Soap Opera Weekly: One of the projects you’ve done in England is a series called DOCTORS. How does that compare to GH? Is it more of an ER-type show?
Emma Samms: It’s not based around a hospital, it’s based on the general practice of doctors. It was the closest I’ve come to doing GENERAL HOSPITAL since [I left] — in as much as that the routine was fairly punishing and it’s an ongoing drama. I really enjoyed doing that. Obviously to work for the BBC is a huge privilege, and the standard of work that they put out is almost always very, very good.
Weekly: Many people do not know that you are also a screenwriter. Have you written anything with a medical slant?
Samms: No, not really. There was one slight thread I did in one storyline of one script, but basically I haven’t set any in a medical genre because there’s so many of those around. I’ve tried to find a more unique genre setting than that.
Weekly: You also do quite a bit of voice-over work now. Is it liberating, since you can just show up and you don’t have to worry about how you look?
Samms: It’s very liberating. Any kind of hang-ups that you have as an actor — which, of course, we all have many — just disperse. You know you have nobody really watching, so you can just be free.
Weekly: Is it true that you once worked as an emergency medical technician in Los Angeles?
Samms: I didn’t actually work as one, but I trained as one and I got the qualifications. Oh, I loved it. I thought it was absolutely fascinating — and I’ve used it. You’re just so thankful that you’ve got that training. It should be a high school requirement, because it’s not that complicated and yet you can save lives with it. I found it absolutely fascinating. Of course, it gives you such respect for the people who do it day in, day out.
