WORKPLACE SATISFACTION
Camila Banus (Gabi, DAYS) has thoroughly enjoyed mixing it up with Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie) and Sal Stowers (Lani) in recent scenes. “It’s been amazing,” Banus raves. “I have learned a lot, especially from Susan. She plays to the soap opera medium that we all love. One of the biggest reasons that people watch the show is the intensity. Whether it’s happiness or sadness, it’s intensity. Whatever that is, she’s there for it and I’ve learned so much with that because I’ve seen her allow herself to go past any line, cross any line. For me, that opens the door. I say, ‘That’s inspiring. I want to do that, too.’ I’d rather have the director or producer tell me you’re doing too much than saying you’re doing too little. There’s already enough people that look into another co-star’s eyes and do nothing. We all express differently and I love that Susan is that kind of person. With Sal, she brings a whole different level of energy to the game. For me to be in scenes or in atmospheres with all these great actors has been super-rewarding. And not to mention how professional they are; that is very inspiring as well and it makes me want to come back to work the next day and do even better.”
BEST FRIENDS FOREVER
While Nikolas is in the doghouse with Elizabeth for scaring Hayden out of town, Marcus Coloma got a warm off-screen welcome from Liz’s portrayer, Rebecca Herbst. “Love working with Becky!” he declares. “She is just an easy, cute, charming, warm person and I really enjoyed working with her a lot. It felt like a different world for me, that relationship, than the relationship Nikolas has with Jax, with Laura, and it’s such a tribute to the writers and the amazing relationships they’ve created for each and every character on the show.” The actor has done extensive research to brush up on his character, who has been a Port Charles fixture on and off since 1996, and says of Nik and Liz’s own decades-long friendship, “There is such an amazing history between the two. They have suffered through so many things, including what I found to be a really rough storyline: [the triangle between] Nikolas, Lucky and Elizabeth. I’ve tasted that a little bit, where you have feelings for somebody that you shouldn’t have feelings for and that whole struggle. With Nikolas and Elizabeth, time has gone by and she’s still one of his best friends in the world. And doing my first scenes with Becky, I really appreciated and enjoyed the warmth and friendliness and ease that she has about her.”
Photo credit: Collins Stark
LUCKY TRUCK
Like most actors, Jason Thompson (Billy, Y&R) had his share of menial jobs before breaking full-time into show business. “In Canada, I was making asphalt and paint in a warehouse for hockey rinks, which wasn’t so fun,” he relays. “When I got to L.A., I did everything I could to keep my head above water. I was on a visa that didn’t allow me to work in establishments, so I mostly assisted a buddy of mine who was a photographer. Living was really tight and then I would get lucky and land a commercial here and there or an acting job that would go on for a couple of months. I also had a pickup truck at the time so I would move furniture, load and unload things, or let people use my truck for money on the side.” Thompson reveals that he still owns the vehicle that brought him through those tough times. “It’s a 1970 C10 Chevrolet and it still runs great,” he marvels. “It’s the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever had. My kids love it. It feels like a tank when you’re driving it, so you just have to slow down in it. There’s no radio or phone, just a bench seat, so you roll down the window and chill. People use their cars for offices and that’s not what you do in this truck, which is why I love it so much.”
TEEN DREAM
On Digest’s podcast, Dishing With Digest, Scott Clifton (Liam, B&B) shared his fond memories of working with Lindze Letherman when she played Georgie and he was Dillon on GH. “Lindze was there before I was,” he said. “It was interesting at the time because a four-year difference doesn’t seem like anything now. I mean, I’m in my mid-30s. But at the time, I was 17 or 18 and she was 13 or 14. There was a clear difference in our life experience, our levels of maturity. My relationship with her felt a little more sibling-esque than co-worker or romantic or anything like that. We had a lot of fun. I learned from her, I think she learned from me. I really enjoyed her. I mean, she was really, really ... mature is not the word, that’s almost, like, not enough. She was a compelling person. I’m saying it like she’s dead now. But she was extremely, extremely charismatic and infectious. She was a jovial person. She was joyful. It was really cool to do a lot of work with her.... I think we kind of grew up together a little bit.” (To listen to the podcast in full, go to iTunes, Google Play or soapoperadigest.com.)