Paul Leyden (Simon) weighs in on being back — and catting around with Katie.
Soap Opera Weekly: Are you having fun being back?
Paul Leyden: Yeah, I am actually. Stuff always looks better on paper, but I think it's played out quite well when it's aired. I think Simon this time around has a little bit more of a "I don't give a sh--" attitude — so it's fun to play someone who is a bit more "fly by the seat of his pants."
Weekly: Unlike his last return?
Leyden: The last time around, he was a bit more heavy, 'cause all he wanted was Katie.
Weekly: Has Simon really changed for the better?
Leyden: Everyone [in Oakdale] thinks Simon's a bit of a shyster, so no one really believes him straight off. I think the word 'scam' is mentioned a hundred times. They all think Simon's just a scam artist.
Weekly: Well, his newfound wealth certainly helps.
Leyden: Simon's gone from being a mechanic on the show to probably the richest guy in Oakdale. It's very ironic. Knowing Simon, he'll probably throw around those greenbacks quite well.
Weekly: Money can't buy Katie’s love, though! Is he hoping to win her back?
Leyden: I don't think that's dead. I'm hoping that the writers keep a completely open mind when it comes to them, because I think there's so much that they haven't explored yet. There's so much potential for a lot of good stuff to happen. There's all these established couples and now Simon's been thrown back in the mix. It's not so cut-and-dried how it all works out. It can be nice and complicated, which is a good thing.
Weekly: The first time around, Katie did the chasing. Now Simon is the one pulling the stunts.
Leyden: Yeah. (Laughs). I guess when they brought him back, they made him a clean slate. He's the one doing the chasing or he's the one who still hasn't grown up. It sounds like Katie has grown up — I haven't watched the show since I've been gone. It seems like Katie's gotten a lot more mellow, homebody-ish and domestic with Mike. I don't think Simon has that in him as a character, which is why I like him. He's not a domesticated character. He's like a stray cat that can't be tamed. I think that brought a lot of stuff out in Katie that obviously was fun and non-typical of a settled couple. But deep down, I think she's still "the one that got away" for him. Out of all the women that he's had, she's the one that really struck a chord with him. He is a bit of a wanderer; he's a drifter. As a result, the only home he's ever found is with Katie. Whether that comes full circle or completely ends remains to be seen.
