Guiding Light:
Me and My Character
Laura Wright
SoapCityAlina: What was it like for you to lose your acting partner
of three years, Bradley Cole (Richard)?
Laura Wright (Cassie): You know, when Richard died -- or was murdered;
actually I’m still on the fence about that -- it was very sad, and
I had a very hard time with it. It was emotionally draining. I would go
home and cry because I really felt like someone had died. I mean, can
you imagine Cassie’s life without Richard?
SCA: Is it hard getting used to working with new actors after having
worked with Bradley for so long?
LW: In the beginning, when I had a couple of scenes with Paul Anthony
Stewart (Danny), I said to him, "I’m so glad that it’s
with you," because I was so emotionally drained. Everything that
I did on camera I physically went through as though someone had actually
died. So, to start working with someone that I at least had a history
with (ed. note: Laura and Paul played lovers Ally and Casey on Loving),
it was like going home. You know, it’s really funny because I worked
with Paul Anthony just as long as I’ve worked with Bradley (three
years), but it was a long time ago. So, working with Paul again was a
wonderful, safe place to go to after having to play such hard, emotional
material. Richard’s death was horrible to play. I think about it
to this day and I still think, "How does Cassie live without Richard?"
SCA: And it shows in your performance. Viewers can tell that Cassie
hasn’t really gotten over Richard’s death yet.
LW: I think Cassie wakes up every morning and says, "How do
I live with this?" When I look back to the Cassie and Richard scenes,
I think that every time we were on camera together, you were watching
a fairytale. That’s what made them so special and unique and different.
I had a scene with Richard before he died where he’s massaging my
feet, and I said, "Darling, I had a dream." I’d been having
those dreams about the lion. I said to Richard, "Don’t you ever
have dreams?" And, in true Richard form, he only dreams about Cassie!
It was so funny because I remember teasing Bradley, "Oh, shut up!
Would you just say something else besides how much you love me? C’mon!
You’re just like a wind-up doll."
SCA: Do you like how the show is handling Cassie’s grief?
LW: I’m so impressed and so happy with the way the story is
being told. You know, I just heard that Greenlee was kissing Leo’s
brother on All My Children the other day. And how quick did Molly
hop in the sack with someone else on As the World Turns. I suppose
that "Get over it, move on," is one way of telling the story.
I’m just so happy that we are truly honoring the couple and not screwing
over the fans by acting like it never happened.
SCA: Speaking of fans, there seems to be a tiny contingent out there
that’s convinced that you are the acting Executive Producer of Guiding
Light, making demands about stories, firing and hiring, couples...
LW: The fans are going to believe what they want believe. They
are going to assume what they want to assume. If I tried to go down to
(former Executive Producer) Paul Rauch’s office and demand anything,
he would have said, "Yeah, right," and thrown me out the door.
SCA: Because Paul was so well known for being a pushover.
LW: Exactly. Paul’s so well known for just listening to whatever
anybody else says. Right -- uh, no. The fact is, it’s a soap opera.
If you’re happy, you’re boring. If you’re miserable, you
work every day. The Danny and Michelle fans were complaining, "Give
them story, give them story." Well, this is story. And I truly have
no idea what the writers have planned. At this point, Cassie’s trying
to get Danny back together with his wife. And if it does go in the direction
where there’s a triangle, it would be awesome to work with Nancy
(St. Alban; Michelle) and do the little girly snips back and forth because
they both love the same guy. Paul would get fought over -- I’m sure
he’d love it.
SCA: But you could see why some fans would be upset. They’re
so attached to Danny and Michelle, and then here comes Cassie the interloper.
Unfortunately, some of them have taken it to the personal level, attacking
Laura the actress instead of Cassie the character. That must be so hard
for you.
LW: I’m sorry that they’re so upset, because, you know,
I understand. I was extremely attached to Cassie and Richard. I understand
how attached they can get. But the fans I’ve spoken to are really
excited about the possible triangle. The fans seem to be half and half,
and who knows what’s going to happen now? Everybody is new; it’s
all new ideas, all new hands writing the show. A soap opera shouldn’t
be predictable. Everyone shouldn’t be nice, everyone shouldn’t
be happy. Everyone should be telling lies, having sex. Everyone should
be lying, cheating and stealing -- it’s a soap opera!
Next: Jordi Vilasuso
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