Six-time Daytime Emmy winner Erika Slezak returns to soaps right now in a brand new thriller function on Common Hospital.
Greatest recognized for her four-decade run as One Life to Reside‘s Victoria Lord Buchanan, Slezak wasn’t actively in search of a daytime comeback, however a name from GH‘s government producer, Frank Valentini — who beforehand helmed OLTL — modified the whole lot.
“We’ve been mates for a very long time,” Slezak begins. “He known as me in April and stated, ‘Would you want to come back out and play at Common Hospital? ‘And I went, ‘Positive, someday.’ After which he stated, ‘Effectively, how about in September?’ And I went, ‘Positive, September is way sufficient away.’ After which he crammed me in on what he wished for the story arc, and I stated, ‘That’s very attention-grabbing, as a result of it’s utterly completely different from what I performed on One Life to Reside.’ And slowly, over the summer time, it was dawning on me, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m going again to work.’”
Disney/Bahareh Ritter
As soon as again on set, it didn’t take lengthy for actuality to set in and for the fast-paced world of Port Charles to maintain her on her toes. “The studio is big,” she studies. “However persons are so unbelievably type, candy, and useful. The schedule is so utterly completely different from what I’m used to, and fast. My God, they accomplish that a lot in someday.”
Slezak acquired a heat welcome from co-star Jane Elliot (Tracy Quartermaine), which made her really feel immediately at dwelling. “Jane was in my dressing room, ensuring the whole lot was good and neat and clear and turning all of the lights on,” Slezak relays. “She stated, ‘Effectively, I wished to make it comfy for you.’”
Though the 2 hadn’t labored carefully earlier than, they’d crossed paths in New York. “I had met Jane a few years in the past,” Slezak shares. “She got here to One Life to watch as a director or a producer. I knew who she was, and I went over and launched myself, and we chatted just a little bit. She’s a splendidly pleasant girl. It’s superb that she will play so imply. So, when Frank stated, ‘You’re going to be working so much with Jane Elliot,’ I went, ‘Sure, I’ll do it, as a result of that may be such a deal with to work with such a proficient, terrific girl.’”
Elliot wasn’t the one acquainted face on set — Slezak was blissful to seek out herself surrounded by outdated mates from Llanview, each in entrance of and behind the digicam. “There are such a lot of individuals on this present that I do know and labored with,” she factors out. “Amanda Setton (Brook Lynn Ashton, who performed OLTL‘s Kimberly Andrews), Jessica Tuck (Megan Gordon, OLTL] who’s observing as a director, and Lisa LoCicero (Olivia Falconeri; Sonia Toledo, OLTL), who I labored with. Gary Tomlin (director), M.Ok. (Weir, producer), and Bruce Cooperman, our cameraman for thus lengthy. It’s only a pleasure to look out and see him behind digicam one. It makes it extra comfy; it makes me really feel comfortable.”
She was additionally delighted to reunite with Chris McKenna (Jack Brennan), who performed her on-screen son, Joey Buchanan. “Oh, my Joey. He’s so cute,” she says. “He was 11 years outdated when he was my son, and he stayed until he was 15 or 16. And after they broke that I used to be approaching the present, he texted me, ‘Oh, my God, Mother, Mother, Mother.’ And I stated, ‘You’ll all the time be my little Joey.’ And after I noticed him, it is a child who’s six foot one thing, so good-looking, so tall, so stunning, with a household of his personal. It’s actually great.”
Whereas she spent greater than 40 years within the ABC daytime lineup, Slezak confesses she wasn’t totally in control on what was occurring in Port Charles, however somebody at dwelling was. “For all of the years I used to be on One Life, we had a monitor within the make-up room, and each time you went in or out, ABC was on,” she explains. “And I used to look at Common Hospital throughout make-up or no matter, so I knew all of the characters. After the present went off the air [in 2012], I didn’t actually watch, however my husband, who by no means ever watched One Life to Reside, began watching Common Hospital on and off. A few yr in the past, I stated, ‘Actually, you’re watching GH? You by no means watched One Life to Reside.’ He stated, ‘Effectively, I’ve to seek out out what’s occurring to Sonny (Corinthos, Maurice Benard).”
When she shared the story with Benard, he received a kick out of it. “He laughed. I known as dwelling the second day I labored with Maurice, and I stated, ‘Brian, he’s a very nice man. Very calm, very light. He’s not Sonny in any respect.’”
Disney/Bahareh Ritter
Reflecting on her One Life to Reside journey, Slezak acknowledges it was an surprising, however deeply fulfilling expertise. “It was under no circumstances what I assumed my profession was going to be,” she admits. “I skilled within the Royal Academy in England to be within the theater, and that’s how I began for 5 years. After I received the job on One Life to Reside, I had by no means been on tv. As soon as I discovered the way to work in tv, I received fairly comfy with it, and on daily basis was a special script. Daily, there have been new individuals. It was not like being within the theater the place you’re doing the identical efficiency eight instances per week and also you’re working with the identical individuals eight instances per week. This was completely different each single day, in order that was very thrilling. And the joy stayed all these years. Each time my contract got here up, they stated, ‘You need to keep?’ I went, ‘Sure, please,’ as a result of I used to be having such enjoyable. I’m very grateful for it.”
Although she loved stepping again into the daytime world, Slezak isn’t seeking to make a full-time return. “It’s been enjoyable to do it now for 3 weeks, however I’ll be glad to go dwelling,” she shares. “I used to be on the air on One Life for 42 years, and I had a routine. I knew when to rise up within the morning, and I knew what day it was solely as a result of I knew what days I used to be working. And when it stopped, nicely, on daily basis is Saturday whenever you’re not working, and it’s an actual adjustment to make. So, that is enjoyable to do for a short while. I don’t know that I’d need to do it for an extended time, except it have been in New York.”
As of late, she’s content material proper the place she is, having fun with the quieter moments of life. “I’ve turn out to be type of lazy,” she muses. “I like being at dwelling. I’m doing all of the issues that I by no means actually had time to do. I learn, I cook dinner, I complain, however I’ve my household, and I’ve my canines and my cat, who’s getting outdated. All these little issues are simply a part of my regular life now, and I’m blissful. So, this was a really good, completely different factor, and I’ll take away beautiful, great recollections, however I’m blissful to be going again to my regular life.”
Common Hospital, Weekdays, ABC