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Photo credit: JPI
WELL PLAYED
There’s a singular element about Y&R that has kept former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson tuning in for decades. “The one person who continues to draw me to the show is Eric Braeden, I really like the business aspects with [his character] Victor, such as his dealings with Jack and all of that kind of stuff,” says the ex-NFLer. “I learned when it comes to the business world, that sometimes you have to be ruthless. When I retired, I was a nice guy, so when I went into business and somebody told me ‘No’, I would think how Victor Newman would not take that ‘No’ for an answer.’ So, I would do what I had to do to get that business opportunity, just like Victor would for his company. I learned a few lessons about business from him.” When Pearson recently taped a guest appearance on Y&R, he also enjoyed an impromptu scrimmage with his idol and another co-star. “Somebody found a football, so Eric, Kristoff [St. John, Neil] and I were out there playing catch,” he marvels. “That was so cool. I actually got tired, but I really enjoyed hanging out with those guys.”
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Photo credit: JPI
CREEK PEAK
Greg Rikaart (ex-Leo, DAYS) has fond memories of his first major acting gig, which was playing David on DAWSON’S CREEK from 2002-03. “All of it was great,” he raves. “It was the last season and I think they were a little ready to kind of move on to whatever was going to be next for them. I was the new guy who just showed up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. We socialized a bit and I remember Katie [Holmes, ex-Joey] hosted all of us at her house once and we had a big game night. Kerr [Smith, ex-Jack] was great; I remember he had just gotten a dog at the time and always had his dog around. Everybody was super-lovely. Josh Jackson [ex-Pacey] directed an episode and that was fun. I ended up spending more time with Jensen [Ackles, ex-C.J.; ex-Eric, DAYS], he was a guest star that season, and Bianca Kajlich [ex-Natasha], because a lot of times we were commuting together; we’d be on the same flights coming back and forth. Even though I had worked a little bit before that, that was kind of the job that propelled me into being a working actor. I’m very thankful for that. I recently, within the last year, went into a YouTube wormhole and started watching some old stuff, and I was like, ‘Man, I didn’t know what I was doing back then!’ It’s fun to kind of take that trip.”
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Photo credit: JPI
A RIVERDALE RUNS THROUGH IT
B&B marks the second time that Adain Bradley (Xander) has co-starred with Robin Givens (Dr. Phillips) on the same project. Previously, they both appeared on the dark teen sudser RIVERDALE. “I was just talking about this the other day, about how funny it is that Robin and I actually never met,” he chuckles. “Whenever I was leaving, she’d be coming in and vice versa, so hopefully I can meet her now.” RIVERDALE also marked the actor’s American television debut. “It was my first real American job, which was also funny because they shoot it in Canada,” he states. “But, it was the first time that I’d been on a massive set, and it was very exclusive. All of the scripts had to be hand-delivered because it was so secretive. That was a big deal for me only because at the time, I was probably 16 or 17 when I shot my first episode. That was a really big shock for me. Having said that, if I would’ve known that in a couple years’ time I’d be doing 36 pages in one day on BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL, I wouldn’t have considered it so crazy.”
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Photo credit: JPI
CHANGING FACES
Dominic Zamprogna, who recently wrapped his nine-year run as GH’s Dante, knows that the show may eventually elect to appoint a new actor to his role. “I’d be fine with a recast,” he declares. “You know going into [leaving] that that’s a possibility. I mean, everyone wants to be, like, killed off in a dramatic fashion — like they did with Ryan [Paevey, ex-Nathan]. I know when Julie [Marie Berman, ex-Lulu] left, she didn’t want to be recast. I don’t think anyone wants to be recast, but at the same time everyone expects it, especially playing a legacy character. Dante is Sonny Corinthos’s son — that’s a pretty major role to not have on the canvas. So, of course, I get that. If they see the role as something that needs to be filled and someone else has to play that part, then they’ll do it and I would totally understand. If they think they can leave it off the canvas like they do with Lucky, then they’ll do that. I wouldn’t feel anger toward them either way. I’d be honored if they chose not to recast and they left it open for a return one day, and I’d understand if they didn’t.”
WELL PLAYED
There’s a singular element about Y&R that has kept former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson tuning in for decades. “The one person who continues to draw me to the show is Eric Braeden, I really like the business aspects with [his character] Victor, such as his dealings with Jack and all of that kind of stuff,” says the ex-NFLer. “I learned when it comes to the business world, that sometimes you have to be ruthless. When I retired, I was a nice guy, so when I went into business and somebody told me ‘No’, I would think how Victor Newman would not take that ‘No’ for an answer.’ So, I would do what I had to do to get that business opportunity, just like Victor would for his company. I learned a few lessons about business from him.” When Pearson recently taped a guest appearance on Y&R, he also enjoyed an impromptu scrimmage with his idol and another co-star. “Somebody found a football, so Eric, Kristoff [St. John, Neil] and I were out there playing catch,” he marvels. “That was so cool. I actually got tired, but I really enjoyed hanging out with those guys.”
CREEK PEAK
Greg Rikaart (ex-Leo, DAYS) has fond memories of his first major acting gig, which was playing David on DAWSON’S CREEK from 2002-03. “All of it was great,” he raves. “It was the last season and I think they were a little ready to kind of move on to whatever was going to be next for them. I was the new guy who just showed up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. We socialized a bit and I remember Katie [Holmes, ex-Joey] hosted all of us at her house once and we had a big game night. Kerr [Smith, ex-Jack] was great; I remember he had just gotten a dog at the time and always had his dog around. Everybody was super-lovely. Josh Jackson [ex-Pacey] directed an episode and that was fun. I ended up spending more time with Jensen [Ackles, ex-C.J.; ex-Eric, DAYS], he was a guest star that season, and Bianca Kajlich [ex-Natasha], because a lot of times we were commuting together; we’d be on the same flights coming back and forth. Even though I had worked a little bit before that, that was kind of the job that propelled me into being a working actor. I’m very thankful for that. I recently, within the last year, went into a YouTube wormhole and started watching some old stuff, and I was like, ‘Man, I didn’t know what I was doing back then!’ It’s fun to kind of take that trip.”
A RIVERDALE RUNS THROUGH IT
B&B marks the second time that Adain Bradley (Xander) has co-starred with Robin Givens (Dr. Phillips) on the same project. Previously, they both appeared on the dark teen sudser RIVERDALE. “I was just talking about this the other day, about how funny it is that Robin and I actually never met,” he chuckles. “Whenever I was leaving, she’d be coming in and vice versa, so hopefully I can meet her now.” RIVERDALE also marked the actor’s American television debut. “It was my first real American job, which was also funny because they shoot it in Canada,” he states. “But, it was the first time that I’d been on a massive set, and it was very exclusive. All of the scripts had to be hand-delivered because it was so secretive. That was a big deal for me only because at the time, I was probably 16 or 17 when I shot my first episode. That was a really big shock for me. Having said that, if I would’ve known that in a couple years’ time I’d be doing 36 pages in one day on BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL, I wouldn’t have considered it so crazy.”
CHANGING FACES
Dominic Zamprogna, who recently wrapped his nine-year run as GH’s Dante, knows that the show may eventually elect to appoint a new actor to his role. “I’d be fine with a recast,” he declares. “You know going into [leaving] that that’s a possibility. I mean, everyone wants to be, like, killed off in a dramatic fashion — like they did with Ryan [Paevey, ex-Nathan]. I know when Julie [Marie Berman, ex-Lulu] left, she didn’t want to be recast. I don’t think anyone wants to be recast, but at the same time everyone expects it, especially playing a legacy character. Dante is Sonny Corinthos’s son — that’s a pretty major role to not have on the canvas. So, of course, I get that. If they see the role as something that needs to be filled and someone else has to play that part, then they’ll do it and I would totally understand. If they think they can leave it off the canvas like they do with Lucky, then they’ll do that. I wouldn’t feel anger toward them either way. I’d be honored if they chose not to recast and they left it open for a return one day, and I’d understand if they didn’t.”