What was your reaction when you learned that Lucas would be falling off the wagon again?
“I was psyched, because I knew that I was getting a storyline [laughs]. It was like, ‘Yeah!’ But when I found out that Lucas was going to drink again, I didn’t know what it would entail, or how they would get him to start drinking again. Ron [Carlivati, head writer] has done such a great job with creating the circumstances that would make Lucas fall off the wagon. It gets pretty deep. It’s my favorite storyline that I’ve ever done.”
You’ve also gotten to play some heavy scenes recently with Lauren Koslow (Kate). What was that like for you?
“Lauren is so good at fighting the words in a scene. She’ll say something, but her emotions say something else. She is such a master at playing the subtext that it was fun for me to explore those feelings of rejection and denial from Kate. Lauren is definitely responsible for all of that. She brings a lot of emotion to everything.”
Why do you think Lucas is so public about drinking again?
“I think at this stage in the storyline, Lucas is crying out for attention. He wants people to say, ‘Hey, get a hold of yourself and stop drinking.’ But when the people he loves actually turn on him, and they don’t baby him, it backfires on Lucas. It’s something that he wasn’t expecting, and it pushes him to a dark place, especially because he can’t depend on the one relationship that he’s had his whole life, and that‘s with his mom. Kate raised him alone. They have a strong connection as mother and son.”
What is it like for Lucas when he runs into Arianna this week and is sauced?
“He is drunk in the fun way; he’s not belligerent, but Gabi notices it right away and says she doesn’t think it’s a good idea to let Lucas have Arianna for the night. Lucas isn’t seeing that it would be a bad thing to watch his granddaughter in the state that he’s in. He’s totally in the dark about his problem, and how he appears to other people.”
What triggers Lucas’s anger with Sonny this week?
“I think Lucas’s problem with Sonny is that he’s moving on. So he lets Sonny have it. He questions how Sonny could have loved Will if he’s already making plans to marry someone else. Lucas also doesn’t think that Sonny ever accepted his relationship with Adrienne.”
Abigail is present when Lucas blows up at Sonny, and she has words with him. Is this your first time working so intensely with Marci Miller (Abigail)?
“Yes. It’s always weird when someone steps in [as a replacement], but Marci has a deep emotional well. I connected with her in the scene immediately, but it was a different dynamic than with anyone else who has played Abigail. I hope that I have more scenes with her in the future.”
With everything that has happened to Lucas as a result of his drinking, do you think he has finally reached rock bottom?
“No, he’s not at the lowest point yet. The worst is definitely on its way. He’ll be hanging on by a string.”
