Where To Catch Him: On season 2 of the anthology series TELL ME A STORY on CBS All Access.
What did you learn from your soap years? “Oh, man! I learned so much from those days. When I first started act- ing, I was very uncomfortable in front of the camera. I remember my very first scene was on ANOTHER WORLD, actually, and what I’m grateful for was we shot an episode a day, so I literally learned how to act then and there. I had done some theater, but I feel like I not only learned how to act but also be comfortable on camera by doing a soap opera. Not to mention, it was an incredibly cool experience as a kid in high school to just have this whole separate life in New York City! It was a magical time in my life.”
Do you keep in touch with any of your Springfield pals? “Well, Brittany Snow [ex-Susan] is still a very good friend of mine. We talk a lot, and occasionally I get a text from Paulo Benedeti [ex-Jesse et al]. Gosh, I haven’t talked to Tammy Blanchard [ex-Drew] in ages — and that was pretty much my storyline [laughs].”
Have you seen your clip on YouTube where Max saves Susan from a drunk jock, played by Chris Carmack (ex-Luke, THE O.C. et al)? “Yes! And years later, I ended up on THE O.C. [as Donnie] and I ended up shooting him, so he punched me on GUIDING LIGHT and then I shot him on THE O.C. It was like karmic payback!”
How are you enjoying TELL ME A STORY after your long run on THE VAMPIRE DIARIES? “I think when you’re on a show for eight years, you really want to try to flex your muscles in a different capacity. I’m very fortunate that Kevin [Williamson, creator] is trusting me. This guy’s also, I’d say, the antithesis of the character I played for eight years on The CW. And, you know, that’s the goal. I think every actor tries to always do something so that they can be seen a little bit differently.”
Have your TVD fans followed you to this show? “For sure. We have a loyal following all over the world. Our fans have been extremely supportive, especially on social media, and I’m so grateful for that. They’re growing up, too, and this is a more mature, sophisticated show for them.”
