Tuesday, December 15, 2009

NEWS: McAdams, Woods/verDorn, Soap Restaurants

Rachel McAdams admits soap love in January Vogue
“I grew up watching so much television,” she explains. “I was really into soap operas. I’d begin with DAYS OF OUR LIVES, then ANOTHER WORLD, and finish off with GENERAL HOSPITAL. And before dinner I’d watch OPRAH.”

Her obsession with the daytime serials got so intense that she would play hooky from school.

"I would fake sick all the time to the point where I'd convince myself I was sick," the Sherlock Holmes star, 31, says. "In high school, I really didn't pay attention. I took the bare minimum to get by."

Beth Maitland returns to Y&R for the holidays
Beth Maitland (Traci, Y&R), who was last seen on-screen in the wake of Colleen's death in September, returns on Dec. 23 for a handful of episodes as Traci joins her family for the holidays.

INTERVIEW: Y&R's Eileen Davidson (Ashley)
"My best friend in the world is Lisa Fanjoy who was my double when I was on DAYS OF OUR LIVES and played five characters. We bonded during the 20 hour days and 80 pages of dialogue! We've been friends for 15 years now. When people watch soaps we become like family to them because they see us every day in their living rooms. It's a very intimate medium."

Alfre Woodard to Guest Star on TRUE BLOOD
Alfre Woodard is headed to HBO, where she'll play Lafayette's (actess Nelsan Ellis) mom on Alan Ball's hit vampire series. Meanwhile, Joe Manganiello has landed the important role of Alcide Herveaux.

INTERVIEW: OLTL's Robert Woods & Jerry verDorn (Bo and Clint)
Robert Woods: But I don't think Clint could ever become Pa, because he's got a different moral fiber than Asa ever had. Asa was a wheeler-dealer and didn't care who he stepped on. Clint and Bo both have a conscience. That's why they're beating themselves up, "How could you do this to your brother?" It's a nice mess to have to work with. It's more interesting than sipping coffee and saying, "Did you read the Banner today?"

Jerry verDorn: It's a juicy story that comes out of history and it keeps Phil Carey around. It's like Asa haunts not only the mansion, but a good portion of the town. That's nice, especially for people who've watched for more than 10 years.

Remembering soap opera restaurants
Restaurants have always played an important role in TV soap operas. "There always had to be a lobby bar or a private booth or secluded dining room where two characters could exchange secrets," notes chef-novelist (and devoted soap opera fan) Lou Jane Temple. "Even more importantly, if the characters were having an affair, they could be spotted by other characters or even have a dramatic confrontation. It was an essential part of the storyline."

Study: You can burn more calories by watching less TV
A Stanford study found that "overweight adults who cut television time in half were more active, burning more calories as a result."

Obama to appear on NBC's WWE Holiday special
The President and Gen. David Petraeus will make a special message on "WWE Tribute To The Troops," which airs Saturday.

1 comment:

  1. like I didn't love Rachel McAdams already. Nest stop Port Charles, hey why not, it was good enough for James Franco?

    ReplyDelete