However, I was very touched when my mother passed about a year and half ago.  Erika really worked hard to locate me through people and to find me, and it was so nice to hear from her.  She was sending me her love and condolences.  Erika knew my mother, because when I started on One Life I was so young.  She got to know my mother very well, and it was so sweet of her to do that.  Erika is a lovely woman.  It’s a shame she is not on TV.  She is so talented, and wonderful.  So much about what I learned in this industry I learned from her.  She should be working and current.  I am just sorry that no one else has realized that and put her back on TV, because she should be there.

Every time I have been a segment producer for the Daytime Emmys, and they are looking to do a clip package from classic moments from the soap, one would always come across footage of Tina going over the Igazu Falls in Argentina!  It’s still iconic years and years later.  Where do all of those scenes sit with you when you reflect back on your time on One Life to Live?

Courtesy/ABC

ANDREA:   I started on the show so young, and I have to be honest, I was not even aware of the show before I started appearing on it.  But One Life to Live became such a huge part of my life and my career.  It’s funny, you see people who become very indentified with a character, and that character is indelibly created in people’s minds. Some people resent it, and some people love it.  I personally love it.  I take great pride in it, and I take great pride that my audience, whom I love, still adores it.  To be iconic in anyway in this industry is a blessing, and a huge, huge compliment.

What do you think of what happened to your former Y&R character Patty Williams since you have been gone from that role?  She is “crazy Patty” now, as played by Stacy Haiduk!

Courtesy/CBS

ANDREA:   Not only was there a change in the character, but she grew quite tall! (Laughs)  Patty went crazy!  I remember I went back to Y&R as Tawny from B&B one day, which was really strange.  And Stacy was on the same day, so it was kind of weird, but we did not share scenes together.  Tawny was looking for Amber before she returned to The Bold and the Beautiful.  Originally, I was not available to reprise Patty, because I was working, but I think Stacy did a really, really good job, and the character had gone an entirely different way.

Would you go back to doing a soap if a part came up?

ANDREA:  It’s not like I have been away from the soaps for too long, but yes, absolutely.  They are always a part of my life.  I love them!  I would be more than happy to return to The Bold and the Beautiful, or do one of the two shows I have not appeared on yet: General Hospital, or Days of our Lives.  I love the medium, and I totally support it.  Yes, I love doing other things, and have been building up my film portfolio, but daytime is always a part of my life.

If they could write a really good part for you on Days of our Lives, I could see you shaking things up in Salem.  What do you think?

Courtesy/IMDB

ANDREA:  You know the truth is: Days of our Lives is a soap I have always wanted to do, because I think I would fit in it really well.  I also have to say I am very protective of my career, and my brand, and my fans.  And for me to come back to do something, it doesn’t have to be a role that goes on forever, it could be a short run role that has a certain amount of pop to it.  I would choose a role that is important, and that has to be right.

Tawny Moore was great trailer trash on B&B!  Would you say that she was one of your favorite roles of your career, as well?

ANDREA:  I loved Tawny, and I had been assured she would be coming back to the canvas at some point.  Adrienne Frantz (Amber) and I have remained very close.

To sum it up, for us to see more antics from Andrea Evans, what are your hopes for your project, Hidden Gems?

ANDREA:  I hope people will love, and support it, and hopefully be on it!

Watch Andrea’s Indiegogo campaign video for Hidden Gems below.  Then let us know what you think of the concept? Would it be fun to travel with Andrea and her crew during filming? What did you think about her sentiments on One Life to Live, playing Tina Lord, and Erika Slezak?  Would you love to see her return to daytime on Days of our Lives, GH, or back as B&B’s Tawny? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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I’m still heartbroken over not getting my daily fix of One Life To Live! It’s a damn shame the idiots over at ABC took off one of the Best Shows to ever grace its network! It’s also a shame that Prospect Park’s failed attempt to bring it back happened! I watched all 40 some Episodes of the Reboot from Prospect Park and loved every minute of it! I thought they were doing a great job. Was it everything it was on ABC? No! Of course not! But it was pretty damn good! There’s no Actress better than Erika Slezak Period! Through Daytime or Primetime! She should be gracing our television’s on a daily basis! Robin Strasser is also another amazing actress we should still be seeing! I miss Dorian & Viki so much! It would also be great to see Andrea Evans on our television screens again! There’s so many Extremely Talented Stars we don’t get to see anymore! And that’s really ashame! Happy Anniversary One Life To Live! I still hope we get to see you again one day!

So true. Erika and Robin are awesome actresses along with so many of OLTL’s actors. They should be on daytime.

Kyle,

You took the words straight from my heart. I ache for our beloved One Life to Live. I am fortunate enough, read that old enough, to have seen the very first episode of One Life to Live on July 15, 1968 and instantly fell in love with it. All the wonderful characters and actors who have come and gone throughout the years were such a joy to watch. And I agree with you totally. Erika Slezak and Robin Strasser should be gracing out television screens this very minute. And Andrea Evans made Tina Clayton Lord Roberts unforgettable. They are not the only ones. I’ve always said One Life to Live has the strongest cast of any show on television. Even very young and/ or inexperienced actors who are not very strong grow and learn from working with the best of the very best.

Like you, I watched every episode of the Prospect Park series and loved every second of them. I was truly look forward to seeing what would happen next. Some fans have hard feeling about Prospect Park. I do not. At least they tired to keep bringing us the very best daytime drama there ever was. I will always be grateful to them for that.

I will never forgive the alphabet network/mouse company for taking our beloved One Life to Live from us.

Happy Anniversary One Life to Live!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are NOT forgotten and I too still hope to see you again someday.

Very nice interview with a consummate pro. I studied with a top soap Casting Director back in the day, and she bragged that Andrea Evans had a nearly photographic memory! And how sweet of Ms. Evans to mention Erika Slezak…two lovely women. Andrea’s new travel show sounds truly delightful, I hope a cable network picks it up.

I want her on GH….

I got into One Life right before they announced it was being cancelled and it was great TV for it’s last year on ABC. I really enjoyed Andrea making a brief return and thought it was a multi layered character.

I’ve been watching old OLTL episodes and am currently in mid-July 2008. Andrea’s Tina is back in a lackluster and disappointing storyline (IMO) but it sure is great seeing Andrea in the role again. Tina was always a favorite character of mine and I will always be thankful to Andrea for this and wish her well.

THIS actress was THE Patty Williams!

You should have asked her about her time on Passions. Her Rebecca character was truly memorable.

Thank you for an interesting and up to date interview with one my favorite actresses, Andrea Evans. Andrea is always a class act; I would love to see her on soaps again! Looking forward to checking out Hidden Gems!

I loved her on Passions, she and Liza Huber were delicious as mother and daughter villains. They were the best characters next to Tabitha and Timmy.

Love this woman. She always gives 100 per cent no matter what.

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric

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Dominic Zamprogna

General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).

On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.

Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”

Courtesy/ABC

HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT

Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”

Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”

Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”

Dom and Liz

Photo: ABC

DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES

In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”

Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”

You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.

Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guy  for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.

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Beyond the Gates

‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’

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Mike Manning

While Smitty tries to hold the fort down in his marriage to congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon)  and their two teenaged children, Samantha (Najah Jackson) and Tyrell (Jaden Lucas Miller) on Beyond the Gates, Emmy-winner Mike Manning has also landed another feature film role.

According to Deadline, Manning has joined the cast of Deify with 6 other new cast members for the indie psychological horror film starring Neal McDonough and Skeet Ulrich, which was previously announced last week.

Joining Manning as the latest cast addition are: Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Greene,  Casey Harnett, Kirk Avecdo, Anji White, anf Nicholas Chimera who’s directing the pic also has a part in the film.

WHAT’S THE STORY OF DEIFY?

Taking to his Instagram with the news of his casting, Manning shared, “A movie about a cult? What could possibly go wrong? Come for the enlightenment. Stay because they won’t let you leave. DEIFY is coming…”

The movie is currently shooting in Chicago and in story, “a cult leader is put on trial after causing his devoted followers to be burned alive. The film is inspired in part by events surrounding the 1993 Waco, Texas, standoff between members of the Branch Davidians church and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, one of the largest civilian firefights ever recorded on American soil.”

MIKE MANNING IS A DAYTIME EMMY NOMINEE

In addition, the multi-talented Manning is a producer on the feature. Previously, Mike was nominated last month in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. He previously won an Emmy for his role on The Bay and for being a producer on the digital drama.

Mike’s previous credits include the role of Charlie Dale on Days of Our Lives and the Manny on This Is Us, plus various primetime and screen credits.

So intrigued to find what role Mike will play in the upcoming horror/cult film, Deify? Enjoying him as Smitty on Beyond the Gates? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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General Hospital

GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

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Patrick J. Gibbons

At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.

However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.

Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Photo: ABC

FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG

Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!

Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”

MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL

Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).

Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”

Photo: JPI

PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY

Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”

It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”

A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”

Photo: PGibbons

IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS

As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”

He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”

Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.

So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.

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