Photo Credit: JPI Studios

In a doozy of an interview from Fancast’s, Sara Bibel, One Life to Live’s Brett Claywell (Kyle) answers questions surrounding the abrupt ending of the Kish same-sex storyline, and responds to the online rumors  that questioned his and Scott Evans’s professionalism,  that could have figured into why the duo got the boot.  Here are some enlightening excerpts below on the performance standard issues, the Kish fan base, if the couple will ever return, and Brett’s feelings toward the show’s head writer, and executive producer.

Brett on the TV Guide Canada column which reported rumors of their performance issues a being a reason they were written-off: “Scott informed me of that yesterday.  It’s amazing to me that two people can put so much of their heart into a story that can be so passionate and serious and tell a story as honestly and as truthfully as we tried to and just open our hearts to the world and just try to make a difference, try and touch people and stories like this will come out that are absolutely, 100% false.  I’d love for anyone to watch one day of any of the work we’ve done and tell me that Scott and I were not 100% committed to what we were doing.  We were so dedicated to our work. It’s hurtful.  I’m really offended that someone would make completely false claims.  I’m angry.  It’s slander. One of the last days that Scott and I worked together, the argument scene that just aired two weeks ago when I had the DNA test, we had all these scenes that were from different episodes, 41 pages of dialogue that Scott and I filmed in maybe an hour and a half.  We work so methodically together and so well together.  We would film scenes in one take like everybody does.  You ask the directors we worked with.  The fact that you can spend a year and a half pouring your heart into a story and one person with one article can try to bruise that reputation you have, it’s disheartening and it’s offensive.”

Brett on whether he thinks Kish will ever return: “I think they intentionally left it open.  Whether or not it’s going to happen, I can’t predict the future.  But Scott and I would both love to work together again.  We filmed our last day together and we didn’t even know it was our last day together.  I feel like there’s still some closure [needed] both for the story and us working together.”

Brett on what he sees as the response from fans: “I realized this week that we don’t have a fanbase.  We have an army.  I think I need to start making uniforms for them.  I couldn’t be more appreciative.  Moving to New York and telling this story… being an actor you’re on an island sometimes.  You’re just standing on your own two feet dealing with all the pressure and the stress that come with certain things.  Playing this role was more difficult than anything I’ve ever done in my life and it was more rewarding than anything I’ve ever done in my life.  It’s probably the proudest accomplishment I’ve ever had in my life.  A lot of that is a testament to the fans because they give you strength.  They help you know in the times that you feel most alone that you really aren’t.  Knowing that your work is really important to somebody, that it means something to somebody… every moment that I might have had a weak moment where I was getting overwhelmed there was a word from somebody that doesn’t even know that I read it that affected me just enough to get me through.  You say fans, because you don’t know them, but they’re more like friendships.  The support they gave is like no other.”

Brett on his feelings now toward One Life’s head writer, Ron Carlivati and EP, Frank Valentini: “I want to make sure that I put on the record that from my eyes and from my perspective I have no bitterness or no anger towards Frank and Ron.  Frank, he kept me around.  The character was created.  The character was revealed to be a gay man.  Through the whole process we had nothing but communication and support and belief and trust with Frank Valentini. People need to remember that this story never would have been told without either of them.  Without Ron’s writing but especially without Frank’s support.  I never would have played this role probably without Frank’s support.  At the end of the day it was sad to go.  It’s our family in a lot of ways and a little part of us feels like we’re being thrown under the bus by our family, maybe, but I am appreciative and indebted to Frank for being bold enough to tell this story and to tell it as truthfully as we did.  That truth may have shocked some people.  It may have created discussions in households and in places that never would have had the discussion.  To be bold enough to make that choice and to stand by it is why we did the work. I forever will be grateful to Frank and I think people should understand that… It might be a slower train than we want for equality to be on the streets or on the air but this still was progress.  The support that ABC gave us, the bravery that One Life To Live had as a show, the beauty in the words that Ron wrote, and the strength of the performances that Scott and I gave, this should be nothing but a celebration for a year that changed daytime television.”