Ron Carlivati: This Is A Love Story Like Any Other

In a new interview with AfterElton, ONE LIFE TO LIVE head writer Ron Carlivati talks about the Kyle/Fish and Nick storyline and much more.

AE: There’s been a lot of talk that at the other networks there was a lot of interference on what they could do and how they could tell the story. Why do you think you haven't had that problem?
RC: I think there's always a little bit of hesitation and nervousness. You don't know how the whole audience is going to react to a story like this. We have a lot of conservative viewers who may not want to see a story like this. I'm writing a show for them as well. I try to be sensitive to that. I'm not going to push any kind of agenda, political or any kind.

I always say, at heart, this is a love story like any other. I just try to write the story like I would if this was a straight couple. Obviously, some other issues become a part of that story. We did take on this gay marriage issue, but essentially, again, we tried to write it from the standpoint of a love story, not a political story.

Carlivati also credits the Luke and Noah story on AS THE WORLD TURNS with helping to pave the way for the OLTL story.

AE: There have been other gay storylines such as Luke and Noah on As the World Turns. Did they influence you at all with what you did with your story?
RC: Not so much influence, but I feel in a lot of ways I wouldn’t have been able to do my story if they hadn't done theirs first. I feel like those stories really did pave the way for me to be able to tell a gay story on our show. I'm obviously very grateful for that. The network has been really supportive and fantastic about the story. I just kept writing it waiting for the day when they'd say, "Okay. That's enough." [laughs] But it didn't happen, so they've been great.