Maura West
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SOAP STAR STATS
Maura West (Carly, ATWT)
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Maura West (Carly, ATWT)
— FABRICE TROMBERT/PGP
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Vital Statistics
- Birthday:
- April 27
- Birthplace:
- Springfield, MA
- Birth Sign:
- Taurus
- Years on Show:
- 1995-1996; 1997-present
- Marital Status:
- West has been married to former co-star Scott DeFreitas (ex-Andy) since Jan. 22, 2000. She was married to director Jonathan Knight from 1995-1999.
- Children:
- Benjamin Crawford West Knight (June 1996), Joseph Peter DeFreitas (March 29, 2000), Katherine Marie DeFreitas (Jan. 9, 2002), Basil John DeFreitas (January 30, 2007).
The 411
Maura West was born on April 27 in Springfield, Mass. and raised in nearby Ludlow. She is the youngest of four children and has two brothers and one sister. She attended Boston University and graduated with a bachelors degree in fine arts.
The young actress won the role of Carly in 1995 after the show's casting director saw her in a college production in Boston. She left the show in May 1996, to give birth to her son, Benjamin Knight. West returned to ATWT in September 1997, continuing her character's schemes and lusty affairs.
West followed an ATWT tradition, that of marrying co-stars, when she married Scott DeFreitas. Colleen Zenk Pinter (Barbara) met Mark Pinter while he played Brian. Kelley Menighan Hensley (Emily) married Jon Hensley (Holden) in 1996. West surprised her co-stars when she agreed to give birth to her second child on The Learning Channel's A BABY STORY.
West has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy three times — twice for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2001, 2002 and once for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2004. She finally won a Daytime Emmy in 2007 for Outstanding Lead Actress. She has also received four Soap Opera Digest award nominations, including one for Favorite Couple, with Michael Park (Jack) in 2001, two for Younger Lead actress in 1999 and 2000 and one for Outstanding Villainess in 1996.
Five Random Facts
—Was born Maura Jo Snyder (West is her mother's maiden name, which she took at 17)
—Watched AS THE WORLD TURNS while attending high school and was huge fan of Martha Byrne (Lily) and Ben Hendrickson (ex-Hal)
—Earned her bachelor of fine arts degree at Boston University
—Is a fan of the New York Yankees
—Husband Scott DeFreitas (ex-Andy) proposed to her at Yankee Stadium via the scoreboard in center field
—Loves reading, going to the movies and spending time with her family.
Career Highlights
Stage Roles
Much Ado About Nothing
Translations
Top Girls
Hamlet
Memorable Quotes
Riding Carly
"I'd never want to play a heroine. It's so boring..."
— Soap Opera Digest, 1/30/96
"I can be snarly, bitchy and rude one minute, then be a nice girl and then do a sobbing scene. Not everyone has a character like that,"
— Soap Opera Weekly, 11/27/98
Hot Mama
"I am a small person, but I have mutant children,"
— on the fact her son Joseph weighed 10 pounds at birth, Weekly, 8/22/2000
"We're like a typical family that is quirky. We are emotional people; we allow our children to be. We respect their emotions and there's no burying of anything, which is really healthy but it can be a circus in my house...."
— Digest, 6/8/04
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