Martha Byrne Has the Write Stuff
Martha Byrne (ex-Lily, AS THE WORLD TURNS) has joined the writing team at BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL as a script writer. She dishes changing hats, and assures us that she’s still hanging out with her Oakdale pals in an “epic” way.
Soap Opera Weekly: Your new writing gig will be interesting for fans, since you’re so identifiable, which is rare when it comes to soap writers — especially individual script writers.
Martha Byrne: I’m really humbled by the support. Fans have been so supportive and excited, and it’s kind of a clue into how people perceive you as a person, not necessarily as an actress. The fans have always been the priority. They’re always the most important [people] to think about, so when I’m writing, I do the same thing. I think, “What do the fans want to watch? What do actors want to say? What is interesting for me as an actor to play? What’s interesting for me as a viewer to want to watch?”
All those factors come into play. You listen to the fans and what they like and what they respond to, try to incorporate that into the dialogue, and hope it plays on camera. And that’s going to be the next test: to see how it translates to the screen. I haven’t seen anything yet, so I don’t know how much has been changed; what the actors and editors have done. I’ve always had a great respect for what daytime writers do, because it’s so much work. I have a reenergized respect for them. It’s been a really incredible learning experience for me. As a writer, the more you do it, the more stamina you develop and the stronger you get.
Weekly: And it’s something you can do from the East Coast, as well. You don’t have to be in California, where B&B is shot.
Byrne: No. I miss that part of it, though. I’m such a people person, and such an interactive person with my work, that I do miss that in-person collaboration. And you’re in such a grind there’s not really any time to talk about scripts or where you’re going with your script. I miss the social aspect of the process. But I can get that if and when I act again. Script writing is very different than breakdown writing for soaps. Breakdown writers are much more involved with the process. And working from home…there are tricks to that. If you have three children (laughs), it’s a little more difficult, but you find a way. You do it.
Weekly: You’re just busy, busy, busy! You have a St. Jude’s event coming up in May, and you, Tamara Tunie (ex-Jessica, ATWT) and Paolo Seganti (Damian, ATWT) have the As the Epic Turns reading on April 17 and 18.
Byrne: Kathleen Widdoes (Emma, ATWT) is going to be a part of that, too. We’re thrilled. I think people are going to be thrilled to see her onstage. She’s just incredible.
Weekly: How did you get involved in doing this reading?
Byrne: It kind of stemmed from Paolo coming back [to WORLD TURNS]. I was like, “Oh, I’m going to miss working with him,” and he was like, “Well, let’s just do something together.” And this Epic Theatre ensemble is such a great theater company. Zak Berman, who is the director and runs the theater company, used to work at ATWT, and Tamara is on the board. So it was the perfect scenario. We just threw something together to get some awareness about the theater company. It’s a fun event.
Weekly: And you’re premiering Paul Leyden‘s (ex-Simon, ATWT) short film, Bye Bye Sally there, as well, right?
Byrne: I produced it and Paul wrote it and directed it. It’s 14 minutes long. Malin Akerman is in it — she’s the lead actress in Watchmen, which is out right now — and Paolo’s in it, as well. He plays a really slimy character [laughs]. We just thought it’d be a fun way to get some people to see it. It’s in the Newport Beach Film Festival, and we’re sending it out to the festival circuit. To work with Paul and Paolo again was great. Those friends [you make on a show] are your friends forever. It turned out perfectly. The timing was great. Paul and I are going to be doing another feature together, probably in the fall. We’re working on that right now. So I’m trying to keep busy with all kinds of things. Because you have to. You can’t stop creating. You have to keep going.
Weekly: Especially now, with the entertainment industry being the way it is.
Byrne: You have to. My niece is starting in the business. She’s 19, and I was like, “You have to be able to write your own projects and produce your own projects. That’s the industry today.” I’m starting a little bit later, as far as that goes. It takes time to build a reputation and do it, but I’m starting!
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