Stacy Haiduk has gotten a kick out of reprising the role of DAYS’s Susan Banks, and working with more of her co-stars. “It is a treat because I can let my Susan just go and when they let me go, it’s just so much fun,” she enthuses. “I love getting to work with a lot of the other actors. Mainly my stuff is with Eric [Martsolf, Brady] so I love playing with everybody. I don’t think I got to play with Robert [Scott Wilson, Ben] any of the times, so this is a first to do that and he’s a joy, an absolute joy to work with. He’s committed to his work and he goes for it, which means when you’re in the scene, you can just do your part and he’s right there. He doesn’t laugh, he keeps a straight face until the end and then goes, ‘Oh, my God.’ I’ve been loving opening up Salem a little bit with the characters. It’s a first. It’s kind of nice.” Haiduk knows her alter ego’s antics are over the top. “During rehearsals, I just kinda do things that are crazy, crazy, more than what I do in the take, so I’ll laugh,” she says. “It’s hard, but once everything is committed, I just go for it and we’ll just crack up at the end. Even if Susan laughs, I can find a way to make that work in the scenes so it’s just fun. She’s a hoot. That’s a perfect word for her.”
Dominic Zamprogna (Dante, GH) is having a great time working with Kelly Monaco (Sam) now that their characters are spending more time together. “Kelly’s a really good counter-puncher; if you kind of throw something out, she’ll respond,” he reports. “You can play with Kelly easily in a scene. She’s been there for so long and she’s confident; she knows the character and brings a lot of herself, and she’s always in it. She’s in it a lot. We did scenes the other week and I looked over at her in the scene and we kind of made each other laugh, and I was like, ‘Oh, she’s really putting herself in this place; it’s such a Sam thing.’ I could see it. I think maybe it’s their upbringings, or the similar backgrounds that they have. There’s a very kind of no bulls--t vibe to the two of them and they also both need something right now. They need a little bit of support. They’re the two that would end up in the bar having a beer and saying, ‘This is what happened to me today.’ And luckily, I think we just kind of click a little bit and they’ve written some pretty good stuff for us so far, and it’s just been easy. It’s easy to go to work when it’s like this. I’ve been there a long time, Kelly’s been there a long time. I’m working with a lot of people that have been there and we’re all just there to do the work and to kind of get the best and the most out of it.”
Darin Brooks (Wyatt) was thrilled to be a part of the B&B/Y&R crossover, and he hopes to do it again soon. “That was so much fun,” raves Brooks. “Hunter [King, Summer, Y&R] is great, and so is Michael [Mealor, Kyle, Y&R]. He’s a good dude. It was really cool going over there and seeing how they do their thing across the pond. And having Hunter over on our side, too, was a blast. She’s just so talented. Katrina [Bowden, Flo] was great, and Don [Diamont, Bill] got his two cents in. I’d love to do more of those crossovers — not are they just fun but it’s also a great opportunity to explore new, potential storylines.” Brooks was also thrilled to see his former B&B love interest, Courtney Hope (Sally), happily ensconced in Genoa City. “Isn’t that great?” he smiles. “I saw her in the parking lot the other day and we got to catch up. I’m so happy that she’s able to do her thing over there and that she could take her character over there. That’s really awe- some, because it has a built-in fan base, as opposed to her playing a new character or taking over for somebody else. That can be hard sometimes, so I’m really thrilled for her. It’s good story.”
The Y&R quadrangle of Adam, Cheslea, Sharon and Rey may be messy but Mark Grossman (Adam) is enjoying working with the actors in it. “Missy [Claire Egan, Chelsea] is so professional,” he lauds. “When we’re at work she’s completely prepared, has already made choices, and she always hits it. I’m in awe of what she does. When I go up on a line, I’ll throw a fit like a child. When she goes up on a line, she keeps it together. I’m pretty high-strung, while she’s very relaxed and wants to get the job done.” As for Sharon Case (Sharon), Grossman notes, “She really cares about the work but she can be really lighthearted and joke around a lot. She’s worked here for almost 27 years and she still gets super-excited about storylines. I really admire that.” And it may be tense between Rey and Adam, but “Jordi [Vilasuso, Rey] is awesome,” Grossman enthuses. “He’s, like, the nicest guy in the world. I love when we get to work together. He’s a really down-to- earth family guy and very chill. I’m lucky to work with all of them.”