SC_Monique: It must have been a crazy week last week for you after announcing your departure from B&B?

Jennifer Finnigan: Yeah, it's been that way for a while. I've just kind of been in the process of deciding, but yeah it's definitely been crazy! I'm just trying to take it in stride and not let it get to me too much, but there have been times where I just start crying you know!

SC_Monique: You must really feel like you've grown up on B&B in a way?

Jennifer Finnigan: I do, I absolutely feel that way. I even watch old shows and think, 'Oh my God, I was such a kid!' And I was in real-life!

SC_Monique: You must be excited at the same time though?

Jennifer Finnigan: I am. I really am; I feel like it's the right time right now. As nervous as I am I just have this peace of mind that I've done the right thing.

SC_Monique: Have you been mulling over this decision for a while now?

Jennifer Finnigan: Yeah, it's definitely been something that I've been wrestling with and I think I was procrastinating making the decision just because I knew it would be very difficult. I was definitely putting it off and not wanting to deal with it, but it came to a point where in order to be fair on the show, I needed to give them some proper notice. And you know in order to give myself peace of mind I really needed to sit down and think it out and really make a decision.

SC_Monique: What was the thing that finally convinced you this was the right choice? Was it the people in your life or your manager or your agent or something that really convinced you that it was the right decision?

Jennifer Finnigan: Well, it mostly was me. You know, people can tell you what they want and there can be many external factors but what it really came down to for me was just what my heart and my head were saying. It really was something [inside] just told me, 'OK, you have to do this." [It also] it had to do with [the fact that] I didn't want to look back five or 10 years from now and think, "shoulda, woulda, couldaJ certainly didn't want to ever get to a point where I felt resentful toward the job because that would be ridiculous considering what an amazing job it is, what a fantastic place of work, and how lucky I am to be working in the first place. I mean, there are so many out-of-work actors out there. So, it's a job that I've been grateful for every day since I've started and I want to continue to feel that way and I want to leave on a high. My heart's always told me to try film. I just never had a chance because Bold and Beautiful was my first audition in L.A. That's what I told Brad, that I really never, ever had a chance to get out there and experience it. And who knows, maybe I'll get out there and I won't want to be out there anymore, I'll realize how much Bold and Beautiful satisfied me in every way; but at least I'll have tried.

SC_Monique: It's definitely a dilemma I'm sure a lot of people go through in Daytime because it is such a nice, sort of comfortable place to be.

Jennifer Finnigan: It is, that's how I feel, it's like you've been in the womb for three years and now back to the chopping block! And it's true! Auditioning is a scary thing, it's certainly not fun, and it's the difference between doing a scene in front of 75 people that know you, playing a character that you know like the back of your hand, or walking into a room with a person and a camera and being judged.

SC_Monique: So, that is obviously scary and exciting and all of the above, right?

Jennifer Finnigan: It is, and I really don't have anything planned right now, I'm just playing it by ear.

SC_Monique: Are you hoping to get into TV, or do you really feel like you want to focus on feature films first and then see how it goes?

Jennifer Finnigan: Ideally both. If I could find a series, a night time series that was a really strong quality, if I could play a character that I really identified with and felt strongly about, then I would do television. Although the thought of signing on for five years of my life on another series isn't that appealing to me, I think I'd prefer to do film at this point.

SC_Monique: You're actually taping B&B until January right?

Jennifer Finnigan: I am.

SC_Monique: You gave B&B plenty of notice.

Jennifer Finnigan: I gave them plenty of notice and I said to Brad, "I'm not falling off the face of the planet at that point, if ever you need me to stop by every once in a while, that could be arranged." But I know they'll be replacing me and that's something that is hard for me to deal with, but I fully understand that they need to. I do hope that they find someone good and I wish them the best with that.

SC_Monique: So is that kind of scary to you? I mean sometimes they might leave something open, but since they are re-casting, that's kind of scary to know that you don't have that safety net at B&B for the moment.

Jennifer Finnigan: Well, I definitely feel that I will always have a home there, somehow, in some capacity. They are my second family and they know that. It's a relief having made the decision; having been able to sit down with Brad, who has really been not just a great boss but a friend, and he handled it with such class, and it's so amicable and I feel like he's really rooting for me and for my success.

SC_Monique: That's great.

Jennifer Finnigan: Yeah! It's amazing to be able to leave on those terms. And that's I think a tribute to both of us and the relationship we have.

SC_Monique: Do you want to play more comedic roles, or dramatic roles?

Jennifer Finnigan: Well because I've been doing drama for so longbstly I think I love the drama. I love to sink my teeth into some good drama! Ideally maybe a mix of both drama and comedy; I love finding the comedy within the drama. I don't think a sitcom is where I should be, but maybe a drama or a drama-dy.

SC_Monique: Do you feel like everything else is in place in terms of your representation; your agent and manager?

Jennifer Finnigan: That was a huge factor as well, I mean the kind of powerful people I have backing me right now really can't be denied. And I would be remiss if I didn't take advantage of it.

SC_Monique: Sometimes you fell like you've got the right team together.

Jennifer Finnigan: Right, yes I feel very strongly that they're working extremely hard for me right now and they are very well respected in the business, and so when these types of people approach casting directors and things like that, they listen.

SC_Monique: When you talk to them about strategy, is there an image or strategy that they are working with at the moment in terms of where you should go and where you fit in?

Jennifer Finnigan: I think I'm still in the process of working that out. I have been this character for so many years that I'm still trying to figure that out myself. And frankly I don't want to be the next anyone, I just would like to carve out my own niche. I guess along the way I will figure that out, but at this point I see myself basically playing anything. I definitely don't want to limit myself to a certain stereotype or category.

SC_Monique: Are you going to be able to audition from now until then just to try and get things going?

Jennifer Finnigan: A little here and there, definitely going out and meeting people. But I think it really starts in January for pilot season.

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