Scene And Heard
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Photo credit: JPI
The last thing GH’s Ava enjoys is spending time around Sonny and Carly, but the same can’t be said of her portrayer, Maura West, who relishes her scenes with Maurice Benard (Sonny) and Laura Wright (Carly). “I think the dynamic between the three of them is so strong, and both Maurice and Laura are such strong actors,” West praises. “I actually really love the dynamic between the characters because to me, Ava absolutely does not hate Sonny. He gave her one of her daughters, which is an incredibly intimate thing to share with someone. But those two are really excellent and very giving as scene partners. They don’t try to undermine or demean Ava as a character, even though I’m kind of ganged up on by Sonny and Carly! They give Ava the space to be Ava. They are just very good and the fact that we work together really well and trust each other really helps a lot. It’s actually really important, I have to say. Otherwise you aren’t emotionally safe on set. If you don’t have that other side as the actors, then you can really get beaten up badly while you’re doing the scenes and be made to feel really bad. So I’m really grateful for that relationship that we have as actors.”
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Photo credit: JPI
Max Shippee (ex-Graham, Y&R) sums up his first soap stint as “a great run.” He enjoyed playing out the drama at Ashley’s party and any of his character’s heartfelt speeches with Dina, but found the job had some unexpected challenges. “Anything with a lot of props,” chuckles the actor. “Those are always challenging, [for example] did I hold it in my left hand? Right? Do I put it down before or after I look toward the door? There was so much to remember.” Aside from working with his former co-stars, Shippee is going to miss Graham’s natty wardrobe. “He’s way better dressed than I am,” Shippee notes. “Maybe I’ll have to do a few tie videos here and there, just to keep in practice!” He appreciated the positive fan response he got during his run. “I’ve been recognized quite a few times actually,” Shippee smiles. “It’s been all positive. People usually say something along the lines of ‘I love your character!’ I’ve signed napkins and slid into quite a few selfies. It’s so great to meet people who are so into the show. I usually end up getting a Y&R history lesson along the way!”
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Photo credit: JPI
Andre Khabbazi (Henry) has had a good time working with Stephen Nichols (Steve) at DAYS. “He’s so funny!” Khabbazi enthuses. “He’s so awesome. I was cracking up because my first name on the show is Henry, Henry Shah. So whenever I was at my scenes with him, he would just bypass my name and call me Hank [laughs]. He was like, ‘Hank! Come over here, Hank!’ And nobody said anything, so I was like, ‘I guess my name’s Hank now.’ So he kind of did his own thing and I was like, ‘Okay, let’s do this.’ He’s just one of those guys that’s so cool and so down to earth. We would just talk and he would talk about his kids. It’s just great to be around him.” Khabbazi says he felt welcomed by the cast as a whole. “I’ve been around soaps and watched soaps since I was a little kid, so I recognized pretty much all the stars and all of the people who’ve been on for a long time. It was just great to see everybody and to be around them. It was an amazing feeling.”
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Photo credit: JPI
B&B’s Lawrence Saint-Victor (Carter) met wife Shay when they were both students at the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at SUNY Purchase, and Shay just released her first single called “Sonic Illusion”. “I am so proud of my beautiful and talented wife,” Saint-Victor beams. “She has been working in music for a long time. Well, she got in the studio over the last year and she’s been making music and collaborating with this producer, Narducci, and she just dropped her first single. ‘Sonic Illusion’ is a song you can just groove and chill to, and it really showcases her singing and song-writing abilities. I love it. I’m blasting it everywhere. I have a good ear for music, so I know a good song when I hear it.” Might he ever do a duet with his wife? “No!” he stresses. “When I was younger I wanted to be a rapper, so I can put words together, but that’s more acting and writing than singing. As far as creating music and singing and being able to play an instrument? No way. That’s hard. It’s like another language!”
The last thing GH’s Ava enjoys is spending time around Sonny and Carly, but the same can’t be said of her portrayer, Maura West, who relishes her scenes with Maurice Benard (Sonny) and Laura Wright (Carly). “I think the dynamic between the three of them is so strong, and both Maurice and Laura are such strong actors,” West praises. “I actually really love the dynamic between the characters because to me, Ava absolutely does not hate Sonny. He gave her one of her daughters, which is an incredibly intimate thing to share with someone. But those two are really excellent and very giving as scene partners. They don’t try to undermine or demean Ava as a character, even though I’m kind of ganged up on by Sonny and Carly! They give Ava the space to be Ava. They are just very good and the fact that we work together really well and trust each other really helps a lot. It’s actually really important, I have to say. Otherwise you aren’t emotionally safe on set. If you don’t have that other side as the actors, then you can really get beaten up badly while you’re doing the scenes and be made to feel really bad. So I’m really grateful for that relationship that we have as actors.”
Photo credit: JPI
Max Shippee (ex-Graham, Y&R) sums up his first soap stint as “a great run.” He enjoyed playing out the drama at Ashley’s party and any of his character’s heartfelt speeches with Dina, but found the job had some unexpected challenges. “Anything with a lot of props,” chuckles the actor. “Those are always challenging, [for example] did I hold it in my left hand? Right? Do I put it down before or after I look toward the door? There was so much to remember.” Aside from working with his former co-stars, Shippee is going to miss Graham’s natty wardrobe. “He’s way better dressed than I am,” Shippee notes. “Maybe I’ll have to do a few tie videos here and there, just to keep in practice!” He appreciated the positive fan response he got during his run. “I’ve been recognized quite a few times actually,” Shippee smiles. “It’s been all positive. People usually say something along the lines of ‘I love your character!’ I’ve signed napkins and slid into quite a few selfies. It’s so great to meet people who are so into the show. I usually end up getting a Y&R history lesson along the way!”
Photo credit: JPI
Andre Khabbazi (Henry) has had a good time working with Stephen Nichols (Steve) at DAYS. “He’s so funny!” Khabbazi enthuses. “He’s so awesome. I was cracking up because my first name on the show is Henry, Henry Shah. So whenever I was at my scenes with him, he would just bypass my name and call me Hank [laughs]. He was like, ‘Hank! Come over here, Hank!’ And nobody said anything, so I was like, ‘I guess my name’s Hank now.’ So he kind of did his own thing and I was like, ‘Okay, let’s do this.’ He’s just one of those guys that’s so cool and so down to earth. We would just talk and he would talk about his kids. It’s just great to be around him.” Khabbazi says he felt welcomed by the cast as a whole. “I’ve been around soaps and watched soaps since I was a little kid, so I recognized pretty much all the stars and all of the people who’ve been on for a long time. It was just great to see everybody and to be around them. It was an amazing feeling.”
Photo credit: JPI
B&B’s Lawrence Saint-Victor (Carter) met wife Shay when they were both students at the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at SUNY Purchase, and Shay just released her first single called “Sonic Illusion”. “I am so proud of my beautiful and talented wife,” Saint-Victor beams. “She has been working in music for a long time. Well, she got in the studio over the last year and she’s been making music and collaborating with this producer, Narducci, and she just dropped her first single. ‘Sonic Illusion’ is a song you can just groove and chill to, and it really showcases her singing and song-writing abilities. I love it. I’m blasting it everywhere. I have a good ear for music, so I know a good song when I hear it.” Might he ever do a duet with his wife? “No!” he stresses. “When I was younger I wanted to be a rapper, so I can put words together, but that’s more acting and writing than singing. As far as creating music and singing and being able to play an instrument? No way. That’s hard. It’s like another language!”
Photo credit: JPI
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