Pine Valley just hasn't been the same since Josh Duhamel (ex-Leo) left ALL MY CHILDREN to give Hollywood a shot. The Emmy-winning actor didn't have to wait long for his big break: In just the few months he's been gone, Duhamel landed a leading role in the high-profile, Las Vegas-based dramatic pilot LAS VEGAS, which secured a spot on NBC's fall schedule, and on May 18 he was set to begin shooting the feature film Win A Date With Tad Hamilton!, in which he plays the titular role of a smug movie hunk. When Digest interviewed Duhamel on the occasion of his AMC exit, we made him solemnly swear to still speak to us little people when he became a big star. His tongue-in-cheek reply? "Sure, but you'll have to go through my agents, managers, publicists and personal assistants first." Recently, he made good on that promise (with far less hassle) and checked in with us by phone from California on the eve of the 30th Annual Daytime Emmys.

Soap Opera Digest: Congratulations on your nomination! Were you expecting to hear your name when they announced the nominees?
Josh Duhamel: Not at all, no. I was there almost the whole year, a full nine months, but still, I didn't expect it. I really didn't think it was going to happen. I don't know; I just didn't feel completely comfortable with it because I hadn't been there for so long. But I was flattered and I was happy. And I was so happy about Little Budig [Rebecca Budig, AMC's Greenlee, who received a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actress]. She was robbed last year, in my opinion.

Digest: The only two people nominated for Emmys this year who aren't still in their roles are you and Vanessa Marcil (ex-Brenda, GH), with whom you did the pilot for LAS VEGAS.
Duhamel: I know, we just did the Las Vegas thing! She told me that about the Emmys. She's been nominated before, right? She's a sweetheart, a total sweetheart. I really liked working with her.

Digest: You know, not to give you a big head or anything, but you're somewhat missed around the AMC studio.
Duhamel: I love those people, I really do. They are the reason.... The actors and [Casting Director] Judy Wilson and [Executive Producer] Jeannie Burke, all those people, they made it so easy. They made the atmosphere so easy for me to go for it, you know? They gave me a lot of confidence in myself. They gave me the confidence to feel like I didn't have to sell out when I went in front of casting directors. It was the best thing that could have happened to me, being there. I had no experience going in [to AMC]. I learned everything there.

Digest: Now if only the knowledge you gained there would translate into you finding some work!
Duhamel: [Laughs] Well, it's been good so far! But hey, that could be taken away as quickly as I got it, too, so it's great, but I'm trying not to get too excited about it.

Digest: I hope you'll let us be excited for you!
Duhamel: You can be as excited as you want. And even more so, go buy tickets for the movie! Tell your friends! Tell everyone who reads Soap Digest!