General Hospital News & Gossip

News for the week of 25-Oct-2004
by Carol Banks Weber

Picture Adrianne Leon, 17, as a recast Emily, instead of Natalia Livingston, or as Georgie, instead of Lindze Letherman. Instead, after these two failed attempted, Leon hit her mark and earned her spot on GH’s cast list as Ned and Lois’s precocious, musically-gifted daughter Brook Lynn, a little older, a lot wise-ass, and hiding a ton of lyrical content beneath the surly, defensive, ‘80s reject veneer.

Now that she’s Brook Lynn, named after an equally fiesty, tough, unique city in New York, Leon couldn’t be happier. She even loves her character name, full of “heart and soul.” And the similarities between Leon and Brook Lynn couldn’t be more simpatico; both are spirited, into the same funky, offbeat, ever-changing looks (although the actress tends not to over-dress in the jewelry department), and love their music. –Alameda Times-Star, “GH’s Leon in tune with Brook Lynn” by Nancy M. Reichardt, October 16, 2004

Little Miss Leon has a little not-so-secret admirer in Lesli Kay’s (Lois) son Jackson, 4. He rides along in the car with his mom and sometimes hears Leon’s “You’re The Only One I Love” playing on CD, pleasing him to no end. He’ll ask Kay who Leon loves and Kay will joke “you,” and then he’ll counter that he thought Leon loves her as daughter-mother on-screen.

Scott Clifton (Dillon) showed his many faces in the October 16^th Soapography on SoapNet, comedian, dramatic actor, grateful soap newcomer, Lindze Letherman’s (Georgie) surrogate older brother, tender loving caring wolf owner... The underlying theme, throughout his one-liners and crazy antics on the trampoline and on-set, was gratitude, for all the people who helped him on the way to stardom, including an acting coach who gave up one year of his free time every weekend going over the fine art of Shakespeare, his own mother who dropped the Shakespearean inspiration in his lap one day until, inspired, he memorized Hamlet on his own, as a mere child, the producers and casting director who gave him a chance on a highly-rated, much-respected soap, veteran co-star Jane Elliot (Tracy) who made the cast and crew be nice to him his first day and has, since, been one of his many mentors. Lauded by Letherman as one who really puts his all into preparation for his scenes, Clifton pays close attention to the masters, like Tony Geary (Luke), who he’s recently been paired up with in hilarious capers. Geary, the young actor described, is just so damned cool, and so easy to watch perform, it’s a study in thinking. “In a decade, I hope to earn my place here,” Clifton said, wrapping up a neat little interview montage for himself. Oh, and hey, I finally heard a snippet of his singing. Tres impressive.

Also in that episode of Soapography, a guest star spot on SoapTalk was excerpted, Clifton and Letherman talking about their love scenes, her initial nerves and his reaction to those lips coming at him for their first kiss. She blushed and muttered, “Thanks, Scott.” Just as they bicker, laugh and adore each other on-screen, they do the same off. It’s really not much different, Clifton said, except they’re more sibling than romance, with him always wanting to know who she’s dating and why.

Shaun Benson has read the criticism online dissing his portrayal of Steven. In fact, when he first got hired, he went online to bone up on his character’s history and relationships with the other characters. Along the way, he ran into some not-so-nice fan commentary, including the part about Steven being boring and him being “talentless.” It bugged him to read, until Rick Hearst (Ric), a pseudo-veteran of online interaction with fans, advised thusly: “’Shaun, man, let me school you about this business....,’” Benson explained. “He's teaching me the ropes about being on a high-profile show with fans who really care about what's going on.” –TV Guide Online, Soaps, Q&A, October 11, 2004

Benson is Canadian, can you tell by his accent on-screen? No? Good, he’s been working on it since moving to the States a couple years ago. In the beginning, it was difficult for him to hear a difference, but a difference was always being pointed out to him by others. Now, speaking with an Irish, German or Lithuanian accent is, for Benson, a lot easier because the difference in those accents and his native tongue sounds more obvious.

Wondering when the hell that Oprah guest appearance by Maurice Benard (Sonny) is gonna be after rescheduling? According to the latest word from Soaps in Depth, October 28. Look for Benard and wife Paula – other guests also scheduled were actress Linda Hamilton (Terminator) and singer Shawn Colvin (hit song, “Sunny Came Home”) – to discuss his struggles and triumphs with manic depression. Buzz from the taped show had the audience riveted and moved.

Rick Hearst (Ric) can’t say enough about Tamara Braun’s (Carly) many attributes. They’re close, like siblings, around and off the set. He finds her strength of character, survival spirit and positive energy amazing to witness. She was one of the actors who embraced me with open arms on my first day at GH, Hearst said.

Alicia Leigh Willis (Courtney) feels especially beautiful when dolled up for a special occasion, like, say, the Daytime Emmys. But when lounging about at home, she prefers casual jeans. She so loves her jeans that she’s become somewhat of an aficionado of the best pair to buy, Seven and Yanuk, among the designer wears. Sevens, she recommended, can fit nearly any size of woman. Willis also loves her some designer bags on the inexpensive side, although while in Italy, she did splurge for herself and her sister on Prada, but even those were way less than they’d cost in the U.S.

Willis was chosen by Soap Opera Digest editors as one of soaps’ most beautiful women and featured in the magazine’s October 26^th issue after Lesley-Anne Down (Jackie, B&B) and before Peyton List (Lucy, ATWT), with a short Q&A about her beauty regimen and a picture of her, pretty in an off-shoulder flowery pink dress. The former tomboy has since grown into a feminine woman, learning about the art of makeup from being an actress, not completely abandoning her tomboy instincts. The woman is sparing with the make-up, taking pains to ensure her skin, as well as her body and mind, are treated in the most healthy way possible. She avoids makeup at home, keeps it casual and clean, maybe Dermalogica and a moisturizer with SPF for her face, Prescriptives concealer, sheer powder, blush and mascara for outings, but not too heavy.

Don’t get her wrong, Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth) loves her life. She has two gorgeous children, toddler Ethan and baby Ella, a supportive husband who’s planning to become a lawyer, primarily via an at-home online program, an extended family support system with instant babysitters in mom and sis, wonderful co-stars as friends at work and a devoted fan base tending to her every professional need. But ever since she returned from her maternity leave last summer, things just haven’t been the same for the former IT girl who once commanded the stage and the boards with her frontburner stories, from her debut as a spoiled brat jealous of older sister Sarah, to noble rape victim and apple of Lucky’s eye.

During Herbst’s maternity-leave-inspired absence, TPTB decided to go ahead with the Ric & Alexis (Rexis, Reckless) courtship at the expense of the established Elizabeth & Ric (LiRic) pairing, after noticing obvious sparring sparks between Ric’s Rick Hearst and Alexis’s Nancy Lee Grahn. When Elizabeth came back to Port Charles with her and Zander’s baby Cameron in tow, she came back to find her relationship with Ric dismantled and nary a reference to their once-glorious love. In fact, revealed the actress, a scene that would’ve given LiRic fans much to hope for – where Elizabeth invites Ric to Kelly’s for a meal, both expressing yearning for the other – ended up cut out, because TPTB preferred any mention of LiRic to remain in the past. “In my eyes, it was very unfair to the fans because they deserve to have some sort of closure,” Herbst added.

Without Ric, what should Elizabeth do? Herbst has some suggestions. Maybe her character could be friends with Jason, since the two always shared that much between them. With the arrival of big brother Dr. Steven, Elizabeth could further explore those family ties. Actually, Herbst wouldn’t mind any pairing with any of the available male characters, she’s just happy to have a job that affords her plenty of downtime with her family, the chance to bring her baby girl Ella to the studios whenever the work load is light, which is a lot lately, and to bring her big sister or a friend along too to babysit while mommy’s on a set filming those two or three scenes for the day.

She’s not sure being a nurse is in character for the arty Elizabeth, but if it means she stays on the show in any capacity, it’s fine. More than fine is having her on-screen family expanded, because that means, more than likely, that her own standing is assured.

Her off-screen family, unlike her on-screen love life, is thriving. Her older child, Ethan, has taken to little sis Ella amazingly well. Bragged mom Herbst, “From the minute he got to the hospital, he just wanted to hold her. He’s very sweet with her; there was no jealousy whatsoever.” When it came time for Herbst to go back to GH, the young mother bawled the entire way there, missing her babies so much. She felt a lot better hanging out with her castmate buddies at the studio, and very thankful that she has such a loving husband in Michael Saucedo (ex-Juan) to be at home to watch over their babies while she’s gone, or her mother, or other members of her family, who live nearby. –Soap Opera Digest

Picture M’fundo Morrison (Justus) standing around in his skivvies at home, tending to dinner with jazz coming out of the stereo speakers. That’s the actor’s preferred mode of play after-hours. The actor’s preferred vacation destination is back on his home turf in Capetown, South Africa, where his grandparents still live. He likens it to a cross between Australia, Europe and every other gorgeous landscape on the planet. If he weren’t kicking it to Miles Davis at home and taking sage advice from Maurice Benard (Sonny) and Steve Burton (Jason) – who gave him pearls about gratitude – he’d be onstage busting out the grooves on bass or maybe meeting his acting idol, movie star Denzel Washington, after having done a respected body of work and hearing, “You’re doing alright, son.” –Soap Opera Digest, October 26, 2004

Oh the sacrifices actors make for their art. After cracking and breaking bits off her manicured nails while Cynthia Preston, as prison fugitive Faith, went on the lam, the actress figured she might as well lose the perfectly done nails and let those suckers fall apart. She even helped the process by doing further damage. Now Faith really looks the part of a fugitive.

John J. York (Mac) had Kristina Wagner (Felicia) to thank for the extra unscripted kiss during the murder mystery scenes last summer—a case of more is better. He appreciated the emotional boost.

Singers sip lemon tea, drink lots of bottled water and try to avoid wearing their voices out before a big performance. Constance Towers (Helena) probably does all that, but her distinction comes in the form of a long distance vocal coach. Before Towers’ performances, the veteran actress gets on a speaker phone and practices with her trusted coach, one she said is the best she ever had. She’ll even practice on the speaker phone in her car in between shows.

To summon Lila’s spirit for the October 20^th haunting of Edward, TPTB summoned Juliet Grainger to play Lila when she was younger, 20-something younger.

I could’ve sworn I read PA public appearance by Ted King (Lorenzo) the other week. Regardless, a reader pointed out to me that my report in last week’s N&G was wrong about the location. King held his first fan event in New York City, not Pennsylvania. My bad. Here, I’m bent over, go ahead...

Catherine Wadkins (ex-Mary) will appear as a guest star in NBC’s new fall primetime drama, Medical Investigation, November 12 (but check local listings in case schedules change). Also, the DVD/video of CBS’s Helter Skelter movie remake will appear in stores nationwide in the near-future. Featured in the DVD/video package will be the director’s cut of the movie, which is good news for Wadkins’ fans, because they’ll get to see more of her and her actual stuntwork as one of Charles Manson’s followers, Leslie Van Houten. CBS had cut out a lot of her scenes, especially the stuntwork, due to the Janet Jackson scandal. An interesting note: Wadkins’ Van Houten was the only disciple in the movie allowed by producers to perform her own stuntwork.

At a now-annual charity benefit hosted by Alicia Leigh Willis (Courtney) and Cynthia Preston (Faith) to benefit the Desi Geestman Foundation, star attendees included Natalia Livingston (Emily) and Catherine Wadkins (ex-Mary), found arm-in-arm and buddy-buddy – unlike their screen characters – for the paparazzi. Wadkins said that she’d found it difficult to strangle Livingston, in character, because the young actress and GH’s ingenue was so nice and she liked her so much.

Gossip for the week of 25-Oct-2004
by Carol Banks Weber

Diego turns out to be Lorenzo’s long-lost son, with Sophie, who also turns up alive after all these years. Might I expect a big turn-around with Lorenzo himself, from drug kingpin back into history teacher?

Sorry, John J. York (Mac) fans. I doubt Diego’s father is him.

It must be true. Tyler Christopher seems poised to play the dual roles of dark-haired stud Nikolas and blond-haired, blue-eyed scar face Connor into November and then some. Eye on Soaps gossip columnist Sage Bourland reported October 19, via cartoon storyboard, that Connor and Nikolas will wind up vying for Emily, with Connor eventually the fatal loser, and yet another victim of the NEm curse. (I’m not referring to Helena’s.)

ABC Daytime president Brian Scott Frons is always bleeping about the almighty youth demographic, yet he allows GH’s PTB to continually ignore a goldmine in Robyn Richards (Maxie), an actual teen who grew up on the show, has proved herself as able in comedy as in drama time and time again, out-performs and out-classes almost all of her castmates in terms of dedication and professionalism and portrays a character with roots and ties to major core families. Yet, TIOC will think nothing of hiring a virtual unknown and unproven newcomer, Ignacio Serricchio, to play outsider Diego, to worship the mob and romance another newcomer, Adrianne Leon’s Brook Lynn, then quickly putting the kid on contract with nothing more to go on but the (rumored) premise of his character being revealed as Lorenzo’s long-lost son with long-presumed-dead fiancée Sophie.

Maybe the co-head writers are only thinking about their percentage of profits from new characters they personally concoct (a rumored, longstanding, but verboten, understanding in the industry), instead of what’s good for the show overall. Maybe they don’t care to bother with a real teen like Maxie when they can sex up the other teens they’ve created to their perverted satisfaction. Who the hell knows. All I know is, I miss Robyn Richards’ Maxie, and I can’t help wondering why I went through “B.J.’s Heart” for this.

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