READER PANEL

PROFILE

Vincent Irizarry

ON SOAP OPERA DIGEST AND WEEKLY ONLINE

SOAP STAR STATS

Vincent Irizarry (David, AMC)

— JPI

Vital Statistics

Birthdate:: Nov. 12
Marital Status:: Married to Avalon (1997-present); divorced from Signy Coleman (1989-1992)
Children:: Daughter, Siena, born March 1990; daughter, Aria, born 1998; and a son, Elias, born in November 2001
Years On Show:: 2008-present

THE 411

Vincent Irizarry was raised in Long Island, N.Y. He was interested in the arts as a young child. While studying piano at Berklee College of Music in Boston, he developed a fondness for acting. Before getting his first professional role with the New York Shakespeare Festival, he starred in Boston-based productions.

Irizarry's first daytime role, as GUIDING LIGHT's Brandon "Lujack" Luvanoczeck, won him a 1986 Daytime Emmy nomination. He went on to star in SANTA BARBARA as well as appear in prime time on L.A. LAW, BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 and MURDER, SHE WROTE.

In 1989, he married fellow SB star Signy Coleman (ex-Celeste; also ex-Teri/Annie; ex-Hope, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS). He divorced Coleman in 1992 and married Avalon.

On the big screen, he starred with Sissy Spacek in 1985's MARIA, and with Clint Eastwood in 1986's HEARTBREAK RIDGE.

In 1997 Irizarry landed in Pine Valley for what was supposed to be a short-term role as the evil Dr. David Hayward. The character became so popular that he returned after a brief break and won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villain in 1999.

After a surprising ouster from AMC, he quickly landed the role of the mysterious David Chow on Y&R, where he stayed from 2006 until August 2008. When Genoa City's David was killed in a car crash that also took the life of Victor's new wife, Sabrina (Raya Meddine), AMC came calling again and signed Irizarry up for another stint as Dr. Hayward.

ET CETERA

—Played Paul McCartney in the off-Broadway production Lennon
—Was waiting tables and sleeping in the back of New York's 13th Street Theater when he won the role of GL's Brandon Luvanoczeck
—Turned down a screen test for ANOTHER WORLD a year before going to GL because he was up for a lead role in Francis Ford Coppola's THE OUTSIDERS
—Is one of six children
—Performed a solo with the Orchestre de Lyon
—Spends his free time supporting the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Other Soap Roles
YOUNG AND RESTLESS, 2006-2008 (David Chow)
ALL MY CHILDREN, 1997-'98, 1998-2006 (David Hayward)
SANTA BARBARA, 1987-'89 (Scott Clark)
GUIDING LIGHT, 1984-'86 (Brandon Luvanoczeck)
GUIDING LIGHT, 1991-'96 (Nick McHenry Spaulding)
TV Roles
LUCKY/CHANCES (1990) (mini) TV Series (Gino Santangelo)
CIRCUS (1988) (TV) (Sean)
ECHOES IN THE DARKNESS(1987) (TV) (Montione)
FIREFIGHTER (1986) (TV) (Mike)
THE SENTINEL (1996) (Nick Prosky) in episode: "Disappearing Act" 1997
MURDER SHE WROTE (1984) (Michael Abruzzi) in episode: "Family Doctor" 1991
MANCUSO, FBI (1989) in episode: "Shiva Me Timbers" (1990
HOTEL (1983) (Gary Johnson) in episode: "Desperate Moves" (1987
L.A. LAW (1986) (Peter Brosens) (as Vince Irizarry) in episode: "Raiders of the Lost Bark" 1986
Film Roles
Heartbreak Ridge (1986) (LCpl. Fragatti)
Marie (1985) (Dave Ragghianti)

MEMORABLE QUOTES

"How could I act like just accepting Christ makes it a done deal? I fall short all of the time. I'm constantly being willful. There are days when I'm impatient with others, overly demanding or over critical of others. Arrogance, yes, also. It's a process, and God knows exactly how to do it. And I have to lean on Him entirely to do it." —on religion, Soap Opera Weekly, Feb. 2, 1999

"I do see the value in a character that's multidimensional.... You see his capacity to love passionately and to be selfless as a person. It's exciting to see the potential of that in a so-called villain, and that's what the audience responds to."—on the appeal of his character, Soap Opera Weekly, Oct. 23, 2001

"Oh, brother. It's like every villain's dream to be handed an award from your two latest victims. First, I want to thank my lord and savior, Jesus Christ. His faithfulness remains even when mine often wanes. To Him be all the glory. I want to thank Lynn Leahey, Soap Opera Digest, for this honor; the fans, for years and years of support and heartfelt — just such graciousness." —Acceptance speech for his 1999 Soap Opera Digest Best Villain Award.