What is your most vivid memory of your first day on set? “Looking in the mirror after getting my hair and makeup done, and putting on my dress for the ‘Teriah’ wedding and I was just like, ‘Wow! That’s Summer!’ It was definitely a bold look, fitting with Summer’s bold personality. It helped me get into Summer’s mindset right away.”
What do you wish you’d known going in that you had to learn on your own? “So much! And there’s so much that I’m still figuring out. I think there’s a big learning curve when it comes to soaps. Just the pace of everything, the technical lingo, the feeling of three different cameras pointing at you at once. There’s a lot that could make someone nervous, but I find that the more prepared I am, the less I worry about everything else.”
Who is the first actor from the show you hung out with outside of work? “Kelsey Wang [Allie] and I went to the Daytime Emmys together last year and we had so much fun! I went over to her house recently for her birthday, which was so lovely.”
Have you been recognized yet by a fan? “Only once! I love going to estate sales and I was walking into one here in L.A. a few months ago when someone walking out said, ‘Oh, I love you!’ I was like, ‘What?! You do? Thank you!’ ”
Have you had any memorable bloopers or flubs thus far? “I was dancing with Michael Mealor [Kyle] for scenes at ‘Skyle’s’ pre-vow renewal party, and he went to spin me but instead fully clocked me with his forearm on the side of my head. I guess he was really into the dancing because the force of it knocked me to the floor! We were just in the foreground of a serious conversation between Jack and Diane, so the scene continued and we were all cracking up so hard but trying to contain ourselves as I got up from the ground. Fortunately, one of the cameras caught it and we all had a good laugh at the playback. And I wasn’t hurt!”
How has this job changed your life? “So many ways! I lived in New York when I got this job, so now I go back and forth, but most of my time is spent in L.A. That in itself has been a huge lifestyle change. Mostly I just feel grateful to be working consistently as an actor, because that’s not easy to come by! I realized the other day that I’ve been in over 100 episodes in the past year, and I think being able to do what I love almost every day has really deepened my love and appreciation for the art and craft of acting.”
