Actors on soaps have a very tough job, especially these days. Taping schedules used to allow for a lot more time to prepare, rehearse and rehearse some more. Things were already speeding up even before the COVID pandemic but once that happened, schedules were accelerated even more. Soap Opera Digest asked actors to tell us what they feel is the hardest part of the job. Please click on the gallery to find out the answers.
1 of 7
Photo credit: Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea, Y&R)
“Definitely learning all the lines! It’s gotten easier over the years, but the amount of material every day is for sure the most challenging part for me.”
2 of 7
Photo credit: Harmony Gerber/Getty Images
Dan Feuerriegel (EJ, DAYS)
“Learning the amount of dialogue that EJ has and the structure of the dialogue. Because [EJ is] wealthy, educated and British, they like to throw in a lot of words that I personally don't use, but also change the structure of the sentence around. That's the hardest thing. It's just the dialogue. I love doing everything else. It's just learning the lines.”
3 of 7
Photo credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth
Laura Wright (Carly, GH)
“I would say the amount of dialogue we have; when we’re doing more than three shows a day, that can get a little difficult. But other than that, I love it! I think my job is so amazing and it challenges me. I don’t find it hard; I just really love it.”
4 of 7
Photo credit: Arnold Jerocki/WireImage
Melissa Ordway (Abby, Y&R)
“I think the hardest thing would be when we have business or medical dialogue. Sometimes that’s hard to remember because it’s phrases and terms we don’t use often. Or when we have to speak French… I have a hard time with French words.”
5 of 7
Photo credit: JC Olivera/Getty Images
Carson Boatman (Johnny, DAYS)
“When I’m not working very much during any particular week, because I love to be [at DAYS]. I hate sitting around wondering when I’m going to come back to work next.”
6 of 7
Photo credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images
Adam J. Harrington (John, GH)
“For me, being so new to the series, it is adjusting to the pace at which this thing works. It changes how I have to concentrate on things. It changes the way I normally prepare, how I work on the script, so that I can arrive on set and be ready to go in the way I want to. And to be there for my other actors. I’ve been lucky enough to be working with people that have been there for a long time, and I want to be able to bring something to the table and get the ball back over the net to them.”
7 of 7
Photo credit: JC Olivera/Getty Images
Abigail Klein (Stephanie, DAYS)
“Leaving every day after work. I told someone that today. I said, ‘Every time I am done working for the day, I don't want to leave. I just want to keep working.’ So, I'd say that's the hardest part. I enjoy it so much and love it so much that I don't want it to end.”
Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea, Y&R)
“Definitely learning all the lines! It’s gotten easier over the years, but the amount of material every day is for sure the most challenging part for me.”
Photo credit: Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
Dan Feuerriegel (EJ, DAYS)
“Learning the amount of dialogue that EJ has and the structure of the dialogue. Because [EJ is] wealthy, educated and British, they like to throw in a lot of words that I personally don't use, but also change the structure of the sentence around. That's the hardest thing. It's just the dialogue. I love doing everything else. It's just learning the lines.”
Photo credit: Harmony Gerber/Getty Images
Laura Wright (Carly, GH)
“I would say the amount of dialogue we have; when we’re doing more than three shows a day, that can get a little difficult. But other than that, I love it! I think my job is so amazing and it challenges me. I don’t find it hard; I just really love it.”
Photo credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth
Melissa Ordway (Abby, Y&R)
“I think the hardest thing would be when we have business or medical dialogue. Sometimes that’s hard to remember because it’s phrases and terms we don’t use often. Or when we have to speak French… I have a hard time with French words.”
Photo credit: Arnold Jerocki/WireImage
Carson Boatman (Johnny, DAYS)
“When I’m not working very much during any particular week, because I love to be [at DAYS]. I hate sitting around wondering when I’m going to come back to work next.”
Photo credit: JC Olivera/Getty Images
Adam J. Harrington (John, GH)
“For me, being so new to the series, it is adjusting to the pace at which this thing works. It changes how I have to concentrate on things. It changes the way I normally prepare, how I work on the script, so that I can arrive on set and be ready to go in the way I want to. And to be there for my other actors. I’ve been lucky enough to be working with people that have been there for a long time, and I want to be able to bring something to the table and get the ball back over the net to them.”
Photo credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images
Abigail Klein (Stephanie, DAYS)
“Leaving every day after work. I told someone that today. I said, ‘Every time I am done working for the day, I don't want to leave. I just want to keep working.’ So, I'd say that's the hardest part. I enjoy it so much and love it so much that I don't want it to end.”
Photo credit: JC Olivera/Getty Images
