Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Rebecca Budig New Year's Interview

Northern Kentucky native Rebecca Budig burst onto the soap scene in 1995 in the role of Michelle Bauer on GUIDING LIGHT. In 1999 she created the role of Greenlee Smythe on ALL MY CHILDREN and has earned two Daytime Emmy nominations while playing the character. Over the years Bugid has hosted WE's FULL FRONTAL FASHION and co-hosted THE VIEW. She's also appeared on a number of television shows such as CSI, HOPE & FAITH and OUT OF PRACTICE.

As 2009 winds down, the actress has returned to ALL MY CHILDREN just in time for the show's 40th Anniversary in January. She spoke with We Love Soaps about her soap return, the current state of daytime, and offered New Year's kissing tips for our readers.

We Love Soaps: Tell me about your return to ALL MY CHILDREN. When it was announced the show was moving to Los Angeles, did you instantly think a return might be possible?
Rebecca Budig: Oh God, no. My first thought was, "Is everybody going? Is the crew going?" It was so crazy I couldn't' believe it. I never thought, "Oh, I can go back." They would have to want me to come back, and you can't just call somebody and say you want a job. But the fact that it is in L.A. and my home is there now definitely is a bonus.

We Love Soaps: How do you feel about New York versus L.A. in terms of places to live? I've lived in New York for several years now and feel like I couldn't live anywhere else.
Rebecca Budig: Well, Roger, I feel the same way, but I had no choice. The business is out there. [Laughs] Well, I do have a choice, I could live here, but it's less expensive to live there. I love New York, it's in my blood, I lived here for 12 years. Ultimately, I'd love to live on the East coast because my family is in the Midwest and I have a sister in New York, but for now it's L.A. Nothing's ever set in stone.

We Love Soaps: Maybe ALL MY CHILDREN will move back to New York! [Laughs]
Rebecca Budig: You never know!

We Love Soaps: No one ever thought it would move, so...
Rebecca Budig: I never thought it would move.

We Love Soaps: Are we going to see Greenlee battle Erica for Ryan's affections? I think most people expect to see that.
Rebecca Budig: Well, I think we are. I haven't taped any of that yet, or even seen any of that yet. But I can't imagine, with Ryan being with Erica, and Ryan being Greenlee's so-called fiancé, or so she thought, there not be something going on.

We Love Soaps: Is there a chance we might see some of Greenlee's darker side in 2010?
Rebecca Budig: I think there's a chance, definitely.

We Love Soaps: Do you enjoy playing that?
Rebecca Budig: Are you kidding? That's why I love the character. That's why I stayed all those years ago because she was such a fun character to play.

We Love Soaps: Are you excited about ALL MY CHILDREN's 40th Anniversary episodes? You have returned and there will be several former cast members returning for those shows.
Rebecca Budig: I'm excited about it. It's an honor to be part of a show that's been on the air for 40 years. It's incredible.

We Love Soaps: ALL MY CHILDREN used to have so much heart, and I feel like the heart has gone away a bit with some of the new characters.
Rebecca Budig: I think their goal is to get back to that. I think with Chuck Pratt gone they're really focusing on getting the heart of the show back.

We Love Soaps: We lost GUIDING LIGHT this year, a show you starred on as Michelle Bauer, and AS THE WORLD TURNS is going off the air in 2010. How do you feel about the state of the daytime soap industry as we finish 2009?
Rebecca Budig: I think that things change and evolve. We're lucky to have had them for this long to be honest. I think that times have changed, and to me it's sad, because I grew up watching the soaps, so it's sad to see some of them go. But I also think there's room for change, and change can be good. I think us going to L.A. is a great change and hopefully it's for the better.

We Love Soaps: Every show I watch on television, other than AMERICAN IDOL, is a soap. All the primetime shows have continuing stories now.
Rebecca Budig: GREY'S ANATOMY is a soap. It's funny, someone will say to me, "You're a soap actor." And I say, "No, I'm just an actor." But they're all soaps. I also think a lot of women work when they used to not work so it's changed the dynamic of daytime.

We Love Soaps: Let's talk about New Year's Eve. Are you spending it in New York or L.A.?
Rebecca Budig: I'm in New York right now but heading to L.A. We're doing nothing much, just very low key. Most years I don't really go to huge, huge parties. I'm normally a low key New Year's Eve person. I don't make big plans.

We Love Soaps: The kiss at midnight is the big moment on New Year's Eve. You qualify as an expert on the subject having kissed some of the hunkiest guys ever on soaps like Josh Duhamel, Aiden Turner and Cameron Mathison. What would you say are the essential items everyone should have to prepare themselves for the big kiss?
Rebecca Budig: Well, soft lips is essential so I'd have a lip balm. Fresh breath to me is the epitome. You have to have fresh breath. I use Colgate® Wisp™, a single use toothbrush. I've been using them a long time. They are becoming more popular now. I also think you need to have confidence and be present and in the moment.

We Love Soaps: I'm not sure I've seen the Colgate® Wisp™ before.
Rebecca Budig: You haven't? You know what it is, I like to go to the drug store and meander around and look at stuff [laughs]. I saw them and thought, "This might be really good for the plane," because I travel quite a bit. And they're really little and fit in your purse so I started using them. I use those things all the time. I brush my teeth in the morning and then I leave the house and have coffee, and then I want to brush my teeth again. So for me, it's a really good thing. It's better for me than mint strips or gum because they're not long lasting.

We Love Soaps: Would you say there are any New Year's "don'ts" that people should avoid?
Rebecca Budig: Don't overindulge yourself in alcohol!

We Love Soaps: If you go could back to 1995 when you first started your soap career, knowing what you know now, what advice would you give yourself?
Rebecca Budig: I don't think that I would. I found my way, especially on GUIDING LIGHT, where I was so green. I did everything I could to get better. I'm one of those people who challenges myself everyday to do the best I can. So I don't know what I would say. I'm sorry! [Laughs]

We Love Soaps: Well, it doesn't sound like you have lots of regrets so that's good news.
Rebecca Budig: I don't.

We Love Soaps: What other career aspirations do you have? I know you used to host a show on Saturday mornings.
Rebecca Budig: I used to do a lot of hosting. I haven't in a while, but I do like hosting. I'd love to host again. I'd love to do a primetime show, or have a part on a primetime show.

We Love Soaps: Being on ABC, you'd think they would feature their daytime stars on their primetime shows more.
Rebecca Budig: I've said I want to be Alison Sweeney. I want to have a primetime show that I host and work in the daytime!

13 comments:

  1. Oh. No. You. Didn't!

    A product placement in the interview for Colgate?

    LMAO!!!

    That's hilarious. I hope you folks get paid for it.

    I'm shocked that soaps don't do more of that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You do what you have to do! But seriously, love Rebecca, and wanted to talk with her for a while. We'll have more with her on our next podcast.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "I never thought, 'Oh, I can go back.' They would have to want me to come back, and you can't just call somebody and say you want a job. But the fact that it is in L.A. and my home is there now definitely is a bonus."

    hmmm... I don't she was being truthful in that statement. She's been quoted in elsewhere saying that she called Brian Frons and Julie Caruthers to see if the moving rumors were true. That phone call was a say of asking "can I come back", everyone knows that. Nice of her to try and make it seem otherwise, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh please! No one want to see Greenlee battling Erica for Ryan. Ryan is no Pride. Toxic Rylee sucks.. The thought of having to endure another round of Rylee and a triangle from hell make me want to puke..

    Which is it? In several interviews she said she emailed JHC about coming back, and now she didn't. Whatever? I don't believe anything she says anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm sorry but Rebecca Budig as Greenlee don't interest me at all. Greenlee adds nothing to the show, and I wish she had stayed dead. Greenlee is nothing but a bra and panties Ryan obsessed sex freak. I'm tired of Ryan and Greenlee being forced down my throat. I would rather eat nails than watch the Rylee show!!!

    I hate when actors are allowed to come and go as they please from a show when other dedicated, and hardworking actors are fired.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Roger,

    I'm just kidding. I'm more than happy to click on a link to learn about products if it helps to help pay you for WLS expenses and put money in Damon's and your pockets.

    Sadly, soaps aren't creative enough with product placement. NBC's Chuck has a great deal with Subway that helps keep the show on the air. I wish soaps were smarter about that.

    ReplyDelete
  8. No worries, I'm hard to offend. :)

    Have you checked out the indie soap HIGH RISE? It is chock full of product placement. Some of it is intrusive but after watching 20 episodes I actually just got used to it and it didn't bother me. Obviously they got their production costs paid for from all their sponsors.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Phyllis: No, that never happened. What happened is Pratt sought out a true actor and BEGGED her back. lol I guess you missed that. It's okay I'll fill in on it. He was quoted saying she was alive and he was going to get her back over and over again.

    As for Greenlee's return, I'm really excited she's back because finally we got rid of Zendall at least for a while, and maybe AMC can get back to the heart of the show again without Pratt who was a train wreck or the characters that were killing AMC, Zendall. AMC doesn't need either of those two because it was far better off without them. Alicia needs to be a mom, and TK can go and pontificate at a nice uni. lol

    It will be nice to FINALLY see Greenlee without Kendall attached to her hip. She did nothing brought down the true diva to the throne of SL/Erica Kane. I'm glad the show is trying to rectify that situation, and it also seems that Madison is the new Kendall. Hopefully, that sticks since that actress can act unlike one who had to try out three times before gettin a lead that she never should have been given in the first place.

    Here's hoping AMC reaches a new renaissance in 2010 and starts to pull back in the audience that counts becaues a lot of long-time viewers left due to the Zendall show.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Roger, thanks for mentioning Aiden Turner, since AMC wants the fans to forget about him. Ain't gonna happen with this viewer! I will always want AMC to re-hire Aiden Turner and re-deem Aidan Devane and tell us who Aidan's father is. what a story that would be! Maybe Greenlee could be involved in that after the RyGranLee triangle plays it's inevitable course. IJS. Thanks for the interview!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Just wanted to add that Gilmore Girls was brilliant at product placement in a way that was seamless and organic to the show. High-budget movies are constantly using product placements, and rarely get called out on it. Do you remember what E.T. did for Reese's Pieces?

    This comment was brought to you by Cheerios. [NOT]

    ReplyDelete
  12. amcarenuts - I love Aiden. He was one of the stars of my movie and he did a great job. He looked like a movie star in the film.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AMC: Thanks for trying to make me think otherwise, but like I said before, I don't believe that Rebecca had to be asked or begged to come back.

    I've read other articles she's given, nothing's going to change my mind about that but thanks for trying to "educate me".

    Oh, one more thing, your OPINION about Zendall and Kendall wasn't asked for or neccessary to comment on for this "Greenlee/Rebecca Budig" interview but thanks for sharing it.
    Greenlee and Ryan forever!

    ReplyDelete