INTERVIEW: Ian Buchanan Talks About His New DAYS OF OUR LIVES Role

Ian Buchanan has played key roles on GENERAL HOSPITAL, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, ALL MY CHILDREN, TWIN PEAKS and many other TV series. We last saw enjoyed his work on DAYS OF OUR LIVES when he briefly appeared as the doomed Lord Sheraton, and we eagerly anticipate the appearance of his new DAYS character this Friday.

Buchanan's Ian McAllister will be a handsome, yet mysterious businessman who shares some history with a few other Salem residents. We Love Soaps TV recently had the chance to catch up with Ian and learn some more about his new role. We hope you'll enjoy the transcript below.

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WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Good morning, Mr. Buchanan.
Ian Buchanan: Good morning!

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: On the ninth it's going to be almost exactly eleven years--to the day--since we saw your last DAYS character. What have you been up to?
Ian Buchanan: Oh, a lot. Of course, I was on ALL MY CHILDREN, and I've been touring with my cabaret group, called Citizen's Band. . . of course, I'm playing a different DAYS character now, and since the dead have no memories, we don't know what Lord Sheraton's been doing.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Is it just a coincidence, that you're returning on the anniversary of your last departure?
Ian Buchanan: Buy lottery tickets. Someone suggested that I buy lottery tickets; that's what we should do.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Tell us about your new character?
Ian Buchanan: He's a very wealthy business man who has been out-of-site for several years, but he's come back to reconnect with several people in Salem. He's returned for business reasons, but he's been romantically involved with Madison since way back. Also, he has a past with Kate.

He very quickly invests in different companies and places himself in several very powerful positions. He's causing lots of trouble.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: What changes have you noticed since the last time you appeared on DAYS?
Ian Buchanan: Everything goes much more quickly now. It's very different. I think it feels very different when you're clanking shows out quickly, but for me, now, I like it.

I like the pace and I really like the writing. I enjoy the character, and I like working with Sarah [Brown] and Lauren [Koslow]. And Eric [Martsolf], and. . . I've also been working on and off with other people, as we pass through Horton Square.

So that's what I've been doing--and I've been having a wicked, wild time.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Did you ever cross paths with any of your co-stars before?
Ian Buchanan: With most people, our paths only crossed on the Emmy red carpet. Seems we were all in different places at different times, including Lauren.

It seems everywhere I've worked people ask, "Oh my god did you ever get to work with Lauren Koslow." And also, people said that about Sarah Brown. And here I am!

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Do you have any ideas about whom your character may eventually be paired with?
Ian Buchanan: I have a feeling it's going to be "play-each-one-off-the-other" for as long as that can last.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Yes, of course. But, eventually, I was thinking, maybe, Kate DiMera?
Ian Buchanan: Yes. I think that's one. . . he knows her from before, so I think maybe--I don't know.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Outside of DAYS, you mentioned your cabaret group, Citizen's Band? Where can we catch that?
Ian Buchanan: Our next performance, I think, is at South by Southwest in Austin, in March. That's what we're doing next; we're doing three shows there. Not sure, exactly when, but we have something coming up in New York.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: What's your role within the group?
Ian Buchanan: I'm kind of the ringleader. We're like a circus, and we're a little political. The shows we're doing this year are really to encourage people to get out and vote. We did it four years ago, the same show, so we're reprising it for this election.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Ringleader, supermodel, TV star. . . so much success. I wonder what advice you might have for young people who dream of career like yours? If you could go back in time and offer a younger Ian Buchanan some advice, what would it be?
Ian Buchanan: I would probably tell myself to be as relaxed as I became later. Just get out of my own way and let things happen.

My life unfolded in a very interesting way, but there were certainly times when I got in the way of it. Now that I don't get in the way of it, I'm more open to other things that come along, and I actually have more fun than I've ever had. It makes it much more enjoyable.

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Kevin Mulcahy Jr. is a Harvard alum who is currently working as a staff contributor at welovesoaps.com writing theater and web series reviews as well as other in-depth features. Read all his Web Series reviews here. To contact Kevin, email [email protected].