Where Are They Now?
Scott Bailey (ex-Sandy, GL)
It’s been a few years since Digest last checked in with GL alum Scott Bailey (ex-Sandy), who left the soap back in 2006 after Sandy was pushed over a cliff and fell to his presumed death. What’s the actor up to these days? Bailey tells us about his new Lifetime movie that airs January 24, working with Hollywood heavy hitter Sigourney Weaver and the possibility of a daytime comeback.
Soap Opera Digest: Are you still out in Los Angeles?
Scott Bailey: I am. I’m still alive and kicking — another day above ground! I’m lucky enough to still make a living at this crazy, playing-pretend game. Sandy got thrown off a cliff, but you know they say if you leap, the net will appear. My net appeared in Los Angeles. It’s been a while now. I shot a pilot that started airing last year [on myNetworkTV] called SAINTS & SINNERS, which was great fun. Obviously, the soap training helped! In the end, I didn’t get thrown off a cliff. I actually survived that one. I got to shoot a couple of films, too. One called Seducing Spirits, where I played a serial killer who killed bad guys, and I just finished doing a film called Little Wonders with a filmmaker from Portugal … I go to numerous meetings [laughs] and it’s not as busy when you’re on a soap.
Digest: How’s Hollywood treating you these days?
Bailey: You know, I never thought I’d be that guy, but like a month after I moved out here, I was driving my convertible with my top down talking on my cell phone and I just had this moment — driving through the canyon with my sunglasses on — and I thought, “Wait a minute! I was going to come out here and buy a Prius and not be that guy!” But I’m definitely in L.A.
Digest: Let’s talk about your new Lifetime movie.
Bailey: It’s called PRAYERS FOR BOBBY. It stars Sigourney Weaver and is based on a true story of a book that was written by Leroy Aarons about a young guy who was gay and his parents, because of their religion, weren’t accepting of it, so he eventually killed himself. [His mother, played by Weaver] realizes that maybe there’s an error in her thinking and then becomes a huge proponent for gay rights. It has a good message and I think it’s an important story to be told. I play Bobby’s boyfriend [David] and so I represent hope. I think it’s a heck of a film. At the very least, you’ll shed a few tears.
Digest: What was it like working with the Aliens star?
Bailey: I get why she gets paid the big bucks. She’s fantastic. The first day I was on the set, I had these big, emotional scenes with Sigourney Weaver and I thought, “Here it goes. Gotta bring my ‘A game.’ Get up early and do some pushups to get ready to go here!” Not until the end of the day did she come over and tell me that I did a great job and I’m sticking with that. By the way, it was her first television movie.
Digest: Ever run into any former GL cast members out there?
Bailey: I’ve seen Crystal Hunt [ex-Lizzie] and Stephanie Gatschet [ex-Tammy] and Tom Pelphrey [ex-Jonathan]. They’re all out in Los Angeles now. I run into them every once in a while. We don’t like, get together and try to re-create our [GL] threesome [laughs]! I just stalk them from afar.
Digest: I know we’ve asked you before, but would you ever consider returning to daytime?
Bailey: I’m a great fan of telling good stories, so if they had a good story, I’d love to. I had a great time on GUIDING LIGHT. You couldn’t really have better people to hang out with for a few years and learn … I still get fans from GUIDING LIGHT. I was shooting this movie in the desert on a lake near Laughlin, Nevada, and when I finished a scene, the assistant director says to me, “Those people are fans of yours from GUIDING LIGHT. You want to tell them thanks or give them autographs?” I was like, “Really?!” They don’t know it, but they made my day.
Digest: Have you seen the show lately?
Bailey: I actually have. It definitely looks different. Good for them for trying new things. I like it. It has the feel of this show I like, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. I did see Daniel Cosgrove [Bill]. That guy is still as handsome as ever. I was hoping I’d turn it on and he’d be bald and out of shape, but nope! He’s a fun guy. You never know what’s going to happen when he’s around.
Digest: So, you’d be cool with Sandy coming back from the dead?
Bailey: Uh … yeah! Send an e-mail to them over there [at GL], but don’t mention the mole please, because I don’t think that was the finest understanding of a character [laughs]. It was something I never expected, but that’s what acting is. He was a cute little fella, though!
Check out Bailey’s official Web site at www.scottbailey.tv.
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