Vanessa Ray Dishes Soap Work, Her GH Love & More

What happens when a brilliant and beautiful GENERAL HOSPITAL-loving theater actress winds up on AS THE WORLD TURNS? In a new We Love Soaps interview with Vanessa Ray at the recent Broadway Flea Market, the actress explains the difference between theater and soaps, offers her take on the sibling rivalry between her character Teri and Julie Pinson's Janet, and gives us a sneak peak at Teri's next storyline.

We Love Soaps: What brings you to this event?
Vanessa Ray: I’ve been doing work with Broadway Cares for four or five years now. When I started doing musicals, every show across the country raises money for Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. It's a really special organization that does amazing things for people struggling with HIV and AIDS. I’m really excited to get to be here again and help out. Last year I was here with Spelling Bee [“The 25th Putnam Annual Spelling Bee”] and so this year it’s cool to be here with AS THE WORLD TURNS.

We Love Soaps: You were in "Spelling Bee"? Who were you?
Vanessa Ray: I played Olive Ostrovsky, the 13-year-old who loved her dictionary.

We Love Soaps: That was such a great show. And of course, now you’re on another great show.
Vanessa Ray: One of the best shows! I love it!

We Love Soaps: How is it going for you over there [at AS THE WORLD TURNS]?
Vanessa Ray: Everyone has been so cool and wonderful to me. They’ve helped me learn the ropes because I had never done a soap before.

We Love Soaps: What has been the biggest difference for you between doing theater and soap opera?
Vanessa Ray: Probably the choices you have to make, as quick as you have to make them. There’s memorizing, then doing it, and just trusting that your instincts are right. I’m really impressed by all the actors on the show. They take it so seriously. They really force you to up your game. Julie Pinson, who plays my sister is amazing, and she’s really helped me a lot. Every time I get to be in a scene with her I feel I do better.

We Love Soaps: We were talking earlier with Julie about a storyline taking place that’s a little more controversial [Liberty’s conflict about having an abortion].
Vanessa Ray: Yes, sorry about it.

We Love Soaps: Why are you sorry about it?
Vanessa Ray: I just mean, I think it’s good to pose both sides. I think a lot of people fall between both [sides]. I think people fall between when they have to make those decisions. It’s good that we talk about it. We need to put that out there in the world. Julie and I worked really hard on it, and we hope that we did justice to both sides.

We Love Soaps: Has it been a struggle for you to tell Teri's side?
Vanessa Ray: Has it been a struggle? No, I think I get her side. She believes that every woman has the right to choose and Teri really gets that nobody is pro-abortion. No one’s like, “Yeah, let’s...you know.” It’s a difficult decision, and I think it’s one that a teenage girl like Liberty would have a really hard time making.

We Love Soaps: Now there is a lot of competition between Teri and Janet. Teri often seems to come out on top accidentally.
Vanessa Ray: I know! Poor Teri. She just tries to be nice, and then something always makes Janet feel bad. But it’s so real, right? Isn’t that how it really is with your siblings? It’s great, because I can always just use my brother in real life. When we were kids we would compete for things and there were things that he was obviously better at because he’s a boy. But there were things I was obviously better at because I’m a girl.

We Love Soaps: He’s older or younger?
Vanessa Ray: Older. He’s three years older than me.

We Love Soaps: Me too. My brother is three years older too.
Vanessa Ray: So you know, there’s always competition. And I just feel like, 'Poor Teri.' But I think Janet’s going to come on top a few times. It’s coming up.

We Love Soaps: What would you like to see happen for Teri?
Vanessa Ray: I would like to see her fall in love. I think that's what rounds you out as a character. And I think she deserves someone who pushes her buttons and tries new things.

We Love Soaps: Is there anyone you would like her to fall in love with on the show?
Vanessa Ray: Oh geez, I don’t think I can say.

We Love Soaps: Well, who would be your preference for her?
Vanessa Ray: I would say there are some really handsome guys on our show. I’m always kind of blown away when I’m in the make-up chair and I’m like, “That guy is on our show? I could possibly get to make-out with him?” I think it would be an interesting story line if I go after Jack because that would totally destroy my relationship with my sister.

We Love Soaps: She’s also been hanging out with Craig quite a bit.
Vanessa Ray: Yes, and Craig [Jon Linstrom] is great. I like working with him. I shouldn’t read the blogs, but I do. A lot of people on the blogs are like, “Parker, Parker!” And I’m like, Parker is really seventeen. I don’t think it’s appropriate for Teri to go after Parker. [Laughs]

We Love Soaps: Do you read the blogs? Do you look at the websites?
Vanessa Ray: I follow you guys on Twitter. I follow a lot of different people on Twitter. I love to see Soaps in Depth because they will always talk about AS THE WORLD TURNS and what’s working and what’s not working. It’s fun to read it. And I have been a soap fan forever.

We Love Soaps: What did you watch growing up?
Vanessa Ray: GENERAL HOSPITAL. I love it.

[Julie Pinson] Who’s your favorite actor on GENERAL HOSPITAL? Is it Billy Warlock?
Vanessa Ray: Yes! A.J. Quartermaine! Julie took me to dinner to meet Billy and I just about fell over.

We Love Soaps: So working with Stuart Damon [ex-Alan on GH, now Ralph on ATWT] must have been a big deal.
Vanessa Ray: Julie told me in her dressing room, “Guess who’s going to play our uncle?” I said, “Who?” She said, “Alan Quartermaine.” I literally stood up. I was dancing and was so excited! I couldn’t believe it. He is so amazing. He’s like your favorite uncle, you know? You just love him, I just want to hug him all the time!

We Love Soaps: Did you also watch Lynn Herring [ex-Lucy on GH, now Audrey on ATWT] on GENERAL HOSPITAL?
Vanessa Ray: Of course! They were together! I mean, it was a very scandalous thing because Monica didn’t know about it at first, then she found out about it.

We Love Soaps: I love it when people who work on soaps have been soap fans.
Vanessa Ray: I grew up watching these people all the time. They exist in that world for me. So to get to meet them is great.

We Love Soaps: You seem comfortable using the internet to connect with fans. That’s very different from theater I would imagine.
Vanessa Ray: You’d be surprised. When we did "Spelling Bee," we did a video blog. That was the first time I experienced how much crossover there was between theater and internet. And it’s really neat because growing up in California, I couldn’t come to see a Broadway show. Now with the internet and YouTube, you can see Broadway Shows and can get a sense of them.

We Love Soaps: We have been talking a lot today about using the internet as a medium to tell stories in the future, and how soap operas may end up more on the internet than on TV.
Vanessa Ray: I know they tried to do one minute soap operas you could download on your cell phone. That’s the future of television. You can be so creative on the internet, I would love for that to happen to our show. I would love our show to pioneer that and be the first to explore other options that way.

We Love Soaps: Anything you can tease us with about Teri's future?
Vanessa Ray: Yes. There is a love interest coming. And, he’s a little bit more dangerous than what I think Teri is ready for.

We Love Soaps: Is it someone on the canvas now, or someone who's coming in the future?
Vanessa Ray: Someone who’s already around.