Soap Opera Digest: Is it true that you didn’t submit yourself this year?
Laura Wright:
I did not — for either show. Obviously, I just walked in the door at GH, so, “Yeah, right Laura [laughs]!” But I didn’t put my name in for two reasons. First, I left one show, so why would they vote for me for the in-house [nomination process]? And then, flip that over and say I did pull an in-house nomination, that takes a nomination away from another actor who’s staying there working hard to support GUIDING LIGHT. It wouldn’t be fair.Digest: Do you still watch GL?
Wright: I do. I TiVo it. They’re my family. Tom Pelphrey [Jonathan, GL]? Tom inspires me as an actor. We had a great love scene that I worked my ass off to get in shape for. He’s like, “What are you doing?” I’m like, “You’re 12 years younger than me. I am so going to look good [laughs].” Tom totally inspires you as an actor and it’s not just because he’s good. There are a lot of good actors there, actors you really learn from, but it’s who he is as a person and as an actor. That man has no ego. He is so freakin’ good that if he doesn’t walk home with the Emmy this year, I have no faith in this system. None. I love him.Digest: You’re very outspoken when it comes to the Emmy process.
Wright: Me [laughs]? I judge because I’m a very strong believer in: If you do not show up to judge, then don’t walk on stage and pick up your Emmy. You have to be a part of the process for it to work.Digest: GL’s Cassie is such a high-profile, emotional role that it’s baffling you never received a nomination.
Wright: I don’t care if I never pull a nomination because I’ve had the best 14 years of my life working on daytime. Ever since they started the new [pre-nomination] process, I’ve pulled an in-house nomination. Every year. And that’s what’s great. That’s important to me because our best work you may never see because of a boom shadow, or because I go up on my line and then you have to redo the scene and what they go with might not be your best take. But our fellow actors see how hard we work and see the level of professionalism we bring every day to our job. What you see as a judge for the Emmys is the final product that we have no control over. We can’t control the edits, and I certainly don’t say that to take away from anyone’s award or nomination. I’m really okay if it never happens. It keeps me humble.Digest: Of course, this time next year, there’s a good chance we could be talking about your first nomination as Carly.
Wright: Not going to happen [laughs]. [GH] is an Emmy show. She’s a very Emmy character. I know Sarah [Brown, ex-Carly No. 1] won [three times in four nominations]. Tamara [Braun, ex-Carly No. 2] got a nomination. I think she would have won if she had been nominated this year. I’m just not an Emmy person. I think I’ll break the lock and mess up the luck [laughs].Digest: You wanna bet?
Wright: You’re on!Digest: Okay, then. Readers, you heard it here. Laura, we’ll pick up this conversation next year.
Wright: I’ll hold you to that.Digest: So will we.The Daytime Emmy Awards will air live from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on April 28 on ABC.
