What appeals to you about the role of Dimitri? “Ron [Carlivati, head writer] and the writers did a brilliant job at writing something that is not just a mustache-twirling villain. Dimitri is someone who is broken and hurting and doing whatever he can to survive. He’s not a bad person in the end. He’s got somewhere to go and something to learn, even at his age. I believe there’s going to be something very redeemable about him in the near future.”
Do you perceive the character as a villain? “I see him having villainous tendencies, but I don’t see him as a villain. He’s misguided. Years and years of going to, essentially, ‘villain school’ and having the bloodline of a villain has placed him in a confusing mental state. But at the core, I think he has a very good heart.”
What’s your take on Dimitri’s relationship with Gwen? “Dimitri’s trained at manipulation. He’s trained at seduction. He’s trained at getting people to believe whatever he wants. It’s an interesting thing for me to play, and I approach it as he believes all of his lies. On some level, when he is with Gwen, he believes that they could be perfect for one another because he’s so stunted emotionally and has been under his mother’s spell for so long. On some level he’s looking at this romance and believing that it might be real.”
What was it like meshing as mother and son with Miranda Wilson (ex-Megan)? “We had fun playing these characters who are both world-conquering masterminds, but also a silly, sweet family with a mother-and-son relationship. To play the duality of those things, especially with someone like Miranda, is really fun.”
Do you enjoy playing partners in crime with your fellow DiMeras? “It’s great. I loved working with Miranda. She’s a fabulous actress. I love working with Stacy [Haiduk, Kristen], who plays my aunt, too. I love that there are powerful female figures kind of holding the cards and being nefarious and evil. I like being a pawn in that. It gives me somewhere to grow to. And the fact that it’s so close to home keeps the stakes even higher.”
Did anyone at DAYS fill you in on Dimitri’s complicated family and help you acclimate to the show in general? “Miranda did a great job of that, having been part of the DiMera family since the ’80s. She was a great resource as far as background goes. And then there’s my friend Greg Rikaart [Leo; Kevin, Y&R]. I’ve known him for 12 years. We were on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS together. It was great to come into a show already having someone as close to me as him there who could kind of show me the ropes, how it all works, and how this massive family tree all lines up.”
Some actors have said it’s hard keeping a straight face in scenes with Greg because he’s so funny. Have you found that to be the case? “I think we play off each other very well. He’s a hysterical actor. As our on-camera friendship progresses, or our frenemy-ship progresses, you’ll see that the writers even give me some jokes. So we have a fun banter.”
