Sunday, April 19, 2009

News Round-up: Crystal Chappell, Bobbie Eakes, SAG

Over 700 fans packed chatroom Friday for a chance to talk to Crystall Chappell
The popular GUIDING LIGHT actress, who is doing the best work of her career, chatted with fans on Friday night thanks for Chappell's website and the Big Purple Dreams fansite.

Chappell said: "This story is touching me. It's changed me. I'm such a fan of LOVE...and the story is about that and I think we've been lacking it for a long time. I live for those big, gut wrenching, totally honest moments. So, what I do is learn the lines and go into my imagination and forget what I'm doing and see what happens. It's total abandon and that's partof the fun. It's total abandon and I love it."

SAG, AFTRA approve commercials deal
On the heels of SAG's toppers reaching a tentative feature-primetime deal, SAG and AFTRA's elected leaders have unanimously endorsed a new three-year commercials pact. Move by the two actors unions - announced early Saturday afternoon -- will trigger a ratification vote among the 150,000 members.

Soap Shrink at Sea: On Deck with ALL MY CHILDREN’s Bobbie Eakes
Eakes tells Damon L. Jacobs: "One of the hardest things for me to do 10-15 years ago as an actress was to show the ugly side of the character. I didn’t want the fans to dislike me. And then I finally realized it’s not a popularity contest, this is not homecoming queen. This is about showing the dark and the light. It is more fulfilling as an actress, and I think more compelling in drama, to show these sides."

Y&R's Thad Luckingbill (J.T.) on his longevity on the show
"It was just supposed to be for five episodes,” Luckinbill said. "But five episodes turned into 10 years. All the characters I started with have either been recast four times or are no longer there. I started my character, and it’s still me playing it.”

Dyer scared of EASTENDERS role
Movie tough-guy Danny Dyer was approached to appear in hit U.K. soap EASTENDERS, which chronicles life in London. But Dyer rejected the role, which was devised with him in mind - because the series' stars regularly make headline news in Britain.

Dyer said, "I met John Yorke, controller of drama production. He asked if I would be willing to go in and shake up a few of the characters. He said they would write a synopsis and then take me out to dinner and anything I wanted to change, I could change, which gives me a bit of power. I quite like the idea of it. But actually, in reality, I just got cold feet. Just from having a meeting it's all over the newspapers and it gave me the horrors. Imagine if I went in it."

HOLLYOAKS actors defeated again by AC Broxtowe
Actors from Channel 4 soap HOLLYOAKS lost (7-1) for the third year running in a charity football match against AC Broxtowe at Meadow Lane yesterday, which raised money for Notts children's charity When You Wish Upon a Star, and Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

Deidre Hall hosting "CLOUT!"
The complete audio from Hall's stint as a guest host last week.

Tristan Rogers on the future of daytime soaps
"What was done on NS 2 was the pathway to the future. What was demonstrated was that the show that it parallelled was not important, the historical legacy of that show was. Inside of only 14 episodes NS 2 showed, that with HD and a host of other subtle elements, all bound together with a solid story presented by characters that the audience were comfortable and familiar with, we had something unique. Not something that slammed you in the head with 'stunts and events', but a balanced presentation of elements that were consistent and never overpowered the viewer."

28 comments:

  1. Crystal Chappell was so great to do that chat for her board and the BPD board. Actually there were well over 700 people on both boards. She had some great answers and reinforced our complete and utter admiration for her.

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  2. we over at the BPD had the best time during the chat with crystal on friday night. she was very generous with her time and humored us fangirls and fanboys with our crazy questions. now we just get to spend the next month or so trying to figure out what big spoiler she let drop like she did during the buzzworthy interview. crystal is sly like that...

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  3. Crystal chatted with fans in 2 different chat rooms at once. Over 500 people were from Big Purple Dreams board alone. That's not counting Crystal's own fan website. She was so great to talk to fans and answer questions! She is really awesome.

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  4. Thanks, Southern. I just updated the number. I'm sorry I missed it but was busy with ATWT fan club weekend activities (at a Martha Byrne play at that point).

    700 fans in a chat room is pretty amazing. If they were all part of the Nielsen sample that would extrapolate to millions of fans based on the Nielsen small sampling system.

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  5. It was really great of Crystal Chappell to take the time out from her busy schedule to spend time in a chat room with her fans especially after 5 days of Otalia! It was the week we had all been waiting for! Crystal has always been an incredible actress, but this past week she was phenomenal! This week she gave the performance of a lifetime!

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  6. All i can say. Thank you Crystal and thank`s to all the people who had made this possible. It´s so great to be part of the BPD Family.
    Otalia: We.Want.It

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  7. The chat with Crystal was so much fun. We really appreciated her taking the time to chat with us. She totally rocks! And what a great way to finish of an absolutely amazing GL week.

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  8. It was very nice of Crystal to come and do this chat with us. And even though i didnt get to attend,i read the transcript and was very pleased with her answers. Besides being a great actress, you should also know that Crystal is a goddess

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  9. Crystal Chappell is extremely supportive of her current story line, as demonstrated by her willingness to share her time and thoughts about the characters with us Friday night for an hour and a half!!!

    The chat with Ms. Chappell got the fans even more excited (if that was even possible) about the current direction of the story and we are now more willing than ever to follow it and the show to any network that would like to pick it up!

    Crystal is truly a goddess!! And deserves any award the industry wants to bestow on her for a breathtaking week of performances!!

    Jessica Leccia also rocked it this week, from quite desperation to her own frustrated expression of love!! And I loved Alan/Phillip/psycho Edmund and baby protecting Reva this week! way to wield that suringe!! you go girl!!

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  10. Crystal is a gracious person to have given us so much of her time and thoughts. It was a pleasurable experience. Thank you Crystal and all the admins who made it a wonderful evening!

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  11. I had such a great time reading all of the great questions and the insightful responses from our Goddess Crystal Chappell. I have been blessed to be a part of this storyline unfolding as a member of the Big Purple Dreams message board. I never got my question answered but that is because there were over 200 people who wanted to ask Crystal something. Thanks again Crystal for such a wonderful experience.

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  12. Crystal rocks! We are so lucky to have her doing this storyline, because her performance is simply incredible. Loved her comments in the chat, and boy were we a big bunch of overexcited fans.

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  13. The chat with Crystal was delightful. She was funny, honest and candid in her replys to fan questions. Whether in her perfomances or in person CC never gives anything less than 100%. Her willingness and enthusiam to connect with her fans is much appreciated. My thanks to both the leaders of the CC and Friends fan site and the ever dedicated members of the Big Purple Dreams family for making this possible for Crystal's fans.

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  14. Crystal is a dear to take the time to chat with her "crazy" uhmm...loyal fans. :0) Time is precious, so her generosity is truly appreciated. Great questions, awesome answers! Crystal is a class act!

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  15. When there are over 700 people worldwide packing two chatrooms, you know that GL has tapped into something special here. Crystal was so open and giving of her time and thoughts even after being awake since 4:30 in the morning.

    You have been a stalwart champion of the show and this story line, Roger, and we love you for it. And it's been great to see more of the mainstream press finally taking notice of what we've all known for a long time:

    Crystal Chappell, Jessica Leccia, Ellen Wheeler and Jill Lorie Hurst are all goddesses!

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  16. It was wonderful to get the chance to chat with Crystal on Friday night. She was very generous to spend her evening with her fans, and I feel very privileged to have had my question answered. Thank you to Crystal for a wonderful time! I think I can speak for everyone over at BPD and Team AfterDark when I say it was an amazing evening!

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  17. The chat with Crystal was amazing. It was such an honor to speak with an actress whose career I followed for almost 20 years. Let's hope that our soap and favorite ship, Otalia, find a new home.

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  18. Crystal was so gracious to spend her Friday night chatting with us! She was really funny with her responses and left many of us speculating and analyzing her answers for possible spoilers! Big thank you to Crystal from the BPD family!

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  19. Crystal was great on the chat. I just hope CBS, P&G, Lifetime, and all the other Powers That Be are watching and listening. Crystal is generous, gracious, poised, and dignified. She is an acting powerhouse. She generates a visceral, emotional reaction - a talent/skill very few actors have. For me, Crystal is in the same category as Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren - these actresses make me feel what their characters feel

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  20. It was sooo kind of Crystal to chat with us! What a lovely experience that was :)

    It lit another fire under our arses to get GL saved!

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  21. I can't say enough about Crystal Chappell. I had a lovely time at the chat on Friday and was lucky enough to get a question answered. I enjoyed all of her answers...made me love her even more!

    Thanks Roger!

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  22. Thank you SO much for the link and mention of the chat. Everyone involved in that had an amazing wonderful time and Crystal was (as always) a goddess.

    The joint efforts of CC's fan forum and the BPD were nothing short of incredible. That night (as no doubt many others) the moderators and hierarchy of people who run both boards/sites were Goddesses in their own right.

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  23. I loved seeing Crystal Chappell's personal point of view on the chat. She was endearing and honest and so charming. We had great questions that she provided great input for in return. I know everyone over at the BPD loved having Crystal Chappell on the chat and really appreciated that a Goddess like herself took the time to listen to her biggest fans.

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  24. Crystal Chappell is amazing! I loved the chat and love her and Jessica (Otalia is love)! :D

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  25. It was a truly amazing experience to chat with Crystal. Her grace, humility and passion made it a truly memorable and joyful experience!!! She is an exceptional talent and a generous human being!!

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  26. Crystal Chappell is truly amazing..the chat was a great time for all otaliaholics Thanks to all those who made the chat possible. *Bows at feet*

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  27. Crystal Chappell is a class act. Thank you Crystal for doing the chat (on two boards). Truly appreciated.

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  28. It is great of you to mention Crystal's Friday night chat...that was some experience just being a part of it. It was the cherry on the sundae of a mind-blowing week in daytime drama. Crystal and Jessica blew me away on the small screen with every scene. Crystal impressed me Friday night with her honesty and openness.

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