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INTERVIEW

Catching Up With Dax Griffin

Tell us about landing the gig on SUNSET BEACH. “I had not been in L.A. very long, and Aaron Spelling [executive producer] was very generous to me. He had another show on called MALIBU SHORES, which I auditioned for, like, seven times, and then it came down between me and one other guy and I ended up not getting the show. So, I went back to bartending and was bummed out, and didn’t think I’d ever get another shot to work with Aaron Spelling. Eight months later, I got this call to come in and audition for this new show, SUNSET BEACH. I auditioned, again, like seven times, and I was like, ‘I’ve got to get this!’ And, it finally happened. I’d heard maybe 1,000 guys read for my character, and for other people like Jason [George, ex-Michael], he came out to L.A. from Virginia, and I’d heard he went up against, like, 25,000 guys and got the part. I haven’t spoken to Jason in a long time but he’s been hugely successful and I’m so proud of him. But, when I got this part, that was truly my big break, for sure.”

Do you keep in touch with any of your former co-stars? “Clive [Robertson, ex-Ben/Derek] and I had not seen each other in years but Hank Cheyne [ex-Ricardo] and Nick Kiriazis [ex-Antonio] and myself came up with the idea to get together for a little reunion, so the four of us all met for a weekend at Hank’s place in Ojai and hung out. We had such a fantastic time. It was really cool to reminisce and catch up. I’m still close to Hank and Nick. We talk just about every single day. I see Sarah Buxton [ex-Annie]. We’re Instagram friends so we always talk. And, Priscilla [Garita, ex-Gabi], I see her and Dominique [Jennings, ex-Virginia], and Eddie [Cibrian, ex-Cole]. It’s such a small acting world.”

How was it being on a soap that consistently filmed on location? “Seal Beach [which stood in for the fictional Sunset Beach] was great. I always enjoyed going down there. I didn’t like the drive because traffic was so bad but once I got there, it was like a weight lifted. You didn’t have to be in L.A. or in Hollywood or in a studio. It was nice to be outside and working on the beach in this cool little town. Everybody really enjoyed it.”

What were your most memorable storylines? “I really liked working with Sarah. She and I had a real partnership. We worked well off of each other. We almost didn’t even have to rehearse. She and I had such a great chemistry with one another. Susan [Ward, ex-Meg] and I worked well with each other, too. It was the same with Clive and me. When you’re on a soap opera where you’re working with someone day in and day out, they know your thoughts and it makes the scenes effortless when you do them. I remember we went back to Kansas and we shot this crazy sequence on Meg’s farm. I remember that fondly. Terror Island was fantastic, but that was a lot of work. I remember it was excruciating. It felt like we were working 24-hour days. It was very demanding, but it was a great group of people to work with. I thought we did a pretty good job with it, especially considering the amount of material we had to shoot in such a short amount of time.”

What was your reaction when BEACH got canceled? “I think we were all very proud of the show. We wish we could have had more time with it, but we still hear from fans online who are asking to see a reunion. I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen, but it’s great to know there’s interest there.”

Thoughts on the finale? “It was weird how Susan and Clive and I, we started the show together. Susan and I were in the very first scenes of the show and then, she and I were in the last scenes of the entire show, and then she and Clive closed it out. It was amazing that we all started together on day one and we ended up together on the very last day. Not a lot of actors can say that.”

What are you up to now? “I’m still very active in acting. I’m living in Atlanta now. Atlanta is like Hollywood East. It’s unbelievable what’s going on here, so I’m auditioning all the time, and I’m doing real estate, as well. I ended up going with Sotheby’s, which is a very reputable name and I’ve had much success with it. It’s been a great blending because it allows me to juggle two careers. I couldn’t think of a better occupation to be in than real estate and acting together.”

What about the possibility of a return to soaps? “I actually auditioned for something on a soap a little while back. I ended up not getting the part, but who knows? Maybe something down the road will open up. I’d love to do it again. I’ve made a living playing the bad boy on these shows and it’s been a great run. I have to say, I like someone who gets in there and plays the real devious character. That said, it’s been 25 years since SUNSET BEACH so I’m not really a bad boy anymore. I’m more of a bad older man now [laughs].”

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