News
Revenge's Henry Czerny on Conrad Grayson, Madeline Stowe, Daytime Soaps and a Shocker!
Courtesy/ABC
On-Air On-Soaps caught up with some of the dazzling stars of Revenge, and the executive behind the scenes, to get some inside scoops of what is to come, how they like working with each other, why the series has become such a runaway hit, their thoughts on daytime soaps, and of course, some dishy and fun tidbits! These steamy stars truly know how to show us … The art of revenge!
Today, our chitchat with Henry Czerny who plays Conrad Grayson, whose rocky marriage to Victoria will certainly be even more tested in upcoming episodes! Henry payed homage to the daytime soaps, talked about his amazing co-star Madeleine Stowe (Victoria) and gave us an insight into the character he plays.
Why do you think people are responding to Revenge?
HENRY: I think people respond to Revenge for a myriad of reasons, and it’s hard to contemplate that there is just one. First of all, I think the writing has style and substance with its style, and I think those two elements together always make it intriguing. I think the execution of the scripts is terrific. I am not talking about the acting, but the technical side of things. We have well-built sets and the costumes are very well taken care of. It matters a great deal. Also, the daytime soaps have been phased out, so there is a huge audience there who want that genre to be back and in full force.
How is it working with Madeleine Stowe?
Courtesy/ABC
HENRY: The scenes with Madeleine Stowe are incredibly rewarding to do because of the way they are written and what we expect to be explored and shared within those scenes. They are very challenging and very rewarding at the same time.
What is the hardest part of playing Conrad?
HENRY: The hardest part for me is to talk to the people who are Conrad. And, if we go one way or another with Conrad, then we lose the people that we are talking to, if we want to talk to those people. Especially, if we want to talk to the Conrad’s out there and go, “What is going on with you? How are you processing this stuff?” If he is too much one way or the other, than you lose that interest in the character, cause then people can simply say, “That is not me.” It’s to put people in his skin, which is very difficult to do in this genre and the most challenging.
Do you and Madeleine laugh when they yell, “cut”, especially when the two of you play the very unhappy couple, The Graysons?
HENRY: Sometimes we will laugh after a scene, as any couple might do the next day after they just had a huge fight. They might look at each other and go, “What the hell were we at each other’s throats about yesterday?” But Madeleine and Henry are never at each other;s throats. But drumming that up before we shoot a scene, I notice there will be a different energy with Madeleine that I have with the other characters of course, because there is so much at stake for Conrad and Victoria. And that has to be present in any of the scenes we shoot.
What do you think Madeleine would say about you?
HENRY: She would say, “He’s very silly.”
You had mentioned the daytime soap audience losing their daily dramas in the afternoon. Do you think the cancellation of some of them has helped Revenge become the success it is?
Photo Credit: Kathie Hutchins
HENRY: First of all, my wife loves soaps. She has been going through withdrawal losing so many of them, and of course, she loves to watch Revenge. I think she is a part of a large audience who is missing a large part of that genre. And needless to say, Revenge is that genre with a twist and with some deeper resonating themes. It’s a darker soap.
Can you preview anything coming up?
HENRY: I can only tell you, it gets more and more intriguing, and more and more impossible to not watch and to figure out. But you know what? If you looked back at your life ten years ago and imagined what you saw coming and what actually came, you would be shocked. That is what Revenge is about. It’s shocking what shows up in a day!
An all-new episode of Revenge airs Wednesday, April 18th (10PMEST) on ABC called “Doubt” Here is the lowdown: Daniel’s imprisonment sends Victoria to depths that no one thought possible, as the surprise return of a past love (James Purefoy as Dominik Wright) provides a destructive but welcome distraction from her family’s struggles. Meanwhile, Jack’s search for Amanda grows more desperate as he comes under suspicion for murder, on “Revenge.”
All My Children
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
On the Friday, October 2 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, the morning talk show marked the 56th birthday of Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley Vaughan Santos, All My Children).
During the opening segment, Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo Santos, All My Children) humorously comparing his wife to both Gandhi and Groucho Marx, reflecting on both her comedic ability and peaceful ways.
Later, they went on to discuss the origins of her name and the most popular picks to name babies back in the year she was born, 1970. They were Kimberly, Lisa, and Jennifer for girls and Michael, David, and James for the boys.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Ripa recalled that she learned she was almost named Kim. However, their neighbors at the time had two daughters Kelly and Kim, which is what her parents wanted to call them, but they settled on Kelly and and her younger sister, Linda.
At the conclusion of the episode, Mark rolled out a huge cake for his wife. It was, “Happy birthday from all of us here at Live and at home.” Next, he cut the cake, and Ripa grabbed his face and gave him a “thank you” kiss.
Photo: JPI
KELLY AND MARK TRIED TO KEEP THEIR VEGAS WEDDING ON THE DOWN LOW
All of this brings back memories of how Kelly and Mark’s Las Vegas wedding ceremony went public in 1996 while the two were still on All My Children playing Mateo Santos and Hayley Vaughan. In essence, they were outed by then radio host Wendy Williams! They discussed it on the talk show back in 2024.
In fact, the duo hid their marriage from their All My Children castmates for months, until they found out Williams got wind of the nuptials and spread the intel on the airwaves.
The two recalled their secret wedding on a 2024 episode of Live! “We’d eloped. It’d been a few months at that point. We’d been married for three months, nobody at All My Children knew we were even dating, much less married to each other. We’re brushing our teeth and we’ve got Wendy Williams’ radio show on. We’re listening, and she’s like, ‘I’ve got celebrity dish!”
EYEWITNESS
Next Ripa continued, “The celebrities,’ I guess they had a broad use of the term back then, was the fact that ‘two soap stars from All My Children, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos eloped in Las Vegas.’ There was this eyewitness that worked in the Clark County courthouse that said we eloped, and the news broke, and we had to tell everybody we were married.”
Live With Kelly and Mark airs weekdays in syndication. Check your local listings for times in your area.
Share your birthday wishes for Kelly in the comment section, and let us know your thoughts on how Wendy Williams broadcast the news, unbeknownst to the All My Children newlyweds, that they tied the knot in Vegas? Check out Mark and the ‘Live’ studio audience singing ‘happy birthday’ to Kelly in the post below.
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Beyond the Gates
TUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
As previously reported, kicking off today, is a two-part Beyond the Gates, when The Duprees gather to celebrate Banneker University’s homecoming weekend.
The producers and writers are taking an opportunity to spotlight the rich traditions of the long-held tradition of attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through its fictional university.
The episodes are today on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Friday, October 2 and next week on Monday, October 5, where in true Beyond the Gates fashion, there will be some surprising drama that ensues when someone shows up!
Photo: CBS
BANNEKER REFLECTS THE IMPORTANCE OF HBCUS
Sheila Duckworth, (executive producer, Beyond the Gates) spoke to Soaps.com to give some insight on the decision for the series to illustrate the ties that bind with HBCUs.
“It was important that we have this school as almost a character on our canvas, right from the beginning. Beyond even education, HBCUs have been pivotal when it comes to everything from economic progression and fostering a sense of community to the development of leadership skills,” explained Ducksworth. “From the beginning, we wanted to illustrate that what the Duprees are able to do in the world was a direct reflection of the impact HBCU’s have in real life.”
EVERYTHING HAS ITS PURPOSE
The EP talked about how purposeful the elements that integrate Banneker into the overall story of Beyond the Gates are including: the Dupree family door knocker that is a lion, the mascot for the fictional university, plus, the upcoming fight song that the cast will sing together on the Monday, October 5 episode, and the painting the hangs at Fairmont Crest.
That portrait of Vernon Dupree’s (Clifton Davis) father, George Cheeks Dupree, that hangs prominently at the country club, was named after CBS executive George Cheeks (now Chairman of TV and Media, Paramount), and as Ducksworth says of the legacy of Vernon’s father, “He was the architect of Fairmont Crest.”
So, are you looking forward to these episodes honoring HBCU traditions with the Dupree and the Richardson clans? What surprises do you think might be in store come next week? Let us know via the comment section below.
Days Of Our Lives
‘General Hospital’ Alum Tajh Bellow Fills In for ‘Days of our Lives’ Tyler Joseph Andrews in the Role of Theo Carver
After an earlier post on Thursday, October 1 about General Hospital alumni Tajh Bellow’s (ex-TJ Ashford) upcoming project from Issa Rae’s HOOPAE Digital, comes word that Bellow is temporarily stepping into the role of Days of our Lives Theo Carver to fill in for Tyler Joseph Andrews on the Peacock streaming soap opera.
According to TV Insider, Bellow will be making a one-day appearance next week on the October 6 episode of DAYS as Andrews was unable to make the tape date that was shot 10 months ago on a day last December. Andrews (pictured below) took over the role of Theo in September of 2025.
In Bellow’s upcoming episode as Theo, he will share scenes with Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez). A DAYS spokesperson tells the outlet that Bellow “stepped seamlessly into the role, and the cast and crew were grateful for his professionalism and commitment, albeit for only one episode.”
Photo: JPI
TAJH WILL BE SEEN IN MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN OCTOBER
As General Hospital fans know, Tajh played the role of TJ Ashford from 2018 to his last appearance in December of 2024. Along the way, he received two Daytime Emmy nominations for his performances as TJ, the last being in 2025 in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
In addition, bellow along with Y&R alum Loren Lott will be seen starting on October 14 in the new Love Island spoof series, The Compatibility Experiment. The show will drop exclusively on TikTok and the PineDrama platform.
The Compatibility Experiment gives a satirical look at reality dating shows, think Love Island! The story centers around Kelvin (Bellow) and Camila (Lott), whose relationship is put to the test when they join a reality show to try to win a the million dollar prize.
So, what do you think of Tajh stepping in for Tyler Joseph Andrews as Theo on DAYS? Perhaps, the soap opera liked his work that he might be considered for another role in the future bringing Bellow back to the soaps? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Preview: After Carter Blurts Out That ‘Implantation and Fertilization’ Has Begun to Daphne; Will Steffy Put the Brakes on His Scheme?
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
DAYS OF OUR LIVES Preview: Kristen Locates an Alive Sophia, How Much Does Rita Know About the Birth of Dominic Marino?
TUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair
REPORT: ‘Days of our Lives’ Puts Four Actors On Contract
‘Beyond the Gates’ Honors HBCU Tradition with Banneker University Homecoming Episodes
Judith Light Joins Cast of ‘Shrinking’ Season 4 in Recurring Role
TUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
‘Beyond the Gates’ Marquita Goings Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Preview: After Carter Blurts Out That ‘Implantation and Fertilization’ Has Begun to Daphne; Will Steffy Put the Brakes on His Scheme?
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair
GH Alum Tajh Bellow and Y&R Alum Loren Lott Star in New Tiktok and Microdrama ‘Love Island’ Spoof
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ava and Drew Revealed to be Behind Framing Sonny for Sidwell’s Prison Beatdown
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Glad to see that he recognizes the withdrawal that the fans are going through over the loss of their soaps….