Friday, December 2, 2011

INTERVIEW: Melissa Reeves, DAYS OF OUR LIVES' Jennifer Horton Deveraux, Talks about Matt Ashford, Love Triangles, Election Fraud, Being 'Jersey'

Melissa Reeves embarked on a "mini press tour" yesterday, ostensibly to talk about the DAYS OF OUR LIVES reboot. But We Love Soaps has had spirited conversations with the DAYS icon before, and this time, our conversation was just as candid, lively, and surprising!

Here's a complete transcript of our Q & A.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: It's so great to talk to you! Thank you so much for your time - let's dive right in with the question you must be anticipating: what do you think about the big reboot? Especially coming not-long after your big return?
Melissa Reeves: It's the only job I've ever known, so to be a part of DAYS OF OUR LIVES history... I always stand back and say to myself, "I can't even believe that I still have this job!" I mean, I love it.

Then, to be a part of the reboot, to go back to what it was, stories about family, and to be a part of old-school Salem... I hope people are seeing that.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: If you could channel your character for a moment, what do you think the reboot has been like for Jennifer?
Melissa Reeves: A lot of things are happening! I think the character of Jennifer is still fighting to do what's right, and to do the best for her family. As far as: what would grandma want for her life? She always wants to do what her grandparents would have wanted her to do. Maintain the Horton family name, the integrity and the dignity. I feel like Jennifer is is the same Jennifer in that sense, in that she's maintaining how she was raised by her grandparents.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: As an actor, you have an amazing history with Matt Ashford (Jack). What was it like moving on from that professional relationship, and what's it like returning to it, now?
Melissa Reeves: It's awesome. Matt and I have known each other for so many years. It's incredible. We have just had such a great time all these years, and him coming back was always such a... well, such a given. We were always like, "Well of course Matt will come back!"

So, actually, it's so great that Jennifer had fallen in love with this other man, because it makes this classic DAYS OF OUR LIVES triangle. Because you always think, "Oh, no! Once a couple is happy, it's over."

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: That's kind of true! [Laughter.]
Melissa Reeves: You know? You'll never see us on the air again! It's like: "No! No, they can't be happy, nobody can be happy yet!" [Laughter.]

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: I'm also really enjoying your election story line, almost as a nice balance to the romantic intrigue.
Melissa Reeves: Ooh... yeah. Yeah.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: What is your role going to be like, going forward? Are you going to get your tendrils further into the the election?
Melissa Reeves: Yeah, it's going to continue, and it's going to get a little bit dirty. Jennifer and Abe (James Reynolds) get into some territory that they should not be in. They keep saying, "Okay, well it's for the greater good, we can't let EJ (James Scott) be mayor of this town!"

I can't really go into anything, but Jennifer and Abe were such upstanding citizens of Salem! [Laughter.] To cross over into territory they shouldn't be in--it wouldn't make Tom or Alice proud, I'll tell you that.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: I'm enjoying how you sound genuinely scandalized by Jennifer's behavior. Are there any traits, or even strengths, that you bring to the character, that you don't necessarily posses yourself?
Melissa Reeves: Yeah! Exactly. It's all about finding that there are people with real situations like this, and I've actually talked to a couple people who have said "Oh, I have totally felt like that! And... I've hurt someone."

In the Jack-Jennifer-Daniel situation, someone is going to end up getting hurt. All three of us, really, at the same time, we don't want any of us to get hurt. I've talked to so many people about that relationship, and they say, "Oh, it just stinks."

Just getting information from other people is so great, it helps the character--but in the mayoral campaign--this is something you would never think of doing! And I can't say what it is. But they convince themselves... they know it's not right, but "we we have to do this, we have to do it because EJ cannot be mayor of this town!" And that's been hard to play, but fun at the same time. There is a side of it where you think, "this is so fun!" [Laughter.] Because we would never do this in real life.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: It sounds like a part of you're job you really enjoy.
Melissa Reeves: Yeah! I mean, it's bad! So Jim and I have had a blast. We've been cracking up, just saying, "Oh my gosh, Jennifer and Abe, of all people?" It's pretty fun. But there will be consequences.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: That reminds me, you once told us about your days as - as a "Jersey wild child," I think is how you put it. Have you you changed that much from those days, and where did the "wild child" go?
Melissa Reeves: You know what? My husband has a joke, he says, "Jersey's coming out! Jersey's coming out!" [Laughter.] I think I still have that spirited side of me that still wants justice for other people, and wants to fight for what's right, so I still have that spirited side. But I don't still have the side of me that was like...

Well, growing up in New Jersey (and this is such a general statement, because, you know, not everyone is like that) I grew up with this feeling like you had to fight all the time. Everything is always a fight, or a grudge, and I just grew up like that. And it's not because of my parents; it's just a mindset there.

Then I came to California, and of course east coasters' view of California people is completely different:  "east coast is so on top of things, and serious, and getting-things-done, and LA is so relaxed, and maybe flaky..." So I came here thinking, "Oh, brother!"

I had this view of California that isn't true at all. I was just young. I'm sure it has to do with being 17 and living on my own in LA. You think you know everything! As you get older, you're humbled so many times in your life that you realize, "Hmm, maybe I don't know as much as I thought I did!"  [Laughter.] Sort of young, owning everything... that's gone with age, thank goodness.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Next, believe it or not, I want to ask you about Tennessee. Our founder grew up just outside Nashville, and we were wondering if you still get to spend time there?
Melissa Reeves: Yay! We're actually leaving today for Tennessee, just for a quick weekend so we can decorate for Christmas. And then, we're going back for Christmas. We love it, we really consider that our home. We get back there as much as we can.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Before we wrap things up, because this is World AIDS Day, were there any quick thoughts or reflections about the legacy of the epidemic that you wanted to share?
Melissa Reeves: Just: I think we're all supposed to love each other, and I don't like to get caught up in debates, or politics, or get angry about things, but like I said, I will fight for justice. I've worked with so many people that we've lost from AIDS. [Pause.] It's all just love, about loving each other."

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Now, one final, almost philosophical question. So many young people are looking to succeed in the same industry you've been so successful in. If you could travel back in time to when you first started out on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
Melissa Reeves: I would probably say, "Listen more and speak less."

That's just a good all-around life note. I think we all want to be speaking so much that sometimes we forget to listen to others, and now, I know that comes in part with growing up, and having children, and learning how to be a wife.

And, just persevere! If every day you're thinking about something that you want to do, then obviously you love it, so just keep on pushing through. It might not look like the picture of being on television, but if you want to be an actor, there's a million ways to be an actor in our industry - and outside of our industry. Even in your local area, if acting is what you love, there are all these venues to do it. It doesn't have to be in the public eye.

This is the advice we've been talking about with our own kids recently. Learn to listen more, and speak less: a little more humble, and not so much about you. And as you get older, you realize, "You know what? It's not about me. It's about the others around me." And we can only know that by listening to their story, listening to what they say.

EDITOR'S NOTE: What did you think of our interview? What question would you suggest for our next almost-weekly Q & A with a DAYS OF OUR LIVES actor? Please tell us in the Comments section, below.

Kevin Mulcahy Jr. is a Harvard alum who is currently working as a staff contributor at welovesoaps.com writing theater and web series reviews as well as other in-depth features. Read all his Web Series reviews here. To contact Kevin, email [email protected].

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