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Tainted Dreams Creator Sonia Blangiardo: "I Was Struck By The Loss Of This Unique Art Form That Had Been Integral To NYC!" Casts RHONJ Dina Manzo in Role!

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Daytime Emmy winning director Sonia Blangiardo (GH, OLTL, AMC, ATWT) has been hard at work on her first series that takes a look at the behind-the-scenes of a soap opera, Tainted Dreams!

The director created Tainted Dreams after the last of the NYC-based soap operas, One Life to Live, shut down production in November of last year.  Sonia related to Celebuzz: “I was struck by the loss of this unique art form that had been such an integral part of NYC for decades. I wanted to somehow capture my own two decades working behind the scenes of three different NYC-based soaps.”  And that is exactly what Blangiardo has set out to do with her upcoming project that begins production this May!

In addition, today Tainted Dreams added reality star, Dina Manzo (pictured right) from The Real Housewives of New Jersey to the cast in the role of Allessandra DiGiacomo.  Blangiardo explains the casting decision, “I created the role of Alessandra with Dina Manzo in mind, and we are thrilled to have her join our cast.”   Allessandra will also have a gay brother on the series played by Anthony Wilkinson.   As it turns out, Manzo is also a long time fan of One Life to Live!

Manzo joins the cast which already has included soap stars: Alicia Minshew, Walt Willey, Michael Lowry, Marnie Schulenburg, and Kelley Menighan Hensley!

So soapers what do you think about Sonia’s comments about the terrible loss for New York and the soap industry there once OLTL, AMC, GL and ATWT were all canceled within a span of three years? And what do you think about Dina Manzo being on Tainted Dreams? Let us know!

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Another World was another great soap shot in NYC. Soaps have a lot in common with theater so it made perfect sense that so many soaps were once shot in a city known for it’s theater. I am sure many actors and backstage people like living on the East Coast rather than the West and having soaps in NYC gave them a chance to do that. It was a sad day indeed when soaps left the Big Apple. But now they have AMC and OLTL being shot out East- maybe not as exciting as NYC, but the tradition is still lives on.

Growing up in the NYC area, I was lucky to see lots of plays and musicals. Always got a kick out of seeing daytime drama stars on the stage or knowing about soap actors that were also doing Broadway or off Broadway shows at the same time as their TV shows.
I saw the original Broadway cast of “Grease” which means I saw Ilene Kristen (OLTL/RH) as Patty Simcox.

I just recalled another example. I saw the Sondeim musical “A Little Night Music” with Patricia Elliott, who we all loved as Rene on OLTL. She sang the song “Every Day A Little Death” with Victoria Mallory who played one of the Brooks daughters on Y&R.

I find it funny that just the island of Manhattan with a population of 1,601,948 could not or would not support the soap operas that were such a part of that city.
The new OLTL and AMC will not be filmed bu cast in Manhattan.

That’s an interesting point, Dave. I am sure that some of the casting will be done in New York City and yet the show will be taped in Connecticut – I guess production costs would be a little less there somehow ~

Can’t wait to see Tainted Dreams. Big fan of Dina and I love the soap stars Tainted Dreams is assembling.

I agree with Michael, I live in NJ and it is fun to see soap stars on Broadway. Just saw Michael Park in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and last year saw Tom Pelrey in the show about Judy Garland, both Tom and Michael are great.

it’s odd and counterproductive that she’d cast someone from rhonj bec the real housewives franchises don’t do anything for primetime soaps and especially daytime soaps. the rh franchises are detrimental to daytime and even primetime soaps bec they are effectively the new daytime soaps. reality tv is a threat to the scripted primetime soap operas and especially daytime soap operas bec reality tv is much cheaper to produce. some of the women from real housewives get a lot of press and more of them are household names compared to your average daytime soap opera actors and actresses. compare b&b to rh of atlanta. I quit b&b but when I used to watch the sets were atrocious and the wardrobe was really dull. and these b&b chars are supposed to be very rich fashionistas. how can the b&b clothes and sets compare to labels and the homes on rh of atlanta? there’s no competition.

I read so much about these new online soap projects but can never find them or keep up with them all. Anyone, help me?

There was nothing like a NYC-based soap for me. They seemed more real to me somehow. I miss them!

All My Children

‘All My Children’ Episodes to Stream on Pluto TV Canada

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Starting on May 1, All My Children fans in Canada will be able to see classic episodes of the beloved former ABC soap opera when they stream on Pluto TV Canada. 

Pluto TV picked-up the All My Children Channel that the Nixon family has created in partnership with BEONDTV +. The show which aired for 41 years on ABC and ended on the network in 2011, had so many memorable storylines and characters; the least of which is the enduring run of Erica Kane played by soap icon, Susan Lucci.

As previously reported, starting with episodes from the year 1995, which was the 25th anniversary of the soap. Pluto TV Canada viewers will be able to catch 8 episodes on repeat per day. With the success of the venture, the Nixons are hopeful that they will bring viewers many more years of the show to come.

Photo: ABC

Sarah Nixon, producer, shared with Michael Fairman TV exclusively, “We are thrilled that Pluto TV has launched All My Children in Canada! Let’s hope the engagement from our incredibly loyal fans across the border will encourage ABC to bring it to the U.S.!  We share what Aggie (Agnes Nixon) always felt, that it is the enthusiasm and love from the fans that has kept this legacy beloved and relevant – to this day!”

In addition, 0ne week ago, during Susan Lucci’s visit to Los Angeles promoting her book La Lucci, she was joined by her former Pine Valley castmates, Rebecca Budig (ex-Greenlee, AMC, now Taylor, B&B) and Eva LaRue (ex-Maria, AMC) and the trio posed for a pic. At that time, LaRue shared via Instagram, “NEW All My Children channel streaming classic episodes 24/7 now on Pluto TV Canada! Fingers crossed to watch soon on Pluto US.”

That was also confirmed this week by TV Watercooler’s Jeevan Brar who took to X and expressed,The All My Children channel begins streaming this Friday, May 1 on Pluto TV Canada.

So, Canadian viewers, excited about Pluto TV’s All My Children channel? United States fans, hopeful from Sarah’s message that perhaps soon, we can see the beloved soap once again as well? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

 

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A post shared by Eva LaRue (@evalarue)

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All My Children

Mark Consuelos Mourns the Loss of His Father

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Saul Consuelos, the father of All My Children alum and Live with Kelly and Mark co-host, Mark Consuelos (ex0-Mateo, AMC), has died. During an emotional moment on this mornings, April 6 edition of the syndicated talk show, Mark shared, that his dad, “passed away peacefully” back on March 23 following a long illness.

His wife and co-host, Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley, AMC) paid tribute to her her father-in-law expressing, he was, “the greatest person I’ve ever known. I can honestly say I will miss him every day for the rest of my life, as I know you will, as our children will. He really is so symbolic of everything you are.”

Kelly and Mark’s children, Joaquin, Michael and Lola Consuelos are said to be taking this extremely hard. Ripa added, “This is the first loss they’ve ever experienced in their lives. And I said, ‘By the time I was 8, I had no grandparents. You got to grow up (with grandparents). You got to have deep, meaningful conversations (with them).”

Photo: KRipaIG

In another moment, Mark reflected on his dad. “It’s funny, I used to make a joke about my dad … if you asked him what time it was, he would tell you how to build a watch. There were a lot of lectures, a lot of lectures and I learned so much. If he was fixing something in the house, he’d make me watch and do it. And I didn’t know at the time why he was doing that. But now at the house, I’m able to do at least half of the stuff that he did. I learned the most by just watching him.”

Mark added that Saul Consuelos came to the U.S. from Mexico in his early teens and served our county for decades, detailing, he “Ended up at Special Operations Command in Tampa. This young kid from Mexico just got his education from the navy. Was always going to school. Was brilliant. Got his Masters while I was a kid.  He loved his country so much, If you’re going to put a face to an immigrant, he would be the prime example of what this country promises people.”

In a very heart-tugging moment, Consuelos shared that now its important they be there for his mother, Camilla. “We gotta take care of mom. We’re trying to convince my mom to move to New York. She’s such a character, she’s stubborn. What do you think, a cooking segment here on Fridays with Camilla?”

Now below, watch the very touching and emotional moments as Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa mourn the loss of Saul Consuelos.

Let us know, what you thought of the remarks made by Kelly and Mark on the death of Mark’s father via he comment section.

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All My Children

Sarah Michelle Gellar Visits ‘The View’ Where Hosts Sidestep Controversial ‘Buffy’ Reboot Axing, But Talk ‘All My Children’

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On yesterday’s March 17 episode of The View, All My Children alum, Sarah Michelle Gellar (ex-Kendall Hart), was the special guest. Since Monday, Gellar has been the subject of a hot-button issue since about the surprising turn of events that the highly-anticipated Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, in which she stars, and which was directed in the pilot by Oscar-winning director, Chloé Zhao, was no longer moving forward.

Gellar‘s appearance on the ABC morning talk show was devoid of any mention of Hulu cancelling its planned Buffy: New Sunnydale, in which Sarah was set to appear along with Ryan Kiera Armstrong. However, Gellar did discuss her new movie Ready or Not 2: Here I Come from Searchlight Pictures.

It should be noted that both Hulu and Searchlight Pictures are owned by The Walt Disney Company, while The View is produced by ABC News, which is also owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Courtesy/ABC

During the awkward interview, when it became clear the ‘Buffy’ reboot topic was off the table, The View co-host Sunny Hostin, talked about the “intense fight scenes” that have become a staple of her TV and film career starting with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Scream 2, and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

The ladies of The View also brought up Sarah’s beginnings on All My Children as Kendall Hart (1993-1995), showing a scene with her and her on-screen mother, the iconic Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci. The discussion sprung out of another All My Children alum, Michael B. Jordan (ex-Reggie Montgomery) winning the Oscar this past Sunday for Best Actor for his role in Sinners. The View’s Joy Behar was quick to point out with Gellar, the All My Children alums that have gone on to great fame.

Photo: ABC

Previously on Monday, Gellar opened up to PEOPLE about being blindsided before while at the SXSW Film & TV Festival premiere for Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. “I got the call as we were stepping onto stage for the premiere of their own movie. And it’s also the weekend of Chloé going to the Oscars as a best director nominee for Hamnet. For them to call us on the Friday of what should have been Chloé’s victory lap for an incredible film, and my world premiere of something that I worked very hard for is… that says something.”

She went to say, “We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for him.” Deadline reports that “multiple sources” identified the executive as Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich.

“I loved the duality that we had with this new, younger slayer who was where Buffy was when the show started, and then we would pick up with where Buffy was now,” Gellar told People about the setup.  However, according also to Deadline “After the pilot was completed and delivered, according to multiple sources, Hulu’s main note was that it played too young, with some indicating that the streamer also felt the show was too “small.”’

In the rewrite, sources also told the outlet that the writers did not take big enough swings, so they set out to do a rewrite it again. The last revision was more adult, featuring a lot more of Gellar’s Buffy, and was described as a more of a streaming show than a network one. When all is said and done there is hope that another Buffy IP will be up and running within the next couple of years.

You can check out Sarah Michelle Gellar’s full segment on The View below. Now let us know, bummed there is no Buffy reboot? What do you think about how this high profile Hollywood saga was side-stepped on the morning show? Did you love Sarah as the original Kendall Hart on All My Children? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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