News Brief

Tamara Tunie honored with hand print ceremony at Planet Hollywood
On October 24th, former AS THE WORLD TURNS actress Tamara Tunie was honored at a special hand print ceremony at Planet Hollywood in Times Square.

In addition to her longtime ATWT role, she has appeared for years as Dr. Melinda Warner on LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT.

In theater she has starred in "Julius Ceasar" and "Dreamgirls" on Broadway. She has also starred off-Broadway in "To Whom It May Concer" and in Shakespeare in the Park in "Trollus and Cressida."

She was recently selected as a new member of the 2008 Tony Award Nominating Committee.

MAD MEN creator Matthew Weiner on Ryan McPartlin's guest spot on the finale
On the former PASSIONS and current CHUCK actor: "He was great, he’s a very good actor. He had a great sense of manners. He understood what it was – that it didn’t happen to [his character] all the time either. And you really felt that. It wasn’t predatory or slimy. It was sexy, but desperate."

Navid isn't 90210's secret gay character
Since word spread that one of the main characters on the CW teen drama 90210 is secretly gay, the show’s fans flocked to message boards, chat rooms and fan sites to gossip about who it could be.

All eyes seem to be on Navid Shirazi, a single, gossip-loving Persian who manages West Beverly High’s student-run TV station — and the only series regular who hasn’t had a romantic story line.

But don’t bet any money on it, says Michael Steger, 23, the half-Ecuadoran actor who plays Navid.

LYNN LICCARDO: Not Exactly What I Had In Mind
"For a the past few years, primetime soaps have provided a real refuge for fans disenchanted with the current state of daytime soaps. In fact, some of us have been arguing that TPTB of daytime soaps would do well to take a good look at why. What I hadn't anticipated was that a primetime soap might emulate daytime's folly."

DAYS' Kristian Alfonso back on Home Shopping Network
Kristian returns to HSN to unveil the latest from her Hope Faith Miracles clothing and jewelry lines tomorrow at 6 a.m. ET. She appeared five times today as well.

AMC's Budig out as Greenlee
Budig (aka "the real Greenlee") will be leaving ALL MY CHILDREN in early spring. She told SOAPnet.com: "...my life is in California (where she relocated after leaving AMC in '06). I had hoped it would be a lot easier than it was to live bi-coastally. But it's really tough -- our (she and husband Bob Guiney) life is enmeshed there. We put down roots there."

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: AMC and AW's Taylor Miller
Sharon Gless is set to star in the new independent feature film, Hannah Free. Hannah Free is the story of a lifelong love affair between an independent spirit and the woman she calls home.

The screenplay is based on award-winning playwright Claudia Allen's popular stage play of the same name. Allen is a writer-in-residence at Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago and has written more than 20 plays.

Other actors include Taylor Miller (ex-Nina, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Sally, ANOTHER WORLD), Kelli Strickland, Ann Hagemann, and Jacqui Jackson.

Disney-ABC Television Group and Verizon FiOS TV Expand ABC's Video-On-Demand Offering
Disney-ABC Television Group and Verizon are making ABC's video-on-demand (VOD) offering available to Verizon FiOS TV customers across the country.

Customers can watch episodes of popular ABC series like DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, GREY'S ANATOMY and UGLY BETTY - just one day after their broadcast premieres. All the episodes are offered at no charge and in high definition (HD).

McKee to leave HOLLYOAKS at Christmas
Hollyoaks actress Roxanne McKee is to leave the Channel 4 soap after nearly three years as part of this year's dramatic Christmas storyline.

December sees a web of secrets, lies and revenge being unraveled as McKee's character Louise Summers prepares for her wedding to fiancé Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas).

However, beneath the tough, bitchy exterior lies a dark secret which is about to be outed. After discovering Warren's affair with best friend and bridesmaid Mandy (Sarah Jayne Dunn), Louise formulates a plan and acquires a gun. Will she target Mandy or Warren? Or will the plot resolve come to its head in an unsuspecting and twisted way?