Trish Mann-Grant has wowed audiences with her portrayal of Leslie Thomas since hitting our screens last year on Beyond the Gates. The talented actress has made everyone in the soap opera genre take notice of her performances as Leslie is a true instigator who carries secrets and will ruffle the feathers of most anyone in and around Fairmont Crest, if given half the chance.

In real-life, Trisha has publicly spoken about the time period of her life when she found herself homeless. In fact, during a livestream chat on the Michael Fairman Channel along with her on-screen daughter, Ambyr Michelle (Eva), she shared some of what she endured.

Now in a recently aired scene on the CBS soap opera, Leslie, throws some shade June’s (Jasmine Burke) way about her living under the bridge, when June is trying to get her life back on track. For Trisha, as she details in a very personal message on Instagram along with said scene, it resonated so profoundly. First, because of her own experience, but also because Trisha shared that her son is still homeless.

Photo: CBS

HITTING CLOSE TO HOME

Here’s what Trisha expressed, “During this scene with Ambyr Michelle and Jasmine Burke, my homeless son, Daniel, crossed my mind. I also remembered the time when he was 5 and I was pregnant with his sister and was myself homeless for a period. My character, ‘Leslie’, throws a dig at Jasmine’s character ‘June’, referring to her still living under the bridge. That was a difficult line to utter.”

She continued, “As actor’s, we have to sometimes detach what we’ve experienced to get through dialogue or use what we’ve experienced. In this scene, I had to detach from the almost 12 years of having a child who chooses to live a homeless lifestyle. (Yes, molestation, addiction and depression are all a part of that choice). Before any of these experiences, I have always had empathy for the homeless but as a mother of one, now more than ever. I have done all I can to get Danny off the streets but know this; I have not lost hope.”

OUT FROM UNDER THE BRIDGE

Next, Trisha shared her hope and belief for her son, Daniel and not listening to the voices of people like her soap opera alter-ego. “The beauty of this scene is that “June” may not yet be BEYOND THE GATES with the rest of the characters but she certainly let “Leslie” know she is NO LONGER UNDER that bridge,” stated Mann-Grant. “I am believing in real time, stepping out on faith that my son will overcome his present situation and walk fully into his God-Given Purpose. Just like some of us, that bridge represents our past and even though our present may not be all that we want it to be, it definitely isn’t what it used to be. We have to focus on the elevation and ignore the ‘Leslie’s’ of the world.”

In closing, Mann-Grant gave some major inspiration for anyone that is currently in a situation as she has been, expressing, “To all the Mommy’s out there, like me, don’t give up. Keep praying, keep believing that this too shall pass. There are help groups out there for parents of homeless children too. Stay strong and look at the message of this scene. ‘June’ is on the rise and so are we all!”

You can watch the scene Trisha references below.

Now let us know, what did you think of Trisha’s message to all the moms out there, children who are on the streets and the plight of the homeless? Are you glad that Beyond the Gates is tackling the subject with the character of June who is doing what she can to improve her life? Come Emmy time, is Trisha on your wish list of nominees? Let us know via the comment section below.

 

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Nathan Fillion, who stars on ABC’s The Rookie, which was officially renewed for its ninth season, and who began his television career on One Life to Live as Joey Buchanan from 1994-1997 was the guest along with actress Geena Davis on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live on Bravo.

During their conversation, Cohen who is a big fan of soap operas himself, especially All My Children asked Fillion about the incredible pace of acting on a soap. Fillion reflected, “It is extreme acting at a pace that you cannot fathom, and I’m told even since then it’s gotten faster and faster.” The Llanview alum added, “There are very soap operas left. I was in it just as they were starting to decline.”

However, in the buzzworthy moment that has made it to social media, Fillion shared, “I learned one very important thing. We were talking about that slow closeup at the end of a scene,” also referred to as the tag.  So, “I complained about how long that closeup was like, “What am I supposed to do?”

Photo: ABC

THREE FACES OF A SOAP OPERA TAG

Fillion recalled, “A lovely man named Michael Knight (ex-Tad Martin) from All My Children (now Martin Grey on GH), I complained about (it to and) how long that closeup was, like, ‘What am I supposed to do?’ He said, ‘You need to make three faces.” Now Fillion made the faces associated with these thoughts in front of Cohen and Geena Davis, while looking straight to the camera. “They are: ‘Did I leave the stove on?’ ‘I did leave the stove on!’ ‘No, I turned the stove off.’ Works for every scene!”

Photo: ABC

ONE LIFE TO LIVE LEADING LADIES

Later, Cohen asked about the leading ladies he got the opportunity to work with on One Life to Live, and mentioned, then Nathan’s on-screen mother, Erika Slezak (Viki), and then Nathan’s on-screen lover Robin Strasser (Dorian).

Nathan explained, “I was in between Erika Slezak and Robin Strasser – the matriarch of the show, the villain of the show, I was torn between them. It was the perfect position to be in. I had a fantastic time.”

You can catch the moments where Nathan and Andy talk about Fillion’s time as Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live below beginning at the 3:08 mark.

So, what did you think of advice Michael Knight gave to Nathan to help him cue into the looks of a soap opera tag at the end of a scene? Did you love the story which saw Joey torn between the love for his mother, and the passionate affair with an older woman, Viki’s nemesis, Dorian Lord? Let us know via the comment section below.

First-look photos of Jonathan Bennett’s new General Hospital role of PCPD officer Joe Fitzpatrick have been released, given GH fans a glimpse of what’s to come when the character makes his debut on Monday’s upcoming May 18 episode.

Bennett is coming home to ABC soap operas, after beginning his career as All My Children’s JR Chandler some 25 years ago. The actor/host/producer shared that returning to the rigors of a daytime drama was not on his “bingo” card.  However, the minute he heard about the role, there was no question in his mind, he was going to go in, read for it, and make it his!

In preview of his upcoming debut, Jonathan spoke with TV Insider, where he detailed his feelings on playing Joe, “I feel like I hit the jackpot when this opportunity came because the character is something that I really wanted to play. I’ve never read something where I was like, ‘I have to do it,’ and when I read this, I called my agent and said, ‘I’m playing this character.’”

KNEW THIS ROLE WAS FOR ME

Confident that he would nab the role, he clearly was the choice of GH executive producer Frank Valentini too, with whom, Bennett shared is one of the reasons he couldn’t wait to step into the world of Port Charles, “I was very excited to work with the best of the best, like Frank Valentini. He’s a legend.”

The Hallmark Channel and Food Network staple also shared that once his casting was announced, the reaction he received, doubled-down his decision that being on General Hospital and playing Joe Fitzpatrick was the right move at this time in his career and his life.

“The outpouring of love from just the announcement made me really emotional. I was driving home, talking to my husband, and I started having tears roll down my face. It just feels so good to go somewhere where you’re so loved and you feel so supported before you even start. It felt like a weight was taken off my shoulders. I just was like, ‘Oh, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.’”

Courtesy/ABC

PREVIEW CLIP

In an exclusive clip released to PEOPLE.com on Friday, May 15, GH fans can get their first real glimpse of Bennett in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick. In the scene at the PCPD, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) asks, “Hey, dispatcher. What’s the story with this arrest?” To which Joe responds, “A call came in from the maître d’ at the Metro Court and he said there was some sort of argument, scuffle happening in the gardens and was concerned things were going to escalate and patrons would get injured. When we got there, it was obvious, things had escalated.”

That exchange leaves General Hospital fans wondering who was in the scuffle? Stay tuned.

So, will Dante put Joe on the case to help keep his son Rocco remain in the clear from shooting Cullum? Will Joe be a good guy, or could he be implanted at the PCPD by Sidwell or Cullum? What about the role that Jonathan Bennett read initially, do you think made it something that he really wanted to play? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.