Courtesy/TwitterValentini

After years of playing sassy Blair Cramer on One Life to Live, daytime favorite Kassie DePaiva is turning the page on her soap career with her new role as Eve Donovan on Days of our Lives!  Now while former hooker, songstress, and bad girl Eve was last played in Salem decades ago by Charlotte Ross, when the dust had settled, it was Kassie who now gets to bring the troubled gal to life, and let’s face it …”bad girl” and “songstress” were right up DePaiva’s soap arsenal and resume!

On-Air On-Soaps visited the set of the NBC soap this week to sit down with Kassie to get her thoughts on her new soap digs, and how it all came about after Prospect Park’s online reboot of One Life to Live ended after only one season, and Kassie’s guest star turns on General Hospital suddenly came to a halt.  With a beloved fan base with her every step of the way, and who are excited to see Kassie again on their daytime television screens, DePaiva is making the transition to working on the west coast while her husband James DePaiva (Ex-Max, OLTL) and their son are still back east.

Now in Salem, as Eve begins to spin her web at her arch-nemesis Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves), it’s only a matter of time before her plans go bust … or will they?  And what about her relationship with pseudo-sis Theresa (Jen Lilley), and daughter Paige (True O’Brien)? Does Eve love these girls as family, or will she ultimately use them in her plans for revenge on those who wronged her in Salem?  And then there are the men of the town:  Dr. Daniel Jonas (Shawn Christian), JJ Deveraux (Casey Moss), and a potential host of others that have already crossed paths with tornado Eve!  Here’s what Kassie shared with us in this funny, touching, and informative chat.  Yes, it is true … this talented beauty has more than one soap life to live!

MICHAEL:

Before we move on to the here and now with DAYS, I just want to take a step back and ask you, do you feel now you have closure on your time as Blair on One Life to Live?   Where are you at with it … as the entire situation was very disappointing to the cast and the fans of the series?

KASSIE:

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I think the One Life to Live fans are still holding out hope, and I know that you have always been OLTL fan, and I have been too.  I read a tweet the other day where someone said, “They didn’t cancel OLTL they just postponed it.”  So they are still hanging on and thinking, “Maybe?”  I don’t try to think about it anymore.  I am just very happy that One Life was represented at this year’s Daytime Emmys and won two awards.  I think it gave closure to at least this rendition of the show.  And for me, it was great to not only represent this show that I am on now, but to celebrate the years of hard work and the people that tried to make One Life to Live happen again with the reboot of the show.  I love soaps, and I am so grateful that I am still getting to play in it.

MICHAEL:

So One Life comes to an imperfect conclusion for many, and now you find yourself as an actress looking for work. 

KASSIE:

Being that I am living back east, there are no soaps there anymore.  Granted there are online soaps and there is nothing wrong with that, and it’s great to keep the genre alive the best way we can.  But the four big ones are now out here in Los Angeles.  I was given the opportunity to perform on General Hospital.  I was just not given the opportunity to stay, and that was sad.

MICHAEL:

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It was sad!  Many of the Blair and Kassie DePaiva fans felt you should have continued to be in the mix at GH and it didn’t happen.  Were you disappointed?

KASSIE:

Yes.  It didn’t happen and there is nothing I can do about it.  I can say, “boo-hoo” and have a little pity party, but that’s not going to do anything, and the decision on that was completely out of my hands.  Of course, I would have loved to have been on GH bitch-slapping Carly (Laura Wright) and taking Todd (Roger Howarth) down! (Laughs)  It would have been fun, and my former on-screen daughter was there in Kristen Alderson (Kiki), but then the whole situation with Prospect Park and ABC happened.  That shifted everybody’s take on what should happen, and what will happen. At that point I thought, I am not going to think of myself as a soap actress anymore.  I am going to move on and do some primetime television work, and then … I got a phone call out of the blue!

MICHAEL:

So now we come to Days of our Lives!  Were you pitched for the role of Eve Donovan?

KASSIE:

Not as far as I knew!  But then I got a call from my agent saying that I had been pitched for this part of Eve.  And it was December 18th and it was on the day that Blair had debuted on OLTL, so it was crazy.   I remember talking about that with my husband.  He said, “Yeah, you have had a good run, Kassie!”  Then I got the call from DAYS asking me if I would be interested in doing this, and everything was really hush-hush.  I am crazy about this show!  They tape so far in advance, and so for me to make this move from New York to come to L.A, I had to make some phone calls! (Laughs)   It all happened very fast.  I had to talk in code, and I was dying to tell the world!  At that point, I was writing a blog every single week.  I couldn’t say anything, because anything I said in articles was written about.  I kind of had to talk about the weather for four months until the announcement was made! (Laughs)  Then, I could shout it on the mountain tops.

MICHAEL:

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When were you told about Eve’s rather tawdry history and back-story?  (Laughs)

KASSIE:

Two days later I had a phone conversation with DAYS Co-EP Greg Meng.  They didn’t give me a last name and I said, “O.K.”   Greg told me the character was established 20 years ago by another actress and the character is a bad girl.  Then Chris Whitesell (DAYS co-head writer) wrote a breakdown of some of the high points and low points of the character!  (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

You mean, when she was a hooker?  (Laughs)

KASSIE:

Excuse me … a prostitute … and a former singer? (Laughs)  I think I can play that!  I started taping at the end of January and started airing in June!  The craziest part is to be connected to the character and not have anyone to ground her.  On One Life to Live, I always had Todd to ground Blair.  I did not really have a love interest on DAYS, but having an old marriage to Jack or Frankie, and then when you get to town you look at the canvas here and I had characters coming up to me going, “You know you ran over my daughter!” and, “You made me lose a baby!”   I go, “I did? Well, maybe she is evolving?”  Ah, no.  She is not evolved!  Don’t expect her to make any healthy choice or decision.  She is really broken, but she does love her daughter to the nth degree.

MICHAEL: 

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And by the way, who is the father of Eve’s daughter, Paige (True O’Brien)?  Do you know?

KASSIE:

I don’t know!  It could be you!  I don’t know if that will be addressed, and even I truly don’t know.  I think the writing for Eve is fantastic. Granted I am four months ahead of what you guys are watching, but I can tell you it’s a bumpy ride.   But hold on!

MICHAEL:

Now you come to DAYS and your new on-screen nemesis is Melissa Reeves (Jennifer)!  Had you known Melissa previously?

KASSIE:

I had met her.  I know her husband Scott, but am I the luckiest girl in the world?  I love Missy Reeves so much.  What is really refreshing and wonderful is it’s similar to the relationship I had with Florencia Lozano (Tea) on OLTL.  It takes a good friendship to be enemies.  It’s been easy breezy since the moment I walked in here.

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

The chip on Eve’s shoulder that she is carrying around with her; is it mainly that she is still pissed that Frankie fell in love with Jennifer?

KASSIE:

Eve’s gripe with Jennifer is that she got everything handed to her.  To Eve: Jen was born with a silver spoon, and Eve has had to dig her way out with a shovel with everything in her life.  She has a chip on her shoulder about everything.  Eve feels she has been slighted, and she feels she is entitled to everything everybody else has.

MICHAEL:

Now on to hottie Dr. Daniel (Shawn Christian)!  Is Eve still going to try to get her claws into him to stick into Jennifer?

KASSIE:

As far as hottie Dr. Daniel, she thought she would be able to manipulate him a little easier.  But he blew her off because of the situation with Theresa (Jen Lilley) and everything with Jennifer.  So for her it’s like, “What-ever!”  But, I don’t know if that is completely over.

MICHAEL:

So here is what I think: I think Eve and JJ (Casey Moss) are going to end up in bed together, because that would really hurt Jennifer!  I saw the spark in one scene between the two of them recently!

KASSIE:

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I think that would be something that would completely catch Kassie off-guard!  If I have to play it, I would say to Casey: “Now, I am not your mother or your grandmother!”  (Laughs)  I think the next storyline then would be “Who Killed Eve?”  (Laughs)  It’s an interesting twist you got there, Michael Fairman.  I hope you don’t go tell the writers so I can keep my integrity… a little bit longer! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Now wait!  Didn’t Blair ever sleep with a younger man ever on One Life?

KASSIE:

Dorian (Robin Strasser) did!  She slept with Joey (Nathan Fillion)!

MICHAEL:

Yup, that is what I am seeing here at DAYS!  Call Robin Strasser and ask her some tips on how she dealt with the sex scenes with Nathan Fillion! (Laughs)

KASSIE:

Photo Credit: Sue Coflin/Max Photos

Well…. maybe I can just ask Nathan Fillion!  (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Speaking of Casey Moss … how is he to work with?

KASSIE:

Casey is fabulous.  I think he and True O’Brien are the next super couple on the show.  I think there is something pure, sweet and innocent about their romance.  JJ is a bad boy really trying to make good, and there is going to be that struggle.  I am once again equating it to One Life to Live and Starr and Cole’s romance.  Blair of course, hated Cole because he was Marty’s son, but she never slept with Cole … so shut up! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

And what do you think about True O’Brien being cast as your on-screen daughter in Salem?

KASSIE:

She is delightful and honest in her choices.  And because the character is so sweet, she is very easy to manipulate!  (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

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Who of the men in Salem, would you love a chance to work with, or for Eve to be with?

KASSIE:

They are all beautiful, and all of them great actors too. Greg Vaughan (Eric), I have had a subliminal crush on him forever. Eric Martsolf (Brady) is such a talented actor, and Galen Gering (Rafe) is so funny, and Daniel Cosgrove (Aiden) is another funny guy.  But they are all taken, so Eve is going to have to steal one of the guys away!

MICHAEL:

So where does Eve’s singing come in to play?

KASSIE:

Well, she has got nodules. (Laughs)  It is earth shattering to her, because it’s part of her identity.  So for Eve, if she could just make enough money to get those nodules taken care of, she can get back to singing and make enough money to send her daughter back to Stanford, and then everything will be fine.  And right now, Eve wants to get back to her glory days of singing, and so she has that connection with JJ, who is also musical.

MICHAEL:

Hopefully, Eve’s prostitution past will come back to haunt her!

KASSIE:

I am thinking her next move is to be a madam like Llanview’s Renee Divine (Patricia Elliot)! (Laughs)  Maybe she would be madam until she makes enough money to send her daughter to school.  I have no idea.

MICHAEL:

I am thinking they could make her the hooker with the heart of gold like Karen Wolek was as played by Judith Light back in the day on One Life only … a much older version? (Laughs)

KASSIE:

Courtesy/Pinterest

But you know, that only works when your 30!  When you’re 50 … that’s pathetic and that’s just sad. (Laughs)  I would like to think I am 30, and Eve probably thinks she is 30, but she needs to look in the mirror.  She is a little long in the tooth.  Now Theresa could get away with it.

MICHAEL:

How would you describe the relationship between Eve and Theresa?

KASSIE:

Don’t you just love Jen Lilley?  She is fearless and her comedic timing is perfect.  I think Eve and Theresa are similar.  It’s just not as attractive on Eve, as it is on Theresa.

MICHAEL:

Does Eve love and care about Theresa?

KASSIE:

She is her pseudo-sister.  I think Eve loves Theresa as much as she can love anybody.  But she would still manipulate and use her.  I think what it really comes down to it, she doesn’t want to see her sister suffer, because also when it comes down to it, who else does Eve have?  Nobody!  I have been here for four months and I have been bitch-slapped three times! And last week I was literally thrown out of two places.   I remember doing the slap scenes recently with Kate Mansi (Abigail).  We had to do it in seven takes, because she is much shorter than me!  It was funny! (Laughs)  Last week, Theresa through me out, and Jennifer through me out too!

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

Many fans made remarks that there is an age difference between the original Eve, Charlotte Ross and you.  What do you think about what they said … and does that bother you at all?

KASSIE:

They are right!  She is younger than I am!  If they could have gotten Charlotte Ross, that would have been perfect, because Charlotte Ross was Eve.  But that didn’t happen because she got a job on ABC’s Nashville, which was great for her, but it was even better for me! (Laughs)  Did I not think, “Well gosh; I am a little bit older than her?”   I told my husband, “I don’t know.  Charlotte is beautiful and young.”  Jimmy said, “Honey, the writers know your work. They hired you because they know what you can do.”  So, I just had to assure them that they have me to do whatever they want me to do, and they have the story they want to tell.  They hope I can pull it off, and I hope that I am doing that, and giving the character of Eve the justice she deserves.  You know Eve is a bit over the top.  I feel like I am playing a character role, so it’s not like I am playing a leading lady.   It’s the best of both worlds.  They brought me on to be this aging singer/prostitute that’s kind of sad, but fun to watch.  But she is also funny, powerful and broken.  It’s great.

MICHAEL:

Do you think it was DAYS co-head writer Chris Whitesell, who wrote at one point wrote and knew of your work from OLTL, was integral in having your name brought up for the part of Eve?

KASSIE:

I think Lorraine Broderick (DAYS writer) was important to the choice of having me, and suggesting me for the role of Eve.  I don’t know her that well, but I think it was her.  And then after my name was mentioned, people went, “Oh, yeah!  She can do that!”  And with Eve, she is not as one-dimensional as she might come off.   You have to be able to play the bitchiness, the brokenness, the slutiness, and the wackadoodleness!  (Laughs)

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MICHAEL:

Have you stayed in touch with Roger Howarth?  Have you ever watched him as Franco on GH?

KASSIE:

I haven’t seen him.  You know that all happened when they made Roger’s character Franco, and when they decided not to invite me back. so it was sad for me.  And One Life to Live … I missed it terribly.   I felt if I couldn’t be a part of GH and I couldn’t contribute, then I needed to turn the page on that, and OLTL.  And as for One Life to Live, I will never, ever forget all the things that happened there, but now it is time to start a new chapter.

MICHAEL:

How are things working out with you being in LA, and your husband James DePaiva and your son being back east?

KASSIE:

Photo Credit: Sue Coflin/Max Photos

I see Jimmy every 12 to 14 days which is not terrible.  We FaceTime three times a day.   It’s completely doable.  Our biggest concern was our son, who is starting his senior year at Fordham grad.  He is old enough now where I don’t worry about him.  He has become a great young adult.   Now he doesn’t have separation anxiety … but I do!   I miss him!  I miss my guys!  When I first got to DAYS, I walked in and things were happening so fast.   I got this apartment, and all of a sudden I burst into tears.  I called Jimmy and I was FaceTiming him with him.  I was sobbing and I said, “Come get me.  I don’t want to be here!”  Jimmy said “Kassie, I don’t think I have ever seen you like this!”  I said, “I feel like I am going backwards to L.A in a little one bedroom apartment! And I miss my family!”  Now at this point, I don’t even know what I am doing.  I haven’t even met anyone over at DAYS yet that I am going to work with!  And my husband says, “Tomorrow, you are going to go to the studio and everything is going to be fine.”   So then when I got to DAYS everyone was fabulous!  They are kind of reminiscent of the early days of OLTL.  It felt like it did when I was hanging out with Tuc Watkins, Nathan Fillion, Chris Douglas, Bob Krimmer, and Bob Woods and the gals there all over again!

MICHAEL:

What can we expect in the coming weeks from Eve?  Will her nodules be fixed? (Laughs)

KASSIE:

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

Eve is going to have to get a new doctor, because of this whole situation with Daniel.  So she finds a doctor, and things are looking really good with the nodules, but this lawsuit with Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) is going to get ugly, which is over the royalties of Jack’s book where in the annulment with Eve, she is entitled to the long form royalties.   And Jennifer, being the bitch that she is from Eve’s POV; let’s say it’s not going to be pretty!  But it’s fun, and I seriously have laughed out loud.  With what has happened with Abigail (Kate Mansi) now, and her affair with EJ (James Scott) being exposed, that just gives Eve more fuel for the fire.

MICHAEL:

Lastly and most importantly, can we tell your long time fans you are happy?

KASSIE:

Yes, as the Pharrell Williams song says, “I’m happy”.  Honestly, I am extremely happy and more than anything extremely grateful.  I hope the One Life to Live fans will follow me over here to Salem, because it’s a nice place to live.