Interviews
THE BREE WILLIAMSON INTERVIEW – ONE LIFE TO LIVE
If you have had the chance over the last five months to watch Bree Williamson navigate between Jessica and her two alters, Tess and Bess, you have been watching heavy dramatic story almost day in and day out, played by one singular actress.
In this “On-Air On-Soaps” feature interview, we go back in time over the harrowing and compelling plot points that all One Life to Live fans have been witness to. From Tess locking her sister Natalie and beau Jared in a basement room with a bomb ready to explode, to her losing her baby after giving birth alone in a cabin. Then, Bess popping out and switching Jessica’s baby for Starr’s and being admitted to St. Ann’s for some deep psychological evaluation and attempts at integration. Coming home and seeing the new animosity between her and her sister Natalie, and the reveal that Jessica did want Natalie dead. Then, connecting with a new man also in deep emotional trouble and learning to love again after the death of her husband, Nash. You could say it’s been quite an emotional roller coaster!
I chatted with Bree and we discuss the complexities, joy, and sadness of playing this intricate storyline.
MICHAEL:
It has been so amazing to watch your performances playing three personalities, Jess, Tess and Bess. Has there ever been a time during the storyline that it was confusing for you?
BREE:
No. The writers write them really well. The way that each one is written, you don’t have to put the name on each line because you kind of know who said what. That makes them a lot easier for me, and they are all three different. Posture helps a lot, and just changing the way your body is for each character helps me a lot.
MICHAEL:
Those amazing scenes awhile back where she is jailed in her own mind… Is it difficult to play the different parts in that scenario?
BREE:
There was one episode where we did all of them in one day. It was just me at the studio, which was kind of lonely, but it was a lot of work. Even memorizing the scenes where I say all the lines was difficult. You just have to get through it and do the best you can. The writing is great, and it’s exciting story.
MICHAEL:
Agnes Nixon created the multiple personality disorder storyline originally for Viki. It has played magnificently by six-time Daytime Emmy winner, Erika Slezak, over the years. Now you are the second generation taking over that storyline, which is fascinating. When you were handed this and knew what was going to happen, did you think, “Great” or were you fearful at all?
BREE:
When I first found out I was so scared. It was very intimating. The first time I got to play Tess was when the whole Nash storyline happened. Even before Nash, I was having such a great time. I don’t even remember what my life was like on the show before I had these alters. It was so exciting to create Tess, because someone else played Jessica before I got there. Erin Torpey played her. So, I had strict guidelines in which I had to play Jessica. But with Tess, I got to do whatever I wanted with her, because she was so much fun, and free, and awesome. Recently with Bess, it’s been a great acting exercise and I learn so much when I go to work now. It’s so challenging, and I am very lucky.
MICHAEL:
We learned awhile back, the awful truth that Jessica did want harm to come to her sister Natalie, and that was not just Tess wanting that. Did you know that it was going to be written that way? Jessica just stood back and let all of the awful torture that Tess did to Natalie and Jared happen!
BREE:
I knew that was coming, and it’s only half the story. It’s awful! I love what they are doing with the sisters, with them fighting and having this whole sibling rivalry. Down deep it’s convoluted and confusing with different personalities. On the surface, it’s very normal, with both of them wanting the love and affection of their mother. I saw a recent air show where Natalie was asking her mother to take her side, and I think that’s true to life with siblings. Usually, they are always trying to vie for their parent’s attention. It’s great to play and a great story.
MICHAEL:
The big secret, of course, is the “Baby Switch”. Chloe is really Starr’s baby. This all took place last November with brilliant writing from Ron Carlivati, with all the stories intersecting. It was so riveting for the audience to witness. Probably one of the best all time sweeps story delivered by “One Life to Live”, and they have had some of the best!
BREE:
It’s still continuing. Some stories have this great inter-connection and they fizzle out. But this one keeps going and the stamina it has is amazing. There’s going to be story forever and ever, and ever. That’s what soaps are all about!
MICHAEL:
Jessica is not going to know what Tess and Bess did for quite awhile. Is that safe to say? Although she has been having more memories of things here and there.
BREE:
You are right. I have not read the script on that yet, so it could go on for a while. And Kristen Alderson as Starr is just the sweetest. It’s so great to work with her, and I am really excited for when those scenes come out and I get to play with Kristen.
MICHAEL:
I loved when there were scenes between Todd and Tess! It was like Evil and Evilene. How did you like working with Trevor St. John?
BREE:
It was so much fun! I loved going to work everyday to work with Trevor. I loved going to work every day and being his partner in crime.
MICHAEL:
Did Erika Slezak give you pointers, tips or advice regarding the Disssociative Identify Disorder storyline and playing the beats of it?
BREE:
Erika is really great with that. She has this quiet guidance that she gives. I kind of ask for it. I will get stuck and she will just gently guide me a little bit. I never asked her for help, but she quietly guides me and I think it’s so nice. I think that’s the kind of mentor you would want to have, and that she is. She is the best-case scenario. She is an amazing mentor, and the woman to look up to of the cast.
MICHAEL:
How do you like working with your new “hot” love interest, Mark Lawson as Brody Lovett?
BREE:
I am such in a good place at One Life to Live. I mean, look at the people I get to work with! Mark is the sweetest and the best guy, and I adore him. When I heard they were putting us together, I was so happy.
MICHAEL:
I hear Mark is a dedicated actor.
BREE:
He is very committed and has an excellent work ethic. He takes it all very seriously. Jessica and Brody have built this terrific friendship, and there is a kiss coming up. It’s complex. But their relationship will stay complex and heartbreaking for a while.
MICHAEL:
Do you ever watch the air shows or look at your work after it is completed?
BREE:
I do watch it. I think it’s important to have an interest in yourself and your show. So, not only do I watch myself, but I watch most of the shows when I can. It’s a really good show right now! We put on really good TV!
MICHAEL:
Did you do a lot of research in preparing for your multiple personalities on “DID”?
BREE:
I did. I was a psychology major in school. I did some research, and of course, you rent “Sybil”. In order to write “DID” in the way it’s been medically documented is not good for story telling. They try to remain as accurate as they can and keep the momentum going, but it’s not as medically accurate. For instance, there are some cases with people who have really distinct personalities, and most of the time it’s more of a fluid thing between the different people. It just makes it more interesting to tell the story that way, having them so distinctive.
MICHAEL:
And what did you think of Sally Field as “Sybil” when you did your research?
BREE:
She is amazing, and she was incredible in it. I took a lot away from that performance.
MICHAEL:
One of the most gut-wrenching scenes I have ever seen was when Tess was giving birth in the cottage, with the bloody graphics and the way it was shot. It was so intense and well told. And Erika was playing Niki Smith, who helped Tess!
BREE:
It was so sad. I loved working with Erika that day. It was really interesting to see Niki in such a different way. She was so
hard, and then she repented for what she
had done to Jessica, and she was kind!
They were really smart scenes.MICHAEL:
And then Tess realizes something went terribly wrong!
BREE:
That I didn’t like. She was saying, “Why aren’t you crying?” It was awful and so sad. I hated going to work that day. It was too sad for me.
MICHAEL:
You are one of the best crier’s on daytime right now. Is it easy for you to have the tears flow? I mean, the emotional stakes are always so high if you are performing a scene as any one of the three gals you play.
BREE:
I mean, yeah. I cry easily. It’s sad. It’s sad material, and as long as you allow yourself to feel it and to understand it, and go along with the journey, the tears are the easiest part. That’s how I do it. You have to be available, and Ron (Carlivati) will write you a good story. He has already written it for me, and it’s sad and I just have to feel it.
MICHAEL:
From a character perspective, of all the people on the Llanview canvas, who would you like to have more scenes with?
BREE:
There are tons of people. I would love to work with Tika Sumpter (Layla) more, and I would like a friend on the show. I’m a big jerk, and I lock people in rooms, so who wants to be friends with me?
(She laughs)
love it
Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Tamara Tunie On Bittersweet Emmy Win Without Scott Bryce: ‘I Only Wish He Had Been Here a Little Longer to Share This With Me’
Just two weeks ago, Beyond the Gates matriarch Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree) took home the Outstanding Lead Actress prize at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Tunie made an impressive and touching 3-minute speech which gave a special nod to her 92-year-old mother, who was present with her at the October 30 ceremony.
One person who was with Tamara in spirit was her longtime best friend and former co-star, As the World Turns’ Scott Bryce (ex-Craig Montgomery).
In a heartbreaking moment earlier this year, the multi-time Daytime Emmy-nominated actor passed away from his cancer battle,”which began as stage three esophageal cancer eventually spread and became brain tumors that took his life away from him,” shared his son Jackson on an Instagram post following his death.
Bryce died at 68-years-old back on July 12. A day later, Tamara Tunie learned she was in the running for the first time in her career for a Lead Actress Daytime Emmy. She had taken to her Instagram to share the bittersweet moment on the heels of learning of her longtime friend’s passing.
Photo: JPI
MISSING SCOTT BRYCE ON EMMY NIGHT
Fast-forward to November 12 and on a very special livestream chat, celebrating Tamara’s Daytime Emmy win on the Michael Fairman Channel, she opened up about missing Scott on her winning night.
“It was definitely bittersweet,” recalled Tunie after she won Lead Actress. “Our mutual friends who texted me all said, including his wife and widow Jodi, ‘You know Scotty is smiling. You know he’s cheering.’ And I do know that, and I only wish that he had been here a little longer to have shared this with me.”‘
Speaking of their unbroken bond, even in death, Tamara added, “We knew each other for decades. It was just one of those friendships that formed immediately and just lasted. We were brother and sister, you know. I was the sister that he never had in his family, and he was my other brother, for sure.”
BEING A FAN OF AS THE WORLD TURNS BEFORE BEING ON IT
Before Tamara even landed her first soap role as Jessica Griffin, she was watching As the World Turns and knew that Scott Bryce was one of the most gifted actors to grace Oakdale.
“I respected him as an actor before I knew him as a person, because I watched him on As the World Turns before I became a cast member and when he was paired on-screen with Meg Ryan,” recalled Tunie. “He was the first person that I saw on daytime television fake being paralyzed. Craig faked having to be in a wheelchair, and what I loved about him was Scotty was able to play that bad kid with such vulnerability that you rooted for him. You rooted for Craig, even when he was doing terrible things. That’s the kind of complex, interesting and nuanced actor that Scotty was.”
Photos: NATAS
THE BEYOND THE GATES EXPERIENCE
When looking at what winning the gold meant to her and the ride she has been on since the launch of Beyond the Gates in 2024, Tamara concluded, “It’s incredible, particularly because it’s our first year (at the Emmys). It’s really incredible and it is historical. The show has been historical in so many ways. Just its mere existence is historical. I’m often at a loss for words.”
“It’s something I know I’ll look back on at some point and feel the the weight of it will,” feels Tamara. “And the moment will become more apparent to me. Someone asked me yesterday about my legacy. I feel like that’s for other people to describe.”
Speaking on how highly-regarded she is as an actress by her peers and the viewers, Tamara expressed, “I have not moved through this life saying, ‘This will be my legacy,’ because I don’t know. I know what I’m passionate about. I know what drives me. I know what I care about. I know that I do want to have an impact on someone or someones lives, if it helps them in some way. That’s always been what has driven me. A lot of the projects that I’ve chosen to participate in are decided based on that in some degree.”
TAMARA ON THE MAGNITUDE OF FIRST EMMY WIN
In closing, the new Lead Actress winner shared, “It’s incredible. I’m honored. I’m humbled. I’m not pretending or making that up or being falsely modest. I really am. I’m just in a constant state of gratitude.”
You can check out the full conversation with Tamara Tunie from our live chat below.
Then let us know, what did you think of the sentiments shown by Tamara and her wish that her dear friend, Scott Bryce could have been seen her win the Emmy? Happy that Tamara received Emmy gold? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Interviews
B&B’s Sydney Bullock Weighs In on Future of Dylan and Will: ‘I Think She Can Hold on to Him for Awhile’ (Exclusive)
It appears that Melissa Dylan (Sydney Bullock) has thus far successfully been able to swing Will Spencer (Crew Morrow) over to her side, and have him actually develop strong romantic feelings for her.
The one problem in her way is Will’s mother, Katie Logan (Heather Tom), and there is always the possibility that Will and Electra (Laneya Grace), who were each others first loves find their way back to one another.
However for now, Dylan’s portrayer, Sydney Bullock is confident that her soap opera alter ego’s got her man and that she can handle anything that can come her way Speaking on the red carpet with Michael Fairman TV at the recently completed 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards, Bullock explained where Will and Dylan’s relationship is at now on the CBS soap opera.
Photo: JPI
“Dylan is our lovable anti-hero. She’s messy, but she’s a human,” shares Bullock. Adding about keeping Will Spencer as Dylan’s guy, Sydney commented, “I think she can hold on to him for awhile. I think she’s got it in her.”
When asked how it is sharing the screen with young leading man, Crew Morrow, Sydney joked, “Crew, what a doll! It’s a hard job, my goodness! How do I do it?”
Photo: JPI
In the last few months, Bullock received an on-screen mom when General Hospital and The Young and the Restless alum, Kelly Sullivan (ex-Kate/Connie, ex-Sage, respectively) joined the show as Darcy Dylan.
“I love working with Kelly Sullivan,” said Bullock enthusiastically. “She’s always down to break down the scenes with me, and we go through so much, and she’s really like my mom on set. She’s so amazing.” Sullivan visited the Michael Fairman Channel for a live chat after her B&B debut here.
So, what’s ahead for Dylan and will be exciting? Hold the phone! Sydney explained, “Oh, man! Is it going to get exciting?! Dylan, she’s a survivor and we’re just going to keep seeing her surviving. She finds a lot of ways to do that.”
In the end, Bullock has high-praise and love for her B&B character: “I think she’s super strong and I’m really honored to play her. I’ve been rooting for her, and as for the fans, I think they will be (rooting for her) too.”
You can check out our Daytime Emmys red carpet chat with Sydney Bullock below, and for more interviews with your favorite stars from the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards, click here.
In addition on Wednesday, BBTV posted a new video with Crew Morrow and Sydney Bullock about the pairing of “Dill.” You can also check that out below.
So are your rooting for Dylan to keep Will all to herself? Do you think she will have to fight and claw to keep her man? Are you enjoying Sydney Bullock’s portrayal of Melissa Dylan? Let us know in the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’ Favorite Amanda Setton Talks Brook Lynn and Chase’s Divorce, Jude Jacks, Baby Phoebe, and What’s Next (Exclusive)
On General Hospital, Brook Lynn Quartermaine’s (Amanda Setton) life as she knows it has turned upside down. First, she and Chase (Josh Swickard) signed divorce papers while in the Dominican Republic. As much as they loved each other, they just couldn’t get past all the trust issues between them.
Then, right after that, Jude Jax (Wil Traval) shows up at the Q mansion and demands to see his daughter, baby Phoebe! Brook Lynn is thrown for a complete loop. Is this guy claiming to be the biological father of Delilah Wilson’s daughter, which had been adopted by Brook Lynn and Chase, telling the truth? Brook Lynn is on her way to getting to the bottom of his claims.
Meanwhile, Brook Lynn’s portrayer, Amanda Setton just celebrated her first-ever Daytime Emmy nomination, and in the very competitive Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category. While Amanda ultimately did not take home the gold statuette, that honor went to The Young and the Restless’ longtime veteran, Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott), she was in great spirits when Michael Fairman TV caught up with her on the red carpet.
Photo: ABC
THE END OF THE LINE FOR BROOK LYNN AND CHASE
When asked how she felt about Brook Lynn being the first (between her and Chase) to put pen to paper on their divorce papers, Settton recalled, “She did. But I’m like, ‘Did she or did he kind of?’ They did it (both of them).”
Getting a new co-star and cast member can go one of two ways, great or not so great, but Amanda had nothing but high praise for Wil Traval’s entrance and performance as Jude Jacks!
THE ARRIVAL OF JUDE JAX
“Wil Traval is fabulous to work with. His debut was so amazing the other day, wasn’t it? He was just such a force and everybody’s faces and reactions when he says that he’s, ‘Jude Jacks, Jerry’s son.’ It was so good and well-played! Wil’s awesome. I’m excited for what’s to come. We’re going to have a lot of stuff together.”
Photo: ABC
According to Amanda, Brook Lynn will have her hands full in the months to come: “There’s a lot of stuff coming down the pike with Baby Phoebe. Will Chase and Brooklyn work together? Will they not? Is it really Jude’s daughter? Lots of questions!”
GRATITUDE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY HER PEERS
For Setton, being an Emmy nominee meant the world to her, and to finally be acknowledged by her peers in a television career that spanned daytime and primetime including her performances as Kimberly Andrews on One Life to Live. But most importantly for her work in 2025 in the emotional rollercoaster of a story where Brook Lynn learns Gio (Giovanni Mazza) is her biological son.
“It means so much to me,” expressed Amanda. “It really does. I keep using this line, but I really mean it. It feels like a big hug. You know, not everybody who votes for these categories works with you. It’s really a very humbling feeling to know that your work actually touched someone and moved someone enough for them to vote for you. And getting to play the storyline that I got to play was such a privilege. It really was, with the actors I got to play it with. To be a little rewarded for it feels so nice.”
You can check out our chat with Amanda Setton on the red carpet at the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards below. Then make sure to check out all the Michael Fairman Channel red carpet interviews from daytime’s biggest night here.
So, do you think Brook Lynn and Chase will unite to keep baby Phoebe away from Jude Jacks? What do you think of Wil Traval’s performances thus far as Jude? How do you see this story for the custody of baby Phoebe playing out? Were you rooting for Amanda to take home the Supporting Actress gold? Let us know via the comment section below.
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