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OLTL's Erika Slezak on taping Robin Strasser's Goodbye Scenes, "I sobbed like a baby!"

Courtesy/ABC

Courtesy/ABC

The incredible Erika Slezak (Viki) of One Life to Live chatted with Liz Smith in an interview for WowoWow.com (The Women on the Web) where the six-time Daytime Emmy winner discussed the ending of  One Life, what she would like to do next in her career, and taping Viki’s final scenes with Robin Strasser (Dorian).  As many already know, Strasser is having to exit OLTL earlier than had been anticipated due to impending back surgery.

So, just how did Erika and Robin make it through the taping of the final scenes of rivals and some times friends, Viki and Dorian? Well according to Slezak it was not an easy task.  Erika  revealed, “We just did our goodbye scenes and I sobbed like a baby.  I can’t believe I won’t have the joy of that magnificent talent to play against every day.” And neither can the fans of daytime or One Life to Live, for that matter!

When Liz Smith also inquired to Slezak, what is it like to have been playing the same character for 40 years, Erika answered, “You know, nobody has ever asked me that before! I know Viki very well.  She is so familiar to me. The minute I get to the soundstage, I go into Viki mode.  She’s not like me at all, but I love her.  She’s a wonderful, flawed woman, who always makes a huge effort to do and be better, sometimes to the pain of friends and family. To do this sort of work — soap work — requires extreme focus and concentration.”

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erika slezak is my all time favorite daytime actress – she is such a classy lady!
i think viki & dorian are the infamous dynamic duo of daytime!!

I’m not looking forward to saying goodbye to OLTL at all….I’m sure I will be sobbing like a baby, myself. I have watched for so many years, and these characters are an extension of my family. I can’t believe what these tv executives are doing to their networks and their fans. I will be glued to the television, in support of OLTL, until the very end.

Torrey, i could not agree with you more. You have summed up how I feel and I sure that there are many, many, many more views out there who feel the same way. I have watched since 1979.

This gives me hope that Erika will end up somewhere great and I will still be able to enjoy her work. I’d love for them to create a roll for her on United States of Tara. Seems obvious. Or something completely different…..True Blood.

Sorry, but US of Tara was cancelled.

What a wonderful acting team Erika & Robin make together! 🙂

The great Erika Slezak has played Viki since 1971 . Erika has given the viewers many many great storylines . I wish Erika Slezak the very best in Her Career Move after January 2012 . A very heartfelt thank you from all the ‘One Life To Live’ Viewers .

Robin and Erika are both class acts. I will miss seeing them on my television screen everyday.

Robin and Erika are such beautiful and talented ladies. They will be missed so much by their fans.

A classy lady and we could not give her a tribute at the Emmys! Folks these are the people that made Daytime TV they deserved better.

OLTL was my first soap. I remember when Erika took over the role of Vicky and watched for many years with my mother.

Let us know when Dorian says goodby to Lanview- I’ll tune in.

Can’t understand how I will miss Viki and Dorian who are characters that don’t exist played by women I have never met, but I will–and it really hurts to think about it. Thank you Erika and Robin–love you both.

I am so sad : o ( too see ALL My Children and One Life To Live go off air!! The Drama of daytime Soaps makes me forget all my problems (drama) in my own life. Vicki and Dorian act more like sisters lol Clash and Clan like most sisters do. I will miss the the sisterly love. LOL. PLEASE DONT TAKE AWAY OUR SOAPS. Did you know even the prisoners watch soaps. I have heard that of course….anyways if you can make hardened criminals cry then you have even calmed down the prison for a couple hours. I bet the guards love that.

I have watched vicki since the beginning-I didn’t have a good role model mom-I actually looked up to vicki and how she handled family which I loved. I don’t know I’m losing a best friend I loved everything about the house, vicki, and of course the life-as I agree this is truely one life to live- I love you vicki – thank you with tears in my eyes, thank you everyone on the set glori

I never watch this show before 2011. when my soaps GL and ATWT ended, i stat to watch OLTL. Erica and Dorian became my favor personage in this soap, i will miss them . I wish to see them in the other soaps and together.

Seeing the two greatest actresses in daytime, Robin and Erika, saying their “farewells” was really difficult for many reasons. First, they are to me two very good friends of MINE. I have always appreciated their outstanding acting skills over the years when I would have the opportunity to see OLTL. Second, the wrong show was cancelled. It should have ben GH. When I watched the these two women last week, it hit me how greatly they and the show will be missed. Their history has been dramatic, funnier than hell, touching, vehement — all emotions/all levels. I do wish that the “farewell” could have included much more of the history. The years and years of these two women interacting deserved more than the few minutes given them.

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Robin Strasser Meets Kristen Alderson’s Baby Kiera in a One Life to Live Reunion

For years, Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian) and Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) have been the best of friends and the best of co-stars. On One Life to Live, Kristen was only six-years-old when she began her journey as Todd and Blair’s daughter and met the iconic Strasser.

Now in 2024, Kristen is a new mom to her baby girl, Kiera. Strasser, who lives in New York, along with her best friend, John, traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just a few days ago to visit the Alderson family and spend the day with Kiera.

Taking to her Instagram a very happy Kristen shared, “Look at who came to visit today! Robin & her bestie John! Robin and I got all misty eyed when she met Kiera today!”

Photo: JPI

In a very touching part of her post, Alderson expressed, “Robin is such a special person in my life, it means so much to me that we’re as close as we are. She’s just the best❤️ A great day of laughs & a great brunch spread😍”

Robin added, “I’ve been smiling since I met her. I’m a big softie for babies, but what a doll Kiera is!” The Daytime Emmy-winning star, also shared, “I’m so grateful for my ongoing friendship with Kris and Kathy. Amazing women and loyal friends!”

What do you think about Kristen and Robin’s enduring friendship and recalling their time on One Life to Live? Comment below.

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General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

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

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