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SoapCityAlina: So, who is this Bailey Chase person that's about
to become the new Chris Hughes?
Bailey Chase: Who am I? Maybe we'll come back to that one...
I was born in Chicago, and then my older brother, my mom and I moved
to Naples, Florida, when I was about five. I went to Duke on a football
scholarship, majored in psychology. Acting was a boyhood dream.
As a kid, I looked up to Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford. Those
guys were cool, so I wanted to be like them, as I'm sure many other
guys did. So many people like me move to Hollywood, realize what
the reality of the situation is, and they go back home and get a
real job.
SCA: So, how come that didn't happen to you?
BC: I was very fortunate. My first job was on Married…
with Children. I was playing a lifeguard. And, yes, I was clad
in a skimpy red Speedo. But I'm sure they hired me for my acting
ability because, back then, I was such a serious actor. That show
is in syndication everywhere, so everyone I know has seen Bailey's
non-speaking role on Married… with Children in the Speedo.
Hopefully, that will never turn up on (Late Night with David)
Letterman or anything. And then from there I started to get
some work in commercials. And I did Baywatch. I had to take
my shirt off, but I got to make out with Yasmin Bleeth, which was
nice.
SCA: And then daytime beckoned?
BC: I did a couple of days on Young and the Restless
as a friend of Nick Newman's. And then they brought me back to try
to break up Cole and his wife on the show. I didn't like daytime
much. It wasn't as exciting as theater, where you have the interaction
of the live audience or Baywatch, where we got to go on location.
SCA: So, would you consider Buffy the Vampire Slayer
your big break?
BC: I came on Buffy in the beginning of season four.
There were three guys who were the three main characters of the
Initiative and I was one of those guys, the loyal sidekick. His
name's Graham Miller and he was great. I later found out that he
was based on one of the writer's real-life friends. Buffy
has a great budget. I had a real assault rifle, and I was shooting
blanks. Whenever I picked that thing up, I'd just get this big smile,
and they'd have to tell me, "Bailey, you need to be a little
more serious here. No smiles. You're killing demons."
SCA: So, if you weren't very happy at Y&R, what prompted
you to take the ATWT part?
BC: Well, when you're just a day player, like I was on Y&R,
it's a different deal. People are going to treat you differently.
You're still kind of on the outside looking in. What happened was
after I recurred on Buffy for a couple of seasons, I went
over to Bulgaria. It was my first lead in a film, which is very
exciting. But then right after that, we went into a recession, and
there was no work, so I started looking toward New York. After everything
that happened here at the end of 2001... I don't know, there was
this connection. I met (ATWT Casting Director) Mary Clay Boland
when she was out in L.A., and then I met (Executive Producer) Chris
Goutman, and the next time a contract role came up, everything just
clicked. In the end, it was an easy decision. And this isn't a day
player, this is full-time. I'm just inundated with material. They
just move with such a quicker pace. I've been working for three
weeks and I'm dreaming about Chris Hughes!
SCA: You did your screen test with Jessica Dunphy (Alison).
Did you know that Jessica is only 17, and so is Alison?
BC: Is she really 17? Oh, OK. But we're really not quite
that far along in the storyline right now. We're still establishing
Chris, so nothing might happen.
SCA: And a while ago, Chris was dating another high-school girl,
Abigail.
BC: Abigail? I don't know who Abigail is. OK, maybe there's
borderline pedophilia going on. I've been finding things out as
I go along. Obviously, this is a character that has a bit of a track
record, and a lot of different guys have been in my shoes. I know
that he was kind of with Alison's mom, Emily. Somebody explained
that to me, sort of. And Abigail and her mom, Molly? Well, maybe,
he has a thing with the mother/daughter dynamic. Interesting triangle,
Chris. I'm sure I'll have more dreams about that one.
SCA: After your experience with Buffy fans, are you ready
to face soap fans?
BC: I must say that the fans from Buffy have been
great. They're just respectful of my space. The majority of them
are high school girls.
SCA: Again with you and the high-school girls!
BC: They're just really sweet and shy. Of course, I'll sign
anything to them. And I did get asked to a couple of proms, some
high school homecomings and things like that. But I don't know anything
about the hardcore soap fans, as of yet. I mean, I've started to
get letters. People have gone to my Web site (www.BaileyChase.com).
I'm looking forward to meeting the fans. I really enjoy the interaction.
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