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 Tammy Layne Winslow was so traumatized by her stepfather, Richard's,
death, that she aged overnight! Stephanie Gatschet took over the role
of the troubled teen this summer, and instantly got thrust into a front
burner storyline. To find out how this NYU co-ed is handling juggling
school and a brand new mother/daughter relationship with Laura Wright
(Cassie), read on...
The Long and Winding Road:
I was born and raised in Philadelphia. I still live there today. I don't
drive at all, so I commute. I take the train. I woke up at 4 o'clock this
morning to get here.
Junior Achievement:
I was bitten by the acting bug in the womb. My parents aren't actors,
but I just don't remember a time that I didn't want to perform. I started
dancing when I was three. I thought I should be a singer but it turns
out I can't sing. Finally, I decided that acting was the thing I wanted
to do. I was probably eight or nine. And I started taking acting lessons.
My parents were so supportive. They got me into theater classes, but they
were never pushy. I was always the one who said, "Yeah, I want to
do this. I want to go further and further!" I started coming up to
New York to audition when I was ten. For the first seven years that I
was trying to pursue this, my parents would drive me back and forth from
Philly to New York. Thank God for them. I started mostly with commercials.
I was eleven when I did my first off-Broadway show here, which was Baby
Anger.
Soap Land:
I did extra work on Another World. And I had a day on As the
World Turns. I got to be "Funky Teen Girl," which was really
funny because they gave me nine earrings and some green hair. I remember
I worked with Craig (Lawlor); Adam). It was a funny, funky little scene.
I came in and just tried to confuse his character greatly.
Seeing the Light:
I came to audition for GL the first time maybe four or five years ago.
I don't remember what role it was for - it might even have been for Tammy.
This time, though, I was completely thrown off when I came in to read.
They weren't Tammy lines I was given. The girl's name was Cindy. The scene
had nothing to do with the current Tammy storyline. I thought I was a
sweet, innocent, 16 year-old girl who's excited to go out and discover
the world. Little did I know my first day would be: "Is Dad about
to die, Mom?" I'm not sure how you mourn for a Dad you've never known.
I don't think I ever really figured it out. I just tried to understand
the history that was there and the fact that this guy was like a real
dad to Tammy even though he wasn't her real father. It's been really intense,
but I like it this way. Once I get a break, it'll feel like, "Aahhhh."
Then I'll be able to take a deep breath.
Mommie Dearest:
Laura Wright (Cassie) is just so great. My first day, I remember thinking,
"How am I going to do this?" There is obviously a big connection
between this mother and daughter, a lot of history, and there is a lot
of stuff going on in the family. It's a little bit awkward to come into
that. But Laura would reach out and grab me and look into my eyes, and
the connection was there. She makes it so easy.
Love Connection:
Your guess about Tammy and romance is about as good as mine because I
have no idea. But I'm hoping there is going to be some good, juicy stuff.
I've done romantic stuff on stage. I did a show in 1999, an off-Broadway
show called Hazelwood Junior High. It's a true crime story, really
depressing. I played a twelve-year-old murder victim. In the events leading
up to her murder, she fell in love with a female classmate, and had sort
of a phase of experimentation. So there were some love scenes involved
in that. They were pretty intense, and I was fourteen at the time of the
show! So I was prepared early on for having to do that kind of stuff.
I guess, in a way, it's good, because if I learn all about that stuff
doing theater, my parents don't have to worry about me doing it.
The theatre will enlighten me!
Work/Study:
I'm going back to school come September. I'm taking classes at night at
NYU for my second year. If this job works out the way I want it to, it'll
be perfect because I'll be taking three or four classes in the evening
and having my days completely free to come here and work. And there's
a lot of down time here where I can get my schoolwork done.
Hopefully I won't go insane.
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