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Q&A with Alexis Thorpe (Cassie, DAYS)

Soap Opera Weekly: What has it been like playing a character as unusual as Cassie?
Alexis Thorpe: I was watching an episode the other day that had flashbacks from when Eric Winters (Rex) and I started. I was embarrassed watching it. I felt bad for her. She was mocked and ridiculed, every day. I was excited when we were able to start talking and adapt to Salem society. It was nice as an actress to start fresh. I felt I got to mold Cassie from a baby, because she really had no life experience. This character is truly mine. Everything that she’s turned into, thanks to the writers, has been a ride. She’s gone from being this innocent little girl who couldn’t even talk to someone who maneuvers herself around to get relationships and what she wants.Weekly: Did you learn anything from having to act without the luxury of being able to speak, when the role began?
Thorpe: You have to trust yourself and not the words. You have to trust that through your eyes and expressions, and not by overusing them, that you can get your point across. Because you don’t want to look like you’re a mime. I see actors sometimes and their faces are like moving clown faces. You’re like, “OK. Tone it down a little bit!” Because it’s all about subtlety.Weekly: On Y&R you were the quintessential good girl. Was it difficult adjusting to playing the bad girl?
Thorpe: It was wonderful! I hated, hated, hated playing Rianna a lot of the time. I felt like there was so much more they could have done with the character and yet she was trampled on by every boy in Genoa City. I felt like it was this poor-pity-me act every single day.Weekly: Who have you learned the most from at Days?
Thorpe: I love working with Thaao Penghlis (Tony). He is so in the moment. Anything he does is so dynamic. He doesn’t even have to talk. He’s got this strength about him, but he uses it in a subtle way. He’s not always big, when it could be really easy to do with his character. When we have father/daughter scenes I love working with him. I feel like he really is my dad. When he’s mad at me in a scene it hurts me. He’s fun, too. He’ll teach me how to tango. In the middle of dry block we’ll start dancing around.Weekly: Is there anybody on the show that you hang out with off-screen?
Thorpe: I feel fortunate, because the cast as a whole gets along really well. Of course, there are tiffs every once in a while. We were taping [the Basic Black] fashion show the other day, which was a huge production, and we all had the best time. Kirsten (Storms, Belle) and I are still really close. I hang out with Jason (Cook, Shawn) every once in a while. He bought a new house and is completely redoing it. So I go there and help him paint or whatever needs help with for the day. Eric (Winter, Rex) and his wife and I go out every once in a while. Recently, I’ve been talking to Arianne (Zuker, Nicole) a lot more. I feel like I’m going through something in my life, taking that next step toward maturity. I’m over going out. For a while, I was out all the time. Kirsten and I were dancing at clubs, going on trips…. Things have quieted down, because I’ve chosen to move on and move forward, instead of playing around like a 5-year-old.Weekly: What’s your typical day off like?
Thorpe: I take my dog, Samson, out, because he’s in way too much when I’m working. We go walking or to the beach or to the park. I do that in the morning to get my day started. To relax, sometimes I get a massage. I also go out to Orange Country to visit my family a lot. We’re very close. I’m the oldest of four. I have two sisters, Lauren and Kathryn, and a brother, Joe. My brother plays basketball, so I go down to to watch his tournaments, which I love. I really get into it.Weekly: Do you enjoy getting away from the hustle and bustle of L.A.?
Thorpe: I love Orange County. There’s no traffic. It’s not smoggy. There’s no pretension. You can go out for coffee looking like crap, and nobody cares. Everyone from my hometown is really sweet. There’s no violence there. No drama. It’s very family-oriented. It’s sad sometimes, because I get in the car to leave, and I’m almost in tears. I’m sad because I know I’m not going to see parents and brother and sisters again for a week. I try to convince them daily to move up to Los Angeles. That would make me so happy. But it’s best for them to be in Orange County. It’s a whole world away.Weekly: Let’s get back to Cassie for a moment. She’s related to almost all the eligible bachelors in Salem. Any thoughts on who could be her love interest?
Thorpe: I’m thinking maybe we could bring Ashton Kutcher on (laughs). I’d like to see her with somebody older. Also, I don’t want to see her chasing after somebody again. That’s her pattern. They’re always unavailable guys, who are bad for her. At the moment it’s better for her to be single. There’s nothing wrong with being female and being single. It’s sad sometimes. Women always think they need to have someone in their life or a man around. That’s not how it is. You can do so much more for yourself when you’re on your own. Right now, Cassie needs to figure herself out. Then, we’ll bring on Ashton Kutcher.

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