Dominic Zamprogna Says Good-Bye To GH After A Nine-Year Run As Dante
Soap Opera Digest: It was your choice to leave the show. Talk me through how you arrived at that decision.
Dominic Zamprogna: Well, first off, I feel super-lucky to have had a job for nine years as an actor. I think that’s super-rare. A lot of people don’t last as long as I did, so I consider it a really successful run. My goal when I got here was to do one contract and leave. I was having such fun and I really enjoyed everybody that I was working with and the stories that were being written at the time. The whole experience of being in California as an actor on a show was a dream come true. I stayed for another contract, kind of like, “Hey, this is going really great, let’s stick around.” Probably halfway through that contract I sort of felt like maybe it wasn’t the greatest move because I felt like the character was kind of losing a little bit [of steam]. Julie [Marie Berman, ex-Lulu] decided to leave, which was her decision and cool; I was sad to see her go but they got Emme [Rylan, Lulu] and I loved working with her, so it was still really great, I just found they started not really writing the character and the relationship to be quite as important. It wasn’t until about a year-and-a-half ago that I started talking to my wife about maybe moving on. She could tell I wasn’t as happy anymore. I had happy days and it was still a great place to work. I’m not trying to make anyone feel sorry for me; I wasn’t digging ditches, you know what I mean? It was a great job! The difference was, I think I got a little bit burned out playing the same guy. I had never played the same role for that long. Bob [Guza Jr., former head writer] created the character and wrote it, obviously, with the most passion because it was his baby, and then Ron [Carlivati, former head writer] came in and wrote his version of the show and that’s when we had the cheating storyline [when Dante bedded Valerie], which was a bit of a departure for the character. That initially kind of hit me a little bit, but then I was like, “Hey, this is a soap. This is what happens on these shows!” And in doing that storyline, Emme and I had a story; we were game to do it. After Ron left, I feel like we never really got much more opportunity in the way of showing what we can do, and that leads to frustration.
Digest: It’s not that you weren’t working, but you were no longer being challenged? Is that where the frustration came from?
Zamprogna: The frustration came from, you’re not really driving story. I wasn’t under my guarantee [the number of episodes he is contracted to work] or anything. I couldn’t tell you what it was at first. I was like, “Maybe I’m just done playing this guy!” My wife was like, “I support you if you decide to move on.” And so we started saving and getting geared up. I was lucky to have a wife who was behind me 100 percent, and I feel so blessed and grateful for the nine years I had. I gained some phenomenal friends and some amazing experience, but that kind of burns you out, too. The amount of material we do in a day really takes a toll on your sanity sometimes. Forty to 50 pages of dialogue a day … When you do have a story, it’s pretty crazy! I learned how to be a better actor, I believe, in the years I was there. The work that I was doing at the end with Max [Gail, Mike] and with Ryan’s [Paevey, ex-Nathan] death and the stuff I shot toward the end with Emme, I feel pretty proud of that work.
Digest: You did enter negotiations with the show to possibly renew your deal. Why, if you had made the decision to leave?
Zamprogna: It’s tough to leave! I was in negotiations because I feel like I owed it to GH to give it a go. Honestly, I went into it with, “I’m gonna go,” and then as the negotiations went on I was like, “Well….” They really did want me to stay, they were telling me and showing me that, and that’s tough to turn down! When you’re wanted and you have a really good life and a good thing going on, it’s not easy to say, “I’m gonna stick to my guns.” I was talking with Frank [Valentini, executive producer] and my [representatives] and my wife, and when numbers start being thrown around and emotions get involved, it can start to cloud the picture you envisioned for yourself. But ultimately, I realized it was probably best to stick with my original plan. I just started to feel it in my gut. I wasn’t so unhappy that I needed to get out, I just think in this world we’re all scared to make that jump to do something else. I’m only in L.A. doing this job because I chose to do what I just did again: I chose to take a risk and roll the dice and bet on myself and that’s why I’m in L.A. raising a family coming off doing a show for nine years. Staying again, while it would’ve been an easier choice to make, would’ve been a comfortable choice — and for that reason I went the other way, because my gut was saying, “It’s time for you to get out of your comfort zone.”
Digest: Is there anything the show could’ve done to keep you?
Zamprogna: I don’t think there was anything they could’ve done right now. Maybe in the years leading up to right now there were things that could’ve been done differently, but that’s hindsight, you know? In their defense, there are things I could’ve done. I could’ve said, “Hey, I’m not super-happy,” but I think that’s just kind of me; I just kind of do my job and go home. I could’ve done more to make them aware, but at the same time I was like, “Hey, you guys gotta know there’s been a bit of a shift in how I am being used.” At the end of the day, there were no hard feelings. I bawled my eyes out on my last day, Maurice [Benard, Sonny] said some beautiful words on my behalf, I gave Frank a big hug and apologized for it not working out and he did the same and we said, “Let’s get dinner some time.” I don’t think anything was left in a bad place or in a bad way; it was just time to go.
Digest: What did Emme say about you leaving? Maurice? Lisa LoCicero (Olivia)?
Zamprogna: Maurice was super-supportive. He was like, “Look, you’re good enough to go out there and work.” I was honored that he said that to me. They were all kind of like, “Now’s the time. You’re still kind of a young dude and you’re kind of in your prime.” I feel like I’m at the top of my game, ability-wise. If there was ever a time to go and get back out there it’d be now, and they all agreed with that. Lisa is sad that we’re not going to be working together anymore, and Emme, I think, is legitimately not happy about it. She’s happy for me but sad to lose her other half — her lesser half! — of TV marriage.
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Digest: When it came time to actually pack up your dressing room and say your good-byes, was that tough for you?
Zamprogna: By that point I was ready. I had my room packed up pretty quick! Not a lot of people knew I was leaving; there were people walking by my door saying, “What the hell is going on?” James Patrick Stuart [Valentin] was like, “What the f—, man?” Frank came down [to the set] and said, “It’s Dom’s last day. We’re sad he’s leaving, and the best person to speak about it would be this guy, so Maurice, please come up.” Maurice came and spoke in front of everybody. Kirsten [Storms, Maxie] and Emme were there, a few other actors, and it was really important to me that I said good-bye to my crew, the people on the other side of the lens who work their asses off every day. I had a drink with Tamara Braun [Kim] before I left in my room, then I took my stuff out to the car and gave Emme a hug because she had to get to her kid’s concert.
Digest: Did you have any sort of weird “I just played Dante for the last time” kind of moment?
Zamprogna: Yeah, I felt that way. It just felt surreal because GH is the second-longest place I’ve ever been in my life, after growing up in my parents’ house!
Digest: Over the past nine years, you got married, you had babies, you lost your mother; it’s pretty profound to think that GH has been your home base through so many life changes.
Zamprogna: Yeah, it’s crazy. I said that when I was saying good-bye to everyone onstage. It’s been the most important time of my life and the most meaningful time of my life. At the same time, I feel like it’s a chapter in the book of my life. My wife said to me, “When you look back in 10 years, are you going to be happier if you take a chance or stay comfortable?” And I said, “I feel like I’m going to be happier if I look back and say I rolled the dice again.” The thing is, whenever you live by your gut, you somehow make the right decision. Going back to your question, was it tough [to clear out my dressing room]? Yeah, it was tough! I did it fast because I didn’t want to sit there and make a meal out of taking the pictures off the wall, but there were a lot of memories in my room. I’ve got wedding photos up there, I’ve got a shot of me and Bree Williamson [ex-Claudette] from when we did the crossover promotional thing [the WHAT IF… web series in which Dante met her ONE LIFE TO LIVE alter Tess], Wil deVry [Julian] would put Maple Leafs stamps on the front of my door … There’s a lot of memories and a lot of great feelings that I’m gonna take with me. But I’m kind of leaving on a high note, you know? When things happen on your terms, it’s empowering and it rejuvenates you as far as your self-esteem and your confidence level.
Digest: Obviously, GH fans are sad to see you go. What do you want to say to them?
Zamprogna: From day one, I was so welcomed by everybody in the soap fan community. It’s hard to put into words, my gratitude for everyone welcoming me and my rendition of this guy and making me feel loved for so long. I can’t believe more of them didn’t turn on me! I just can’t say thank you enough and speak to the level of gratitude I feel to everyone for the love and acceptance into the family. I think about the people I’ve met who say, “I used to watch you with my mother, who’s now passed, and now I watch you with my daughter,” or, “My husband comes into the room when you’re on and says you seem so legitimately New York” — all of that feels amazing. You don’t want to say that you need people to say reinforcing things to you to feel like you’re doing a good job, but it sure feels good.
Digest: Are you going to miss the job?
Zamprogna: I’m totally going to miss it! I’m getting text messages from people at work saying, “We miss you,” and “It’s not the same,” and I feel the same way! But I feel like being an actor means you’ve got to put yourself out there and put yourself in uncomfortable positions quite regularly to land that next big thing. That was what I was used to up until I booked GH. I was ready to settle down and play one role for a long time because I was kind of on the other end of the spectrum that I’m on right now, and it feels really great walking into auditions and feeling that feeling again.
I have no regrets at this point. I feel really, really good about my decision and so does my family. I’m working on another show called TIN STAR right now, and that kind of helps, too, to be going out into another job, albeit a temporary one. But that’s just the life of an actor.
Digest: Would you consider a return in the future?
Zamprogna: I would never say, “I would never go back and play that role again.” I’m not saying it’s over forever. It’s way too important a part of my life to never want to do it again.
For My Next Act: Zamprogna began shooting episodes of the second season of TIN STAR, which will be available on Amazon Prime, shortly after wrapping at GH. “It validated my decision that now was my time to go,” he says.
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