Interviews
OLTL’s Erika Slezak Recalls Viki’s Breast Cancer Battle, Pays Tribute to Andrea Evans, and Shares Heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to Those Who Reached Out on the Passing of Her Daughter, Amanda
One of the all-time classic breast cancer storylines of the soaps was that of Viki’s on One Life to Live. Back in 2000 and into 2001, the character went through many trials and tribulations trying to face the disease, which again afforded the iconic Erika Slezak to be featured in another dramatic storyline, which at the same time helped so many female viewers.
As part of last week’s virtual event, Daytime Stands Up – A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer – We All Have a Story, Slezak chatted with co-host Michael Fairman about her remembrances of the important storyline, the passing of her co-star, Andrea Evans (ex-Tina) to breast cancer, and took a moment to address the fans and those who reached out to her following the sudden death of her daughter, Amanda Davieback at the end of January of this year.
While Erika has still been in mourning, she took the time to be a part of the night and wanted to contribute her voice to the benefit, and we cannot thank her enough.

Photo: ABC
Speaking on how Viki dealt with her diagnosis of breast cancer, and at the time being in a relationship with a younger man, Ben (played by Mark Derwin), Erika shared, “It was a very good story to tell because Viki, who had always been strong and by herself and tough and ‘I can deal with anything’, suddenly couldn’t deal with it. She was afraid. There was the whole relationship with Ben that was going on, and she didn’t want him to be a part of it. So that was separate, and the day that Vicki checked into the hospital, the last shot was me sitting on the end of the bed, sort of my dangling my feet over it, completely alone because she didn’t want anybody else to know.”
“Ben was around in the hospital and eventually found out that she was there and wanted to be a part of her life. But she didn’t want it,” Erika added. “She couldn’t deal with it. It was a frightening thing for her because it had been caught too late to treat. She had to have a mastectomy and a reconstruction and she had never been faced with such a very personal trauma. I mean, yes, she had Niki and all the others (Viki’s alters), but this was a physical thing that she could not control. It was a very powerful story, I think.”

Photo: ABC
One of the memorable moments from the story was when Viki sang the Gloria Gaynor hit, I Will Survive. Slezak remembers, “That was at Crossroads. She was singing to herself, I Will Survive, and she was desperately trying to believe it, as we all do when we deal with something horrible.”
In tribute to her former co-star, Andrea Evans, who started on One Life to Live as a teenager in 1978 and who died in July of 2023 at 66-years-old, Erika expressed, “Andrea grew up so beautifully and she was so talented that the person that she really was, who was a a kind and loving woman, could play so many different levels of Tina. I had such admiration for her for that. It wasn’t in her nature to be Tina, but she played the hell out of it. She really did. Her first day on the show, her hair was down to the back of her knees. She was just a kid, and she grew up to be a wonderful woman.”

Courtesy/SRodriguez
Speaking emotionally about Andrea’s personal life, Erika recalled, “I think one of the proudest moments of her life is when she got her daughter Kylie, she was so happy. Audrey, Andrea’s mother, used to bring Kylie to the studio, all the way from California she would fly in. I first met Kylie when she was a year old. I watched her slowly grow up and it was wonderful. Andrea was a fabulous mother. I never met her husband Steve. I wrote to him after she passed, and he wrote me back a very, very sweet letter. But when Andrea met Steve, it was like her life was almost complete, and then she had Kylie, and that was complete. And it is so, so sad that she died so young.”

Photo: JPI
During the conversation, Erika took a second to acknowledge all those who contacted her with their condolences, thoughts and prayers on the passing of her daughter, Amanda, sharing, “I thank all the fans and the people who have written to me. I’ve saved every single card. I’ve responded to every single person because the amount of people who reached out to me is just astonishing. I have a pile that it’s two feet high of cards and letters that people wrote to me. And I’m very, very grateful because this is the hardest thing that’s ever happened to me in my life.”
You can watch the conversation with Erika below on the replay of Daytime Stands Up – A Benefit for Stand Up to Cancer. The six-time Daytime Emmy-winner appears at the 34:17 mark in the show. Below that is a playlist of scenes from Viki’s breast cancer storyline on One Life to Live.
Now let us know, what did you think of Viki’s breast cancer storyline? Erika’s words on the late Andrea Evans and her “thank you” to all for sending their condolences to her and her family during their difficult time? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Viki’s breast cancer story was riveting and Erika Slezak portrayed all the ups and downs and twists and turns masterfully as always. Erika Slezak is the very best of the best. Cancer touches too many people.
The whole Ben and Blondie story was so beautiful. I loved Mark Derwin and was heartbroken when he left OLTL.
Once again, I giant thank you to Michael and Alan for the Daytime Stands Up 2 Cancer benefit.
Ms. Slezak is ever a class act. Those of us who watched OLTL know what wonderful talent she is. That she is just as gracious in real life is special.
Lovely words, couldn’t agree more.
La Slezak is one of the classiest women on Earth.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’ Favorite Amanda Setton Talks Brook Lynn and Chase’s Divorce, Jude Jacks, Baby Phoebe, and What’s Next (Exclusive)

On General Hospital, Brook Lynn Quartermaine’s (Amanda Setton) life as she knows it has turned upside down. First, she and Chase (Josh Swickard) signed divorce papers while in the Dominican Republic. As much as they loved each other, they just couldn’t get past all the trust issues between them.
Then, right after that, Jude Jax (Wil Traval) shows up at the Q mansion and demands to see his daughter, baby Phoebe! Brook Lynn is thrown for a complete loop. Is this guy claiming to be the biological father of Delilah Wilson’s daughter, which had been adopted by Brook Lynn and Chase, telling the truth? Brook Lynn is on her way to getting to the bottom of his claims.
Meanwhile, Brook Lynn’s portrayer, Amanda Setton just celebrated her first-ever Daytime Emmy nomination, and in the very competitive Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category. While Amanda ultimately did not take home the gold statuette, that honor went to The Young and the Restless’ longtime veteran, Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott), she was in great spirits when Michael Fairman TV caught up with her on the red carpet.

Photo: ABC
THE END OF THE LINE FOR BROOK LYNN AND CHASE
When asked how she felt about Brook Lynn being the first (between her and Chase) to put pen to paper on their divorce papers, Settton recalled, “She did. But I’m like, ‘Did she or did he kind of?’ They did it (both of them).”
Getting a new co-star and cast member can go one of two ways, great or not so great, but Amanda had nothing but high praise for Wil Traval’s entrance and performance as Jude Jacks!
THE ARRIVAL OF JUDE JAX
“Wil Traval is fabulous to work with. His debut was so amazing the other day, wasn’t it? He was just such a force and everybody’s faces and reactions when he says that he’s, ‘Jude Jacks, Jerry’s son.’ It was so good and well-played! Wil’s awesome. I’m excited for what’s to come. We’re going to have a lot of stuff together.”

Photo: ABC
According to Amanda, Brook Lynn will have her hands full in the months to come: “There’s a lot of stuff coming down the pike with Baby Phoebe. Will Chase and Brooklyn work together? Will they not? Is it really Jude’s daughter? Lots of questions!”
GRATITUDE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY HER PEERS
For Setton, being an Emmy nominee meant the world to her, and to finally be acknowledged by her peers in a television career that spanned daytime and primetime including her performances as Kimberly Andrews on One Life to Live. But most importantly for her work in 2025 in the emotional rollercoaster of a story where Brook Lynn learns Gio (Giovanni Mazza) is her biological son.
“It means so much to me,” expressed Amanda. “It really does. I keep using this line, but I really mean it. It feels like a big hug. You know, not everybody who votes for these categories works with you. It’s really a very humbling feeling to know that your work actually touched someone and moved someone enough for them to vote for you. And getting to play the storyline that I got to play was such a privilege. It really was, with the actors I got to play it with. To be a little rewarded for it feels so nice.”
You can check out our chat with Amanda Setton on the red carpet at the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards below. Then make sure to check out all the Michael Fairman Channel red carpet interviews from daytime’s biggest night here.
So, do you think Brook Lynn and Chase will unite to keep baby Phoebe away from Jude Jacks? What do you think of Wil Traval’s performances thus far as Jude? How do you see this story for the custody of baby Phoebe playing out? Were you rooting for Amanda to take home the Supporting Actress gold? Let us know via the comment section below.
Interviews
B&B’s Crew Morrow Talks Will and Dylan Romance, Heather Tom’s Success, and Dad Joshua Morrow’s Inspiring ‘Y&R’ Performance (Exclusive)

The Bold and the Beautiful’s Crew Morrow (Will Spencer) is one of the brightest younger male leads in the world of daytime drama. Crew has quite the soap pedigree being the son of The Young and the Restless’ long-running star, Joshua Morrow (Nick Newman), but similarities aside, is forging his own path and success.
Currently on the CBS soap opera, Will is falling for Dylan (Sydney Bullock), after continued interference (by many) put a wrecking ball through this relationship with Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace). Now, it seems Will has softened towards Dylan, despite his mother, Katie Logan’s (Heather Tom) warning of mistrust of the young woman.
Michael Fairman TV caught up with Crew on the red carpet at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards where he weighed-in on: the future of Will/Dylan, finding out his on-screen mom, Heather Tom, had the opportunity to become the winningest actress in Daytime Emmy history, and his thoughts on his dad’s touching performances in Nick’s drug addiction storyline.

Photo: HuthcinsPhoto
WILL’S SECOND CHAPTER AT LOVE
When asked if it’s real love brewing for Will with Dylan, Morrow expressed, “Love is a tricky thing. He does love her. It’s been a journey for Will moving on from Electra. That’s always the most difficult thing is acceptance, and the courage to move on, because it’s so easy to be comfortable with someone. Everybody has fallen in love. Everybody knows what it feels like to be in love.”
Crew added, “And that was Will’s first love and as it was Electra’s, as well. So, we’re in a new chapter for Will. He’s found new love and not without its own difficulties. because now he’s got to convince his mother (Katie) that Dylan is not a bad egg.”
Speaking of momma Logan, Crew was surprised to learn that on-screem mom, after winning six gold statuettes, was in the running for what would be be her record-breaking 7th on Emmy night! Heather’s career has spanned roles on The Young and the Restless (ex-Victoria Newman) to One Life to Live (ex-Kelly Cramer) to The Bold and the Beautiful.

Photo: JPI
LEARNING YOUR TV MOM IS ONE STEP AWAY FROM THE EMMY RECORD BOOKS
“Wow. That like almost makes me tear up,” an emotional Morrow shared. “That’s so amazing. I’m so proud of her. I came upon a scene of her and my father from Y&R. It’s just the weirdest thing in the world, because I do see the resemblance, and my dad had some swag back then. But, he doesn’t anymore (laughs), but he used to have swag! I’m just kidding, he does!”
Next, Crew shared a behind the scenes story of an exchange that went down between father and son; just before Joshua Morrow took to the sound stage to perform the scenes where Nick admits to his father, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) that he has a drug addiction.
Crew recalled, “In the drug addiction storyline, I was just telling my dad, it it was one of the most inspiring pieces of television that I’ve seen in a long time. And I don’t know if it’s because I’m so close with him, and I feel a lot of the same things that he does, but the scenes where he confesses that he has a drug issue to Eric Braeden as Victor were amazing.”

Courtesy/CBS
CREW AND JOSHUA MORROW TALK THROUGH NICK’S ADMISSION TO VICTOR
The Nick/Victor moment is one of the most memorable moments from the soaps thus far in 2026. Crew shared just how proud of his dad he truly was. “I was with him that day and we were talking about it and I was like, ‘What’s the process like?’ And we just began talking about it and I asked him, I go, ‘Dad, what if I had a drug issue? What if I was addicted?’ He looks at me and he says nothing and that was it. Then, I saw him go out to set and perform that scene, and he looked at me the same way that he looked at Eric Braeden, and it was just really special. He was incredible.”
Check out our conversation below with Crew Morrow from the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards now on the Michael Fairman Channel.
Then let us know: are you rooting for Will and Dylan at this point as a couple? What did you think about Crew’s reaction to learning some Emmy factoids about his on-screen mother, Heather Tom, plus the exchange Crew had with his dad Joshua Morrow, before the moment Nick admits to Victor he has a serious drug addiction? Let us know via the comment section.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Kyle Pryor Debuts as Dominic Marino and Says of Alleged TV Mom, “Deidre Hall is the Absolute OG, Amazing” (Exclusive)

Earlier this week on the November 2 episode of Days of our Lives, Kyle Pryor made his Salem debut when a key scene at the end of the episode, with Rita sitting in a chair, the long-talked about character of Dominic Marino unmasks himself!
This sets the stage for the new umbrella storyline that long-running soap opera set to turn 61 on November 8 is launching into. What we know thus far is the viewers are led to believe from a birth certificate discovered that the late Stefano DiMera and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) are the billionaire’s biological parents, but is he? Does Marlena have another son she will come to love?
Ahead of his debut, Michael Fairman TV caught up with Kyle Pryor on the red carpet at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards where he teased to us, whether Dominik will be all bad or just misunderstood?

Photo: Peacock
Pryor revealed, “I feel like having a bit of a good side makes it a bit more nuanced, but, we always want to see that sort of character development and not be too predictable. Just keep it a bit of a mystery and sort of surprising.”
Speaking about working with Days of our Lives icon Deidre Hall as his alleged mother on the show, Pryor had nothing but winning things to say about the legend. “Deidre is the absolute OG, amazing,” shared Kyle.”She’s so experienced on the show and her character has been through so many sort of trials and tribulations.”
As to his Days of our Lives father, Stefano DiMera, played by the late Joseph Mascolo, Nick shared he heard plenty of stories from the cast about Joe. “I heard that he was quite sort of method in his approach. as well. That behind the scenes, he would be his sort of usual casual self by the sounds of it. And then as soon as he gets on set, he’s in ii! An absolute sort of legacy … amazing character.”

Photo: JPI
In addition, TV Insider spoke to the former Home and Away (ex-Nate Cooper) and Hollyoaks (ex-Laurence “Laurie” Shelby) soap star, where he was in for quite the shock at how far ahead Days of our Lives was taping in advance of streaming new episodes on Peacock.
Kyle expressed, “Every other show that I’ve worked on in the past, it’s been a much faster turnaround, Usually somewhere around five, six weeks, so it’s been really interesting keeping a secret for 10 months. Also, this is the fastest soap that I’ve ever worked on, so you have to become very good at being instinctual, which in a weird way works for me. I’m a bit of an over-thinker, so it’s nice to be just very reactive and in the moment. It’s a lot of dialogue to get across, and Dominic loves a chat, so there’s always a lot to deal with.”
You can check out our quick chat with Kyle Pryor on the red carpet at the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards below and make sure to check out more video coverage of Emmy night via the Michael Fairman Channel here.
So place your bets! When all is said and done will Dominic Marino be the true biological son of Marlena Evans she never knew she had? Or is someone else his mother? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
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