Paolo Seganti

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SOAP STAR STATS

Paolo Seganti (ex-Damian, ATWT)

Vital Statistics

The 411

As the middle child of five brothers growing up in Italy, Paolo Seganti first found the spotlight (and worked out his teenage aggression) in a boxing ring. He won 40 fights (38 by knockout) and lost just two, earning three Italian junior championships by the time he was 15. He always equated the ring to a stage, and sure enough, that's where a fashion photographer discovered him.

After doing some modeling and commercials in Italy, Seganti emptied his savings account and moved to the U.S. — where he had always dreamed of living — when he was 19. Unfortunately, the American modeling agencies told him to go home, work on his portfolio and learn English first. Instead, he went to Canada, where he soon launched as a print and runway model, working with renowned photographers like Bruce Weber, supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista and designers including Calvin Klein, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent. But he quickly got over the snobby nature of the modeling business, and also earned a reputation for being difficult — walking off jobs if someone gave him attitude and letting his blunt candor get the better of him — which followed Seganti into his early forays in acting.

Having just shot one of his last gigs as a model — the campaign for Chanel's Égoïste cologne — in 1993, he won the role of Damian, Lily's wealthy, mysterious new husband. While the former boxer with the motorcycle collection and the Italian accent was an instant hit with fans, Seganti almost immediately started looking for a way out. Feeling as though he'd been misled by an agent regarding his ability to do other work while on ATWT, he was typically outspoken during his initial two-year run on the show and was finally freed from his contract a few months early. (Indeed, he'd already completed a high-profile supporting role as Johnny Stompanato in the critically acclaimed film L.A. Confidential.) That's when he vowed that he wouldn't do soaps again because movies were his future.

But if he came off as cocky and ungrateful in the press, the affable, easygoing actor is actually beloved by co-stars like Martha Byrne (Lily), who was responsible for luring him back in 1997 and 2001 to briefly reprise his increasingly sinister role as the most successful interloper between supercouple Lily and Holden. During his time away from Oakdale, Seganti has worked steadily in film, theater and TV all over the world, including the lead in the international hit show LARGO WINCH for two seasons. He is also the executive producer of the award-winning 2000 documentary Dark Days (of which Van Hansis, Luke, is a fan). Though he recently flirted with the idea of joining a West Coast soap (GENERAL HOSPITAL's studio is just five minutes from his home), Byrne — along with his most intriguing storyline since his early days on the soap — persuaded him to come home to ATWT again instead.

Seganti now lives with his family in L.A

Et Cetera

Five Random Facts
—At age 20, he married a Canadian woman, mostly to get his working papers, and divorced her after two-and-a-half years.
—Most of his work as a Formula One racecar driver in Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You ended up on the cutting room floor. "I am in the film — for one second," he told Digest in 2001. "I'm like a bona fide extra."
—His prefame jobs included working aboard a ship, driving tractors and gas station attendant.
—During a mandatory stint in the Italian marines, he won the Italian championship for rowing.
—Seganti is fluent in Italian, French and English.

Other Roles

Regular TV Roles
LARGO WINCH (Largo, 2001)

Guest-Starring TV Roles
RELATED (Nino, 2006)
ER (Adrian, 2005)
FREDDIE (Marco, 2005)
EYES (Julian, 2005)
LE STAGIONI DEL CUORE (Gianni, 2004)
CSI: MIAMI (Larry, 2002)
THAT'S LIFE (Lorenzo, 2002)
SECRET SERVICE GUY (Yuri, 1999)
PERVERSIONS OF SCIENCE (Mike, 1997)
BABYLON 5 (Phillipe, 1997)
NASH BRIDGES (Tim, 1997)
THE NANNY (Philippe, 1996)

TV Movie Roles
HO SPOSATO UN CALCIATORE (Bruno, 2005)
ULTIMO 3: L'INFILTRATO (Arciere, 2004)
LARGO WINCH: THE HEIR (Largo, 2001)
SEX & MRS. X (Francesco, 2000)
KIDNAPPED IN RIO (Benedito, 2000)
THE COURIER OF THE CZAR (Michael, 1999)
CARAIBI (Ippolito, 1999)
ULTIMO 2: LA SFIDA (Arciere, 1999)
ULTIMO (Arciere, 1998)

Film Roles
L'Américain (Rick, 2004)
Cradle 2 the Grave (Christophe, 2003)
Married/Unmarried (Paul, 2001)
Tea With Mussolini (Vittorio, 1999)
Still Breathing (Tomas, 1997)
L.A. Confidential (Johnny, 1997)
Everyone Says I Love You (DJ's Venice Date, 1996)

Theatre
The Courtesan and the Eunich
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
Hello Out There
Sharing
Golden Boy
True West
Danny and the Deep Blue Sea
Equus

Memorable Quotes

FOOT-IN-MOUTH DISEASE
"I never thought I could make it as a model because I'm loud and I make fun of everybody. But that's probably why they liked me. I know there are people who are better looking than me, but they're boring." — Soap Opera Digest, 11/23/93

"This is a job for theater actors in New York who don't work much in movies. If you got it, you move on. If you don't, you stay in it." — from his exit interview, Digest, 1/2/96

"I badmouthed a lot of people — or the show in general — because I was frustrated, really angry at times, that I couldn't do other things." — Digest, 5/27/01

BRUSHES WITH FAME
"I looked at her for, like, 20 minutes when she was getting her makeup done because I thought that she looked familiar. Then I went up to her — I barely spoke English — and said, 'You know, you look like a really top model ... what's her name?' The makeup girl said, 'Cindy Crawford?' I said, 'Yeah! Doesn't she look like her?' [Crawford] started laughing. Of course, it was her. I was so embarrassed. But she was really nice about it." — Digest, 11/23/93

"[Cher] was a sweetheart. I thought she was going to be a problem because she's Cher — she's a big star. But she was one of the best people I've ever worked with — such a caring, nice human being. I can't say enough about her." — Digest, 5/27/01

YOU SHOULD HEAR WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YOU!
"Paolo Seganti is family to me. I miss him constantly. I feel like when he's here, everything's better. When you first start, everybody's your best buddy. But as you get older, things start to focus in a bit more and you realize who the real friends are. Hundreds have come and gone, but there are very few that you will take with you forever." — Martha Byrne (Lily), Digest, 12/25/01

"Everybody liked Paolo; I was really glad when he came on. Opinions were split down the middle. Some wanted to see Holden and Lily and there were some who really liked Paolo and wanted them to be together, so it was good. We milked that for three years." — Jon Hensley (Holden), Digest, 3/17/98

Paolo Seganti's Actor's Page>>>

RELATED RESOURCES

• Julie Pinson (Janet, ATWT)
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• Kelley Menighan Hensley (Emily, ATWT)
• Terri Colombino (Katie, ATWT)
• Jesse Soffer (ex-Will, ATWT)