Photo Credit: Joe Henson

What on earth happened to Connie Falconeri from Bensonhurst?  When we first met Connie, she had revamped her life and started anew under the name Kate Howard, a world-renowned fashionista!  She also happened to be the first love and girlfriend of a young Sonny Corinthos.  Later, the two would reconnect when Kate moved her business and herself to Port Charles.  They would strike up a romance, and several gunshots and a bloody wedding dress later, eventually break-up.  Flash forward: after Sonny’s recent dissolution of his marriage to Brenda, Sonny and Kate rekindled their relationship.  Only this time something is off, way off!  Viewers have come to find out that Kate has a split personality!  And that other half of her split personality now has a name … “Connie”!

When General Hospital recast the role of Kate Howard, they did so by showing popular fan favorite Megan Ward the front door, and brought in the also talented and beautiful, Kelly Sullivan.  Within a matter of months, Kelly has put her own stamp on the role … and what a role it has become!  It’s a delicious roller coaster ride for her, the characters of Port Charles, and the viewers, as they watch Kelly navigate through each distinct personality.  And on this week’s episode, the lives of Kate/Connie, Sonny, Johnny, and Carly really hit the fan.  Through Connie’s deception and manipulations she gets Johnny in the sack, and both Sonny and Carly walked in on it!  Perfect for Connie, and not so perfect for Kate.  And then the fireworks really begin!

On-Air On-Soaps had the chance to speak with Kelly to get her take on playing the complex Kate/Connie, and to get some insight and a preview of what is to come and where it all might lead.  Needless to say, there are some shocking revelations ahead!  Along with GH head writer Ron Carlivati, who is no stranger to writing DID storylines during his time with One Life to Live, Kelly hopes that this tale of a serious illness will be just as compelling, but in a unique way.  During our chat, Kelly also addressed rumors that have recently been fueled on Twitter, and some other hot button issues. Here’s Kelly! 

MICHAEL:

You had the difficult task of replacing Megan Ward in the role of Kate Howard whose fan base, the Meganites, adore.  She did an amazing job during her run in the role.  Was there any hesitancy for you coming in and taking over the role?  Do you feel enough time had passed between Megan being on air and you coming in, where it worked out to your advantage?

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

KELLY:

That is a good question. I wasn’t hesitant because I did not really know a lot about Megan and Kate’s story.  And, I guess not knowing about it can be good.  Ignorance is always bliss.  But, I was really excited to start and dig my heels in and it was a really good challenge.  Obviously, when I first started I was very much introduced to the soap opera fans, and all the Megan fans. You can’t win em all, but that’s OK. (Laughs) Megan did an incredible job and is such a great actress, and she really set the bar high.  So I looked at it more like a challenge to bring my own life experience to the role.  It’s my version of the character and that is all you really can do.

MICHAEL:

That is all you can really do!  Did you know when you came to GH that Kate was going to have a split personality?  The changes in writers were interesting in regard to your character with Garin Wolf (ex-head writer, GH) starting this story.

KELLY:

When I first came in to audition, I was not aware of the split personality.  But I remember shortly after I started filming, maybe a couple weeks in to it, Garin Wolf was there. I had a meeting with him and that is when he told me about the split personality.  He explained it to me in a very cool way, and that he was really excited and passionate about it, which gave me more excitement for myself.  So I knew pretty soon on, but I did not know exactly how it was going to unfold.  Garin was very secretive about it.  And I remember asking him, “Well, what do you mean?  Is this like a Black Swan sort of a thing?”  And he looked at me and went, “Oh, yeah!  I guess you could say it that way.”   And I had just seen the movie and I was like,”Oooh”.

MICHAEL:

And then you were fortunate that new GH head writer, Ron Carlivati, had so much hands on experience, having written many DID storylines with the characters of Viki and Jessica during his time at One Life to Live.  Did you know about that?  And, because of that, do you feel more pressure to play the illness correctly?

KELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

Not really pressure, but when I talked to Ron about it he said this story was already set in motion before he got to GH.  I didn’t really know too much about the One Life to Live storylines, but I was hopeful and excited that it was going to be shown in a different way, and the journey was going to be a new way to show it.  Ron had said, “Obviously, I have done this before.”  But the thing that is really cool is that Ron really knows about DID and how to write it.  I told him, “You know what Ron?  I am fearless.  I will do whatever you write.”   I think he liked hearing that because it gave him the permission to write with reckless abandon for this character.  And, for him to know that I was going to do the material 100% to the best of my ability.  So it’s been great, and every day I get my scripts I can’t wait to read them, which is such a great feeling!  I even try to read ahead because I want to know where it is all going.  It’s just awesome!

MICHAEL:

Is it easy going in and out of the accent when you become Connie Falconeri from Bensonhurst?

KELLY:

No, I don’t get tripped up.  And, because of all my experience in the theatre in New York doing plays and working on various projects, you sort of have a creative license to play broad characters.  It’s funny, because I joked; “You know I used to live in Brooklyn.  I lived there for a couple of years and I just know those girls.”  And of course, I look at my first episode as Connie and the one that aired this past Monday.  Now, I see the evolution.  I feel freer and you get to sort of create a character from scratch.  And then the more you are in the bones of it, and in that world, you find all these wonderful nuances and the parts of the character that you discover as the actress playing the part.  That is the great thing about doing a soap with this character.  It is like a blank canvas that you start drawing on, and as you go, you just keep going deeper and deeper.  It’s been such an amazing experience for me.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

You have to be relieved you were not going to play a boring pretty girl love interest for Sonny!  I say, “Thank God.”  Sonny has had so many transient girlfriends and lovers!  I don’t remember him never having one for any length of time on the show!  So, how is working with Maurice Benard (Sonny)?  He is pretty terrific.

KELLY:

It’s all about Sonny, isn’t it! (Laughs) Maurice is kind of like a dream scene partner to work with.  He is pleasant and he is really an artist.  He has a passion and a love for acting.  It’s great.  He is just the best.  Maurice allows in even the smallest scenes for so much to take place, and I love that.  So that is how I approach it, too.  If anything, we will talk about scenes.  Maurice comes with such broad knowledge and history of being on a soap, and how they work and how to be successful.  He is always open for you to come to him for discussion.  He has been extremely helpful and supportive of me.  And, when you are in a scene with Maurice, he makes you feel like you are the most important person in the room.  There is no ego, and no judgment.  He will say, “We just have got to kick-ass every moment and every second … and we are good.  We are golden.”

MICHAEL:

Is the real alter Connie?  Or, do you think it is Kate?  I have my doubts!

KELLY:

Well, we have not determined that!  I think both sides of that coin are really cool because as you know with DID, you have the host person and then you have these other personalities.  But, I think it would be a twist if Connie were the host.

MICHAEL:

I do too!

Courtesy/ABC

KELLY:

Yeah!  I remember someone tweeted that and I thought, “Oh, my God. That is such a great idea.”  They tweeted that way back when this first started.  There is the possibility of integration and combining the two characters.  That is really cool to me as well.  They are pretty hush-hush over at the place called GH.  I honestly don’t even know what I am doing next week! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

This week, Connie’s’ plan has set in motion a huge mess for so many lives.  Tell me the set up and why she went about it this way, sleeping with Johnny and having Sonny walk in on it. 

KELLY:

Connie’s plan all along was to get Sonny to see her in bed with Johnny and then leave. This week, she has finally succeeded.  She did it in a really devious way.  She sort of blackmailed Johnny and said, “You have two choices here.  You can just do this, or I will say you attacked me, and have fun with that one!”   So Sonny has his reaction and Carly also discovered them together.  Connie just wants to make sure she did enough damage that it will secure her freedom and future away from Sonny.

MICHAEL:

And why does she want to be free from Sonny so badly?

KELLY:

Connie is looking at this as complete self-preservation, and if Kate goes, then Connie goes.  She believes that if Kate needs to be with Sonny, the possibility of violence and the possibility of her getting killed or injured or hurt, are really high.  So Connie feels that for her survival and Kate’s, she has to get away from him.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

Isn’t Sonny being a doofus? (Laughs) I mean, can’t he tell that there is something really off with his beloved Kate, er Connie? (Laughs)

KELLY:

I know! You might say it’s a little contrived, but it has to be played that way because Sonny can’t figure it all out yet.  He knows that something is up. Sonny is a very smart character where you think he would say, “OK, let’s talk”.   And, every single time poor Kate tries to tell him what is going on, it’s Grand Central Station in his house!

MICHAEL:

How is working with Brandon Barash (Johnny), your pseudo-blackmailed co-conspirator in Port Charles?

KELLY:

He is an amazing and a consummate actor, and someone who is passionate and takes his work very seriously.  Brandon is fun.

MICHAEL:

Over the past weekend there was a firestorm on Twitter where rumors began swirling that Brandon was exiting from the series and will be murdered in May.  You alerted him to let him know what was being said via a tweet, and also came to his defense.

KELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

I know, and it’s funny because I don’t know where people get all their information.  I don’t know if it’s a spoiler or someone trying to be mischievous.  I think he is such an integral part of all the storylines and such a good character.  Brandon is my dear friend, and someone who I think is such an asset to the show.  I don’t know where people get these rumors, but you never know what is going to happen.  The fact is: I have strong feelings towards everyone on GH and I think everyone there is incredible.  And then, Frank Valentini tweeted this week that Brandon isn’t going anywhere, which is so nice, too!

MICHAEL:

Speaking of the head honcho, how is working with the talented and new executive producer, Frank Valentini?  I know he is always on the floor during taping of the episodes, which I think is hands-on and terrific.

KELLY:

He is always on the floor.  I love it, and that is the environment I am used to.  And when I first started on GH, it was a totally different experience, because I felt like you have your directors and they tell you where to go, etc.  I have a lot of questions, because the character of Kate, when I started to play her, already had a lot of history with a lot of people.  It’s nice to have another pair of eyes.  I love it and it’s a real cohesive environment.  Frank knows how to tell a story.  I think he is an incredible editor.  He is always thinking ten steps ahead.  He also thinks of all the little moments that as an actor you might not be conscious of, or get every little thing.  I feel very taken care of.  I feel Frank is there for the good of the show.  I really enjoy his presence a lot.

MICHAEL:

Wouldn’t it be great if Erika Slezak (Viki, OLTL) popped in to Port Charles to help Kate/Connie with her DID?  Fans have been tweeting that also!

KELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

I have heard that on Twitter and that Bree should come and help, too!  And I say, “Bring it on.”   This disease is something that exists and it’s a scary thing.  It’s a mental illness and it’s terrible, and how you work through it to get healthy is such a journey.  That is why I am really happy that Ron is here at GH.  There is a very specific way to deal with this illness.  I don’t know much, but I know that they are going to take their time to work it out.  It’s not something you can just move past all of a sudden and she is fine.

MICHAEL:

So as the aftermath of Connie’s deception rocks Port Charles … where do you think Sonny is with all of this at this point?  And, Connie?

KELLY:

Sonny doesn’t understand at first.  Sonny thinks that Kate got raped or attacked.  Then he tries to get Connie/Kate out of Johnny’s.  And Connie said, “I am where I want to be.” She doesn’t really explain, and Maurice played it very well, because he is sort of shocked a little bit and he pulls out a gun.  Then you think, “Oh, God.  Now what?”  But he ends up leaving, and then as he is leaving Carly shows up and has a whole conversation with Johnny about it and leaves.  And then Connie says to Johnny, “Congratulations, we did it.”  And then, she and Johnny get into an argument and Johnny gets in her face.  And he is yelling at her about, “What have we done?  This is a terrible idea”  And then Kate comes back and everything hits the fan.  Then, Johnny tells her what just happened.  Thus begins the aftermath of trying to pick up the pieces of this disaster.  Sonny is not buying it at all.  So Connie is like, “I did it.  I am out.”  And … she tries to skip town. 

MICHAEL:

Carly and Sonny have a kiss this week!  What do you think that will mean in the long run?

Photo Credit:: Michael Tammaro

KELLY:

I was not there for the filming of those scenes, but that is an interesting moment between as well.  How that is going to play out, will be really great!

MICHAEL:

So, are the townsfolk of Port Charles now finally going to figure out what is up with Kate?

KELLY:

What is funny is that no one in town really knows what is up with her except Dr. Keenan, and Johnny.  How everyone is going to deal with Connie and how people are going to slowly figure out what exactly is going on will happen in the next week and half of air shows.  It’s almost more interesting to be the other characters, because the audience is in on it.  It’s going to be very intense.  I can tell you, the next coming two weeks, I was all over the place with both characters.  I was really exhausted, but it was so great to play every tiny second to its biggest moment was a real challenge.   I think everyone is going to be happy with it.  The aftermath Kate/Connie for sure is huge!  And the interesting thing is seeing how Kate got stuck in the mirror and Connie is free.  And then, seeing how she is going to go back and forth from Kate and Connie, and who is going to prevail and take control.

MICHAEL:

What if a third alter “Bonnie” were to pop out? 

KELLY:

I know!  But you know if that were to happen, it would be very ver. batim for the disease. But you know, Connie is there for a reason.  They are going to explore that, coming up in therapy.  I can tell you that is going to be very cool because these things happen from trauma.  Something very bad happened to Connie/Kate.  And, I don’t even know.  I can tell you they have not told me too much, because they don’t want me to know too much ahead of time.

Courtesy/IMDB

MICHAEL:

I know we are going to need our hankies at some point here.  Something very bad has to have happened to Connie when she was growing up in Bensonhurst!

KELLY:

Something tragic happened, and something so terrible had to have happened that you could not even imagine! So I am anxiously awaiting those scripts.

MICHAEL:

There are also rumors going around that it is actually Connie/Kate that will be murdered during May Sweeps.  What would you say to that?

KELLY:

Well, you know what?  To my knowledge I am on, but you never know. (Laughs) I think whatever happens is going to be really great.  To my knowledge I am not being murdered and no one has told me this.  But you never know! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Who’s more fun to dress up as Connie or Kate?

Courtesy/ABC

KELLY:

Well, Connie has these skinny jeans and I feel fabulous when I wear them. (Laughs)  And the lipstick is great. I get to wear my hair down and feel fancy free, but Kate has a great closet.

MICHAEL:

Are you a clothes horse in real life?

KELLY:

I am!  I love getting dressed up and dolled up and going out.  But you know, I also enjoy being in my PJ’s and my hiking gear.  I like to be comfortable.

MICHAEL:

Are you at all a fashionista like Kate Howard?

KELLY:

Yeah.  I wish I had someone who would go shopping for me and go, “Here are ten new outfits,” and they would all work.  (Laughs) That is my dream.  At GH, you go in and try an outfit on and then they get someone to alter it to your size.  It’s a dream.  I wish I had that in my life.  You go to the store, and you try something on and it’s like, “Oh, this almost works, but um, not this part of it.” (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Are people coming up to you now on the street and yelling, “Hey Connie! Hey Kate?”  Or even worse, wanting to clock you one for thinking you are really Connie for hurting Sonny? (Laughs)

KELLY:

A couple of times people have stopped me and said, “We are enjoying the journey and you are doing a great job.”  And no one else has said, other than Twitter, “Kate’s gotta go. Connie needs to stay.”  (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

I think Connie is becoming more popular than Kate!

KELLY:

Yes, I know!  Connie is going to be doing some very sneaky mischievous things coming up.  She is the villain right now, and it’s fun to play the villain.