Connect with us

Interviews

THE ILENE KRISTEN INTERVIEW – ONE LIFE TO LIVE

By Michael Fairman

Published

18 years ago

on

kristen-Main.jpgMICHAEL:

You have just finished performing in our benefit, “Soaps In The City”, and I know you have been involved so much in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

ILENE:

I probably have been involved for the last three years, at least. Last time, we had the east coast event at the club ”Prohibition” in New York. It’s for a great cause.

MICHAEL:

Have you personally been affected, or touched by people in your life, or in show business that have died of HIV/AIDS?

ILENE:

I lost many, many people… and there was a friend mine that was the stage manager from “Grease”, and then we lost another stage manager. Then, my wonderful Christopher Adler died, and this was early on. Then I lost more than 20 people that I knew, some which were really close to me. I lost my manager, and that was a tough one, because I don’t think he knew he had AIDS. Then he got pneumonia and he died. This was in 1994, and that was extremely difficult. It was a real shock because there was no time to prepare for that.

MICHAEL:

Do you feel that here in the US, AIDS awareness has been sidestepped as an issue, where globally it’s a pandemic?

ILENE:

Honestly, I don’t think we can ever do enough. But, I think it’s changed considerably from the 80s, for sure. I have a lot of friends living with AIDS, but not dying of AIDS. One of my very closest friends is HIV-positive and he is doing well. Of course, he is on the cocktail, and if people can’t afford the cocktail and the medications, that’s a problem. It’s changed a lot over the last 20 years, so people aren’t dying immediately. In fact, I haven’t heard of anybody dying that I have been friendly with. So, that’s a great thing!

kristen-mazur.jpgMICHAEL:

We all know you from your portrayal of Roxy Balsom on “One Life to Live”, and
the amazing, Delia, on “Ryan’s Hope”. But now, you seem to be taking the musical aspect of you talents to new heights?

ILENE:

I have always sung with one rock band or the other. I have always kept it on the down- low to some degree. If people had bands, they would want me to sing with them; so I would. Then, I started songwriting a lot in the 90’s. I had written
a lot in the 70’s and then I was doing a lot of other people’s songs. Then in the 90’s I started doing my own stuff. I started writing with a great writer out in LA…
Kenny Mazur. One day he said, “You know, you really ought to start writing, because you have so many adventures and you need to get them out, and start getting your life out.” There was a song I wrote called, “No Matter What”, which was about my life, and he said, “You are on a soap, Ilene, and you need to spice this up a bit!”

MICHAEL:

Why were you so low on the radar with your great singing ability?

ILENE:

It’s a very big problem, and it’s kept me from doing a lot because I grew up listening to the best music you could listen to. My criteria have always been very high. I listen to Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald, just the great people. The way I sing, is like a Julie London- type singer, kind of smoky. I feel if I am not as good as those people, I don’t count. And then after seeing KD Lang last night, I never want to open up my mouth again. But because I am a very good actress, I am going to pretend that I am full on KD Lang. I am the feminine KD Lang. She is all boy. ilene-soaps.jpgIt’s fantastic! I think
she is so comfortable in her skin, and she came out with no shoes on and looking like a man, but she was beautiful… and the voice was the best instrument that I ever heard! You want to be up there with the really good people to call yourself a singer, and I don’t call myself a singer. I call myself, a “Thinger”. I have a “thing” and I think it’s good.

MICHAEL:

The songs you performed for us at “Soaps In The City”, please tell us about them?


ILENE:

This one jazz song I wrote is a combination of “Fever” and “Moondance”. Then I wrote a song called, “Rise to the Occasion”, and my first job was with the great, Johnny Pacheco. I was a dancer at nine, dancing with two Cuban guys, and that is how I started in show business. So, this song is a kind of Latin boogaloo, which was popular in the 60’s. It was written as an assignment, between Lenny Kravitz’s, “Lady” and Cyndi Lauper’s, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”. Then when that did not happen, I changed into a different groove. I performed a song called “Flesh and Blood”, that was written for a friend of mine who was dying; the wonderful and beautiful, Nancy Addison (Ex- Jillian Coleridge, “Ryan’s Hope”). I remained close with her, and was with her every day until she died. Nancy was a wonderful friend and she died from a form of cancer. The doctors did not know the origin of it, and it was very difficult, and it took about two and half years. I started writing the song about the thought of losing someone, but knowing they will always be there with you…. and then 9/11 happened! This song came out of that, and then it really wrote itself. I knew Nancy would be dying, and I knew I would sing this song at her funeral, which was what happened. It’s a song I did not sing at my father’s memorial, but I recited the words. I have done it at other friend’s funerals. The list just goes on. I am proud of it.

MICHAEL:

Your stupendous and stunning portrayal of Roxy on “OLTL”, is so completely different than any character or actress on daytime. The scene that aired last week where Roxy pushed Adriana up against the hospital glass letting her know that she was causing her son, Rex, to basically die. That was because Adriana would not allow Gigi in Rex’s hospital room, and that was heart wrenching. Did you know those scenes were dynamite?

ILENE:

I knew things were real for me. The thing that is so difficult about that is, once they put up the hospital set, they will do three shows a day at the hospital set. You are so overwhelmed. You are so scared that you are going to be sacrificed, and you have to get to another scene. I felt like there was a little scene I had with the troll days, and I was not sure I was totally on my game. But then, the stuff where I put Adriana against the glass, I felt that I was on my game. With age, you are able to pull so much stuff out of your life and access it for your character. Before, when I was playing Delia on “Ryan’s Hope”, I had to do crying scenes all the time. I would have to go in back of this set, and do all this sense memory stuff. Now, I don’t have to go to that place or substitute much anymore, because of my life experience as Ilene.

JP1.jpgMICHAEL:

How is working with John Paul Lavoisier (Rex)? We need more mother/son scenes between them.

ILENE:

Oh, it’s great! The audience wants more, and its short changing both Rex and Roxy, but they may get it. We got extraordinary reaction as to who is Rex’s father? That is yet untold, and they better tell it!

MICHAEL:

Will it be Mitch Laurence?

ILENE:

It would be great if it was Mitch, if they
tell a real story. They were about to do something when the writers’ strike happened, and then they felt it was not an important enough story to do, so they bypassed it. We waited till head writer, Ron Carlivati came back to the show. Once Ron came back, it didn’t go anywhere, but we are hoping that it does. You know, stories have to be approved by ABC Daytime and SOAPnet President, Brian Frons. So hopefully, he will see fit to give us a story. I know he likes me, but he has to like me enough to let me tell a story. The one thing I know I am capable of, is telling a good story…. even the stuff I had with Miles…. where did it go?

MICHAEL:

What about working with Erika Slezak (Viki)?

ILENE:

She is wonderful to work with. With Erika, this is nothing that she enforced, but she has her scenes early in the morning. So, if you have scenes with Erika, you better be on your game. First of all, she is so professional and wonderful to work with, and so generous. But, she knows all of your lines as well, and that’s a spectacular thing to do. Every once in awhile, I am on my game like that, but she is always on her game. Erika has been very, very, good to me.

MICHAEL:

I love that Roxy stumbles around drunk all the time. Do you think that will ever change?

ILENE:
Until she resolves certainly some of her issues, I think she should have a bit of a substance problem. I think when she goes to work, she really tries to do that hairdo. I know a lot of people like Roxy, who have more than slight substance problems, whether they are on Quaaludes or something else. I think Roxy was pretty coherent with the recent hospital stuff with Rex, though.

MICHAEL:

In your performances, do you like towing the fine line between comedy and drama?

ILENE:

Oh, yes! I like towing the line, because I feel that people need the humor, and it’s hard to play comedy on a soap. I think I have managed to do that extremely well, and better than most, and it’s my background. When I came on the show I came on right after 9/11. I felt that people needed a break, and also needed to be highly entertained. I felt people needed cushioning, especially in New York; it was like a scorched landscape. What happened was I got the job on September 10 and I only called a couple people to let them know, and then 9/11 happened. At first I thought, what is acting? What does that mean to people, after we have gone through something like this? Does anyone even care anymore? Is watching television, except for watching the news, important? And then a couple of days before I had to go to work, I got very inspired. I felt that somebody had to entertain the troops, and I really felt it was my job to do that.

Melissa-Ilene.jpgMICHAEL:

Now tell me about working with the fabulous Melissa Archer (Natalie)?

ILENE:

I really like working with Melissa. She has had a lot of responsibility at “OLTL”. You know, once they see that you can do three shows in a row that is probably 18 scenes, they will do that and work you a lot. They will get away with doing that, and it is very difficult. One day Andrea Evans (Tina) had 100 or so pages. The Game Show episode with Rex, of “Whose Shane’s Daddy?”, we had a lot to do that day. Then the director said to us, “Not to put any stress on you, but this is going to be my Emmy submission!” Then it was like, you got to
be on!

MICHAEL:

I think you have a few good shows to submit for Supporting Actress Emmy competition for next year. Would you go for it?

ILENE:

I think I would. I did have scenes last year had I gotten nominated. My second year on the show I got nominated and it was a bit tricky. First of all, you have to have shows, which not only are you good in,… but the person you are working with is good, too. There is nothing worse than your doing a good performance, and the other person not delivering. I tend not to like to submit hospital scenes. I said to ’JP’, when it was the scene when I was in the hospital with Charlie and he comes in and says, “I don’t want to know you! Both of you!” I said to ‘JP’, “I don’t care what other people say, but these are the scenes you are going to submit!” In the past he has not submitted the right scenes. He has not done the right choices. I helped Renee Goldsberry (Ex- Evangeline) with her choices, and I was very proud that I could help her with that, and she had good stuff.

MICHAEL:

Now to “Ryan’s Hope”, and your iconic role of Delia Reid Ryan Coleridge. Ah, the list of married names goes on and on. Why do you think that worked so well?

ILENE:

The answer is, because of the show’s creators and head writers, Claire Labine and Paul Mayer. They wrote something from their heart. They had the bible on that show written extraordinarily well from day one, and what they had written for these characters always stayed in my mind. I knew what they wrote in those three paragraphs for Delia… I could get it. At the time, what was hard for me was that I was a very happy person playing a very unhappy person and that was difficult. I had just come from doing “Grease” and making people laugh, and once you have made 1200 people in a room laugh, you want to do that all the time.

MICHAEL:

So, after “Grease” you went to “Ryan’s Hope”?

kristen-Main2.jpgILENE:

I had done “Grease” for two years. I quit “Grease” in 1974 and got “Ryan’s Hope” in 1975. All of a sudden, I am playing this semi-tragic character who is crying all the time, going, “Love me. Please love me!” That was not second nature to me… being that screwed up. So, it was hard for me and difficult. Also, what was difficult, was you got these long scenes, which made it extremely potent for the audience, and addictive for the audience. You’ve got to travel with these characters when they made certain transitions. What disturbed me about the recent scenes with Adriana on “OLTL” in the hospital, was that the initial scenes with her were so short. I said to her, “Listen pipsqueak…” and the scene was over.

MICHAEL:

The soap climate now is faster, quicker scenes, than in the classic soaps presentations of yesteryear. It seems to fans that they think perhaps the perception is the actors can’t handle that much dialog.

ILENE:

I don’t think that’s what they are doing. When MTV came in, and I do not know what they are doing now, people got faddy or trendy. Now in daytime, they are trying to tell as many stories as possible, where Claire Labine just tried to tell two really good ones. I actually think the half-hour soap format is better. It gets you to concentrate and to be mesmerized by these people’s lives. People were addicted to the emotion of it, and not so much to flashy story. You know, I don’t know why we try to do car crashes or train crashes on soaps. Why do we do that, when “Lost” does it so much better? Why are we trying to compete in an area that we shouldn’t compete in, when people just want to be touched by a story? I think there was real value to the way “Ryan’s Hope” was done and was shot.

MICHAEL:

Can you tell me, off the top of your head, some Delia moments that you just loved?

ILENE:

The hysterically blind scenes when I am on a cruise with Pat. He realizes I am lying and throws the hairbrush at me and I catch it. The stuff with Roger and Sheila in the cooking lessons were fabulous, and every time Maeve would say, “Where you going Delia?” And she would go, “Oh, I’ve got cooking classes”, and the audience would go nuts.

MICHAEL:

Speaking of Maeve Ryan, tell me how was working with the incredible Helen Gallagher?

kristen-ron.jpgILENE:

Oh my God, fantastic! She is a pure gift. Both of us were hoofers! The wonderful thing about the cast was it really didn’t matter what you paid us, we would show up, because we did not make a lot of money on “Ryan’s Hope”. It was like
hoofer pay. Helen did have in her contract, that nobody could get more than her. Malcolm Groome (Ex-Pat) Kate Mulgrew (Ex-Mary), and Ron Hale (Ex- Roger) these were great, great people.

MICHAEL:

Now to “OLTL” favorite Roxy moments?

ILENE:

First of all, working with Jim DePaiva (Ex- Max) was a pleasure. Our wedding scenes in Las Vegas, where he wakes up the next morning, and does not realize he married me, was during the live week. Everything shot during the live week was priceless, but it scared me.

MICHAEL:

But you perform sketch comedy, as you did here in Los Angeles this weekend at the ACME Theatre and other venues. Why are you scared, if you can do such impromptu performances on the spot? I know why, but probably most people looking in from the outside, would not figure it to be the case.

ILENE:

I am scared of everything. I did “Grease’ for two years and the adrenaline would be out of control. It’s all scary to me, but I guess it’s good to be scared, because you can come up with interesting work, but your stomach is upset all the time. I have been in this business so long, and I am still scared. It keeps you coming up with new creative things for yourself.

ilene-nightclub.jpgMICHAEL:

Do you ad-lib a lot as Roxy? Some of those jabs she gives to the other citizens of Llanview seem like it.

ILENE:

I am a great ad-libber, especially in the role of Roxy. If it’s a group scene and they need a Roxie line, they go, “Please come up with one!”

MICHAEL:

You are in a new film called “The Manhattanites”?

ILENE:

Yes. We had a screening for it in New York and Aidan Turner (Aidan, “AMC”) is terrific in it. David Fumero (Christian, “OLTL”) is also in it, and Forbes March (Ex-Nash, “OLTL”) plays my competition and steals my boyfriend away from me. Jill Larson (Opal, “AMC”) was going to do my part, but it worked out better because she ended up playing a homeless woman in the movie, because she wanted to try something different.

MICHAEL:

What is the premise of the movie?

ILENE:

It’s all these people’s different stories and how they intersect. They are in somewhat of a community, and that gets the ball rolling. I play a real professional type. I play a lawyer. It was not a comedic character, and not a villain. I am kind of one of the leads in it.

couch-ilene.jpgMICHAEL:

In closing what would you
say is at the core of Roxy Balsom, if you were going to explain her to someone who does not know her very well?

ILENE:

Party! Party! I think she has fun, even in times of tragedy, and she will always find a way to rock.

Related Topics:
Click to comment

0 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Beyond the Gates

Peter Bergman and Daphnée Duplaix Preview ‘Beyond the Gates’ and ‘The Young and the Restless’ Crossover and What Befalls Jack and Nicole Amidst a Tornado (Exclusive)

Published

6 days ago

on

June 6, 2026

By

Get ready for an action-packed story arc when several of Genoa City’s most prominent residents descend on Fairmont Crest for a fundraiser for congressman Martin Richardson’s (Brandon Claybon) campaign which kickstarts the four episode CBS daytime crossover event between Beyond the Gates and The Young and the Restless.

Beginning Tuesday, June 9 and airing though Friday, June 12 on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, in true soap opera fashion, a tornado is heading straight towards the D.C./Maryland area and strikes during the soiree, putting everyone’s life in peril.

Participating in the crossover from The Young and the Restless are: Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman), Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters), Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor), Devon Winters (Bryton James) and Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway). 

Photo: CBS

Now, as is soap opera tradition, when a tornado strikes your soap town, expect the story to be anchored on who is stuck with who? Is it an ex-husband, a former flame, a hot stranger, feuding sisters, anything and everything is on the table for this one, folks!

As a prelude to what fans will see, Peter Bergman and Daphnée Duplaix (Nicole Dupree Richardson, Beyond the Gates) visited the Michael Fairman Channel to give us the ultimate tease. Below are just a few nuggets we learned from the conversation.

JACK AND DIANE CAN’T SEEM TO FIND COMMON GROUND

Already on the outs with his wife, Diane, how does coming to Fairmont Crest impact a reconciliation between the two? Peter Bergman shared, “One would think you could build on that and that it would bring them closer together. A fellah can dream! Jack was hopeful that this little exit to Maryland might rekindle some things, might help things heal. However, Jack goes back to Genoa City fighting for his marriage.”

Courtesy/CBS

WILL NICOLE CHOOSE A MAN WHILE IN THE RUBBLE?

As for Nicole, she has been playing the field dating two men: Dr. Carlton Fitzgerald (Robert Christopher Riley) and Dr. Kial Rollins (Greg Vaughan), and she still has her ex-husband Dr.Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) wanting her back, might the epic tornado bring her some clarify?

Duplaix explained, “Nicole is still very much in, ‘I am having fun. I’m discovering myself. Do not give me any pressure. Don’t stress me out,’ mode. She does want to give her heart to somebody, but is still scared. So she’s like, ‘let’s just sit back and have some fun.’ As for Ted, I’m still friendly. I’m still kind (towards him).”

Both Daphnée and Peter reported they were most impressed by how Beyond the Gates was able to pull off a natural disaster ripping through Fairmont Crest, so the enormity of it could be played out on-screen in soapy fashion, but leveled up the Beyond the Gates way.

THE MAKING OF A SOAP OPERA TORNADO

“This was movie level quality on a daytime soap,” exclaimed Duplaix. “We used a completely different stage to be able to have the amount of people that we had in these scenes. It was pretty incredible and intense. I think everybody held their own from the front of the camera to the behind the camera, and I think the fans audience are going be not just surprised, but definitely satisfied.”

Twenty-five time Daytime Emmy nominee and a three time winner, Peter Bergman, certainly knows a thing or two about soap operas. Through the year, he has made no bones in previous interviews that he is a student of the genre and does watch other soaps and actors from those respective soaps. Peter was well aware that Beyond the Gates in its year and a half existence has delivered every time they have a major reveal planned.

Courtesy/CBS

ANOTHER SHOCKER IS ON THE WAY

Bergman agreed and added, “So, you are a brand new show. What do you know about what really works in daytime television? Let’s work the things that really work and those shows that have been on 50 years, are not looking for those moments. They’re just kind of keeping the whole thing going. These people are artistically and scientifically looking at what works. Beyond the Gates is a really clever show in that way. There are Cliffhangers left and right. Great idea.”

In the end, Duplaix and Bergman summed up what viewers are about to see best, with Peter giving us a major spoiler alert to be on the lookout for. “It’s all exciting. There’s twists, there’s turns. Things you’re definitely not going expect to happen,” stated Duplaix. “The thing that we are used to as far as natural disasters in the soap opera world are there, but the storylines around what you expect are going be really fun to watch.” Peter concluded with (and wait or it!), “Just when you think they just got through all this crazy wind, something happens that is just nuts!”

You can check out the full conversation with Peter Bergman and Daphnée Duplaix below from You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel, followed by the official Beyond the Gates promo for the crossover event. We say, look closely at who’s with whom, and what is going down and compare notes from our interview with that, and let us know if you think you have some things figured out!

Now, are you looking forward to the crossover between Beyond the Gates and Y&R? what do you think will be the surprise twist at the end of the tornado episodes? Weigh-in via the comment section.

Continue Reading

Interviews

Y&R’s Joshua Morrow Weighs-In on Who Will Save Nick from His Fentanyl Addiction: Nikki? Jack? Sienna or Someone Else? (Exclusive)

Published

4 weeks ago

on

May 16, 2026

By

On The Young and the Restless, Nick Newman’s (Joshua Morrow) addiction to Fentanyl is hitting all-time lows. The Friday, May 15 episode saw Nick meet up with his drug dealer where he scored another baggie and took more pills, escalating his mood swings, outbursts and more.

While Nick wants Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) to hand over Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) to him now (she was keeping him stored in a guest room at the GCAC, but now he’s MIA). Victor (Eric Braeden) and Adam (Mark Grossman) and company, all are using the Matt/Nick rivalry as a part of the play to get Newman Enterprises back in the family. However, Phyllis looks to be setting up a double-cross and working another angle to keep the Newman portfolio for herself.

Meanwhile, Nick has truly gone down the darkest path of his life. During this week’s livestream interview on the Michael Fairman Channel, Joshua Morrow along with his on-screen brother, Mark Grossman participated in a chat and discussed all the complexities of playing this important storyline which has become a medical and social crisis across America.

Photo: JPI

FENTANYL REAL-LIFE VS. SOAP LIFE

“I did some research on Fentanyl, which as everybody knows is obviously a major problem,” explained Morrow when first finding out about his storyline. “We’re doing a different version of what a true Fentanyl problem looks like. We’re doing the more television version (if you will). Fentanyl is obviously a very scary problem. I’m trying very hard to stay true to the story while also properly conveying that this guy has an issue with it. When in all actuality, this drug is way, way, way more serious than we’re able to show.”

In intense and heartbreaking scenes, Nick told his father Victor, his mother, Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) and sister, Victoria (Amelia Heinle) that he had developed a drug problem, but was goig to get help. Joshua explains how he approached each admission to the Newman family members.

“Nick had to which I loved, go to three family members that didn’t know about his pill addiction,” began Joshua. “So, his explanations of what was going on with him were all very different. With Victor, he told him it was just shame: ‘I’m sorry I let the family down. I know you count on me, and I’m so sorry.’  With his mother, it was, ‘I’m okay, because I know that you have dealt with this. I’m going to be OK. I don’t want you to worry about me.” He says that because Nick knows what Nikki’s gone through. With his sister, Victoria, that’s his ride or die homie, his best friend. They are inseparable. He said to her, ‘You and I agreed, we’re never going do anything like this to the family because we’ve seen it. And, you know, we always have to step up and protect the family at any cost.’ Nick just knows that he is going to disappoint his best friend in that moment.”

Photo: JPI

WHO WILL ULTIMATELY GET NICK INTO RECOVERY?

So far, Nick says he will go to rehab, Adam says he is going to get his brother into rehab, and on and on. Problem is, Nick won’t go until he puts an end to Matt Clark’s reign of terror himself and wants to end the guy and his threat to all his loved ones. But the way things are going, he may not even make it that far to make his plan come to fruition. Leaving the question, who will make a big enough difference to get him the proper help he needs? Joshua Morrow weighed-in.

“Coming up, I think his mother is going to be pretty integral in helping Nick with this process,” revealed Joshua. “I think, I can comfortably say that without conveying too much of what’s ahead. Nick knows that there’s a completely different dynamic with his mother with this issue than it is with his father. Nikki knows what’s going to happen (in rehab). She knows what he can expect. Nikki can give Nick, hopefully, the blueprint on how to deal with it. So, we shall see.”

Photo: JPI

Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) might also be in the ticket to Nick’s sobriety having actually battled his addiction to pills himself. Could Victor’s nemesis also be the person to save his son, which will either make Victor more determined to destroy Jack, or could it end the long-running feud for now if he helps out Nick?

“Jack and Nick have a very good relationship,” reminds Joshua to viewers. “I think that is certainly something that is in the cards, but I also think that Jack’s got a lot going on right now with his crazy super sexy, stalker chick (Patty). Jack’s dance card might be a little full right now, then to help his old boy Nick with his pill problem.”

Photo: JPI

Then, there is Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun), who is currently with Nick’s son, Noah (Lucas Adams). Previously, she dropped that her brother went though an addiction problem. Might she be the one to help Nick turn a corner? Can she even be trusted?

“Nick and Sharon (Sharon Case) both are not completely trusting of Sienna,” explains Morrow. “The credit for that goes to Tamara Braun’s (great) choices on Sienna. She plays her with always an element of ‘I don’t know what this girl’s doing or what her agenda is or what her past is?’ There’s a mystery always surrounding her. She and Noah seem to be pretty tight, but it doesn’t really give Nick a ton of good feelings yet. It’s probably mostly because of the Matt connection, but it doesn’t seem like a relationship without a ton of promise to Nick.”

Courtesy/CBS

GIVE ME THE BALL

This June, will mark Joshua’s 32nd anniversary with The Young and the Restless, and thus far this has been the best storyline for Morrow in his enduring career with the top-rated soap. Joshua knows the importance of being given something to play that is you own in the world of daytime drama.

“I’ve been saying that to Josh Griffith (head writer, Y&R), or to whoever was at charge at the time, give me the ball. Just trust me. I say it all the time. It’s a sports reference, obviously. It’s like everybody on the show feels, ‘If you just gimme the ball, I promise you I will deliver.’ We all want (as actors) to show everybody what we can do. This is tough work for me (in this storyline), but it’s very fulfilling work.”

ICYMI: you can watch the replay of our conversation with Joshua Morrow and Mark Grossman from their visit to the Michael Fairman Channel below.

Now, let us know your thoughts: Do you think it will be Nikki, Jack, Sienna or someone else that will be there for Nick at his darkest time and help him get into rehab and deal with his addiction? Share your picks in the comment section.

Continue Reading

Days Of Our Lives

‘Days of Our Lives’ Dan Feuerriegel Teases the Mystery of Marlena’s Chess Set, and Opens Up About the Departures of His Co-Stars (Exclusive)

Published

4 weeks ago

on

May 15, 2026

By

EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) is always in the thick of things on Peacock’s Days of Our Lives. Currently on all-new episodes his pet project to bring his sister, Lexie Carver (Nikki Crawford) back to life, seems in part, successful.

Meanwhile, his machinations with the women in his life continue as viewers wait to see just what he may remember about Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) and his past, and what trouble he and Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) will stir up, and that’s only part of EJ’s story.

Recently, viewers learned at the reading of Stefano’s will, that the Phoenix’s Queen of the Night, Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) was bequeathed a chess set. In fact, Stefano left it not only for Marlena, but her late husband and Stefano’s ultimate adversary, John Black. Clearly, there is more to the story, after Marlena declined the gift and walked out without saying a word, opening up another mystery.

Photo: JPI

In a brand new conversation with Days of Our Lives leading man and villain, Dan Feuerriegel now featured on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel, he previews just how EJ may be deployed into the mystery of Marlena’s chest set from his father, the iconic Stefano DiMera.

CHECKMATE

First, Feuerriegel weighed-in on what EJ truly thinks of Marlena. “Respects, but cautious. Marlena’s the Queen Bee,” explained Dan. “So, there are some people on DAYS that EJ will not mess with, shall we say, and Marlena is one of those characters.”

As to what is up with the chess set that Marlena was given and turned down at the will reading, Dan shared, “There’s some fun that that occurs with that chess board and shall we say, like a little adventure. Obviously, EJ is suspected of having something to do with this, but also, in regards to the will reading, he was shut out. So, he’s curious. EJ’s kept a little bit to the side about what it is, because it’s his father. However, it’s going to lead to some pretty fun stuff.”

EJ has always wanted his father’s respect, so might that be what drives him to make sure Stefano’s wish with Marlena is carried out? Dan weighed-in. “I think in the end, EJ will do what his father wanted. So, whatever that entails that’s what he’ll do. With this and the chess set, he’s a little bit out of the loop, which is infuriating for him, but it also gives him a lot of curiosity. He definitely wants to keep himself involved. But as I mentioned, he’s kept to the side a bit, but he’ll get his mitts in there somewhere.”

THE HARD GOODBYES

In soap operas, cast members come and go, and sometimes, often like a baseball team analogy, they are traded from one show to another, or their story has run out for now. But in soaps, never say never.

For Dan, he had to say goodbye to some very key members of his on-screen family when they departed Days of Our Lives for various reasons: his on-screen brother, Billy Flynn (ex-Chad, now Cane, Y&R), on-screen son, Carson Boatman (Johnny) and on-screen sister, Stacy Haiduk (Kristen/Susan, now Patty, Y&R). As DAYS fans know, the series tapes ten-months in advance of dropping new episodes, so fans can expect to see both Boatman and Haiduk firmly in their Salem roles for months yet to come.

Photo: JPI

BILLY FLYNN

“It was a bit of a bummer because I had developed a close bond with him and he was a lovely guy,” Dan shared fondly. “We shared a lot of the same kind of humor and views on the world and things like that. We were able to chat and it was shame. But look, Billy’s got a big family now, and he needs to do what’s best for him and his wife and his family. And so, you completely understand it. Then, Connor Floyd came in and Connor is just as lovely. It kind of sucks because the guy that is more handsome than me leaves, and then is replaced with a guy just as handsome. I’m like, ‘okay, alright.”

Photo: JPI

CARSON BOATMAN

It’s no secret that some of the best scenes were always between EJ and his son, Johnny. So, when Carson Boatman was let go from the show late last year, it was hard for all involved. “It’s a similar situation to Billy to be honest. It’s like the people that I loved the most moved on from the show and it’s sad,” shared Dan. “It’s because Carson and I were friends outside of the show. We would hang out and just like me and Billy we’d talk to with each other and everything like that and that just translated into (our on-screen) father/son dynamic.”

Photo: JPI

STACY HAIDUK

Since Dan became the new EJ DiMera back in 2021, he had the opportunity to work with Stacy Haiduk not only as EJ’s sister, Kristen, but as the wacky Susan Banks, EJ’s mother! Here he sums up his experience working with Haiduk and the respect he has for her as a performer.

“I adore Stacy so much. Whenever she plays (Susan Banks) my mother, it’s so much fun,” said Feuerriegel. “They give her so much dialogue and the way she talks is so different. Stacy will improvise a little bit here and there. But the amount of times I’ve had to bite my lip from not laughing because she just makes such great, fantastic, outrageous choices … and she’s also an absolute sweetheart. Then, to go from that, to the dynamic of Kristen where it’s very brooding and a very similar brother/sister dynamic, it’s fantastic. To be able to work with with her was really, really lovely. She’s an amazing woman and a fantastic actor. I know she’s at Y&R now which is great. But, that’s another a bummer for me. There’s been a few little heartbreaks for me, personally.”

Now below, check out our full conversation with DAYS Dan Feuerriegel now on the Michael Fairman Channel, where we touch on many subjects on the life and times of EJ DiMera.

Then weigh-in: what do you think is the story behind Marlena (and her late husband John) being gifted the chess set by Stefano? What are your hopes for EJ DiMera in the months to come? What did you think about the sentiments shared by Dan on the departure of several of his beloved co-stars? Drop your thoughts in the comment section.

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Genie

Finn Carr & Dominic Zamprogna as Rocco & Dante

General Hospital

Airdate: 5-14-2026

Popular

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x