Post by Cece on Dec 5, 2008 0:26:31 GMT
TVG: OMFG: You’re on set all day? Don’t tell me you actually have a storyline?
Lesli Kay: [coyly] I don’t know yet! All I know is I’m kissing someone — and it’s not my brother; and it’s not my mother! [Laughs] That’s all I can tell you at the moment. I’d tell your readers more, but honest to God, I haven’t read tomorrow’s script yet, but the good news is I am working. I have four-to-five episodes a week because there is a lot of family drama happening right now with the Forresters and Logans. And you know how much our Felicia dislikes the Logans!
TVG: Hallelujah! So you actually have lines of dialogue now?
LK: [Laughs] Yes! Felicia has her fire back.
TVG: Don Diamont was just fired from The Young and the Restless. Since Felicia and Brad are both schemers, celibate, and desperate for a storyline, how cool would it be if your boss Brad Bell absorbed Diamont? Talk about two diamonts in the rough…
LK: Hunter Tylo [Taylor] and I would have to fight for him! I adore Don — he’s my buddy, but I didn’t know he was fired. That’s very disturbing.
TVG: Even though I hear Brad is being killed off, I hope that other Brad brings him on to your show à la Eileen Davidson [Ashley] because B&B’s main problem is you guys have a serious leading-man shortage.
LK: Well, let me put it out there in the ethers that Brad does hire Don. I’ve always wanted to work with Don, and we shared a brief scene on Y&R, though I’m not sure if that ended up on the cutting-room floor. And look at our daytime connection — both our onscreen daughters were played by Adrienne Leon [ex-Colleen, Y&R; ex-Brook Lynn, GH].
TVG: OK, I should be fired for not remembering that connection!
LK: Don and I have a similar relationship that Tom Eplin [ex-Jake, ATWT/AW] and I had, too. I think Brad and Felicia would be hot together.
TVG: I’d say. Brad and Felicia have a lot in common — mainly the fact that they haven’t had sex in forever and they’re both sexy schemers.
LK: Thanks for bringing that up, Nelson! I have decided that Felicia is having an offscreen romance with Jared, the fashion magazine reporter. Felicia is always on the phone with Jared, so I always add in a ‘honey’ in when they talk to each other. Listen, Felicia can’t be celibate.
TVG: I always thought Jared was a friend of Dorothy’s, but Felicia could definitely turn a gay man straight methinks! [Laughs]
LK: Who’s to say?
TVG: Speaking of Adrienne, do you still keep in touch with her?
LK: We just talked the other day. She’s in culinary school. Adrienne’s one of those people you think is a pathological liar because when she updates you on her life it all sounds so unreal. But every bit of it is true. Adrienne does everything she puts her mind to. Adrienne and my other onscreen daughter, Kristina Sisco [ex-Abigail, ATWT], have done really well. It’s no secret that Kristina is directing at World Turns. I’m very proud of both my “daughters.”
TVG: Tom directed an episode of a local English-speaking telenovela, Hacienda Heights, which premières Dec. 3.
LK: Yeah, I saw it online. Tom will always do well. He’s a genius with real estate. Whatever Tom touches turns to gold. Heck, all his leading ladies have won Emmy Awards.
TVG: Would Tom ever consider coming back to soaps?
LK: Oh, I know he would. Tom would come back for a dollar to work with me — and I know that for a fact. I don’t know if that will happen though. Some would argue that our show has that age range covered, but we also need more talented men on our show who aren’t related to the ladies. We have so many talented women on our show but we need more men.
TVG: At one point, you and Tom were on the cover of every soap magazine. Were you surprised that Molly and Jake became so popular since Another World’s Vicky and Jake were so beloved?
LK: I was surprised, actually. I’ll be honest with you, before I started on soaps, I was a huge Jake and Vicky fan. Years later, it was so surreal to see my face in between Jake and Vicky during the ghost storyline. It was like I superimposed myself on the cover in between my two favourite soap stars.
TVG: I used to superimpose my picture over yours opposite Antonio Sabato Jr. [ex-Dante, B&B]! How’s Antonio doing these days?
LK: You want my boobs, don’t you? [Laughs] He finished his VH1 reality TV series and now he’s shooting a movie. And I’m seeing Mario Lopez [ex-Christian, B&B] for dinner soon, too. I like to keep my boys close by.
TVG: Everyone you work with has done pretty well.
LK: I never thought of that, but you’re right. I used to think very negatively of myself because all my leading men ended up dead! Listen, I killed off Tom Eplin! I used to take that very personally. Winsor Harmon [Thorne] and I always joke that we're the kiss of death on daytime since all our romantic interests end up dying!
TVG: In an ideal world, what’s your dream storyline for Felicia?
LK: I hate talking about dream storylines because then it never happens. But with a wing and a prayer, I’ll tell you. Felicia, through an online dating service, meets her dream guy but he finds out that Felicia has his dead wife’s liver. It’d be a romantic, odd love story. Hey, you never know how Stephanie got Felicia’s liver. Perhaps she did it illegally. I’d also never say never about Felicia’s cancer returning. Obviously, I wouldn’t want the cancer to kill Felicia, but I think it’d be realistic for it to pop back up. Having said that, I do like the fact that Felicia is a cancer survivor because it sends out a positive message about a terminal illness.
TVG: Your role was only intended to be a six-month stint. Are you still surprised Brad Bell changed his mind and saved Felicia from being buried six feet under?
LK: I wasn’t surprised. It was my goal to convince Brad to save Felicia from the moment I joined B&B despite my six-month contract. From the minute I got here, I felt like everyone working here was my family. I just couldn’t imagine leaving B&B. Without sounding too spiritual, I never visualized leaving, so I think that helped.
TVG: Felicia has brought out your comedic talents after years of heavy dramatic story as Molly on World Turns. Sometimes Felicia has no dialogue and you still manage to steal a scene with just a bitchy gesture or look.
LK: Yes, that’s all thanks to Felicia’s wit and sarcasm, which she got from her mother, Stephanie. B&B has always been a fun and comedic show. Brad really gets humour. Yes, we’re not doing Will & Grace, we’re doing a daytime drama. But if you can mix the drama and comedy together, then it works on a soap as opposed to just doing straight comedy or drama. If you make something funny out of something that isn’t funny, then that’s when it works — and vice versa.
TVG: One of my favourite scenes ever was when Stephanie thought Felicia was a lesbian. In fact, I don’t think you’ve shared this much chemistry with anyone than with the magnificent Susan Flannery [Stephanie].
LK: I can safely say she’s the best actor I’ll ever work with. Susan is the first mother my characters have ever had. Felicia and Stephanie’s mother and daughter relationship is very real and organic. I’m not an actor who draws from my own life in my performances. I don’t work that way. I just act in the moment. However, Stephanie and Felicia’s mother-daughter dynamic is very similar to the one I share with my real mother. I understand years of silence and not getting along only to find out you and your mother are mirror images of each other.
TVG: Do you think La Flannery will retire?
LK: No. I don’t she’ll ever retire. I’d even bet money on that. I want forever with Susan — not just another year.
TVG: Recently, B&B moved to prime-time in Australia and the ratings shot through the roof. In this dying industry, that’s a big win for B&B.
LK: We’re in prime-time, baby! In an age when no one wants to air the Emmy Awards, here we are in prime-time TV, so it says a lot about Brad and how he has marketed the show. Say what you want about our show, but Brad doesn’t fire his legacy characters, recast them, and most important, he stays true to their core. In many ways, B&B is built like a prime-time show.
TVG: Would you ever consider traversing behind the scenes one day because it’s clear you really love the industry and understand it.
LK: I’m afraid to say, but yeah, I would. I have a producer’s head. Actually, I produced one of the first reality TV series, Juvenile Justice in Texas long before I was on daytime. I’m not done with acting yet, though. But the minute my face begins to fall, you’ll find me behind the camera! [Laughs] I won’t ever have facial surgery. That’s never going to happen.
TVG: Speaking of the Emmys, did your mouth drop when you head CBS declined to air the telecast in 2009?
LK: You know what — I think I’m still in shock. I wasn’t submitting myself this year but I’m really sad that my colleagues who do have material to compete won’t be able to be recognized on-air. So that’s a bummer. I do feel certain people who are deserving are going to be robbed — so, for me as their friend and co-star, well, it just sucks.
TVG: Do you think it will hurt the industry if the ceremony doesn’t air.
LK: Yes, I do think it will absolutely hurt the industry. They should just let Ellen DeGeneres hand them out on her talk show. But listen, it’s not just the Daytime Emmys that are in trouble — all awards show ratings are down. I also think we need to fix the nomination system. I’m very supportive of Emmy reform. For example, I don’t think it’s fair that we can only nominate two nominees per category from each show. What if one show doesn’t have anyone to submit for younger actor, but another show has four deserving nominees. That’s like saying, you can only nominate a white, black and Asian person for each category. Also, why can’t I pre-nominate other actors from other shows? I actually watch other soaps. Each show should send a disc around to every soap so we can pre-nominate from other serials. Also, when you nominate just from your show, it becomes personal. Take Tom Eplin for example — he wasn’t nominated for years because he wasn’t the most popular actor in his cast. He was the most popular with fans and clearly the best actor on Another World, but he wasn’t recognized.
TVG: What’s the general feeling amongst actors in daytime with stars like Susan Lucci [Erica, All My Children] taking pay cuts, and superstars like Deidre Hall [Marlena, Days of our Lives] being fired. It started this year with your former co-star Martha Byrne [ex-Lily, World Turns] being forced out.
LK: I stay in my little bubble, but I will say I’m shocked about Deidre. I can’t imagine daytime TV without Deidre Hall. I just met her on The Richard Green Show at the Barack Obama headquarters and I fell in love with her — and so did my boys. It’s kind of devastating. As far as pay cuts, I’ve had plenty of pay cuts. I think we’re all lucky to have a job in this economy. As volatile as this business is, we all have to do our part to keep these shows on the air. Pay cuts aren’t fun. They may require you to change your lifestyle, but at least we have a job.
TVG: Were you surprised your gig at General Hospital was so short-lived as Lois Cerullo? Many thought you were the perfect recast.
LK: When I left World Turns, none of it felt right. I think I left for all the wrong reasons. Jumping over to GH wasn’t about me, it was about my family’s future. I didn’t leave World Turns because I was disgruntled about Molly or that Lois was a better role. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have left Molly when I did. Yes, I’m very happy that Lois led me to B&B as Felicia and in the end it all happened the way it should. I feel GH was a stepping stone in that regard. I’ve played so many complex roles in my career but with Lois, well, she felt like a caricature. Why did Lois have a Brooklyn accent when Sonny, who she grew up with, didn’t have one? In my opinion, I worked as Lois. GH even told my husband [former ATWT co-star Keith Coulouris] everything was great and to buy a house. Shortly thereafter, I was written out when I was pregnant. Not that I’m saying I was let go because I was pregnant, but the timing bummed me out.
TVG: Would you consider pulling double duty on World Turns for a ratings stunt?
LK: I would never say never. But that’s not my call to make. I’m under contract at B&B. I love all those people at World Turns. In fact I was just there to see Kristina’s directing debut. Every crew guy asked if I was coming back! I feel at home there, as I do here at B&B. I’m a Gemini, so I can fit in anywhere. For me, I’ll be honest, GH didn’t feel like home. It was a forced fit. Having said that, I’ve been lucky to have two great daytime experiences in two different roles on two big shows. I don’t take that for granted because I know how rare that is in this business. I’m happy where I am.
Lesli Kay: [coyly] I don’t know yet! All I know is I’m kissing someone — and it’s not my brother; and it’s not my mother! [Laughs] That’s all I can tell you at the moment. I’d tell your readers more, but honest to God, I haven’t read tomorrow’s script yet, but the good news is I am working. I have four-to-five episodes a week because there is a lot of family drama happening right now with the Forresters and Logans. And you know how much our Felicia dislikes the Logans!
TVG: Hallelujah! So you actually have lines of dialogue now?
LK: [Laughs] Yes! Felicia has her fire back.
TVG: Don Diamont was just fired from The Young and the Restless. Since Felicia and Brad are both schemers, celibate, and desperate for a storyline, how cool would it be if your boss Brad Bell absorbed Diamont? Talk about two diamonts in the rough…
LK: Hunter Tylo [Taylor] and I would have to fight for him! I adore Don — he’s my buddy, but I didn’t know he was fired. That’s very disturbing.
TVG: Even though I hear Brad is being killed off, I hope that other Brad brings him on to your show à la Eileen Davidson [Ashley] because B&B’s main problem is you guys have a serious leading-man shortage.
LK: Well, let me put it out there in the ethers that Brad does hire Don. I’ve always wanted to work with Don, and we shared a brief scene on Y&R, though I’m not sure if that ended up on the cutting-room floor. And look at our daytime connection — both our onscreen daughters were played by Adrienne Leon [ex-Colleen, Y&R; ex-Brook Lynn, GH].
TVG: OK, I should be fired for not remembering that connection!
LK: Don and I have a similar relationship that Tom Eplin [ex-Jake, ATWT/AW] and I had, too. I think Brad and Felicia would be hot together.
TVG: I’d say. Brad and Felicia have a lot in common — mainly the fact that they haven’t had sex in forever and they’re both sexy schemers.
LK: Thanks for bringing that up, Nelson! I have decided that Felicia is having an offscreen romance with Jared, the fashion magazine reporter. Felicia is always on the phone with Jared, so I always add in a ‘honey’ in when they talk to each other. Listen, Felicia can’t be celibate.
TVG: I always thought Jared was a friend of Dorothy’s, but Felicia could definitely turn a gay man straight methinks! [Laughs]
LK: Who’s to say?
TVG: Speaking of Adrienne, do you still keep in touch with her?
LK: We just talked the other day. She’s in culinary school. Adrienne’s one of those people you think is a pathological liar because when she updates you on her life it all sounds so unreal. But every bit of it is true. Adrienne does everything she puts her mind to. Adrienne and my other onscreen daughter, Kristina Sisco [ex-Abigail, ATWT], have done really well. It’s no secret that Kristina is directing at World Turns. I’m very proud of both my “daughters.”
TVG: Tom directed an episode of a local English-speaking telenovela, Hacienda Heights, which premières Dec. 3.
LK: Yeah, I saw it online. Tom will always do well. He’s a genius with real estate. Whatever Tom touches turns to gold. Heck, all his leading ladies have won Emmy Awards.
TVG: Would Tom ever consider coming back to soaps?
LK: Oh, I know he would. Tom would come back for a dollar to work with me — and I know that for a fact. I don’t know if that will happen though. Some would argue that our show has that age range covered, but we also need more talented men on our show who aren’t related to the ladies. We have so many talented women on our show but we need more men.
TVG: At one point, you and Tom were on the cover of every soap magazine. Were you surprised that Molly and Jake became so popular since Another World’s Vicky and Jake were so beloved?
LK: I was surprised, actually. I’ll be honest with you, before I started on soaps, I was a huge Jake and Vicky fan. Years later, it was so surreal to see my face in between Jake and Vicky during the ghost storyline. It was like I superimposed myself on the cover in between my two favourite soap stars.
TVG: I used to superimpose my picture over yours opposite Antonio Sabato Jr. [ex-Dante, B&B]! How’s Antonio doing these days?
LK: You want my boobs, don’t you? [Laughs] He finished his VH1 reality TV series and now he’s shooting a movie. And I’m seeing Mario Lopez [ex-Christian, B&B] for dinner soon, too. I like to keep my boys close by.
TVG: Everyone you work with has done pretty well.
LK: I never thought of that, but you’re right. I used to think very negatively of myself because all my leading men ended up dead! Listen, I killed off Tom Eplin! I used to take that very personally. Winsor Harmon [Thorne] and I always joke that we're the kiss of death on daytime since all our romantic interests end up dying!
TVG: In an ideal world, what’s your dream storyline for Felicia?
LK: I hate talking about dream storylines because then it never happens. But with a wing and a prayer, I’ll tell you. Felicia, through an online dating service, meets her dream guy but he finds out that Felicia has his dead wife’s liver. It’d be a romantic, odd love story. Hey, you never know how Stephanie got Felicia’s liver. Perhaps she did it illegally. I’d also never say never about Felicia’s cancer returning. Obviously, I wouldn’t want the cancer to kill Felicia, but I think it’d be realistic for it to pop back up. Having said that, I do like the fact that Felicia is a cancer survivor because it sends out a positive message about a terminal illness.
TVG: Your role was only intended to be a six-month stint. Are you still surprised Brad Bell changed his mind and saved Felicia from being buried six feet under?
LK: I wasn’t surprised. It was my goal to convince Brad to save Felicia from the moment I joined B&B despite my six-month contract. From the minute I got here, I felt like everyone working here was my family. I just couldn’t imagine leaving B&B. Without sounding too spiritual, I never visualized leaving, so I think that helped.
TVG: Felicia has brought out your comedic talents after years of heavy dramatic story as Molly on World Turns. Sometimes Felicia has no dialogue and you still manage to steal a scene with just a bitchy gesture or look.
LK: Yes, that’s all thanks to Felicia’s wit and sarcasm, which she got from her mother, Stephanie. B&B has always been a fun and comedic show. Brad really gets humour. Yes, we’re not doing Will & Grace, we’re doing a daytime drama. But if you can mix the drama and comedy together, then it works on a soap as opposed to just doing straight comedy or drama. If you make something funny out of something that isn’t funny, then that’s when it works — and vice versa.
TVG: One of my favourite scenes ever was when Stephanie thought Felicia was a lesbian. In fact, I don’t think you’ve shared this much chemistry with anyone than with the magnificent Susan Flannery [Stephanie].
LK: I can safely say she’s the best actor I’ll ever work with. Susan is the first mother my characters have ever had. Felicia and Stephanie’s mother and daughter relationship is very real and organic. I’m not an actor who draws from my own life in my performances. I don’t work that way. I just act in the moment. However, Stephanie and Felicia’s mother-daughter dynamic is very similar to the one I share with my real mother. I understand years of silence and not getting along only to find out you and your mother are mirror images of each other.
TVG: Do you think La Flannery will retire?
LK: No. I don’t she’ll ever retire. I’d even bet money on that. I want forever with Susan — not just another year.
TVG: Recently, B&B moved to prime-time in Australia and the ratings shot through the roof. In this dying industry, that’s a big win for B&B.
LK: We’re in prime-time, baby! In an age when no one wants to air the Emmy Awards, here we are in prime-time TV, so it says a lot about Brad and how he has marketed the show. Say what you want about our show, but Brad doesn’t fire his legacy characters, recast them, and most important, he stays true to their core. In many ways, B&B is built like a prime-time show.
TVG: Would you ever consider traversing behind the scenes one day because it’s clear you really love the industry and understand it.
LK: I’m afraid to say, but yeah, I would. I have a producer’s head. Actually, I produced one of the first reality TV series, Juvenile Justice in Texas long before I was on daytime. I’m not done with acting yet, though. But the minute my face begins to fall, you’ll find me behind the camera! [Laughs] I won’t ever have facial surgery. That’s never going to happen.
TVG: Speaking of the Emmys, did your mouth drop when you head CBS declined to air the telecast in 2009?
LK: You know what — I think I’m still in shock. I wasn’t submitting myself this year but I’m really sad that my colleagues who do have material to compete won’t be able to be recognized on-air. So that’s a bummer. I do feel certain people who are deserving are going to be robbed — so, for me as their friend and co-star, well, it just sucks.
TVG: Do you think it will hurt the industry if the ceremony doesn’t air.
LK: Yes, I do think it will absolutely hurt the industry. They should just let Ellen DeGeneres hand them out on her talk show. But listen, it’s not just the Daytime Emmys that are in trouble — all awards show ratings are down. I also think we need to fix the nomination system. I’m very supportive of Emmy reform. For example, I don’t think it’s fair that we can only nominate two nominees per category from each show. What if one show doesn’t have anyone to submit for younger actor, but another show has four deserving nominees. That’s like saying, you can only nominate a white, black and Asian person for each category. Also, why can’t I pre-nominate other actors from other shows? I actually watch other soaps. Each show should send a disc around to every soap so we can pre-nominate from other serials. Also, when you nominate just from your show, it becomes personal. Take Tom Eplin for example — he wasn’t nominated for years because he wasn’t the most popular actor in his cast. He was the most popular with fans and clearly the best actor on Another World, but he wasn’t recognized.
TVG: What’s the general feeling amongst actors in daytime with stars like Susan Lucci [Erica, All My Children] taking pay cuts, and superstars like Deidre Hall [Marlena, Days of our Lives] being fired. It started this year with your former co-star Martha Byrne [ex-Lily, World Turns] being forced out.
LK: I stay in my little bubble, but I will say I’m shocked about Deidre. I can’t imagine daytime TV without Deidre Hall. I just met her on The Richard Green Show at the Barack Obama headquarters and I fell in love with her — and so did my boys. It’s kind of devastating. As far as pay cuts, I’ve had plenty of pay cuts. I think we’re all lucky to have a job in this economy. As volatile as this business is, we all have to do our part to keep these shows on the air. Pay cuts aren’t fun. They may require you to change your lifestyle, but at least we have a job.
TVG: Were you surprised your gig at General Hospital was so short-lived as Lois Cerullo? Many thought you were the perfect recast.
LK: When I left World Turns, none of it felt right. I think I left for all the wrong reasons. Jumping over to GH wasn’t about me, it was about my family’s future. I didn’t leave World Turns because I was disgruntled about Molly or that Lois was a better role. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have left Molly when I did. Yes, I’m very happy that Lois led me to B&B as Felicia and in the end it all happened the way it should. I feel GH was a stepping stone in that regard. I’ve played so many complex roles in my career but with Lois, well, she felt like a caricature. Why did Lois have a Brooklyn accent when Sonny, who she grew up with, didn’t have one? In my opinion, I worked as Lois. GH even told my husband [former ATWT co-star Keith Coulouris] everything was great and to buy a house. Shortly thereafter, I was written out when I was pregnant. Not that I’m saying I was let go because I was pregnant, but the timing bummed me out.
TVG: Would you consider pulling double duty on World Turns for a ratings stunt?
LK: I would never say never. But that’s not my call to make. I’m under contract at B&B. I love all those people at World Turns. In fact I was just there to see Kristina’s directing debut. Every crew guy asked if I was coming back! I feel at home there, as I do here at B&B. I’m a Gemini, so I can fit in anywhere. For me, I’ll be honest, GH didn’t feel like home. It was a forced fit. Having said that, I’ve been lucky to have two great daytime experiences in two different roles on two big shows. I don’t take that for granted because I know how rare that is in this business. I’m happy where I am.
