Interviews
The Crystal Chappell, Jessica Leccia, and Nadia Bjorlin Interview – Venice
Courtesy/Venice
On August 7th, the wait is over for legions of fans when Crystal Chappell’s Venice, returns to the web with season four of the hit series, and all new episodes! Venice and Chappell have been groundbreaking. If you look at all the many web soap series and concepts that sprung from the success of Venice, Chappell had foreshadowed where the industry was going, and found a place where series creators can show their visions and their stories without having the constraints of network television and its censors.
Venice season four will continue to center the story on three women, two of whom are vying for the same girl! Will Gina finally reunite with Ani? Will Lara and Ani say their “I do’s?” Will secrets, lies, Lara’s drinking, Gina’s past, or perhaps Ani’s brother come to tear everyone’s chance for happiness apart in different ways? Chappell promises much drama with many characters on the canvas in season four, while providing answers to the season three cliffhangers! And, if you watched the just released promo for season four, there is a shocker at the end of it, when it looks like Gina is hit by a car! Who’s driving? How will it all come about?
On-Air On-Soaps visited the set of Venice during its final week of production on season four, and sat down with its three leading ladies: Crystal Chappell (Gina), Jessica Leccia (Ani) and Nadia Bjorlin (Lara) who have sent hearts-a-flutter to many of their female viewers, and we are sure many men, too! Venice fans have loyally supported this same-sex love story interwoven with complex relationships and family ties … and to think it all started from the love of Guiding Light supercouple, Otalia!
As you would expect when chatting with Crystal, Jessica, and Nadia, there was plenty of laughs and witty sarcasm, but what we came away with was speaking to three women who have great understanding of the human condition. And that my friends, is one of the reasons we have fallen in love with their performances and Venice. Here now, with a look into what is to come in season four, are Crystal, Jessica and Nadia!
MICHAEL:
Crystal, how was it working with these ladies again for season four of Venice?
NADIA:
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She is ready to stab her eyes out! (Laughs)
CRYSTAL:
They are extremely difficult women, because they are pretty. (Laughs) They are in my head year round, and it’s true. I love them both as friends, and this is such a fun journey this show has taken, and it’s largely based on having Nadia and Jessica. It works. So it’s fun to sit down and see where story can go, and then watch them do their work, and then it becomes fantastic!
MICHAEL:
How much ahead did you gals get your scripts from Crystal so you knew what is going on this season, and what you had to play?
JESSICA:
She gives us some time to peruse and look through it.
NADIA:
Well, if you’re Shawn Christian (Brandon, Venice, Daniel, DAYS), he looks at it and goes, “Am I in that scene?” And I go, “Did you not read the script?” (Laughs)
MICHAEL:
What did you think about this year’s scripts?
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JESSICA:
Not only is the show about the three of us, but we branch out with these other characters. I feel like the stories are a lot more interwoven, and the stories come together more. I get more of a background, and an insight as to why Ani is the way she is, and her insecurities. There is a lot of story.
MICHAEL:
Nadia, originally and some still may feel, Lara is positioned as the interloper. But, do you think now there are people rooting for Lara and Ani to be together?
NADIA:
I think it’s an intriguing and interesting balance. It’s so well written that you are going to see both sides of the coin. Some people are going to root for Lara and Ani, and some are going to root for Ani and Gini to get together. I think people are into both sides. And, whether you read that on Twitter or the Internet, there are a lot people shouting, “Lara is the bad guy!” But, what is interesting in this storytelling is there is not necessarily a bad guy in all of this. These are just people who are trying to figure out their lives.
CRYSTAL:
They are all good people. Ani would be lucky to have either one of them!
JESSICA:
Photo Credit: Getty Images
If she doesn’t get her act together she is not going to have either of them! (Laughs)
NADIA:
There is no one that is a clear villain, which is not the intention. You don’t have this villain who is trying to poison somebody. Here you have people all dealing with their own issues and problems, and their own path in life and wanting to find love. And, in this situation it might be that two people on this planet have found love in the same place.
CRYSTAL:
I like Ani and Lara together, and I like Gina and Ani together. I think timing is everything, and what is right for you today may not be right for you tomorrow. You just have to be ready for something. Lara and Ani have a very sweet connection, and Gina and Ani have a history and a connection, as well. That is what makes it interesting. There is no right or wrong. Connection is connection. It’s about timing, and how you react to it.
MICHAEL:
Are you still shocked that after almost five years since Guiding Light’s Otalia, and what you have done with Venice, that Jessica and Crystal on-screen are still one of the main “It” couples of soaps no matter what the platform, TV or the web?
JESSICA:
Well, the way I used to look at soap structure is: you can’t have this thing go on for too long … this has to happen … and this formula has to happen. I think Venice has been going on long enough that we don’t need those formulas, or to use the soap scenarios such as … that person who breaks up the couple. I don’t feel we are stuck with that. I think that is what keeps the fans coming to watch it! It never got stale for us. I hope it never got stale for the viewers.
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CRYSTAL:
We are seasonal. We don’t have to produce five days a week. I think that gives us more time, and people time to anticipate and want, and then we are on for three months a year, and then we can take our time telling the story, too. We started the script well over a year ago. There will be 12 episodes. I think on average the episodes will run longer than usual. Last year they ran anywhere from 10 minutes to 26 minutes.
NADIA:
There was emotionally so much content this year when we shot it. I thought, “Wow! These episodes are going to be long!”
CRYSTAL:
They are about 20 minutes each. They are more balanced with the time and length. It’s just packed with a lot! There are so many twists and turns, and so much happens that you won’t expect. I will say this season is very heart-wrenching and touching.
NADIA:
I do agree it is touching, and just when you think one thing is happening something else drives a wedge into that.
MICHAEL:
Was there a particular moment in the shooting of the script for season four that was the most memorable, or surprised you the most? I know we are top secret on story details!
CRYSTAL:
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This season has been better than I expected. I had Susan Flannery (Ex-Stephanie B&B, who is a director on Venice) say, “Well, that didn’t work,” or “That connection is not there anymore.” But this has been satisfying all the way through with everybody. I think we are all more comfortable with each other. I think we have a very solid crew. The actors have been amazing and brought their A-game. Every character has something to lose and something to gain. It just makes the stakes higher, and makes the show more interesting.
JESSICA:
I will say I have trouble answering the question as I don’t want to blow anything, but I will say, the way Crystal produces it, and the locations she picks are gorgeous! The show looks so pretty, and I didn’t expect it to be as grand as it is. I get excited about that when I come to the set. Now as far as story, what I will say is: I was surprised when I read things. I was more surprised watching them play out, whether it be in my story or other people’s story, with whom I don’t get to work with as often.
MICHAEL:
Is Y&R’s Christian LeBlanc in Venice a lot this season, as Ani’s brother Jake?
CRYSTAL:
Well, I didn’t write for him, but he showed up! (Laughs)
NADIA:
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Basically, he kept showing up and was just there! (Laughs) So, we were like, “Oh, alright.” And Crystal is like, “Well, I gotta give him something to say.” He is just standing in the scenes and “bogarting”! She is like, “We didn’t even ask him to be on the show, but we’ve got to give him something.” (Laughs) Now, I have never met anybody who won’t stop talking. (Laughs) It’s pretty amazing, and it would be interesting to do a science experiment on Christian. But yeah, I get to work with him quite a bit, which has been so fun, which is why I am joking about it.
CRYSTAL:
Christian LeBlanc has taken creepy to a new art… (Laughs)
NADIA:
…Without realizing it! (Laughs) Christian is like the least creepy person in the world, which is so funny. He is such a close personal friend, that it has been fun to work with him, and been fun to watch him do stuff, because it’s interesting to see someone who is a really good friend of yours do something that is completely surprising. And then I went, “Oh, yeah. That’s why you have all of those Emmys!” (Laughs)
CRYSTAL:
Well, there is a reason for that. You can give Christian anything, and he can put a spin on it that you don’t expect, and it’s fun. We were laughing doing some scenes in this stairway …
NADIA:
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… There is a scene that was very integral to the story, but weird in the location we had to work with. I did not get it. I did not know how it would work here. And I thought, “This is not going to work without it feeling cheesy or weird.” And all of a sudden, I am literally witness to this, because I am above the other characters in a stairwell. I am watching this scene happen, and I go, “Holy Shit! These people have just made this really work!” I was so convinced. The scenes were so sincere and beautiful, that it’s hard not to root for Gina! (Laughs) There was something that Christian did in the scene, when he came into it, and I was kind of blown away. Sometimes you see something on the page, and you don’t know how it’s going to work when you put it into real life context.
CRYSTAL:
This is the first season that I feel most confident that everything that is written, works. It is largely due to the actors. There is something very cohesive about the group. There is not a wasted shot in this show, no one tries to slide through anything … they all care. Most people wouldn’t survive this group, quite frankly! (Laughs)
MICHAEL:
So, what would you define as ultimately what things will be building and building to this season?
CRYSTAL:
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It comes down to a choice.
MICHAEL:
Ani can be so wishy-washy, sometimes. I mean, how many women would like to be in the position you are Jessica, with these two beautiful women fighting over you?
JESSICA:
Yes, I do know how many women, children, babies and animals, would love to be in my position. I get it. I totally get it. (Laughs)
NADIA:
She can do no wrong in this triangle. Everybody is gushing over Jessica … and Jessica as Ani!
JESSICA:
She had done some things wrong!
MICHAEL:
Like what, binge on chocolate? (Laughs)
JESSICA:
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Yes, binge on chocolate (laughs). No, she does make a lot of mistakes, and then has to figure it out. It comes from a place of being in-love, insecurity, and that love can cloud your judgment. That is just how it is.
CRYSTAL:
Ani is the eternal optimist. She is always trying to see the best in people. I really feel she is trying to make the best decision for herself based on past experience, and she is really trying. She is working at something this season. Ani is not being passive about what feels right to her.
MICHAEL:
Is Gina more in touch with her own feelings this season?
CRYSTAL:
Oh, yeah. She comes out of something, and then falls right back into it, that is her consistency. She gets hit with a lot, and has to make some choices that send her in Ani’s direction, but Ani has gone off and is making it work with Lara, and made some very strong choices for herself. It’s all about the timing.
MICHAEL:
Does Lara have a drinking problem this season?
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CRYSTAL:
No, drinking is never a problem. (Laughs)
NADIA:
On a serious note, I think one of Lara’s main struggles is being so afraid to ask for help, because she is so afraid she will lose this love of her life, eventually. I think Ani to her is her anchor, and the one person she has ever seen in her life as her stability. Lara is so afraid of being abandoned by her. She is afraid to admit she is fallible, and does not want to ask for help. She wants to sweep everything under the rug and go, “OK. I am going to prove to you that I am perfect,” because I think that is also her story growing up in that she was always having to prove she was perfect. She was then a best-selling author, and she is always doing well, and there is no kink in the armor. Then, we start to see her degrade again after we see her pretending it is so easy. I think a lot of people can relate to that in some aspects, whatever that may be. It may not be a drinking problem, but it could be anything else. It is feeling like you have to be perfect, or you are not good enough. I think that is very sad, and I think that is a very human problem. I think you start to see in season four how Lara deals with that, and how she deals with her thinking that she can handle everything on her own.
MICHAEL:
Crystal, what do you want everyone to know as a preview to season four, without telling anybody anything? (Laughs)
CRYSTAL:
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For people who are invested in these three women, you are going to see an amazing journey and the rest of the characters have so much they are going through. Season four is about family, and love, and life, and loss, and moving on, and living. It’s how time changes things, and how things can change in a blink of an eye, and that is what this season of Venice is really about. You have to watch, or you are going to miss something.
MICHAEL:
Do the three of you believe in soul mates? I think Ani and Gina are soul mates.
CRYSTAL:
I think it all comes down again to timing. Your soul mate could be somebody who is giving you something so pure, and lovely, and wonderful, but what if something happens and somebody else comes along? How does anybody measure up to that? It seems so absolute. I think you have many soul mates in a lifetime. You’re lucky if it’s not a romantic relationship, that it is a connection and what a blessing that is. Yes, I think these two women are soul mates, but again it’s life and timing, and will it let them find their way to each other?
JESSICA:
Also, I don’t know if soul mates are forever. You may get a window of time with a soul mate, or it could last a lifetime!
MICHAEL:
Life is so complicated!
CRYSTAL:
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We are getting so heady for you. (Laughs)
JESSICA:
I am not sure how other people see a soul mate, but that is how I see it. Some people will think Gina and Ani are soul mates, and other people might think Lara and Ani might be.
CRYSTAL:
But honestly, I can say this season Ani and Gina have some very truthful talks. I think people want to see that, and I think they are going talk some very important things out!
Michael, thank you for an awesome interview as always. I cannot wait for Venice Season 4 !!! Is it August 7th yet ??? #TeamGiAni
I was so beaten down by the end of Season 3 that I wasn’t sure if I would be returning for V4. After the promo and this interview, I’m leaning towards giving it another try but I’m just not sure. So much momentum was lost and so little focus was placed on what should have been the core characters and stories. Ani and Gina have barely spent any real time onscreen together. It sounds like that might have changed. I like the triangle in theory but so much time has been spent (in interviews, not onscreen) trying to sell me on the fact that Lara is only human and not a bad person. Unfortunately, I lost the ability to root for her the minute she took hold of Ani’s head and slammed it into a wall. Intentional or not, it was unacceptable and I think the show is now backpedalling and sugar coating the abuse because they want a viable triangle and Lara & Ani are pretty. Lara has been nothing but a lying, manipulative, and arguably abusive partner. It’s getting harder and harder to watch Venice ignore the elephant in the room and continue to push this coupling because they are not ready for a Giani reunion. I think I will take a wait and see approach to V4.
Lara is not abusive, the whole incident with ani was unfortunate, but accidental. She has never been portrayed as abusive before or after the incident, so I think you’re just seeing what you want. Thankfully cc and rest of cast of show see it differently than you about the character of Lara.
You may want Gianni but myself and others love ani/lara and are invested in their love story too. If you don’t like the direction of the show then stop watching, no one owes you anything especially not cc and the rest of cast/crew of this show.
Which part was an accident? The one where she got wasted.. The part where she grabbed her head with both hands and shoved her away? Or the part where the wall was there to break her fall? In season 2, CC and Company started to tell an interesting and complex story about a dysfunctional and like I said, arguably abusive relationship and in Season 3 and subsequent interviews have tried to sweep that under the rug. I am not telling you what to like. If you like toxic, pretty couples, so be it. I think Venice wasted an opportunity to tell a good story in an effort to please everyone. I don’t have to like every character and would probably like Venice better if they didn’t keep trying to tell me that someone who drinks excessively, makes a mess of her career, bruises her girlfriend, lies, burns letters, manipulates, pretends to be getting sober, drinks with another woman, etc is a viable love interest for anyone.
I have to agree, Lara was abusive and didn’t she hook up with that other chick? I don’t know why I’m supposed to be invested in Ani/Lara at all. I do happen to believe the Ani/Gina tease has gone on way too long. Because as mentioned above, they didn’t even share scenes last year! We were promised some forward motion with them last year and got nothing and here we are again hearing the same thing. I already bought my sub to the next season – so obviously I’m watching, but overall I’ve been a bit disappointed. Especially when reading this interview where we get nothing at all about Lara pushing Ani’s head into a wall (accident or not), drinking and cheating. But hey she pretty and wants to marry Ani, so you know that makes it all good. Whatever.
I hate to disagree with Jessica but yeah the audience is getting tired of it, has grown tired and some fans may never come back. 4 seasons to wait for Giani is way too many. And Crystal is still being wishy washy about it. You can’t have it both ways.
I agree with the poster, Lara is an abusive lying partner and Venice has all but forgotten the fact that Ani has been abused. Great message to send out to the audience. FYI, domestic abuse does occur between 2 women and it’s not ok just because the woman is pretty.
Giani didn’t even talk last season and felt like a completely stagnant storyline. You know what people want to see? Giani reunite, not talk, not grow closer, etc. It’s time for action.
I feel like CC has tried to play both sides of the fence. I would say about 25% of the fans are Lani fans and don’t seem to be as invested in the show as a whole as they are in Lani. It feels like CC knows they would walk if she ended Lani outright and she knows Giani fans can and will hang on regardless hoping for a Giani endgame. The problem is, Venice has gone on for years and there has been no forward movement in Giani and no reason for some to switch loyalties to Lani, so many of the fans CC thought were a lock have long since left Venice. She is driving away the larger fanbase in an effort to appease the other one. She can’t please everyone.
I just started watching the show this summer and have really enjoyed it. I think that what CC and the other writers are trying to do in entertain and give us a story of what does happen in a relationship. It does not matter if you are male or female. Yes that main story is about 3 women, however we also need to look a the story line of Owen, Van and Sammi and how that turned out. I see the focus to be about family, love and life, how these things intertwine together. Family is the most important thing, whether it be a sibling or someone you have a connection with. Love is Love not matter what. I don’t see this show as a soap, but a series that I would love to continue to watch for a long time. Keep up the good work CC, cast and crew.
Awesome interview, this season is gonna be the bomb.
Thanks MF for posting this interview. It’s great to have some press for VTS. We go so long between seasons it’s hard for most to keep engaged. Your continued support and access to Crystal help with keeping fans around.
Appreciate it.
Loved the Interview, Love where this story is going and the way Crystal is writing it, I am looking forward to continuing the journey in season 4.!
I am looking forward to some good story!!!
Guess some of you forgot its about the journey in soaps. I for one can’t wait for the new season of Venice. Is it August 7th.
Thanks for the interview. Looking forward to the show. You can please some of the people some of the time, but some people are never happy unless they’re complaining. Good for them. Hope that works out for you.
I, for one, am looking forward to some good angsty story. It’ s a frickin show for god’s sake, not the moral compass for the entire universe.
That’s entertainment.
Thanks again Michael, Crystal, Jessica and Nadia.
Venice has gotten a bit cold. Drawn to it in the beginning because of how screwed up the way Otalia was handled. Even though Venice will be new characters for CC & JL, I was looking forward to seeing them work together again to keep that spark of Otalia alive. I think alot of the fans wanted that and were looking for it. I didn’t even like GL but I loved that storyline. That’s why I gave money and purchased items. I was hoping to see that wonderful love story in a new format, one where same sex relationships isn’t something to be ashamed of, but celebrated. Season 1 of Venice had promise. Season 2 kinda started to slide and season 3 even more. It became convoluted with way too many additional storylines. With episodes only going between 10 and 30 minutes there is just too many storylines. That the original draw to show is lost. Maybe it is the fact that most of the folks involved are from daytime dramas. Where multiple storylines is the norm. But those shows ran daily. Not cut to 12 episodes a season. Less is more. Venice has some wonderful writers, a fantastic cast..just need to reign it in. Season 1 was an Emmy award winner..remember that.
I too was drawn to Venice because of GL. I was intrigued by the Otalia storyline because it was so different from the usual storylines of a soap. Although I knew the characters and story would not be those of GL, I must say I was expecting to be drawn in by the story (probably because of the actors) but sadly that does not seem to be the case. I am a sponsor and have bought merchandise in support of the show but I am well over the seemingly never ending triangle. I am not new to soaps and know triangles, angst, and heartbreak are all par for the course but I just don’t feel like there has been any movement, just more of the same. Perhaps I will be pleasantly surprised with S4.
I will say however, I thoroughly enjoyed Crystal’s “Grove the Series” and hope for more of that series as it seems more captivating to me than Venice.
Hmmm not sure what to make of this interview. I think I’m going to have to wait before subscribing for Season 4 to hear what the reviews are. I really didn’t enjoy Seasons 2 or 3 and have been greatly disappointed by the storylines. Hopefully Season 4 lives up to the hype otherwise I’m afraid they will have lost this viewer forever.
So great to see the new season. And so glad that it’s still going, kudos to CC and the gang there!
Great interview Michael. I for one can’t wait for season 4 to begin. The promo added to the anticipation. This is soap and like Crystal said ” it’s about time and how you react to it”… I just hope that certain issues from last season get resolved like the infamous “letter”.
Venice technically isn’t a soap. It is a weekly serial drama with long hiatuses between seasons. Therefore, they don’t have the luxury of viewer patience and can’t waste any scenes, storylines, or characters on filler. If they don’t grab viewers, they lose viewers. Season 3 felt like a waste of time and did nothing to move stories forward. Now, over one year later, here we go again with another season and hopefully this one is more compelling and more tightly woven but we’ll see. This interview didn’t do much to assure me that CC gets it but maybe I will be suprised.
Lara y Ani ♥
Awesome interview i cant wait for season 4. Last season i was rooting for a giani reunion and for ani to see the letter, now i’m not so sure. Gina and ani do seem like soulmates but i don’t trust gina has completely changed and will not push ani away again, esp after seein the trailer and logan is sniffing around. Ani despite her insecurities is the perfect type of girlfriend and doesn’t deserve for her heart to be broken by gina again. She seems to have strong feelings for lara too and despite lara not being perfect, is only human and if she sorts her drinking out, could be perfect for ani. So im kinda rooting for lani now and lara to overcome her drink problem and give ani the perfect relationship she deserves. Lara is not perfect but she is only human and victim to a very common addiction.
I am waiting patiently for Gina and Ani to end together.
But, it’s really tough and my heart sometimes bleeds.
Anyway, congrats to all the staff! And respect from France.
Anyone who took the time to comment here is certainly going to continue to watch. CC and her team have done what good storytelling does, they’ve crafted a story that illicits a strong reaction. For some, that reaction is so strong that they want to protest the show in order to get what they want from the characters. But I am just a spectator. I am not invested, one way or the other, in Ani’s love choices. But I am invested in the skillful way the characters are connected and how this family lives, loves, and works together. I found Otalia this summer and then Venice by extension. I am working on myself and trying to determine my own sexuality. Though I may struggle with that for quite some time, I have found solace in watching Venice show lesbian characters who are not struggling with their sexuality. As great as it was to see Otalia, I needed to see normalcy – to feel that gay or not, human is human. I’ve known that for years and I’ve even rallied and protested with the best of them, but I realized that it was easier to stand up for the community when I didn’t feel I had to. So I applaud the show helping me to feel. I have pre-ordered season 4.
This was a nice comment LW :). I agree completely.
To Whom it May Concern
Dear Crystal,Jessica,Nadia and the rest of the Actor’s/Actress’s
I sharonda price just wanna say to you all that I wish you well on your Acting Career’s and May God bless you all with everything that your Heart Desire and Desired for in life and I also wanna say to you all that I’ve enjoyed watching you all on T.V. and on the website’s as well as watching your show and I Admit that I had a Blast of this whole darn thang and I hope that You 3 lovely Lady”s(Laddies-Ladies)Will keep up the good job/work and keep coming up with good Ideals for us Fans to stay intune with U 3 SEXY Lady’s because your show’s rock out the house! And now that Guiding Light is gone and all of the other soaps is gone Except for atleast 3 or 4 that is still on the t.v. air.
as much as I would love to meet nadia,crystal,jessica in person and join your fan clubs and have signautograph photos from u 3 lady’s etc.And write to you 3 and chat with also to make most of my dreams come true etc.etc.
What I see when I watch the show:I see that Ani is a lovely person and her beautie is Capture by two beautiful lady’s who would love to live their life with Ani for ever!but ani got to choose also who do she wanna be with for the rest of her life!! to me i feel that Ani should be with Gina and spend the rest of their lives together for ever but also keep Lara as a good true friend..but Im gonna say this to you 3 lady’s just do what you gotta do but be happy with what ever choice you make in ur life as well with ur life because with me I’m still gonna love you no matter what!!
Yours truely Ms.sharonda price(k.a. shay-shay etc.)
Thank you Crystal Chappell and Michael and Jessica Leccia,Nadia Bojorlin plus others who help this to come to be what it is Awesome work Guy’s! I Slute to U all
Thank you.To be honest the only reason Im watchingb it is Lara.Her journey is the only interesting thing for me.She’s not abusive.She just pushed Ani ,who was trying to force herself on her ,away.She pushed her too hard because of her driking issue,but she never beated Ani before or After.It was an incident.What I wish for is Lara to end it with Ani and find someone who actually love her and care about her.Not someone who’s just using her until she finds her way back to her ex.I hope that Lara will find someone who will help her accept that she has a drinking issue and deal with it.Someone who loves her and only her
I agree. Otalia fans have to stop thinking venice is otalia re cap. Lara and Ani
I so agree! I don’t think Gina wants Ani, I think that Gina just doesn’t want anyone else to have her. Ani is beuatiful and soft, and she doesn;t have enough backbone. Lara deserves someone better, that will actually emobrace her and help her with her addiction by truly loving her, and not thinking about her lost lover. Seems the writers have Gina tied to every storyline here. It all revolves around, and comes back to Gina.
Thank you Michael for the interview, but I really didn’t learn anything new about what is going to happen on V4. I pretty much got the same with the promo and other interviews. Sorry. I also love the triangle — there really is no bad combination, really! The decision has always been for Ani to make…whether, it is right or wrong, it’s for her and her alone. As for soul mates…I’m not quite sure about that. I believe there are soul mates and there is a place and time for them to meet; however, I also believe there are people you were meant to meet. There is a reason why you meet them, it’s not always known at first, but there is definitely a reason why they come into your life. Are these one in the same? Soul mates? Don’t know… Anyhow, V4 sounds like it is going to be a ride. Thank you Crystal for thinking outside the box (TV), Jessica, Nadia, and the others for wanting to playing along with Crystal.
I’ve watched all of “Otalia”, all of Venice to date, and The Grove pilot (awesome!)… I will probably keep watching these no matter what the direction of the storyline (barring our 3 leads going straight! 🙂 I love it all! And– the promo looks great- sexy and heart-wrenching…
Most of the videos on YouTube featuring Lani (Lara and ani) are the most viewed then giani ( Gina and ani) so you tell me what the Venice audience wants?
Oviously Team lani !
True 😉
Turn up the heat on those make out scenes! Push the envelope even more. The first scene of the first episode on S1 was H-O-T! Besides the shower scene w/ Lara and Ani, nothing has really followed suit. Give us more ‘throw caution to the wind’ impromptu heavy make out scenes, PLEASE!! Use the online medium to turn it up a lot more.
– sincerely, married lesbian from Ca
Thank you, Michael, for this interview. It is a pleasure to watch Nadia Bjorlin stretch her acting wings on Venice and I look forward to that each season. I enjoy the high production values on the show and the beautiful cinematography. For me, the show is a visual treat and the entertainment value of the stories is high. I am looking forward to V4.
I would like to read an interview with Susan Flannery on her directing work with Venice. That would be a fascinating interview!
I’m wondering since they mentioned Ani’s insecurities that might explain why she stays with Lara. Lara is beautiful and Ani can’t believe that someone like Lara would fall in love with her. You know, the “this amazingly hot person is into me?” syndrome. However, it’s also showing that even the beautiful people such as Lara deal with insecurities as well. Lara’s insecurities regarding perfection manifest through her alcoholism. Gina did a number on Ani and that led her into another toxic relationship with Lara. I believe Crystal is trying to convey that we can love more than one person and that many times depends upon where we are in life. Gina loves Ani deeply but doesn’t feel she deserves Ani. Lara is possessive and doesn’t believe she deserves Ani either. The Lani storyline is what some people believe love is, the drama, toxicity and chaos. The depth, in my opinion, is with Gina and Ani. . I agree that this season has to bring something. They could’ve explored the abuse and allowed Ani to lean on Gina for a change. Overall, the 9.99 is worth it just to watch CC looking at Jessica. It’s actually really beautiful. And all three actresses are beautiful in unique and different ways. Just my two cents.
I kind of feel sorry for Lara Character. There are so many women in this world that don’t want to be alone because of bad relationships that made them feel a certain way or just struggles that they are having and they felt alone their whole life because they had expectations growing up and it was just rough for them.
I would like to see Lara and Ani together. Have Ani see that Lara loves her and really needs her, let their relationship be like Bo and Hope from days of our lives. “huge fan” but with a twist of complications with Crystal character trying to win her back. This is a Soap Opera anything can happen, so make it crazy and fun. But my point is, I want Lara to be happy especially if her character loves, really loves Ani and that it’s just not a lust thing because she is lonely. If her Character really loves Ani, there should be a somewhat stable relationship in this show, but again with complications. This is just something I would like to see, but we’ll see
I was not watching until I heard Christian LeBlanc had joined the cast and Bam I didnt waste any time starting to watch Venice. He is such a great actor and great person I just cannot get enough of watching him. He brought a special something to Venice and I love watching Jake (CLB) He is naughty. I love him on Y&R my favorite of all time. He is who got me hooked on Y&R and now knowing he is an integral part of Venice Yo bet I am gonna watch. Paid to see him Season 4 Venice would do it again 3 emmys means 3 times better then the othes.
Interviews
Y&R’s Michelle Stafford Talks on Her Lead Actress Daytime Emmy Nomination, Allison Lanier, and ‘Pacific Palisades’ with Finola Hughes
It has been 20-years since daytime dynamo, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) of The Young and the Restless, has captured the Daytime Emmy for her continued outstanding performances. She previously won Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1997 and Outstanding Lead Actress in 2004, and along the way has amassed 12 nominations for her work.
Now, Stafford finds herself in a crowded field of women going for gold at the upcoming 51st annual Daytime Emmys to be handed out on Friday, June 7th on CBS. Nominated along with Michelle in this year’s Lead Actress race are: Finola Hughes (Anna, GH), Annika Noelle (Hope, B&B), Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B), Cynthia Watros (Nina, GH) and Tamara Braun (Ava, DAYS).
Michael Fairman TV chatted with Michelle about her nominated scenes, her on-screen daughter, Allison Lanier being recognized for the first time in her career for her work as Summer, and her enduring friendship with Finola Hughes; which dates all the way back to when they were co-stars on the 1997 primetime soap opera, Pacific Palisades.
Photo: JPI
Michelle participated in the Michael Fairman Channel’s 10th annual Daytime Emmy Nomination Special last Friday, where she chatted with us and the fans live to celebrate her nomination along with several other actors. Here’s what Michelle shared on these key topics below.
Photo: JPI
What scenes did you submit, and what about those scenes did you think showcased you as an actress for the Lead Actress competition?
MICHELLE: I went from the beginning of Phyllis’ spin out, to her pleading to be exonerated. The thing that I liked is it showed what I do love about the character of Phyllis, and that is that she is dark. She can be very dark and really fierce, but then very broken. I liked that it showed all of that. I had some scenes with Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren) and Christian LeBlanc (Michael) that I started with that weren’t really meant to be as intense as they were, but they ended up being very intense. Basically, Phyllis is talking to her friends and no one believes her about this woman, Diane (Susan Walters). No one believes her and she has no friends and no one wants to know her. She’s become the villain, and it showed her just complete frustration. Then, there is this scene. It was so funny because Phyllis is like in Diane’s face going, “You’re afraid of me.” And then, I got up in her face and Phyllis goes, “and you should be afraid of me.” I’m watching it going, “Bitch, I’m afraid of you!” And then, at the end of my reel, she is just so broken talking to the judge.
Photo: JPI
Your on-screen daughter, Allison Lanier, scored her first Daytime Emmy nomination and in the highly-competitive Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama series category. What are your thoughts on Allison?
MICHELLE: Allison worked so hard last year. She works hard all the time. She’s so great. I’m so happy for her because she’s just a very focused, hardworking actress. I think, she really has a great look and she’s just fantastic. I feel just so rich in that Hunter King played my daughter for so many years, and now I have Allison. You know, Allison came into the story when my character was really jacked up and very adversarial and fighting with Summer all the time. I think it was a little daunting for Allison, but she got it. This is daytime, and you have to get on the express train. It’s moving. You either jump on or you don’t get on. Not every actor can do it. It’s a special technique and I think that’s what we all love about it, because that’s the challenge to actually put out something somewhat decent. I never want to say good, because I don’t know if it’s good but somewhat decent, in the limited time we have. I saw what Allison submitted which was fantastic. It’s really impressive. I always say anyone who could be good in daytime is phenomenal out there.
Photo Fox
You and Finola Hughes are nominated together, and are good friends dating all the way back to when you were both on Pacific Palisades together. You had played the character of Joanna, and Finola was the character of Kate. What do you recall about your time on the show?
MICHELLE: The characters we played were best friends on Pacific Palisaides, and I created a great friendship with Finola. Looking back at my time on that show, I don’t think I appreciated it as much as I should have. Of course, I was younger and I thought, “This is my first show. I’ll get many more.” You don’t appreciate things like you do when you’re older. Not that I didn’t appreciate it. I mean, I knew I was really fortunate. I knew I was lucky. I grew up in this business. I knew how lucky I was, but it was just a very different kind of character for me to play. I think it was a little challenging because I had gone from playing Phyllis, to playing like this wholesome Midwestern girl off the farm. So, that was a bit challenging for me, but I had a good time.
So, what do you think of the scenes submitted by Michelle for this year’s Emmy competition? Will you be rooting for her to win her first Emmy in over 20 years? What do you remember about Finola and Michelle in ‘Pacific Palisades’? And, what do you think about the on-screen dynamic between on-screen mother and daughter as played by Michelle and Allison Lanier? Weigh-in via the comment section. And in case you missed it, you can catch the ’10th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special’ below featuring live conversations with 10 of this year’s acting nominees.
General Hospital
GH’s Finola Hughes Chats on Her Lead Actress Daytime Emmy Nomination, New Directions for Characters in Port Charles, and Anna’s Love Life
In four out of the last five years, General Hospital favorite, Finola Hughes (Anna Devane), has almost become a perennial nominee having once again scored a Daytime Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress for the upcoming 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.
Hard to believe, but Hughes won her one and only Daytime Emmy back in 1991, and has amassed a total of 11 Emmy nominations during her enduring daytime drama career. As those who have watched GH know, throughout any calendar year, you can find numerous stellar performances by Finola that could be tops on any Emmy reel.
Michael Fairman TV chatted with Finola during the 10th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special to get her reaction to landing in the field of six fantastic women vying for gold, what scenes went on her now Emmy-nominated reel, what she thinks of how GH is shaking things up under new head writers, Patrick Mulcahey and Elizabeth Korte, and the future of Anna’s love life. Here’s what she shared below.
Photo: ABC
What scenes did you wind up submitting that landed you in the running for the Daytime Emmy in this year’s Lead Actress category?
FINOLA: The whole Charlotte (Scarlett Fernandez) shooting and the accident and that whole thing. Then, talking about that with Sonny (Maurice Benard), and then a bit of the breakup with Valentin (James Patrick Stuart), and then finding out that Valentin had lied.
Who helped you put the reel together?
FINOLA: One of our producers at GH, Michelle Henry. We have these amazing producers. They’re sort of the unsung heroes. They’re in the booth all day when we’re shooting. They do this wonderful thing where they earmark something, if they think that it’s been a good performance. So, they just have this sort of little list (that helps come Emmy time). So, that’s how that worked with Michelle.
Photo: ABC
Now you’ve had a string of recent Daytime Emmy nominations. Do you think GH is writing more for your strengths in the last several years?
FINOLA: Yes, and I think it’s become stronger recently. I think writers really take the lead sometimes from an actress or an actor who’s going through something or moving through something in their life. Maybe, that’s they were just seeing, you know, different layers and colors and so they started to write to that. I’m not sure. It certainly felt like I’ve had some things (material) that resonated with me.
What I have loved about Anna is that she is very complex. She often wrestles with herself over her past as a double agent, or certain guilt that she carries around. It’s interesting when the lines are blurred for her and things get messy.
FINOLA: I do well with complex and I like messy.
So, what do you think about the nominees in the Lead Actress category with you?
FINOLA: They are great. I don’t know Annika Noelle (Hope, B&B) very well, but I hear she did wonderful work and she sent me a lovely message. Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B) I obviously reached out to, Tamara Braun (Ava, DAYS) reached out to me, and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R) and I just got on the phone last night and congratulated each other on our nominations, and of course, Cynthia (Watros) is here with me at GH.
Photo: JPI
You do like do like the fashion of it all for Emmy night, correct?
FINOLA: God, I I live for it. I’m as shallow as that. I might play some complex on television, but I’m that shallow in real life.
So, do you go by the trends of what to pick out to wear for a red carpet, or you just kind of go off what you think looks good on you?
FINOLA: I do like the trends. I really like the fact that the sleeve is having a big moment right now since the film Poor Things. It sent it into the stratosphere.
It’s been 33 years since you won your last Emmy. Do you think you’re a better actress now than when you were even 10 years ago?
FINOLA: I have no idea. It feels like a game of golf always for me, because get on set, like today, I was doing some work this morning and I just doubt myself. I’m like, “Did I really bring it?” I do think I’m harder on myself now than I was when I was younger, because I really didn’t know what I was doing at all. It’s a very hard question to answer. I feel like it’s different, but I’m constantly in battle with myself as to whether something works or not.
Photo: ABC
What are your thoughts then on being Emmy-nominated, at times, for more than three decades?
FINOLA: At this point in my life, I just find the whole thing encouraging and extraordinarily sort of affirming, and sweet and lovely. It’s extraordinary to even be acknowledged. That’s the truth.
Currently, on-air, Anna is taking a harder line with Sonny. There’s been a shift.
FINOLA: Yes. That’s been really interesting. I was talking about this with Steve Burton (Jason), and we actually were working together today. We found like this level between the two of us when it comes to Sonny. It was just really like another whole level as to what I’m doing. I think what’s happened is people’s roles in Port Charles are becoming delineated, you know, where there’s less gray. It’s like we’re sort of moving into areas, right? All of us. That’s kind of great because then you’ve got the hospital, you’ve got the police station, you’ve got the mob, you’ve got the Quartermaines you’ve got Curtis’ nightclub, and so there’s these different areas. Then, your character becomes very specific. I had those scenes with Genie Francis (Laura) that aired the other day, and it makes sense that we are sort of waking up because unfortunately Sonny’s going through something which we don’t know about, but he’s not behaving well. So, therefore we are like, “If he would do that, then we need to wake up to that Sonny has always been like that.” But, it’s not true. Sonny hasn’t always been like that. We still deal in the gray, because we are searching for the gray in ourselves, which is interesting. And then we have to make a decision, such as, “Where do you stand? Who are you actually?” I think posing those questions to the actual characters is kind of interesting.
Photo: ABC
Now, who’s going to be the man in Anna’s life?
FINOLA: Well, I want to do some more stuff with James. Obviously, James and I text all the time about how we’re not working together. We all know what Valentin’s up to. However, Anna doesn’t quite know.
I was originally thinking they might put John “Jagger” Cates (Adam Harrington) in a romance with Anna?
FINOLA: Oh, I know. I love Adam. He’s so wonderful, and so is Charles Mesure (Brennan). Obviously, Laura Wright (Carly) has been working with the two of them as well. They’re both looking like they are in love with Carly, so what can I do? I’ll just take the leftovers. However, I’m hoping that I get to play Valentin. The thing that’s interesting is that he’s a Cassadine. His father has now passed on, so he’s now at the front of the wagon of the Cassadines. It’s in his blood. So, I don’t know what they’ll do.
Photo: ABC
What was our family’s reaction when you told you are an Emmy nominee?
FINOLA: We had just taped three days of a very big event on the show. I was really tired yesterday and I was sort of laying down pretending to take a nap, as I never can nap in the middle of a day. Then, Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital) called me to say that, Cynthia Watros and myself, had been nominated for Lead Actress. So, I actually got up and I walked outside and my three kids were sort of wandering around doing kid teenage stuff. I sort of told each of them individually. I was like, “I got nominated.” They actually said, “Congratulations!” So, I think it actually resonated through the haze of online extravaganzas that teens are looking at it.
Make sure to check out the 2024 Daytime Emmy Nominations Special from this past Friday night below, where several of this year’s Daytime Emmy nominees stopped by the Michael Fairman Channel to share their reactions and more on going for gold come June 7th.
Now let us know, are you happy Finola was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series? Who do you hope Anna winds up with romantically down the line on GH under new head writers, Patrick Mulcahey and Elizabeth Korte? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Days Of Our Lives
Stephen Schnetzer Talks On His Return to Days of our Lives and Working with Susan Seaforth Hayes In Emotional Episodes
Who says you can’t go home again? In the case of Another World favorite, Stephen Schnetzer (ex-Cass Winthrop), he has proven that it is true, and you can go back to your soap roots and where it all started for you.
Last week on April 11th, Schnetzer, along with several other key returns were on set at Days of our Lives taping all-new episodes of the Peacock streaming soap opera, centering on the funeral of Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes), and as part of the iconic soap opera’s 15,000th episode.
Stephen is reprising his first daytime role as Steve Olson, the brother of Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes). The last time Schnetzer appeared on a DAYS set was during his one and only run on the show from 1978 to 1980. Clearly, viewers will be in for some very emotional scenes when Steve returns to Salem to be there for his sister, Julie in her time of need. In real-life, Susan has been going through her own grief, having just lost Bill back on January 12th at the age of 98.
Photo: NBC
Michael Fairman TV caught up with Stephen during the 15K episode celebration ceremony, and during a break from taping the gut-wrenching funeral scenes, to get his thoughts on being part of these highly-anticipated moments that will air later this year in December. Here’s what he shared with us below.
What has this been like for you to work with Susan Seaforth Hayes after all of these years?
STEPHEN: She’s a dream and she’s so bright. We ran lines yesterday and we ended up just visiting for about 45 minutes and just catching up and telling tales about each other’s career. She even dropped off the autobiography that she and Bill did. And being back here at DAYS, every time I turn a corner, there’s another familiar face. When I was on the show 40 more years ago, a bunch of the guys, played softball on a team together. This is really a trip down memory lane as I knew it would be.
Photo: JPI
Taping Doug’s funeral must be a hard day for Susan. Are you checking in with her to help hold her up through this?
STEPHEN: I am and I’m checking in with Amy Shaughnessy (Susan’s assistant), and she’s holding her up more than anybody. We’re there for each other.
There will obviously be some major hankie-inducing moments when Steve comes back to Salem to console his sister.
STEPHEN: Oh, wait till you see it in December. It’s going to be great.
Were you surprised you got this call to come back to the show decades later?
STEPHEN: It was out of the blue! I was completely surprised. They should have called me decades ago! That’s what surprised me. When Another World went down, I thought I’d land somewhere else and it never happened. That was more of a surprise.
Photo: JPI
Cass is such an identifiable character for you. As well, you and Linda Dano (ex-Felicia Gallant) are so synonymous together as best friends Cass and Felicia from Another World. When fans heard you were reprising your role as Steve Olson on DAYS, they are now hoping there will be more of you on the show to come.
STEPHEN: Steven Olson is a real “Cassian “character. I cut my teeth on Steve Olson and that’s how Cass was introduced. He was kind of a roguish charmer. And then when the character stuck for Another World, they rehabilitated me, and turned me into one of the shows heroes. And that’s what would’ve happened if I stayed as Steve Olson probably. So, Steve is the ‘pre-Cass’, Cass.
Photo: JPI
As the story goes, you originally decided to leave Days of our Lives?
STEPHEN: I was never on contract. I was doing a day and a half a week and I got a Broadway play directed by Franco Zeffirelli starring Joan Plowright and Frank Finlay. I was able to it as I didn’t have to break a contract or anything. I cut loose and went back to New York for that.
How well did you get to know Bill Hayes during your first time around on DAYS?
STEPHEN: My first episode was with Bill and Susan, as her long lost brother coming into Salem. They were so good to me. They were so kind. I had been doing eight years of classical repertory theater, never been in front of a camera. I tell everybody, it took me longer than any other actor I’ve ever seen to get comfortable in front of a camera. And they were very supportive at that time in my career. Coming back to honor Bill now in 2024, and to be see Susan, I am just so happy to be here.
Looking forward to seeing the scenes between Stephen and Susan Seaforth Hayes come December and Doug’s funeral and surrounding episodes? Do you hope that DAYS might bring the character of Steve Olson back for a longer stay? Comment below.
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GH’s Finola Hughes Chats on Her Lead Actress Daytime Emmy Nomination, New Directions for Characters in Port Charles, and Anna’s Love Life
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