AS THE WORLD TURNS' Austin Peck (Brad) talks teen sex, why we shouldn't be afraid to talk about it, and why he enjoys going, "Hulk smash!"

Soap Opera Weekly: Parker and Liberty's storyline has freaked a lot of people out, since they had sex at so young an age.
Austin Peck: But the good thing is that Brad's perspective [on giving out birth control] is bringing up a lot of conflict. You have a lot of parents, a lot of people, with opinions about it. There's popular media opinion, you have conservative old-school opinion, etc. So there's a lot of debating going on — and I don't get a sense that the show has chosen to take a point of view. Hats off to Chris (Goutman, executive producer) and the writers, because they're presenting the points of view.

Weekly: It's great that the show is treading so carefully. Whether or not teens should be given birth control is a hot issue, and thus a polarizing one.
Peck: That's the weirdest part: People are so afraid of other people's perspectives. When you have something that's really heated like this, there's a large contingency that's offended when you talk about it. I think it's something that needs to be talked about.

Weekly: How do you feel about pretty much everyone disagreeing with Brad? Is that hard to play?
Peck: We have some stuff coming up where it's basically Jack, Janet, Katie and Carly all policing Brad's life. They gang up on him for a particular reason concerning the kids. As soon as I saw that they were ganging up on him, I just loved it. I love when I get to be the only one in the room fighting for one particular opinion. Even [if] it's an unpopular view, I'll fight for it. I love to be the only one saying what no one else is willing to say.

Weekly: Is it weird that Brad has transitioned into such a hardcore family man and such a stickler?
Peck: Right now Brad has a tremendous amount of angst, so his sense of humor is kind of lacking. It's okay for me, because he's human and everybody goes through periods like that. But also, what makes Brad who he is is his sense of irony and his sense of humor. The character has to grow, but there always will be elements of him being a big puppy dog, with that goofiness. It totally coincides with my subtext, as far as why Brad came back to Oakdale in the first place. If he doesn't grow and change, it's a short-lived character.

Weekly: Will we see Brad lighten up again soon?
Peck: Yeah. I feel like I'm back on track as far as fighting for Brad's integrity — which is his sense of humor. He lost it there for a little bit.

Weekly: It will be nice to see him smile again. Liberty's problems have made him all intense.
Peck: The tough stuff, it hasn't been bad, has it? Or am I just one of those people that you'd much rather see laugh than cry? I want you to love to see me laugh and cry.

Weekly: Viewers do love both!
Peck: Hey, I had fun being angry.

Weekly: I could tell, just from you shaking Mick Hazen (Parker) like a Polaroid picture!
Peck: (laughs) That was fun. I just picked him off the couch and placed him four feet away from where he was sitting.

Weekly: How very Incredible Hulk of you.
Peck: It was very Incredible Hulk. Fortunately, he's tall, but he's not very heavy (laughs).