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How do you bring in three hot guys to a soap when they are unrelated to anyone else on the canvas, and make it work?  First, make sure the eldest one takes his shirt off in various scenarios, and sleeps around while professing his love for one of the town’s good girls, and stealing her from her beloved boyfriend.  Next, while trying to get your car out of a parking garage, another beloved female character stumbles into a hostage situation with another young strapping, good-looking guy, who later turns out to be misunderstood.  And then, take another guy who is already part of the core younger set on the show, and dating the daughter of one of the most identifiable characters on the soap, and add him into the mix as the other guy’s brother!  So did it work?  The answer is, now it does, with a resounding, “yes”!

One Life to Live’s David Gregory (Ford), Nicolas Robuck (James), and Lenny Platt (Nate) are the brothers’ wunderkind, whose looks put everyone else to shame!  And, as a soap opera band of brothers, they are also well on their way to melting some viewers hearts, or making them mad as hell!  Then, throw in a great soapy twist; that they all come from an abusive (unseen and un-cast) father, and from a runaway mom!  And, when that runaway mom turns out to be actress Jessica Leccia (Inez) and she shows up in Llanview, the story possibilities and complexities become endless.

On-Air On-Soaps chatted with the three on-screen amigos, Gregory, Robuck, and Platt, to find out about brotherly love or dissidence, shirtless scenes, playing opposite their leading ladies, working with the fantastic Leccia, and if they feel there are real similarities in their looks and with each other’s personalities.  And, we get a preview of their on-screen feuds with Brody, Cole, and Matthew, which heat up next week.  So watch out, as we end the summer and head into fall. You still may need to find a room to cool off in after watching these guys on screen.  Here are the Ford Boys!

MICHAEL:

David, let’s start with the eldest Ford brother.  Robert, better known as “Ford”, had become quite the scoundrel, and to say he was a womanizer would be putting it mildly.  But now it seems the show is making efforts to redeem the character.  Were you surprised by that?  It makes sense, because how could they keep him around?  

DAVID:

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First, I was glad.  Not that I wanted to be a squeaky clean guy, but they are adding elements that make him why the way he is.  A lot of directors I have worked with since have told me, “We don’t want him to lose his fire, because that is what kind of makes him interesting.”  So that is not going away, but once he brought in family members, it allowed us to see, not that he is justified in the way he is, but that it makes more sense.  So I don’t know if it’s as much that Ford is being redeemed, as much as it is explaining to people why he is the way he is.  I like he is still in a grey area.

MICHAEL:

Did you know when you came back to the show earlier this year, that you would then have a brother, James, added into the mix?

DAVID:

Not at all.  We were actually shooting scenes in the episode that featured the band Lifehouse. They performed on our show.  And that was the day that our EP Frank Valentini, came up to me and said, “You are going to get a brother.”  I was really excited about that.  Then, once Ford ended up in the hospital, Frank says, “Oh yeah, you might have another one, too.”   And I went, “What?”  I knew they were bringing somebody in to play James, but I did not know that Lenny’s role was going to get tied in to this at all.  That was a surprise, because he was already on the show.

MICHAEL:

Nicolas, did you screen test with Kristen Alderson (Starr) or David when you landed the role of James?

NICOLAS:

I originally tested for a role that was not for Ford’s brother, James.  I was screen testing just to be a love interest for Kristen Alderson, and when they hired me they said, “They really look alike.  Why don’t we bring him on as Ford’s brother?”  And that is how that magic happened! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

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When you look at David now, do you see how you two guys could be brothers?

NICOLAS:

Yeah, sometimes.  When I am on set and watching the show, I will go, “Oh that’s me, and then I go, never mind!” (Laughs)  Sometimes at a quick glance I think it’s me, or if I see a picture of David in a magazine.  People get us confused quite a bit and actually last week, I was called, “Nic Gregory”. (Laughs)

LENNY:

Two weeks ago, I was walking down the studio hallway and Brittany Underwood (Langston) called me David.  She went, “Hi, David.”  And, I turned around and went, “What are you talking about?”  (Laughs)

DAVID:

Brittany and I have gotten pretty close on the show, so if she mistakes me for Lenny, then I don’t know what to think!  (Laughs)

LENNY:

I think the first time I was getting a hint of it was when Renata, who is one of our make-up artists, looked at the screen and Nic was doing a scene with the character of Cristian and she said, “You guys look alike.”  And I thought, “Yeah, we do.”  Then when I found out that I was going to be David’s brother…well, I have a close friend from home who watches the show and thought David was me in a scene!  So, I think Julie Madison (OLTL Casting Director) did a great job of casting, because it works.

MICHAEL:

Nicolas, we have gotten to see over the past several weeks a gamut of emotions from you.  Not only is James this cocky guy, but there is some depth to him, too.  Is it easier for you to play the tough guy, or the more sensitive side of your alter-ego?

NICOLAS:

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What is kind of hard for me is to play the tough guy jerk that does not care sometimes, because I do tend to be more emotional, and that is easier for me.  I have to go someplace and pull from something to be who James really is, which is somebody with a bad past, and who is tough on the inside and out.  That can be a bit of stretch for me, but I do what I can to make it work.

MICHAEL:

OK, let’s get to this big question that has been on everyone’s mind. (Laughs)  What did you think when they told you that your pet name for Starr was going to be “Twinkle”?

NICOLAS:

I laughed and I said, “You have got to be kidding me!”  I was like, “I don’t know if I can say this seriously and mean it.”  But I got use to it.  At first, Kristen laughed at it, too, but she got used to it.  Now, we call each other pet names.

MICHAEL:

Each of you has stolen the hearts of three young ladies in Llanview, or shall we say, well on your way to do doing so.   Let’s start with the relationship between Ford and Langston.  David, do you think now these two have a fighting chance at a real relationship?  But more importantly, does Ford truly love her?

DAVID:

Love is a weird word for Ford, because his mother was never around.  Love from a female, in general, Ford only knows how to get it one way, or at least his version of it.  So, I think whatever the closest thing to love that he can feel for a female, he is associating with her and is pretty genuine.  I can tell you playing scenes now with Brittany are different in a good way, because when I first came on the show and I was doing so many different sex scenes with so many different women, it just started to feel like I did not know what I was doing.  I was new enough to the show at that point, that I was just trying to figure out how to play a scene.  Since I have gotten a family, and the scenes are darker and have more substance to it, going back now to love scenes, things make more sense as to how to play that.   Brittany and I are now playing more layers to the scenes. The stuff we shot recently had been pretty interesting to play, and I am pretty happy with it so far.

MICHAEL:

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And next week, Brody is going to come out swinging when he finally learns from Jessica that she had a one-night stand with Ford while she was in teen mode.  Looks like Ford is headed for some more bumps and bruises!

DAVID:

There is a big confrontation, and because Brody is an ex-navy seal, it may not be pretty and may not be good, because Ford is a self-proclaimed lover, not a fighter.  He also knows whatever he gets from Brody he deserves, which also shows that Ford is kind of coming around.  I guess it takes a man to take a punch like that, because he knows there is no other action that could be taken.

MICHAEL:

Your head must be very durable!  First, you get smashed in the head with a foreign object, and now another beating is on the way!  And, you still look perfect.  How is that possible?  (Laughs)

DAVID:

I can take so much and my brain is still intact.

LENNY:

He did mess up his hair a little bit.

MICHAEL:

Lenny, your love interest on the show is Kelly Missal (Dani). How has it been being paired with her?  And, I also heard you were somewhat trepidatious singing and dancing in the musical event: Starr X’d Lovers. How did you get through that?

LENNY:

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First of all, working with Kelly is fantastic!  She is incredibly talented and it was easy to hit the ground running with her.  As far as the musical goes, I had no real musical theatre training, and never sing out loud unless I am at a karaoke bar. (Laughs)  So it was a little intimidating.  But it was exciting to step out of my comfort zone, and if you had asked me six months ago would I be up for it, the whole thing would scare me to death.  I was amazed how it was done, with the choreography and the direction, and it was surprising.  I was proud of how it turned out.  And then to go on The View, which is surreal, and perform a number, was a lot of fun.  I am glad I did the musical.  I learned a lot about myself, and I grew as an actor to do be able to do something I am not comfortable with.

MICHAEL:

So when you came on to One Life to Live, was it just for the musical, and then they extended your stay?  Or, was there always a plan to keep you?

LENNY:

I don’t know, but they kept me around.  At first, it was just for the musical, as far as I knew.  Then I started entering into other storylines, and then this rivalry with Eddie Alderson’s character (Matthew) developed.  I have been very fortunate.

MICHAEL:

Next week Matthew and Nate are also going to get into it!  There is some bad blood there, too.   After all, Nate stole Matthew’s girl, Dani!  The face-off happens on a basketball court!

LENNY:

Yes, it’s great.  Matthew is accessing his genetic ability that is inside of him, which is fun to see.  I tell you what… Eddie is one of the best people to work with.  He is a great guy and super-talented.  You can see him portraying Matthew now, and relishing this other side to his character, and it sort of comes out ten fold on camera.  He plays it with such gusto and it is a pleasure to work alongside him. These basketball scenes are pretty fun, because some elbows and shoves were thrown and it is interesting to see where Eddie takes the character.

MICHAEL:

Nicolas, how is working with Kristen Alderson?  You have the added complexity of coming in between one of the most beloved couples on the show, which fans have rooted for and invested in for many years, Starr and Cole.  And I might add, how about those “in-your-face” scenes during Dorian’s failed wedding to David, where an arrogant James continually irked Cole on with text messages!

NICOLAS:

Kristen, really showed me the ropes early on, and she really made me feel part of the family when I started.  She gave me pointers and tips on how to feel comfortable, and was very supportive.  I like our scenes together, and because we are friends off-set, I think we have a lot of chemistry on-set.  As for being the “thorn” in Cole Thornhart’s side (laughs), it’s fun, but it’s separating an iconic pair.  I was kind of hesitant as to what the feedback would be, because people root for Cole and Starr, but happy couples only last so long on soap operas.  So getting in between them and in the mix has been a lot of fun.  I like how James handles the situation a lot.  

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MICHAEL:

I love how he just inserts himself into situations involving Starr, and tries to get her riled up, which I think is really refreshing. And, he seems also very confident that deep down Starr shares the same feelings he has for her.

NICOLAS:

Confident is the perfect word, and typically in my own life I tend to avoid confrontation, and James is right in the face of it.  So I really like playing that, and I like to bring a different side of myself to the set, which I like.

MICHAEL:

Will we continue to see more and more sexual tension between Starr and James?

NICOLAS:

Yes, you can say that.

MICHAEL:

Soap fan favorite, Jessica Leccia, has come on to One Life to Live as your mother, Inez.  The pivotal episode where each of the brothers learned that they were related, and that she finally divulged the gut-wrenching truth, were key to the future success of this on-screen family.   In it, Inez admits that Nate is Robert and James’ brother, and that she ran way while pregnant with him from their abusive father, Eddie Ford.   Inez also left Robert and James behind with their father!  Did you feel a heightened sense and awareness that these scenes had to be good? And, what did each of you feel about them and how your character reacted?

NICOLAS:

Yeah, it really was a key moment, because it was coming to terms with something we did not know of, or we thought was a lie to begin with, and from the get-go. Then to find out the truth that we had another brother, drove something between all of us as a whole.  James, being the middle brother, was a little more level headed and a little more emotional about the whole thing.  He was left out of what the truth really was, and Ford being the older brother, did really know more of his mother than James did.   I think we really got to see that in that episode.  I was really pleased on how that turned out.

LENNY:

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It was a great scene. There was a lot of pressure, obviously, because it was really solidifying all these relationships and bringing them together.  I thought what was interesting for me as an actor, was that Nate was the one who was taken away while he was still in his mother’s womb.  He never saw his father and never knew about that aspect of their lives.  I thought it would be totally fascinating that the one brother who had the least contact with his father, would be the most like him.  So I wanted to portray the son, with whom all these lies built up, and instead of making Nate cry, it brought all this rage out in him that I thought would be interesting to access.  Inez wanted to take Nate away from this violent upbringing, yet he still has a piece of that inside of him.  So I thought it would be interesting to take Nate to that place.  Jessica was great, and I learned a lot from those scenes and was extremely happy with how they came out.

DAVID:

I struggled with those scenes.  At that point, there was a scene that aired in July where Inez and Ford talk in James’ hospital room when James was out having tests run. Ford is trying to put everything together, and going after his mother, but as much as he does by the end of the scene, he is completely worn down and turns away from her and is upset.  So, by the time this all goes down with the rest of the brothers and mom (and she shows up) I think Ford knows exactly what is going to go on, and it is something he has been trying to put off.  I think at that point he is numb.  What I struggled with in playing those scenes, was playing numb actively.  He is not going to be as emotional as James, and he is not going to fly off the handle as much as Nate, but he has definitely dealt with this all.  Ford has had a lot longer to digest this than the other boys have.  I think what upsets him in his mind is he was trying to do the right thing and it backfired on him.  Now, Nate is upset and pounding on a table and it reminds him of his dad. Then, seeing how much it hurt James to not even know, and again him being the middle one and being sensitive, and struggling with not being able to be around mom, that is something Ford has dealt with, but Ford manifested it in other ways.  Like you said earlier, we each have a different dynamic to play which made those scenes interesting.  And at the same time, it was difficult to make sure it was done correctly.  We had to repeat the actions, but Jill Mitwell who directed the scenes, was very adamant about that if we felt we needed to do it again, then we could go back.  We spent a lot of time on those scenes, which in the soap opera world is very rare. You do one take and you are finished. We were given a lot of rehearsal and a lot of time to run it and talk about it.  Jill was excited to direct the scenes, and she told us she had been anticipating this for about six weeks.  I felt like she was on our side before we did  it.  I feel like it really fleshed out all the boys individually, and for such a new family on the show, Frank has been talking to us that we have to make the audience care.  I think the show has done a really good job of giving us material to work with to allow us to do that, and to flesh things out for the audience.

MICHAEL:

There must be some Jessica jokes on the set.  I mean, she is this beautiful woman with three strapping young men as her sons, and she is not that old herself!  In fact, Jessica in real life just had a baby girl last year!  (Laughs)

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LENNY:

I think my real mom is very jealous that I have this very attractive, very young mother.  (Laughs)  Jessica is fantastic and she has a rabid fan base!  I was surprised.  I am on Twitter, and I mentioned I was really happy to be working with her and I must have got like 30 messages, saying, “We are so happy you are working with her, but you better be a good boy to Jessica.”  It’s been a blast!

NICOLAS:

I had scenes with Jessica recently, and she really brings some kind of maternal element to the set.  She is very comfortable and poised and that makes you feel that relationship between the two.  Off- set, we joke that mother is always watching our backs! 

DAVID:

We are closer in age to her, and so she is able to switch gears so fast.  So, I will be having a conversation with her and before we start shooting, and when they countdown “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” something switches in her and you can see it.  All of a sudden she is our mom, other than that she is one of the kids.

MICHAEL:

Should fans expect more mother/son scenes between Ford and Inez since these two have to try to deal with the fallout the most?

DAVID:

There are a lot of unresolved issues that Ford needs to deal with her on. I know James is interested to explore, “Oh, I have a mom now,” and Lenny’s character of Nate has always been around her, so I would say, “yes” there will be more.

MICHAEL:

Who from film, primetime or daytime, could you see cast as the Ford brother’s abusive father, and why?

NICOLAS:

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I think Jeffrey Dean Morgan would make a believable dad for the Ford brothers.  He looks like and portrays well a rough and tough guy who could land some good punches! He also looks like he’s paid his dues in a chop shop or two.  Not to mention he resembles us all in some way, shape or form.  I would really like to have Matt Damon play our dad. I think the three of us would be a good mix between Matt Damon and Jessica Leccia. He’s a phenomenal actor, one of my favorites, and I believe he could pull off the brutal and abusive father seamlessly.

LENNY:

Mickey Rourke.  I know he’s in everything these days and this might be cliché, but I think he’d be ideal.  I always imagined Eddie Ford as a mix between the “Duke” character in the film Pusher II and the Marlboro Man.  I think Rourke would embody this character both physically and emotionally with surgical precision.  Eddie is a violent and imposing man, but he’d have to also have remnants of the “sweet boy” Inez once fell in love with. Rourke would portray this perfectly.  Now whether or not he’d lend his talents to our show is another thing.  But one of the cast members of The Expendables, just made an appearance on Daytime, so why not two…

DAVID:
Lenny, that is one epic answer. Well said.  In keeping with the tradition of OLTL alums returning, I could see Joe Lando (Sully on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman) as Eddie.  Or Mel Gibson – I know it sounds strange but I think it could work.  Both men look like what I’ve always pictured Eddie Ford.  And I think it would be interesting to see.  But Lenny, well played!

MICHAEL:

David, what did you think when you found out that Ford actually slept with Jessica! For months, the show left it very ambiguous and we did not know who was telling the truth, or if she ever had sex with him during her nightmarish evening!

DAVID:

In love scenes on daytime, there are only certain things you can do, so I was not sure how far we had gotten.  They left it purposely vague to surprise the audience, and then they eventually find out.  I had an idea that I was in question, and I liked that, because it also showed a different dynamic of Ford.  I think because he is the oldest brother, I think he has that sense of responsibility that is innate in him.  But “father” in his world is a negative connotation, and the thought now that he might have to be one, brings out a side of him that is full of conflict.  I really like how that is being written.

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MICHAEL:

I was also really floored by Ford’s caring reaction to Jessica when she came to him, when she needed to know his medical history/blood type so she can check for the Rh factor that could potentially harm her unborn baby, and he jumped to it, willing to help.  That being said, how is working with Bree Williamson (Jessica) in this complex baby saga?

DAVID:

Bree is fantastic!  I was intimidated because I knew she was nominated for an Emmy.  I was like, “Oh, my God.  She could win this year.”  I was trying to be calm about it.  But, the best compliment I can give her was when we were doing the scenes where I was seducing her in my room.  She kissed like a sixteen year old girl, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.  I mean that I literally felt she changed her vibe for the scene, and it was cool to work off of her, and still is.

MICHAEL:

David, you clearly have had more shirtless scenes in one year than any soap opera actor… ever!  And from where the fans are standing, that is all good! (Laughs)   So, how do you guys like doing the half-naked scenes?  No problems I assume, being labeled “Soap Hunks”?

DAVID:

I think it’s neat that we are more appreciated as a whole than we are individually.  I was combined kind of, and I think that is neat.  That the idea is we are brothers, like the brothers in The Godfather or Tombstone. They are better as a pack, and it needs to gravitate towards that, like, “Look! They are genetically the same!”

LENNY:

It’s funny, because Nate is seventeen or eighteen and I exercise pretty regularly.  I don’t remember being that large in High School.  It’s TV world and all good.  I am young and it’s fun doing the shirtless stuff, but its tough being shirtless next to David.

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NICOLAS:

Well, I know the fans are taking well to it, but me on the other hand, I feel uncomfortable on set with my clothes off.  I have done quite a few scenes already, and in underwear and towels.  I feel very aware of myself on-set and that is every actor’s enemy.  So, I could do a little more clothes scenes.

DAVID:

I have been appreciative that I can put on a shirt and focus on a scene to what is really going on as opposed to, “Oh, I got to be doing my push-ups!”  And you know, with Mark Lawson (Brody) and David Fumero (Cristian) on set, it’s a lot to keep up with.

MICHAEL:

Of the three of you, which one is the prankster?

LENNY:

None of them are funny.  I hate working with them! (Laughs)

DAVID:

I would say, because we all have birthdays pretty close to each other and we are all Leo’s…. I would say we have similar personalities, and we know when to let the others shine.

NICOLAS:

It depends on the day.

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DAVID:

Nate does a lot of work to prepare for his scenes, like a novel (laughs) which is admirable.

LENNY:

It’s true.

MICHAEL:

Nicolas, what were you surprised to find out about your on-screen brothers, Lenny and David?

NICOLAS:

David was a trained dancer.  And, I did not know Lenny’s favorite band was Nine Inch Nails.

MICHAEL:

David, what did you find out?

DAVID:

We share a love for movies.  I came in one day to get a script, and Lenny was here to shoot something.  We talked about an hour and half about movies, and I thought it was only 20 minutes. But we talked about these old movies we liked and style and directors.  We have all gone to see movies together and these are guys you can talk shop with, but not that I am surprised about that, but to carry on an intelligent conversation for a period of time on style or something, I think its very impressive.  It’s not, “Oh, I want to be here because I want to be on TV.”  They want to do good work and they are serious. They know when and how to have fun at the same time, and you can’t really always expect that with someone you have to work closely with.  You just hope that it comes out that way, but with both of them, I know I am two for two!

MICHAEL:

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And finally Lenny, any tidbits you can share with the viewers as we wrap up our visit?

LENNY:

I do want to add that I think I am fortunate to work with two other guys that I have so much chemistry with.  We are playing brothers, and so it’s important for us to get along. It’s important for us to work well on camera, but we hang out outside of work, too. Since we get along well, that can only enhance our performance and that will show on camera, and that bond will be stronger.  I think what is also important to point out is that I have met some wacky actors in my day, and to meet two guys where we see eye to eye professionally and socially, is great!   So I would say; we are just able to really communicate on many levels.