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INTERVIEW

Catching Up With Victor Alfieri

Soap Opera Digest: Victor, you look the same as you did in your soap days.

Victor Alfieri: [Laughs] We all change with time and it’s a beautiful process, right? But thank you for the compliment. I try to work out, doing boxing and martial arts. Change is good, and experience makes us better.

Digest: You have a new movie that’s streaming now. Tell us about My Secret Billionaire.

Alfieri: My character is basically a spoiled rich man who honors his father by having to do without. So, he moves to New York City with nothing and rediscovers himself and learns what is the true meaning of life. It’s a nice romantic comedy.

Digest: What attracted you to this film?

Alfieri: When I read the screenplay, even though Ferro’s relationship with his father is brief in the film, because the film is more Ferro and his experiences, what he goes through without money and everything, that’s what attracted me because I felt connected to the scene, actually. After I read the screenplay, I decided to go after this film because of that scene. It may seem like a cliché that money is not everything and it does not buy you love — we all know that — but it’s a good reminder that we all know what’s good for you but sometimes we forget about it. We have to really stop what we are doing and think about things and think about life and what life is really all about. It’s about love and relationships. That’s what really counts.

Digest: How was it working with your leading lady, Ione Skye?

Alfieri: Oh, she’s really charming. She is a beautiful girl and I had a blast. She was really fun to work with. She was wonderful. She has a very soft personality. It was a pleasure to work with her and we’ve stayed in touch, actually.

Digest: And, you got to shoot the film in New York.

Alfieri: Yes, correct. It was hot and humid. We shot in September, and September is a beautiful month in New York, actually, but when you’re pushing summertime and you’re shooting in Manhattan it becomes hot and sticky and you think, ‘‘Well, that’s okay,” because it’s still a beautiful city.

Digest: How was it playing the good guy because during your soap days, you were often the rapscallion.

Alfieri: It was fun. Believe it or not, it is more challenging to play a good guy than a bad guy [laughs]. It’s true. Bad guys are like, I don’t want to say easier because that has its challenges, too, but you just get into character and just keep that character going with your motivation.

Digest: Speaking of your soap days, do you keep in touch with anyone from your past jobs?

Alfieri: No, not really…. The only person I keep in touch with is Sean Kanan [ex-Deacon, B&B et al]. We’re good friends but or the rest no, actually. If I run into them during events, yes, we connect and hug each other and enjoy our memories, and that is always nice.

Digest: What are some of your favorite soap memories?

Alfieri: Oh, my gosh! If I had to pick just one, I would have to say BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL, when we went to Venice [Italy]. That was such a great memory. That’s the best memory I have on all the soaps.

Digest: Are you still recognized from your soap days?

Alfieri: Oh, yes. Here in the States, I’m still recognized for DAYS OF OUR LIVES and when I go to Europe, it’s from BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL. B&B is huge over there.

Digest: You had such a memorable run as DAYS’s Franco. Were you sad to see him go?

Alfieri: Yeah, I was kind of sad to see Franco die like that, you know? But it’s okay. It’s a job and you do what the writers say. It’s always sad when you see yourself dying [laughs]. But it was a fun ride. I spent almost three years over there and I got to work with Kristian Alfonso [ex-Hope] and Alison Sweeney [Sami]. Everybody there was so nice.

Digest: You also appeared on several other soaps. How were those experiences?

Alfieri: Yes, I think being Italian and having an accent, I’ve been blessed for sure.

Digest: Would you ever consider returning to soaps?

Alfieri: Yes. I think soap is a really tough job and it’s really challenging. You have a lot of lines to learn every day and it is fast but sure, yeah, going back to a soap, I’d probably like that. Work is work and acting jobs are a blessing. When you get an acting job, an acting gig, for an actor, you don’t ever take it for granted. Soaps in the U.S. are so well-made, and it’s a great experience for an actor.

Digest: Lately, you’ve been behind the camera producing films. How has that been?

Alfieri: I really enjoy it. I like writing a lot, too. I enjoy every aspect of the business, actually. It’s a lot of work when you are behind the camera — when you’re acting in a movie, you show up and you do it. When you are producing and everything, it is a lot of work. Acting is a bit easier because you just show up, do your job and go home, while the producer or the director has to stick around for days, even after shooting is done. It is work, but I really enjoy it.

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