Thursday, January 7, 2010

50 Greatest Soap Actresses: #44 Vanessa Marcil

NAME: Vanessa Marcil
RANK: 44
SOAP ROLES: Brenda Barrett,GENERAL HOSPITAL (1992-1998, 2002-2003); Josie Scotto, LIPSTICK JUNGLE (2008); Gina Kincaid, BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 (1998-2000)

AWARDS:
2003 Daytime Emmy win for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
2003 Soap Opera Digest Award win for Favorite Return
1998 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
1998 Soap Opera Digest Award win for Outstanding Lead Actress
1997 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
1997 Soap Opera Digest Award win for Hottest Female Star
1995 Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for Hottest Couple (with Maurice Benard)
1994 Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for Outstanding Female Newcomer

COMMENTS FROM THE PANEL:
Jonathan Reiner: Miraculously transforming from teen temptress to leading lady, Marcil proved her mettle when she goosed the ratings with a heralded return in 2002. The actress and the character are sorely missed.

Damon L. Jacobs: Take a look at the picture of Marcil on this post.  Then take a look again.  Because what you see on the surface is not what you get, and this is part of the mastery of Marcil's work.  As bad-girl-gone-strong Brenda on GENERAL HOSPITAL, she brilliantly portrayed the evolution of a stubborn, determined, and sometimes tragic young woman.  Brenda initially had all the fearless bravado and naive invincibility that is so common in young people.  Her unquenchable thirst for adventure led her to "take the ride" of her life with Sonny Corinthos.  This ride with the dimpled mobster turned out to be a roller coaster of glorious highs and bitter lows, which ultimately sent Brenda crashed out in a mental ward.  None of this would have been the least bit engaging or believable without the complex and multi-layered nuances of Marcil.  Her complete handle on Brenda's conscious and unconscious motivations in every scene were wise beyond her years.  Very few young actresses in the past two decades have commanded such a grasp on their characters, and her devoted fan following to this day remains a testament to her beauty, strength, skill, and conviction. 

COMMENTS FROM CO-STARS/CO-WORKERS/INDUSTRY:
Claire Labine: (wrote for Marcil on GH) I can’t stand what I call Dickinsonian heroines who are dominated by someone else or fate, and fall down on the floor and swoon when things aren’t going well. I can’t stand it! We got that going and the Brenda thing was magical.

Kin Shriner: (worked with Marcil on GH) She ways always very aloof but sexy.

1 comment:

  1. You could have vindicated Robin Christopher losing her Emmy to Vanessa Marcil, by giving Robin (a 4 soap veteran) this spot in the list. There is no justice!

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