Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 28, Page 3
Nelson Branco
Clearly, someone was trying to creatively dismantle the show around renewal time.
“I remember [former GH executive producer] Wendy Riche and [ex-head writer] Claire Labine’s whole point in creating Robin’s story was to have a character live a long, healthy life with HIV. It was — and still is — an incredibly important storyline.”
Having just signed a long-term contract, Hughes is now driving all the important and visceral story on the embattled soap — and solely providing GH with all of its warranted critically acclaimed buzz.
My words. And there, I said it. You all know it’s true.
“I was surprised at how things turned out,” she says in hindsight. “I’m incredibly happy. I didn’t even broach the subject or anything about staying on or signing a contract. They came and asked me. The day Frank tweeted the news that he signed me; I was just being my usual self on Twitter. And then, there it was. It was kind of cool to be able to share the news as everyone was getting the information.”
Ah, the power of social media. And Frank Valentini's spot-on instincts.
“He’s just awesome,” she gushes. “He’s great for actors. He’s one of those people who are able to balance the budget, work with everyone, and inspire the actors. I think it’s because he worked his way up [the soap opera ladder]. He’s seen every aspect of the TV — and soap — process. What Tony Geary and I both love is how Frank gives us these notes that are incredibly deep but also subtle and very sweet. It’s great information and very human. His notes push us to make the scenes more human. He’s a joy to work with — and everyone feels that way.”
GH was recently “renewed” by ABC, but Hughes is fully aware of the looming, sharpening axe over the show’s head.
“I really hope Ron Carlivati and Frank Valentini give us a nice jolt over the next year because I don’t want to [creatively] limp out if that happens,” she notes. “Who knows when the show will be over?”
Hey, if anyone can save GH, it’s Cartini. Especially when they wield daytime’s most powerful secret weapon: Finola Manolo Blahnik, er, Finola Branco.
Laughing out loud, Hughes asks: “What? We don’t have a hyphen in there?!”
Squish name alert. And most of my readers agree: Finelli, it is.
Has the Emmy winner ever met Frank or Ron before?
“I’ve met Ron a couple of times and I’ve gone out for dinner with Frank and Cat Hickland and Kelly Ripa a few times. I knew Frank just from social occasions. I was familiar with him on the ONE LIFE set because I would visit when I lived in NYC [when she appeared on AMC as Alex and Anna] and bother everyone. Frank was always on the set. It’s funny you bring up the Gloria Monty correlation because I had never seen a producer on the set that much as Frank with the exception of Gloria Monty.”
It’s too bad about his looks, huh?
“Omigod, it’s ridiculous; it’s stupid,” she guffaws. “He’s so handsome.”
And Italian; which spells trouble for me. “Yeah, me, too,” Hughes answers. “I’m married to an Italian!”
Speaking of whom, Mr. Hughes, my competition, Russell Young, began the bromance trend in the early 2000s with Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos.
In IN TOUCH magazine, Ripa joked to me, “Russell and Mark are like a married couple! They spend more time together than Finola and I do! They’re always working on some kind of construction project.”
Sure, likely story!
Hughes laughs, “They are sort of married. They’re like husbands. They go shopping together and buy furniture for our apartments. You’re right: they were the original bromance.”
But it’s the bromance at GH, Valentini and Carlivati’s, that is the one Hughes adores these days. That’s because, Cartini’s reign in Port Charles should only continue to prosper and evolve considering there is no more network interference from a certain hack named Brian Frons. Can you imagine a network executive telling Gloria Monty what to do?
“Oh, no,” mocks a horrified Hughes. “Gloria would have bitten off their heads! And worse, actually.” Both of Frons’s heads?
Still, the outlook is rosy. “It is fantastic to be left alone [creatively and narratively],” she concurs. “I bet even ABC feels the same way, too, actually. I think where the networks can really help a show is by cross-promoting. I don’t understand why we’ve always been the poor sister. We’re the only country that treats soaps like this. In England, soaps are on the front page of all the gossip mags. They shut soap operas into a tiny little box [in America], especially in the last few years. But then again, we had someone like James Franco play on GH as an art project… I just wish they would give us a bit more support; do you know what I mean?”
Personally, I believe the oppression soaps face is due to the misogyny. “Don’t get me started on misogyny,” sighs Hughes. “Let’s not go there because once I start, it will get ugly.”
Finola, ugly? Impossible.
One daytime character who would never allow herself to play the role of victim is sexy and smart-super spy Anna Devane. Or is that because of her portrayer is just too intelligent and savvy and irreverent to play dumb? Who comes first: Anna Devane or Finola Hughes? Or is Hughes just writer-proof?
“Yes, on the whole I’ve been written for very well,” she nods. “What’s great is, as an actor, you can play with the writing. You take what you’re given and make it different, more subtle. For example, when you’re given a scene that is really sentimental, you can manipulate the scene and articulate the message in a different way. That is, if you’re allowed to do that. I’ve always had problems when things get super-romantic and people want me to be some kind of blushing violet! That, I can’t do.”
After all, the best acting is subtext: I hate you, but I really love you.
That’s why this critic loves watching Hughes in action. She’s unpredictable with her acting choices. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get when Hughes makes love to a scene.
In fact, we’re not even halfway through 2012, and Hughes already has her 2013 Emmy reel after Anna reamed her son-in-law, Patrick, a new asshole for cheating on the recently deceased Robin during the aftermath of Dr. Scorpio’s funeral. She simply transcended the art form and made me forget I was alive for a few short minutes. Not easy when you’re like me and suffer from mild ADD.
“Wow, thank you. I don’t say that lightly,” she says. “Those scenes were hard. But when actors like Jason Thompson and myself trust each other explicitly, it’s easier to jump off the ledge together. It’s thrilling.”
Unfortunately, fans were disappointed Anna and Robert’s reunion was cut short when Scorpio bolted from town after a passive-aggressive suicide attempt to search for his “son,” Ethan.
Which begs the question: Why can we never have Anna and Robert onscreen at the same time? Why have past creative regimes found it difficult to be inspired by the talents of Hughes and Tristan Rogers?
“Ugh,” groans Hughes. “I’ve stopped trying to figure it out. I try not to give it too much thought. I’ve talked to three people about it and, to be honest, it’s something I choose not to revisit because that’s all in the past. I spoke to Ian Buchanan and Tristan Rogers about it. I just don’t know. I want to leave it alone. Other people can speculate, and that’s fine, and I’m sure they will….”
Hughes has, however, noticed what an extremely fine actor Rogers has become in recent years (he’s always been great, but he’s achieved a new level of artistry, that’s for sure). “Yes, he’s an amazing actor,” she applauds. “I’m very proud of him, especially during his work on GH: NIGHT SHIFT.”
But, for her friend’s sake, she’s happy that Rogers is Genoa City-bound. At least for the time being.
Despite not having her right-hand man in Port Chuck, she’s still celebrating the possibilities that GH has to be offer now that it can live to see another year.
“I was thrilled,” she enthuses about the 49-year-old sudser’s uncertain renewal. “I was so happy for the crew and the cast. When you look at the ratings, I think it was clear that the best thing was for GH to stay. When you infuse something with so much energy, it makes it clearly more viable. The network saw that as did our viewers. We’re changing and moving… it’s been very exciting. Of course, there was little old me with a hot little contract going, ‘Well, how long is this going to last!?”
For a while, apparently. And it better — or else!
So when did Valentini get a clue and realize Hughes was his crown jewel? GH approached Hughes two weeks before ABC announced it was renewing the soap. Which was our first clue.
This is an ironic time for GH because it’s hard not to think of GH’s glory days when Gloria Monty helmed the show, saved it from cancellation in six months, and made it a cultural phenomenon. With decades of acting and stardom behind her, Hughes recalls the glory days fondly.
“I did enjoy the days when we were all flying high,” she reminisces. “I still don’t believe how great we had it back then. We filmed some great stuff on location. I think that’s what pulled all the viewers in because we were having so much fun.”
During her
“I remember [former GH executive producer] Wendy Riche and [ex-head writer] Claire Labine’s whole point in creating Robin’s story was to have a character live a long, healthy life with HIV. It was — and still is — an incredibly important storyline.”
Having just signed a long-term contract, Hughes is now driving all the important and visceral story on the embattled soap — and solely providing GH with all of its warranted critically acclaimed buzz.
My words. And there, I said it. You all know it’s true.
“I was surprised at how things turned out,” she says in hindsight. “I’m incredibly happy. I didn’t even broach the subject or anything about staying on or signing a contract. They came and asked me. The day Frank tweeted the news that he signed me; I was just being my usual self on Twitter. And then, there it was. It was kind of cool to be able to share the news as everyone was getting the information.”
Ah, the power of social media. And Frank Valentini's spot-on instincts.
“He’s just awesome,” she gushes. “He’s great for actors. He’s one of those people who are able to balance the budget, work with everyone, and inspire the actors. I think it’s because he worked his way up [the soap opera ladder]. He’s seen every aspect of the TV — and soap — process. What Tony Geary and I both love is how Frank gives us these notes that are incredibly deep but also subtle and very sweet. It’s great information and very human. His notes push us to make the scenes more human. He’s a joy to work with — and everyone feels that way.”
GH was recently “renewed” by ABC, but Hughes is fully aware of the looming, sharpening axe over the show’s head.
“I really hope Ron Carlivati and Frank Valentini give us a nice jolt over the next year because I don’t want to [creatively] limp out if that happens,” she notes. “Who knows when the show will be over?”
Hey, if anyone can save GH, it’s Cartini. Especially when they wield daytime’s most powerful secret weapon: Finola Manolo Blahnik, er, Finola Branco.
Laughing out loud, Hughes asks: “What? We don’t have a hyphen in there?!”
Squish name alert. And most of my readers agree: Finelli, it is.
Has the Emmy winner ever met Frank or Ron before?
“I’ve met Ron a couple of times and I’ve gone out for dinner with Frank and Cat Hickland and Kelly Ripa a few times. I knew Frank just from social occasions. I was familiar with him on the ONE LIFE set because I would visit when I lived in NYC [when she appeared on AMC as Alex and Anna] and bother everyone. Frank was always on the set. It’s funny you bring up the Gloria Monty correlation because I had never seen a producer on the set that much as Frank with the exception of Gloria Monty.”
It’s too bad about his looks, huh?
“Omigod, it’s ridiculous; it’s stupid,” she guffaws. “He’s so handsome.”
And Italian; which spells trouble for me. “Yeah, me, too,” Hughes answers. “I’m married to an Italian!”
Speaking of whom, Mr. Hughes, my competition, Russell Young, began the bromance trend in the early 2000s with Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos.
In IN TOUCH magazine, Ripa joked to me, “Russell and Mark are like a married couple! They spend more time together than Finola and I do! They’re always working on some kind of construction project.”
Sure, likely story!
Hughes laughs, “They are sort of married. They’re like husbands. They go shopping together and buy furniture for our apartments. You’re right: they were the original bromance.”
But it’s the bromance at GH, Valentini and Carlivati’s, that is the one Hughes adores these days. That’s because, Cartini’s reign in Port Charles should only continue to prosper and evolve considering there is no more network interference from a certain hack named Brian Frons. Can you imagine a network executive telling Gloria Monty what to do?
“Oh, no,” mocks a horrified Hughes. “Gloria would have bitten off their heads! And worse, actually.” Both of Frons’s heads?
Still, the outlook is rosy. “It is fantastic to be left alone [creatively and narratively],” she concurs. “I bet even ABC feels the same way, too, actually. I think where the networks can really help a show is by cross-promoting. I don’t understand why we’ve always been the poor sister. We’re the only country that treats soaps like this. In England, soaps are on the front page of all the gossip mags. They shut soap operas into a tiny little box [in America], especially in the last few years. But then again, we had someone like James Franco play on GH as an art project… I just wish they would give us a bit more support; do you know what I mean?”
Personally, I believe the oppression soaps face is due to the misogyny. “Don’t get me started on misogyny,” sighs Hughes. “Let’s not go there because once I start, it will get ugly.”
Finola, ugly? Impossible.
One daytime character who would never allow herself to play the role of victim is sexy and smart-super spy Anna Devane. Or is that because of her portrayer is just too intelligent and savvy and irreverent to play dumb? Who comes first: Anna Devane or Finola Hughes? Or is Hughes just writer-proof?
“Yes, on the whole I’ve been written for very well,” she nods. “What’s great is, as an actor, you can play with the writing. You take what you’re given and make it different, more subtle. For example, when you’re given a scene that is really sentimental, you can manipulate the scene and articulate the message in a different way. That is, if you’re allowed to do that. I’ve always had problems when things get super-romantic and people want me to be some kind of blushing violet! That, I can’t do.”
After all, the best acting is subtext: I hate you, but I really love you.
That’s why this critic loves watching Hughes in action. She’s unpredictable with her acting choices. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get when Hughes makes love to a scene.
In fact, we’re not even halfway through 2012, and Hughes already has her 2013 Emmy reel after Anna reamed her son-in-law, Patrick, a new asshole for cheating on the recently deceased Robin during the aftermath of Dr. Scorpio’s funeral. She simply transcended the art form and made me forget I was alive for a few short minutes. Not easy when you’re like me and suffer from mild ADD.
“Wow, thank you. I don’t say that lightly,” she says. “Those scenes were hard. But when actors like Jason Thompson and myself trust each other explicitly, it’s easier to jump off the ledge together. It’s thrilling.”
Unfortunately, fans were disappointed Anna and Robert’s reunion was cut short when Scorpio bolted from town after a passive-aggressive suicide attempt to search for his “son,” Ethan.
Which begs the question: Why can we never have Anna and Robert onscreen at the same time? Why have past creative regimes found it difficult to be inspired by the talents of Hughes and Tristan Rogers?
“Ugh,” groans Hughes. “I’ve stopped trying to figure it out. I try not to give it too much thought. I’ve talked to three people about it and, to be honest, it’s something I choose not to revisit because that’s all in the past. I spoke to Ian Buchanan and Tristan Rogers about it. I just don’t know. I want to leave it alone. Other people can speculate, and that’s fine, and I’m sure they will….”
Hughes has, however, noticed what an extremely fine actor Rogers has become in recent years (he’s always been great, but he’s achieved a new level of artistry, that’s for sure). “Yes, he’s an amazing actor,” she applauds. “I’m very proud of him, especially during his work on GH: NIGHT SHIFT.”
But, for her friend’s sake, she’s happy that Rogers is Genoa City-bound. At least for the time being.
Despite not having her right-hand man in Port Chuck, she’s still celebrating the possibilities that GH has to be offer now that it can live to see another year.
“I was thrilled,” she enthuses about the 49-year-old sudser’s uncertain renewal. “I was so happy for the crew and the cast. When you look at the ratings, I think it was clear that the best thing was for GH to stay. When you infuse something with so much energy, it makes it clearly more viable. The network saw that as did our viewers. We’re changing and moving… it’s been very exciting. Of course, there was little old me with a hot little contract going, ‘Well, how long is this going to last!?”
For a while, apparently. And it better — or else!
So when did Valentini get a clue and realize Hughes was his crown jewel? GH approached Hughes two weeks before ABC announced it was renewing the soap. Which was our first clue.
This is an ironic time for GH because it’s hard not to think of GH’s glory days when Gloria Monty helmed the show, saved it from cancellation in six months, and made it a cultural phenomenon. With decades of acting and stardom behind her, Hughes recalls the glory days fondly.
“I did enjoy the days when we were all flying high,” she reminisces. “I still don’t believe how great we had it back then. We filmed some great stuff on location. I think that’s what pulled all the viewers in because we were having so much fun.”
During her
