General Hospital
Julie Marie Berman Interview: Her Daytime Emmy Nomination & Decision to Depart General Hospital!
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
Julie Marie Berman is a two-time Daytime Emmy winner for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series for her work as Lulu Spencer Falconeri on General Hospital. However, this year she has gone to the even bigger leagues landing her first Daytime Emmy nod in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category at this year’s 40th annual Daytime Emmys, to be presented on Sunday night, June 16th on HLN!
But in what has been a tumultuous year for the talented star, Berman made the decision to leave her role of Lulu after 8 years, breaking the hearts of many fans who clamored for more of the love story between Lulu and her husband, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna). With what appears to be a somewhat unfulfilling final year of her contract, where Lulu was not driving or that integral to story, Berman made the tough decision to try something she wanted to do, to see what else is out there for her. And, as anyone who has seen her work knows, the sky is the limit for where Julie will appear next, taking with her a supportive legion of fans.
On-Air On-Soaps chatted with Julie upon her receiving the exciting news of another Daytime Emmy nomination, and to check in to see how she is feeling about her departure from GH, what factors played into her exit, and to celebrate with her as we get ready to find out, will Julie take home her third piece of gold as the ultimate topper on a fantastic soap career? Here’s the cutest gal we know, in a very candid conversation, Julie Marie Berman.
Congratulations on being nominated again this year! What episode did you submit to garner a Supporting Actress nod?
Courtesy/ABC
JULIE: It’s good to be nominated again, and very charmed! I ended up submitting the episode with Lulu and Luke, where Lulu discusses her drinking, and they reconcile their temporarily estranged relationship.
Why did you decide on that episode?
JULIE: Two reasons: 1) I didn’t have a lot to pick from, so it was pretty easy. 2) The day we filmed that episode it was very personal, and you can kind of feel when you have just gone through something with another actor and you think to yourself, “Wow. That was great. We just went somewhere and I look forward to seeing that on TV, because I do not even know where we went.” So that is kind of how it felt, sort of transcendental, all most.
That’s amazing, because your former on-screen brother, Jonathan Jackson (Ex-Lucky) told me that last year in his Daytime Emmy winning scenes, in working with Tony Geary (Luke) that those scenes went some place and took him to some place.
JULIE: Yes, that’s exactly how it is. Obviously, Tony is the type of an actor that those things can happen with him a lot of times, and that was the last time he and I had material that was of that substance. It was very special to me, and a no-brainer in comparison to the rest of the year. It was just a really special episode.
Does Tony make everyone better?
Courtesy/ABC
JULIE: (Laughs) I think it’s hard not to say that he doesn’t make everyone better. I mean, he is a real presence, and obviously very talented, and a very giving actor. And when you are present in everything you do, I think it’s impossible for him to not elevate the other person he is working with. We have worked together for so long that we have a great off-camera relationship that it’s not hard for us to go to these wonderful places when we do get to work together.
So many fans are upset that you are gone from General Hospital, and that you made the decision to leave. How are you feeling about that now? It’s kind of bittersweet that you got an Emmy nomination.
JULIE: It definitely was not easy to leave. It was my decision. I knew that it was going to be difficult. There was a mourning process for me to let-go of the character, and let-go of my friends, and let-go of her little life that I have lived. I still miss it. I am not over it. But it was the right decision for me to leave, and still feels right. It is affording me the freedom to try other things, and that is what I wanted. That is kind of where I am with it. I miss Lulu, but I am happy that I have this time in my life to see what happens, because I have no idea what’s going to happen next.
Courtesy/ABC
Did GH tell you when you were leaving that they were recasting the role of Lulu, now played by Emme Rylan?
JULIE: No, they didn’t. I didn’t find out till the very end. I had heard they were maybe doing that, but no one talked to me. I don’t know that they needed to tell me. It was my decision to leave. They’ve got to do what they got to do at that point to make sure that their show is on top. If that means recasting Lulu, then that’s what they have to do.
So many times in soaps, wonderful performers leave the medium after they worked so hard to define a character that they are known for. It must be hard to see when someone else steps into the role.
JULIE: It’s very unique to the medium. There is no entertainment show, or movie, or anything, where someone just steps in and it picks up where you left off. It’s part of the game that you play when you work in daytime.
Have you watched General Hospital since your departure from the series?
JULIE: No, I don’t watch it anymore. I did tune-in to see the Nurses Ball and 5oth anniversary, of course. So I was able to see the fun dances and song, and it was wonderful to watch, and to see everyone totally out of the box. But other than that, no I have not been watching, because I think I have to cut the cord at some point.
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
Kelly Sullivan (Kate/Connie) did not get a land a Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series category for her riveting work and reel! Were you shocked?
JULIE: I am very surprised, because I think the world of her, and I know you do, too. She is incredibly talented and deserves recognition beyond recognition for that incredible work.
Winning a Daytime Emmy many times is about having that perfect storm: the perfect storyline with the perfect scenes that are classics that stands the test of time. However, some would argue that sometimes there seems to be no logic in who eventually wins!
JULIE: If you are on the show long enough and you get into the Emmy game, it is completely unpredictable. There is really no formula that things necessarily work out for the right people, and that is the way that it is. It is based on one episode and not your body of work. So, if you take it for that, and you don’t let it mean something more than when you are not nominated or recognized, then when it happens it’s great, touching, and humbling. And when it doesn’t happen that’s OK, too, because you don’t rely on it. I would think that Kelly would 100% feel that way. She does not need a nomination to prove anything. Who knows? There is always next year, and the next year, and so it can always work out.
Which of your Daytime Emmy victories or nominations is the most special to you?
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
JULIE: They are all special, and it’s not something to be taken lightly! I can’t say one is better than the other. Obviously, this nomination is one of the best, because I am not on GH anymore. I get to see my friends, and I am in the Supporting Actress adult category for the first time! (Laughs) So it feels nice to be among peers that I look up to, not that I did not look up to people I was nominated with in the Younger Actress category, but it is a different level and more competitive within the group. I feel really grateful this year, and surprised and humbled, by the significance of it with the timing of everything that has happened this year.
You judged on the blue-ribbon panel in the Supporting Actor category this year. What did you think overall when you saw the performances?
JULIE: They were fantastic! What is amazing is the level of talent in daytime. It is extraordinary, and so wonderful that we can pat ourselves on the back in this environment, because we work out butts off. I think there are a lot of talented people in all the categories, but definitely in the Supporting Actor and Actress categories. It is nothing short of an honor to be among the finalists. It is very cool.
Is putting on the dress and getting all dolled up something you dread, or love to do for Daytime Emmy night?
JULIE: Oh, I love it, are you kidding? I love dressing up! I am totally excited to pick out a dress, and get my hair done and make-up, especially really dressed up. You don’t get to do that every day.
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
Did you hear from your long-time scene partner Dominic Zamprogna when you received the news that you were an Outstanding Supporting Actress nominee for the first time?
JULIE: Yes, and we do stay in touch. A lot of people texted me and congratulated me. They are all excited that this provides an excuse for all of us to hang out again!
Dante and Lulu in the last year were not given much material to work with as a couple. Was it hard once they were married to keep them relevant in story?
JULIE: Oh, totally! The marriage was rushed and they rushed that story point. I forget why. It was not supposed to happen as quickly as it did. It felt rushed for us as actors, and for the audience. However, everyone was OK with it, because everyone loves to see love. However, I think it definitely killed a lot of momentum and things they could have done and played with before reaching that peak. Dante and Lulu got married, and then after that it felt like they definitely did not know what to do with my character. They did not have a job for her. It felt like a transitory period, where I did not know where they were going. I did not feel that Lulu was firing on all cylinders. Her character wasn’t quite right. It took them awhile to decide where they wanted to go with it. It was too bad. They have a lot of characters on the canvas that they had to worry about, and I think Dante and Lulu were written into a corner a little bit when the new team came into fix everything. I think they figured out a very cool storyline for the character, since.
Your final GH scenes were with Kirsten Storms (Maxie). This was set-up as Maxie’s dream (or nightmare) on what would happen if Lulu found out Maxie had been lying about the baby! What did you think of those moments?
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
JULIE: I loved it. I really didn’t get to play that kind of material this past year. I love that kind of stuff where the stakes are very high. It was really nice to have a glimpse of the payoff that I wanted to be able to play, but it obviously it did not time out with when I was leaving. So it was wonderful. As a last scene, on my last day, it felt good to have material where I could go all over the place.
It was played as a “what if” moment, so fans at least got to see your reaction as an actress inhabiting the role of Lulu in a key story point before you said goodbye! Thank goodness we got to see that. It was wonderful.
JULIE: It was an uncontained moment, and it was great. I felt it would have been very anti-climatic for me if I left and my last scenes were me lying on the floor pretending to be unconscious. (Laughs)
So, would you like to see Julie take home the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at this year’s ceremonies? Do you miss seeing Julie on-screen as Lulu on General Hospital? Do you think that the character wasn’t written for properly over the last year that Julie was portraying her? Share your thoughts!
Beyond the Gates
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the full list of nominees for the upcoming 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless and broadcast television newest soap opera, Beyond the Gates that racked up the most nominations with 18 and 16, respectively.
The full reveal on Tuesday follows the announcement of several major categories including Lead Actor and Actress on Monday via Extra and Entertainment Tonight and The View today revealing Daytime Drama Series and more.
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony is set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California.
Photo: CBS
In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS expressed, “We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television, As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
“Each year, the Daytime Emmy Awards celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication that drive this vibrant community of storytellers,” said Rachel Schwartz, Head of the Daytime Emmy Awards. “Congratulations to this year’s nominees, whose work continues to entertain, inspire and connect with audiences every day. We look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements in Hollywood this October.”
The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional and legal/courtroom programming.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, and ceremony host will be announced at a later date.
Now below, check out the nominees in the daytime drama, talk show, entertainment news series and creative arts categories and congratulations to all!
Photo: JPI
Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Stacy Haiduk (as Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives
Karla Mosley (as Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Michelle Stafford (as Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom (as Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamara Tunie (as Anita Williams Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Eric Braeden (as Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless
Steve Burton (as Jason Morgan), General Hospital
Scott Clifton (as Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful
Thorsten Kaye (as Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful
Christian Jules Le Blanc (as Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Linsey Godfrey (as Sarah Horton), Days of Our Lives
Camryn Grimes (as Mariah Copeland), The Young and the Restless
Beth Maitland (as Traci Abbott), The Young and the Restless
Trisha Mann-Grant (as Leslie Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Amanda Setton (as Brook Lynn Quartermaine), General Hospital
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Sean Dominic (as Nate Hastings), The Young and the Restless
Timon Kyle Durrett (as Bill Hamilton), Beyond the Gates
Michael Graziadei (as Daniel Romalotti), The Young and the Restless
Roger Howarth (as Matt Clark), The Young and the Restless
Mike Manning (as Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Beyond the Gates
Lawrence Saint-Victor (as Carter Walton), The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series
Braedyn Bruner (as Emma Scorpio-Drake), General Hospital
Al Calderon (as Javier Hernandez), Days of Our Lives
Alice Halsey (as Rachel Black), Days of Our Lives
Giovanni Mazza (as Gio Palmieri), General Hospital
Ambyr Michelle (as Eva Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Arielle Prepetit (as Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series
Jasmine Burke (as June Hughes), Beyond the Gates
Jeff Kober (as Cyrus Renault), General Hospital
Eva LaRue (as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez), General Hospital
Christopher Sean (as Paul Narita), Days of Our Lives
Ray Wise (as Ian Ward), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series
3rd Hour of TODAY
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Mark
TODAY With Jenna & Friends
The View
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host
Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin & Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri
Outstanding Entertainment News Series
Access Hollywood
Entertainment Tonight
Extra
Outstanding Daytime Personality (Daily)
Mona Kosar Abdi, Derek Hough & Terri Seymour, Extra
Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Kevin Frazier, Rachel Smith & Nischelle Turner, Entertainment Tonight
Scott Evans, Zuri Hall, Kit Hoover & Mario Lopez, Access Hollywood
Star Jones & Corey Jovan, Divorce Court
Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program
Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood — An Entertainment Tonight Special
Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter
Variety & CNN Actors on Actors
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Working In the Theatre
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
Have Guitar Will Travel World
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Let Frankie Cook,” Getting the Band Back Together
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Outstanding Technical Direction and Video for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 104
The Bold and the Beautiful,” Episode 9511
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”
The Jennifer Hudson Show, ” Episode 4041
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”
Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
General Hospital, Episode 15719
The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Episode 5033
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13273
So, what do you think of the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations? Who are you happy to see receive a nomination and who do you think was snubbed? Weigh-in via the comment section.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award nominations kicked-off on Monday with the announcements of four major categories including, Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series — Actor, and among the nominees is General Hospital’s Steve Burton (Jason Morgan).
Burton is already a two-time Daytime Emmy winner in the Supporting Actor category for his roles as GH’s Jason and his turn as Dylan McAvoy on Y&R. However, Steve is yet to win in the Lead Actor category and he has received 11 nominations along the way in his daytime career.
Following the reveal that he is a 2026 Daytime Emmy nominee, he and his GH co-star, podcast co-host and comedy show partner, Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) taped a special edition of their That’s Awesome podcast just featuring Burton’s reaction to the news.
Photo: JPI
FOR LESLIE CHARLESON
Steve expressed, “I know it’s such a cliche to say, ‘I’m just so honored to be nominated.’ But truly, I’m so grateful to be nominated, so grateful to just be on the show off and on for 30 plus years and to be nominated with the guys in my category. Just to get the opportunity. Frank (Valentini, executive producer, GH) texted me right away. I was just like, ‘Thank you for the opportunity to get to do what I do.'”
Taking in the moment, Burton thanked those who helped him select the material for his nominated reel. “Unless you win, you don’t get to say things. So. I’m going just say a few things: Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) helped me a lot with the material, (as did) Michelle Henry, who’s a producer on the show, Laura Wright (Carly, GH), and then my wife Michelle (Lundstrom). I believe it was Jill Phelps who told me that when A Martinez felt like he had a great show or great scenes, he would mark it down. So, when Emmy time comes, you have all the show numbers written down, and you don’t have to think about it, because that’s half the battle (finding the material).
Burton explained how meaningful this nomination is for him, because of playing the scenes of Jason losing Monica, and his closeness with the late, great Leslie Charleson.
“The nomination’s an amazing thing, and it’s beautiful, but really it’s to honor Leslie Charleson. A lot of my material was because of her, and how I started on the show as a Quartermaine, it just means a ton,” shared Burton. “Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) has obviously has been instrumental, and I’ve said it from day one and I’ll shout it from the rooftops. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here, and to be working with the people that we work with is incredible.”
Photo: JPI
SHOULD JOHN OLIVER BE NAMED HOST OF THE DAYTIME EMMYS?
During the end of his conversation with Anderson, Steve suggested that the host of the Daytime Emmy should be Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver, who recently guest starred as the head of the WSB named Z on General Hospital, and is soon to show up on Days of Our Lives in a mystery role in August.
Thus far, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has not revealed their host for the upcoming ceremony to be held on October 30 in a venue to be named in Hollywood, California.
You can watch Steve sharing his reaction to receiving his 2026 Lead Actor Daytime Emmy nomination below on a special segment on the That’s Awesome podcast.
Now let us know, are you glad that Steve chose scenes surrounding Jason mourning the loss of the woman that raised him, Monica Quartermaine for his Emmy reel? What do you think of John Oliver as a suggestion to host the Daytime Emmys? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Reconnects with Danny; Tristan Roberts Arrives in Port Charles, Lots of Nods to #16
General Hospital’s 16,000th episode was packed with little reminders through points in today’s script that the ABC daytime drama series has set another milestone and it paved the way for the return of fan favorite and newly nominated Daytime Emmy Lead Actor nominee Steve Burton (Jason Morgan). The 16,000th episode also introduced viewers to the new surgeon in Port Charles Dr. Tristan Roberts played by Dean Geyer.
Here are the key takeaways and what went down on the July 13 episode: Tristan and Jason are seated next to each other on a plane heading to Port Charles. Throughout the flight, a beaten up Jason has flashbacks to being thrown into, and being held captive in a cell and tortured. It appears Jason is suffering from some form of PTSD from what he was put through after being dragged out of Port Charles by the WSB months ago.
As the plane prepares to land, Tristan tells Jason there would be a car waiting for him once they land and to enjoy the rest of his life. Later, Tristan arrives at the nurses and doctors hub at GH and approaches Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst). He tells her his name and that he is the new surgeon on staff.
Photo: ABC
A REUNION PLUS A HEAD NURSE DEFENDS SONNY
Meanwhile, at the end of the episode, Jason is outside the Quartermaine boathouse looking bewildered when he runs into Danny (Asher Antonyzyn), who is so thrilled to see his father, and the two hugs each other as tears are shed.
Elsewhere, Elizabeth tells Sonny (Maurice Benard) that he thinks its a great idea for him to get the 16th seat on the hospital board, but when it comes times to convince Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) of that, things go awry when Tracy, Laura and Sonny try to work things out. After Tracy launches into Sonny about killing Alan and Monica’s son AJ, Sonny walks away dejected.
Next, Sonny runs into Elizabeth, where he informs her what happened with Tracy. So what’s a head nurse to do? Elizabeth marches into the conference room and reminds Tracy of all the different donations and ways Sonny has contributed to the hospital from the Stone Cates AIDS wing, to the Michael Corinthos Center for Pediatric Head Injuries as well as his constant support each year for the GH Nurses’ Ball.
Courtesy/ABC
WSB WAR SCARS
Then, in one of the best parts for longtime fans of the series, Elizabeth talks about her legendary grandparents, Audrey and Steve Hardy and she tells Tracy they would have wanted Sonny to have a seat on the board for all the good that he has done for the hospital. After Elizabeth states Sonny’s case, things took a turn and Tracy and Sonny wound up shaking hands as Sonny is board member #16.
In the how great was it to see Anna (Finola Hughes) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) together scenes department, the pick-up of last Friday’s cliffhanger is played out as the two former lovers fill each other in on what has gone down in their lives in the last several months including Valentin admitting he had been living in Carly’s attic, and Anna realizing she was kidnapped by Cullum, Sidwell and Cassius Faison. During their conversation, Anna sees the hallucination of Peter August (Wes Ramsey) right while Valentin is standing there.
Courtesy/ABC
Later Anna was on her way to saying goodbye to Valentin, when the two share an emotional hug. After Valentin made his exit, Peter reappeared and warned Anna to not let Valentin distract her because she has important work to do. Anna answers, “I know.”
So, what did you think of General Hospital’s 16,000 episode? What do you think is wrong with Jason? What is the important “work” that Anna has to do? Were you glad to see Sonny get a seat on the hospital board, or not so much. Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out the scenes on Jason and Tristan’s long flight to Port Charles.
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Reconnects with Danny; Tristan Roberts Arrives in Port Charles, Lots of Nods to #16
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actor Drama Series
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Steve Burton Returns to ‘General Hospital’ on Its 16,000th Episode: How Will Jason Be a Changed Man?
‘Daytime Emmy Nominations Special 2026’ Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Reconnects with Danny; Tristan Roberts Arrives in Port Charles, Lots of Nods to #16
GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers Promo: Jason’s Back, Drew Begins to Make His Move, Portia Goes Into a Labor
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I hope julie does win emmy. I think she feels how fans were feeling the last yr. The writers could of given Dom and Julie alot more storylines.
BIG MISTAKE
I actually was hoping that Julie had submitted the episode she did. That work with Tony Geary was a standout for me as a Lulu fan and the first episode that came to mind when I thought of the Emmys and Julie being nominated. I hope she wins, it would be the cap on an amazing GH career. She was a real find for GH and to have her this long was a real blessing. She is so talented and I believe she can have as much success as Amber Tamblyn or Jonathan Jackson have outside daytime!! So, all the best to Julie and I look forward to seeing her on Emmy night and will jump, cheer and cry if she takes home the Statue. Thank you Michael for the interview!
Wpw. After reading this, I have a different opinion of her. If I cannot be the star, I am not going to play anymore. There is a word called sharing. JMO
What an incomplete view of what Julie said!! She was NOT talking about being a star – she was talking about having good material which challenged her skills as an actress. And they ALL want that. She just wanted more scenes like the great ones she had on her last day – the dream sequence when Lulu got to call Maxie out for lying about the baby. How long were those scenes – about two minutes???? That is not “star” time – that is just having something good to perform.
Obviously you don’t know how to read between the lines. She wanted more sophisticated material. That 2 minute scene she was with Maxie on her last day was better than everything she had all year. If you’re going to be tied down to a soap and prevented from trying other things then they want juicy material. Considering the entire GH cast was set aside for the OLTLers, I can see why she and Brandon wanted to try other things. No one wants to wait around for a head writer to feel like writing for them when they want. Go Julie. I hope she does wonderful in her career.
I agree with you Beth, she’s been front and center since day one and now that’s been taken away from her, so off she goes to bigger and better opportunites. She’ll probably end up on Nashvile, she fits the type.
What a great interview! Love reading anything printed that has anything to do with the talented and awesome Julie Marie Berman! Hope to see her in lots of new projects! The television screen is all kinds of awesome when she’s on it! Can’t wait to see her burning up the screen again! I would love for Julie to win Emmy #3!! I’ve got my fingers crossed!
Agree 1000%! Keeping my fingers crossed too!
I hated to see Julie go especially when Genie Francis had just gotten back as her mom Laura. I could see her really sinking her teeth into the present Lulu plot with her memory loss.
so true- But I thnk they did the kidnapping and memory loss because they wanted to have some time with Lulu off screen before the new actress came.
That TPTB wasted the immense talent that this young woman (and by extension Mr. Zamprogna) posseses, is indicative of the fact that there are too many storylines going on at one. Umbrella stories can be tricky to balance and RC/FV did a great disservice to both of these quality actors, as individual characters as well as a couple when they dropped the ball as it pertained to story for them. There will never be, speaking for myself only, another pairing that hit me with such emotional intimacy and dramatic intensity as these two have. My biggest regret is that I will not see how wonderful this current story could be if Julie was playing it, opposite her sympatico partner. It’s a loss that TPTB didn’t recognize the goldmine they had in their midst with this couple, who could stand on their own seperately or together driving story or supporting it. And in that sense to say I feel cheated is an understatement. While the recast may have come recommended, I have yet to see anything about her that tells me she is the correct choice for the role. It is what it is. As for Julie, I wish her all the best for a future that is filled with every opportunity for success. She is the complete package as an actress-beauty, talent and intelligence, as well as a warm, witty, and welcoming human being to those of us who have been blessed to meet her.
I agree 100% with everything you said. I know its hard to be a recast and its hard to play someone who does not know how the are- it’s almost funny- she has no memory because she wasn’t there. I think it’s almost meant to be funny. But I see no spark in the actress. Maybe it’s because she’s playing a person who is confused and has no memory. Maybe she’ll get better when the memory comes back. I always give people time- but I’m sure not feeling it with the recast actress. Julie was great and I wish her the best.
BRAVA!! Thank you , Beth CP.
I completely agree!
i hope she wins!. and i am having a hard time getting used to the new lulu:(
I agree with all that Julie said. The fact that they had nothing for her and Dom do for a whole year was crappy as can be. I just wished we could have seen more of Julie as Lulu these last few months before she left. I hope Julie will win the emmy. I miss her as Lulu. Right now I just can’t get into this Lulu.
Sad that tptb wasted her and lante’s beautiful love story. Hope she makes it elsewhere, but is love to see her reclaim her character. The recast isn’t string enuff for this roll. Every time I have tried to watch, I imagine how great and powerful it would have been for she and dz to have played this out. Such a waste.
I adore Julie and really hope she wins the Emmy! I miss her terribly and GH is not the same without her. I loved Dante and Lulu, and it is now hard to watch without Julie playing the role.
REALLY disliking this new actress playing Lulu. I mean, I wasn’t a huge fan of Julie Berman’s but this new version is horrific!!! I can’t even watch her scenes and I find Milo to be such an annoying unattractive fool. I would have been happier if the character just departed altogether. Bad recast!
I have never liked her. She has simply been annoying to watch.
Another great interview Michael!!! Love JMB and miss her… but think Emme is doing a fantastic job with Lulu! Of course I would love to see her win… she’s a very talented lady and those scenes with Tony were great!!!
I really love Julie she’s amazing, she should & will be the one to win the Emmy & next year to0 for her last scene with Maxie.
She will succeed in whatever she end up but I really miss her has LULU she is & always will be for me no one will ever be able to fill her shoes.
& the chemistry with Dominic Z was simply out of this world & never seen in all my years of watching soap & I’m sure it will never happen again.
I love you Julie & will support you in everything you do can’t wait to see you again on my TV or big screen.
Christina
I look forward to seeing her on the big screen or on a hit primetime show. She has the talent. As for GH, I don’t think she was given script that she should have had. An actor needs a chance to whet their acting chops in order to grow. I wish her great success.
In one of the most meta moments on GH-i remember Julie lamenting Lulu’s status as the daughter of Luke and Laura. And that’s the problem, Lulu Spencer Falconeri is an almost impossible character to write for-because any meaty storyline will be inevitably compared to Luke and Laura. I will miss Julie, primarily because she LOOKED like Laura’s daughter
I will always love Julie, she is not only a uniquely talented actress, but a wonderful person. As I’ve watched the current story of Dante and Lulu, I can’t help but wish it was Julie bringing this story to life for us. I truly hope she wins the Emmy!
Michael-Great interview once again! I too was devastated when Julie decided to leave GH but after the way she was disrespected by TPTB I certainly don’t blame her! The amazing talent of Dom and Julie cannot be recreated! No matter how much they (Craptini) try! I am SO happy she was validated for her exemplary acting skills! Im just dissappointed that DZ continues to be neglected! I hope that Hollywood sees the beauty and talent of MissJMBerman like we have witnessed for the last 8 years! Thanks again Michael!
I hope JMB wins her 3rd emmy and I am sure she will because she is a very talented actress who we will miss very much on GH. JMB would kill these scenes now because ER is doing a great job but the emotions are not there yet. DZ and JMB were great together and had lots of chemistry and made there lovestory so real on Daytime TV.
Loved the interview and completely agree that Lulu was wasted in Julie’s last year. It’s nice to see some people in the soap media world recognize that she was horribly underused, along with Dante even before she decided to leave. Her scenes with Tony were from January 2012, before FV/RC officially took over and she left in February 2013. In between Lulu got to hold a dog and hover over Maxie, while also providing background scenery at The Haunted Star. I miss Julie terribly but she made the right decision to leave, I hope she wins the Emmy this year and next year for her dream scenes with Maxie and I hope she goes on to bigger and better things than GH.!!
i miss her,wish her the best though, and hope she wins the emmy!
2 emmys are enough. Loved her…she is gone now….lets move on.
I miss Julie so much. Thank you for the interview. I understand why she left; but selfishly I want her back! The show is just not the same without her!
MISS YOU!!!!!! It is NOT the same….I don’t think they did your character justice…..New girl is trying & I know she means well..but she has got BIG shoes to fill. You were a very strong person with a very strong personality…she is too wimpy & too mild of a personality. NOT THE SAME AT ALL!!! I wish you all the best in the world but I WILL MISS YOU MORE THAN ANY CHARACTER (OTHER THAN JASON) THAT HAS EVER LEFT THIS SHOW IN THE PAST 33 YRS. THAT I HAVE WATCHED IT! Told my friend I might have to quit watching for a while…very upset…sorry!
Thanks so much for this interview…hit all the right notes just as Julie hit all the right notes as Lulu. I miss her terribly and, like others, wish she had been utilized by RC/FV. The cast is now horribly oversized and the former OLTL crew is returning so I am sure that they will be getting large amounts of airtime. I hope to see Julie in more projects as time goes on. She is truly one talented actress.
I adore Julie…. But can’t root for her this time…. Ari Zucker all the way! Kelly should have been nominated! I am so glad that people do like her because so many people bash her online and she is fantastic.
I guess whether it was the right decision to leave depends on what work she gets, unless she had work lined up before she left. In most lines of work people don’t leave until they have another job. I have no idea what her financial circumstances are, though.
Some jobs are about much more than financial security … and acting is not like most lines of work. An actress who wishes to be challenged and to grow her talent needs to have the material to do so. So, I respect Julie’s integrity, courage and commitment to her profession by making a very difficult decision … and for respecting herself and her chosen profession as an actress by seeking such challenges.
Thank for Mr Fairman for sharing this interview and for being so insightful in the way you presented it.
And thank you to the amazing Julie Marie Berman for showing such class, intelligence, respect, humility, and honesty. I do agree that she and Tony went somewhere special in these submitted scenes, and , win or lose an Emmy, this is a very worthy submission. Julie definitely deserves to be in this group of five talented actresses and I will be rooting for her to win this much-deserved award.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next for the very talented Ms. Berman – and I’m hoping to see her soon and often in other performances. I do miss that wonderful smile and the way she can reach into my heart with just a word or line or expression!!
I really liked Julie and I miss her portrayal of Lulu. NuLulu is not working for me yet. I am sure I will get used to her eventually but for now she will remain NuLulu at least to me.
And now to give my answer re the writing for Lulu in the past year! First, I will reiterate that I most definitely miss Julie. So far, I am nowhere close to feeling Emme in the role in the way I felt Julie as Lulu. That may change in time, but, right now, Emme isn’t connecting for me – not at all. While some appreciate the recreated flashbacks, all they do for me is remind me of how great Julie was in the role and how much more I enjoyed her portrayal. However, I also appreciate that we all have different and valid opinions, so I will move on and talk about last year’s writing for Lulu.
The writing for Lulu was definitely weak in 2012. Julie is very gracious to give the new team an “out” with the Lante marriage. However, there were other opportunities to write better scenes and at least solid supporting roles for both Dom and Julie in 2012. Where was Lulu when her best friend Maxie was on trial? Why didn’t we see more of the promising story of Lulu helping Patrick through his addiction? And what happened to both Dante and Lulu in the Ronnie hostage story? The latter was especially telling re the priorities of the new regime. Dante and Lulu were shunted aside in their own story to focus on other characters. IMO, this was a big miss … and indicative that Dante and Lulu suffered more than any other well-established GH characters under the new regime. And not only was there much less air time and story focus, there were also fewer quality scenes in this time period to challenge acting skills.
So, IMO, it’s perfectly understandable that, by July, Julie had chosen to leave GH when her contract expired. I would like to think that FV et al sincerely tried to convince Julie to stay. However, I am skeptical about that based on the increasingly weak writing for her in the surrogacy story and on realizing from this interview that she was unaware of the good story coming for her character. If she didn’t know about the recast, she certainly couldn’ t have known that a good story was just around the corner. Could she have been enticed to stay at this point? Probably not .. but we will never know for sure.
However … back to wishing Julie much happiness and success in her future .. and dealing with my regret that a way could not be found for GH to keep this actress with so much talent and with such magical chemistry with her co-stars, especially Dom Zamprogna, Tony Geary and Kirsten Storms.
Ditto, Caitie.
AMEN!
Loved reading this wonderful interview by Mr. Fairman with the gracious and amazingly talented Ms. Julie Marie Berman. I am praying that she does win her 3rd daytime emmy. Her portrayal of Lulu Spencer Falconeri, and her pairing with DZ’s Dante, are what kept me so engaged and excited to see GH each week day! I can honestly say that since JMB has left the show, for me GH has lost even more of its spark and luster.
Leaving GH took an incredible amount of strength and courage, however I am confident that we will see Julie’s talents grace our screens once again on a full-time basis. Her landing a guest spot on the popular sit-com 2 1/2 Men is only the first step. Even though I miss her terribly on GH, I do applaud this young lady’s courageous decision to listen to her inner voice, taking that leap of faith to spread her gifted wings and allow an even larger audience to experience what she has to offer.
Wonderful words, LaVeta! I agree with you about the way that her Lulu as an individual and her love story as Lulu with Dominic Zamprogna were the brightest lights in my GH watching!
Excellent, La Veta. The landscape that is GH is much less interesting with Julie’s departure. I wish the very best for Mr. Zamprogna, also, as he is my main reason to support this pairing at present. Will he be enough? This jury is still out. and that’s being honest.
Why don’t we address the elephant in the room JB,BB &SB all left because their characters were either being not used or totally thrown under the bus. All writers and producers have their favorites and they really spent 2012 storylines on Todd, Star and John and if you were not involved with these characters you got very little air time. Now we get starting Monday another dose no thanks. Wish you well Ms. Berman and as much as I like the actress who is the new Lulu she just is not fitting the role. They have made Lulu a cartoon campy character now.
None of us know all the reasons behind any of these actors leaving. I wouldn’t be able to agree with your theory as much if I hadn’t seen that exact thing happenings right before my eyes each and every day over the last year.
Oh poor Steve Burton, he didn’t get to be featured in every episode, every day like he was for 15 years, so he took his ball and left. Great actor but I don’t feel sorry for him. I was sick of the Jason character to be honest. Jill Farren Phelps and Bob Guza jammed him down our throats for years, so it was actually refreshing that Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati put him in the background a little more, and chose to feature some other characters.
The same thing with Julie Berman and Brandon Barash. They were featured actors on the show for years, but you’re not always gonna be in front burner storylines. That’s how it works in soaps. Every actor has their down periods where they’re not being used as much. It’s happened to all the greats from Anthony Geary to Susan Lucci, and everyone in between.
The bottom line is if it weren’t for FV and RC taking over and getting people buzzing about GH again, and getting the ratings up, the show could very well have been canceled by now. That’s where it was headed under the previous regime.
So if that means a couple of actors are gonna take their ball and go home because they’re not the star of the show, then so be it. Whatever it takes to keep GH on the air for many more years to come, that’s all I care about.
Amen and well put! GH is now an ensemble show. I liked Julie as Lulu and wish her well. Let’s give Marcy (oops!) Emme, a chance to make the character her own.
I respectfully disagree with this post. I agree that SB was overutilized in the past but, it was blatantly obvious that the writers were going to push John McBain on the audience….thus alienating many Jasam fans along with Dante fans since McB became the hero PC police officer. BB was actually on screen a lot in 2012 but his character became unredeemable. His actions of framing Luke and Tracy for Anthony’s murder was ridiculous to me. It was never addressed. This show is so overcrowded yet there are very few actors/actresses in the age group of BB — low to mid 30s.
The ratings didn’t move until September 2012 when the show changed time slots and more vets returned. The ratings are falling again. I don’t give these writers credit for any ratings bumps and it just infuriates me that three former OLTL actors are returning as new characters.
Yep! And without saying it that’s what JMB said! This show has become a moving in more ways than one! TBH I wouldn’t be surprised if GH got cancelled within the next year and replaced by another Spew like show! TIIC have made royally messed up a show whose genre is already in peril! And then there were three
..
Mockery.
Thank you Michael for a beautiful article. Julie is indeed a very special person and a tremendous talent. I am planning to celebrate her win on Emmy night.
It saddens my heart to think that the past year on GH her talent was so neglected. I’ve been watching soaps for too many years to admit, and NEVER had I seen two actors bring a couple to light and to life as Julie and Dominic Zamprogna did.
It hurts to think that this legacy character, this super couple were so blatantly disregarded when they had so much potential and were so loved by fans.
I understand that happy couples may be perceived as boring, but isn’t it the test of a writers skill to make sure that doesn’t happen? This time I think the writing skills were sorely lacking.
I’ve followed Julie since she became Lulu, and I’ve seen what she’s capable of, and just how talented she is. Combine her abilities with those of her on screen partner Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and there was no stopping them.
I can’t judge if the way TPTB have chosen to introduce Emme Rylan as Lulu was the best way to do it, because it’s just beginning, and I hope that as it progresses it will be deemed a success, but it is a definite struggle for most. I do appreciate that they recognized the wealth of the Lulu character and chose to recast the part rather than end her altogether. However, I question their ability to actually see what they already had and take advantage of it.
I admire Julie’s courage, her dedication to her craft and her positive belief in her self worth. As sure as I am that she will be a success in anything she pursues, it is indeed painful to think that she was so unappreciated by the current regime and that their inability to utilize such talent will forever keep us from the Lulu we loved so much.
Lovely and heartfelt.
Beautiful words for a talented actress and lovely lady – someone we miss very much and will continue to miss.
Julie is a terrific actress and I hope she wins the Emmy for her performance. I recently rewatched her scenes she submitted for her Emmy nomination with Anthony Geary and they made me cry just like the first time I watched them. I am missing her on GH but am looking forward to see what is next for her. Dominic Zamprogna and Julie were a perfect fit as Lante acting and chemistry wise. Their was such a realness and effortless way about them that was often overlooked by the current regime. As well as she was awesome in her last scenes on the show with Kirsten Storms’ Maxie.
Thank you so much for interviewing Julie since we fans didn’t get much in the way of closure with how her departure from GH occurred. She is such an incredibly talented actress that was greatly underused in her final year or so! I miss her so much on GH! She made Lulu such a fascinating character that we watched blossom into a wonderful young woman who was one half of the most beautiful love story I’ve ever seen, one that ended for me with her final scenes. They can and did recast the role but they can never truly replace Julie in my opinion. She definitely deserves to win her third Emmy for her fantastic scenes with Anthony Geary’s Luke. I look forward to following Julie’s career, wherever it takes her and I will forever be a fan!
I miss Julie so much! I’m just not feeling ER at all right now. I hope Julie gets another Emmy to take home and TPTB can bow their heads in shame. They did not utilize the talent that was staring them right in the face and they should be ashamed. I’m so tired of hearing that happy couples are boring. Nope, not if the writers in question actually know how to write. Dom Z. and Julie had so much chemistry that they could make watching the grass grow interesting. Had the writers actually given her some good material, she might’ve considered staying.
MISS LULU JULIE BECAUSE SHE AND DANTE REALLY HAD SOMETHING SPECILA AND WE NEED REAL GOOD RELATIONSHIP IN SOAP TOO AND JULIE IS TO GOOD ACTRESS NOT THAT I don’t like the other one but it’s not the same. There are soo much change in general hospital starting michael girlfriend and john there are still on the show but with different name why they make that change I don’t know and don’t like that miss the real person witch they were before
I was VERY taken a back by her leaving. I love Marcy,but as a Newman NOT as LuLu. Julie IS LuLU! I. Feel they should have done everything they could to get her to stay. I am very she is not on the show anymore. She was one of my favorite chractersnand the chemistry between she and Dante was incredible. Yes, I miss her and wish they could get her back. But, I will certainly tune in to see her win the Emmy, in June. She is a force to be reckoned with and is missed. Good luck Julie in all that do!
I love lulu and I thought they paired her excellently. I’m so upset to see her go, I’m 46 and I have been watching GH since I was 14. My mom had it on after school. So that’s the only one, well everybody else watched Days not me I’m a GH fan! Please let me say Julie, Please tell your dobbelganger to at least show some attitude like you had! You always had these comebacks and reminded me of myself at that age, I’m afraid the new LULU doesn’t act like you at all and that’s sad for such a long time character, they couldn’t find someone more like you! I hope you find what your looking for Good Luck, and I hope you might consider coming back to GH one day!