COME FLY WITH ME
A group of DAYS stars — Sal Stowers (Lani), Lamon Archey (Eli), Camila Banus (Gabi), Casey Moss (JJ), Billy Flynn (Chad) and Marci Miller (Abigail) — recently traveled together for a fan event in Atlanta, and had a great time. “From the airport there and then from coming back, we had so much fun,” reports Stowers. “I think going there, I want to say the plane probably hated us. Camila, Marci and myself, we all sat in one row together and the guys were behind us. The boys pretty much slept, but we three girls, we laughed the entire time. The best flight ever! And then there, it was just a good time. Lots of laughing and just having fun and traveling with each other. That’s always fun because you get to see everyone’s true colors, and just kind of let loose and have fun, and that’s what we did.” Adds Archey, “That was really fun. It was good to just hang out with that group out of the workspace. Even though it was work, we had some free time where it was just good to not have to be worrying about memorizing lines and having to go from point A to point B in this amount of time, so it was just good to hang out and just be free and kick it.”
BELLY UP
Returning to work after maternity leave has its challenges, reports Melissa Ordway (Abby, Y&R), starting with memorizing all those pages of dialogue again. “It was a chore at first,” the actress admits. “The first week I told everyone, ‘Please have patience because I’m just jumping back in, but I promise I’ll be much better next week.’ With a newborn [Sophie] and a toddler [Olivia] at home, I’m not sleeping much, so I’m always exhausted and that makes learning lines challenging. But everybody has been really kind about running lines with me, so I’m getting there. I hope the fans give me a few weeks to ease back in.” Ordway also had to get used to not having to camouflage her baby bump. “I would find myself still trying to hide my belly,” she chuckles. “I remember asking, ‘Does anyone have a folder I can carry in this scene?’ and then I realized that I don’t have to do that anymore. I got so used to wearing black, carrying big purses and sitting down, that it was an adjustment for me not to do those things anymore. It’s cool to wear normal clothes again and in different colors!”
THE AMAZING RACE
Wally Kurth (Ned) had a blast with GH’s mayoral election story. “Working with Genie Francis [Laura] was great,” he enthuses. “She just goes for it. I remember when she did the scene when she kind of interrupted the mayor [Janice Lomax] and delivered a speech. I was standing in the background among the citizens. Well, she nailed it. In dress rehearsal, it was like, ‘Wow! She knows all of her lines and she is already feeling so comfortable with it all.’ And then she did it even better when the cameras were rolling! You just have to shake your head and go, ‘That’s what a pro does. She’s Genie Francis!’ She’s just really solid and a joy to work with and a joy to watch.” And even though Ned regrets aligning himself with developer Jim Harvey, Kurth has nothing but praise for his portrayer, Greg Evigan. “He’s been great,” the actor says of the prime-time vet. “I don’t think he’s ever done a soap, so the first day, he was wide-eyed! I’m always like, ‘Hey, wanna run lines? What do you need to feel comfortable?’ Because once you get up there, it can be lonely! It can be a cold, dark place up there on the studio floor when they say, ‘Action!’ I’ve been patting him on the back, like, ‘You’re doing good, dude! I know it’s tough, I know it’s different.’ It looks like he’s been having fun.”
COUNTRY TIME
B&B’s Jacob Young (Rick) is eagerly preparing for his upcoming “mini-tour” with Scott Reeves (ex-Steve, GH et al) in mid-April. “I grew up country,” Young shares. “It’s been in my life forever, so I’ve always had an affinity and a soft spot in my heart for it. I’ve always played guitar, but I got serious about writing country music in just the last few years. I’ve got some age on me now, and a little more life experience, and my voice has changed a bit. I think the fans will be pleasantly surprised with the sets. It’s got a lot of country rock in it, as well. When I was in the studio in Nashville actually recording the songs, the guys who played on the album said, ‘What are you looking for?’ I said, ‘Well, imagine if Eric Church and Waylon Jennings had a baby. That’s what I’m looking for.’ The guys got a good laugh out of that, and they got it. They really nailed it. I’m really excited to play these new songs in front of a live audience — and I hope the audience is, too.”