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Y&R's Lauren Woodland: "Just Power Through It"
By Jenifer Barend
Role: Brittany Hodges, The Young and the Restless
Birthday: October 28
California Girl: “I was born in Nevada but I didn’t really live there very long. I lived in Arizona for a while, but I started acting there and then went to LA to pursue it. Because the industry is here, I’ve been in LA most of my life.”
Quiet On the Set: "It was a little uncomfortable taping the scenes [in which Brittany “made love” to a drugged Billy] because of the way it was shot; my back had to be bare and I had to wear these pasties. But everybody at Y&R made it as comfortable as it could possibly be. [Executive producer] Ed Scott was fantastic; he totally cleared the set. Kathy, our director, made sure that we did it as quickly as possible, and that the live feed was turned off so nobody else in the studio could see it. I feel like I could do that scene again and feel safe.” Brittany in the Boardroom: “I’d like [Brittany] to start her own business. I’d love for her to get a top position at one of the companies, or maybe start her own cosmetic company as soon as she gets out of college.”
Look For Lauren In: “I did a movie called The Doorway that should be coming out on video soon. It’s a thriller about college kids who rent this house for the semester and it ends up being haunted. The character I played is totally different from Brittany: she walks around in, like, a hooded sweatshirt. It was great!”
Brittany Hodges, The Young and the Restless
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And now that Brittany knows about the relationship between her "boyfriend" Billy and Mac, who "robbed" Brittany of the prom queen title, she's ready to put her plan of revenge into motion. The Young and the Restless scored a casting coup in Lauren Woodland, who assumed the role of Brittany Hodges from Vanessa Evigan earlier this year. Changing actresses is something Woodland could relate to. Previously, she'd been cast as Sara on Sunset Beach and in the short-term role of Janelle on Port Charles. When both of those roles were recast, Woodland took the news in stride and refused to let it affect her personally. The savvy and grounded actress, who attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, found that the third time is indeed the charm. Woodland recently invited TV Guide Online into her dressing room to discuss how she almost lost the part of Brittany, the castmates who helped her get situated in Genoa City, and how she stays sane in the wacky world of showbiz. — Michael J. Maloney
How did this part come about?
I was submitted to Y&R [by my representation]. I was 15 minutes late for my first audition for the part and they wouldn't see me.
Ouch.
It was my fault. I was late. I missed the audition. I asked if I could please come in the next day. They said if I came in the next day at 11 am sharp, then I could read. I really wanted this because I thought Brittany is such a great part. I got there extra early and they saw me. I got a callback, then another one and then I read for [executive producer] Ed Scott. I had a screen test but it wasn't a traditional one. I was working on another series up in Canada and Y&R flew me in over the weekend for the screen test. Kay Alden [Y&R's head writer] was in town for the Writers Guild Awards and the test was held in a suite at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills. Marnie [Saitta, Y&R's casting director] read with me. She's a really good actress. She's the best casting director that I've ever read with. Marnie memorizes the lines. She knew the whole scene and she's a real sweetheart.
Had it not all worked out, how would you have resolved being late?
I've been acting since I was 5 years old and I've learned that the only way to get through things is to never take things personally. That's a really hard thing to learn to do because as an actor you're using yourself in everything, but you can't take changes and mishaps personally. You have to remember that there are other jobs and other projects. Every audition is a new chance to do a great acting job. You just have to keep going.
There had been an actress playing Brittany before you. You'd been in similar positions on PC and Sunset. What was it like being on the other end of the recast decision?
I didn't feel like I was kicking anyone out or that I was replacing anyone. I actually try and think of this as a totally different character. Brittany's personality was rewritten a bit. Those experiences I had on Sunset and PC really, really hurt. I can relate to the disappointment. But, on the other hand, it's a business. If the character needs to be different for story purposes, then that's the bottom line. It's about the show and the story.
You have a grounded perspective that is rare in this business. What were your first few days like?
The day before I came to Y&R, I worked in Vancouver until 4 AM. A car picked me up at 5. I got on a plane at 6. I got to Los Angeles sometime in the morning. I came straight to the Y&R set and went right to wardrobe and was on the set soon after with Jess [Walton, who plays Jill]. She was the perfect person to have my first scenes with. She's wonderful. She welcomed me and taught me about camera positions.
How did Brittany feel when she heard Mac's name read as the prom queen?
It was devastating. Brittany had a goal to be the prom queen. Billy was her king and Brittany wanted to be the queen. There was the added pressure of the Jabot campaign and all the cameras being there. It was humiliating. Brittany could have lost to any other girl, but not to Mac. Not Mac.
When Brittany and Jill had their follow-up strategy session, I thought that Brittany's like a young Jill.
[Laughs] Jess calls me "Baby Jill" or "Jill in training." I think Brittany is a good person. All she wants is to be liked. She wants to be nice, but she feels people keep screwing her over. She feels put in a position where she has to teach them a lesson. Her pride is so big. She can't go on without evening out the score. She's not evil. She's just angry.
Do you and David Tom, Ashley Bashioum, and David Lago [who play Billy, Mackenzie and Raul] hang out together away from the studio?
Yes. We've done photo shoots together and we've also gone bowling and out to eat. We're fortunate in that we all get along. We actually do enjoy each other's company. You don't always get that in work situations.
You started out early in the business. What was that like?
I liked it. I liked getting the job. It was a little mini-competition. (Laughs) Later, it becomes a bigger competition. At the time I was starting out in commercials, they were big on monologues and moving props around. So I had to do a lot at once. I liked having those challenges and then meeting them.
There's criticism about children working in the business, but you sound like you enjoyed your experience?
It was good for me. (Pause) I think, in general, I'm not big on kids acting. My child will not be a child actor. Children develop their skills early on and I think it's good to take that to a safe level where they can compete as an amateur. But when you get to any kind of professional level, [it can get more intense]. I don't think kids and professional careers necessarily go together. Children need to explore for themselves what they want. Again, for me, it's been great. And I've been able to make the transition from child actor to adult actor.
How do you get through the transition?
I always worked, but it dropped off [during my teens]. And the last thing you need when you're starting to go through puberty is to feel like a has-been. People ask, "Why aren't I achieving as much?" I continued to work and audition, but not as often. I understood that there just weren't as many parts. The whole teen thing started a few years ago, but prior to that there wasn't much at all. They wanted cute little kids or 19-year-olds.
Daytime's great, but I'm playing a little devil's advocate here: With the teen explosion, did you have any reservations about signing with Y&R?
No. I always knew that daytime would be a good choice for me. I felt I was marketable in this genre. The Young and the Restless has been on for 27 years. It's solid. It's seen all over the world. When you're on prime-time shows, there's never a guarantee that those shows will last. Plus, you can get all the way to being cast in a pilot, the pilot gets picked up and then a focus group doesn't like you and you're recast. It's maddening. And if you take that information and apply it personally to yourself, it's abusive.
Do you see people around you who are not as grounded?
Yes. But the pros are very grounded. The people who can't separate it aren't. It happens to everyone, though. You have moments and days where things get to you. Every actor has stories to tell. You have to learn how to make it work. Actors can be made to feel lesser or disposable, especially when they're not working. But you have to remember that you're there because you're filling a job description. Producers want a great actor to walk into a room and give a great reading. If you come in feeling that it's all a collaborative effort, then, most likely, you're going to have a better result.
What keeps you busy away from the set?
I work out and to just have a chance to be alone and puddle around the house is just great. I love playing with my dog, a Maltese.
Will you guys be glad when the summer is over and you're out of those swimsuits?
(Laughs). Yes! I told a friend that I can be put into a pair of sweats anytime.
Jack Wagner (Jacques/Liam)
(From the May 19 Soap Opera Digest)
MELROSE PLACE'S Resident Bad Boy -- Jack Wagner -- Sinks To A New Level In A TV Movie
(By Alan Carter)
JUST THE FACTS
Birthday: October 3
Hole in One: Wagner is a familiar face on the celeb golf tour.
Must-See TV: "I never miss ALLY MCBEAL. That show is so smart. It's so clever. It's so much fun. I'm a big fan."
Laugh Or Cry: "I would love to develop a one-hour drama for myself. But I'm also someone who loves to laugh ... and I think I'm pretty funny."
Wish You Were Here: "I miss Grant [Show, ex-Jake] and Courtney [Thorne-Smith, ex-Alison]. We didn't work together much, but we played a lot of golf together."
Jack Wagner played a hero on GENERAL HOSPITAL, charming the pants off the daytime audience as Frisco Jones and earning an Emmy nomination in the process. He also played the third Warren Lockridge on SANTA BARBARA for a couple of years in the beginning of the 90´s. Then his prime-time career took off when he created the role of the sometimes dysfunctional, but always funny Dr. Peter Burns on MELROSE PLACE. During his last hiatus from the series, Wagner filmed a starring role in USA Network's DIRTY LITTLE SECRET, which will air on May 20 at 9p.m. ET/PT. Wagner's role in the TV movie, which also stars Tracey Gold and Mary Page Keller (ex-Sally, ANOTHER WORLD), is that of Jack, a sheriff who clearly steps outside the law. This guy makes Dr. Burns look like Little Lord Fauntleroy, which suits Wagner just fine. We spoke to him recently about the movie, MP and (natch) his marriage to GH star Kristina Wagner (Felicia).
DIGEST: This sheriff you're playing ... I don't think it will give away too much to say he is a creep.
WAGNER: That's one of the things I loved about the script. Not only was it pretty good, but while I was reading it, it just kept changing and getting more complicated.
DIGEST: It seems each character has a little secret.
WAGNER: The title is very appropriate. Just when you think you have something figured out, the plot changes.
DIGEST: Well, there is kidnapping, mentions of rape, assault, adoption, a shoot-out, murder....
WAGNER (laughs): Yeah, I really wanted to do something light after MELROSE PLACE.
DIGEST: Jack is a pretty dark character.
WAGNER: I loved that most of all. He's this redneck sheriff. At first, you think he might be a good guy. I've never played a guy that hard-core bad. I try to find the re-deeming qualities and charm in a character, even Peter, but this guy ... it was hard to find them. He is pretty rough.
DIGEST: Even your look is different.
WAGNER: I tried to look more severe. I cut my hair pretty short.
DIGEST: Did you worry this could almost typecast you?
WAGNER: I never think about stuff like that. I liked the story. It was that simple. And no one watches me [laughs]. No one watches me or MELROSE anymore. There is nothing to worry about.
DIGEST: Seriously, there is a lot of life left in MELROSE PLACE. Don't you agree?
WAGNER: Yes, of course.
DIGEST: Can the show bounce back?
WAGNER: I think we can. We had some problems this year. It was truly no one's fault. But, in my opinion, we had too many characters. This isn't a knock on any performer or any writer, but the stories got a bit diluted. They weren't as good as they have been. I think we struggled a bit.
DIGEST: Rumor has it that you'll work with Heather Locklear [Amanda] more.
WAGNER: That's something we both have asked for. We both like bringing comedy to what we do. I understand we're going to have a triangle [with Rob Estes, Kyle] and all the stuff that goes on with that.
DIGEST: Anything else new with you?
WAGNER: Well, I'll also be directing some episodes next year, and that's a real nice boost for me. I'm excited about that. I've already told some people in the cast that this basically gives me free reign to now step on everyone [laughs].
DIGEST: I know that when Thomas Calabro [Michael] is directing, he tries to direct episodes that he might be "lighter" in. Have you asked for that?
WAGNER (laughs): Less of Thomas? Yes, a lot of the actors on the show have asked if we could have less of Thomas. Please, please. Whenever I work with him, I say, "Is there any way we can cut you out of this scene?"
DIGEST: Changing the subject drastically, it was nice to see Kristina's touching scene with Jacklyn Zeman [Bobbie] on the prime-time GH anniversary special. The one in the hallway after B.J. died.
WAGNER: [Kristina and I] watched it together. I thought the moment with Kristina and Jackie was the most moving thing in the hour. I was sitting there crying. That scene still gets to me. It was so moving, so phenomenal. Unlike a lot of the light, foppish stuff they have her doing now. I think Kristina is so wonderful with drama. My wife can really torch it up, can't she?
DIGEST: Talking about it even now, you get choked up.
WAGNER: The show is such a part of history and [my] personal history. The show had impact, and I'm so proud to have been a part of it. Plus, it's where I met my wife.
DIGEST: And mother of your two children. How are the boys [Harrison, 7, Petey, 4], by the way?
WAGNER: They are great. We've bought some property and have been spending a lot of fime enjoying it as a family. Kristina and I have both been working a lot, but there is always family time.
DIGEST: Kristina has great chemistry with John J. York [Mac].
WAGNER: Who? (Laughs) Yeah, right. Great guy, but I always call him Jeff. It's like, "Jack, can we go play golf?" and I'm always like, "Look, Jeff," and he says, "Uh, it's John," and I go, "Yeah, whatever."
DIGEST: You're pretty funny, Jack.
WAGNER: Truth is, Kristina is funnier than me. A lot funnier. And it really p----s me off [laughs]. (At this point, Kristina begins to head out the door. Jack calls to her, "Bye, sweetie. I love you, honey! Oh, and tell Jeff York I said hi.")
DIGEST: Golf is one of your passions; have you been able to squeeze a game in -- being so busy with MELROSE, the movie, promotions, etc.?
WAGNER: My golf game? What's that? I feel like I haven't played in ages. It's been brutal. But after wrapping MELROSE this season, let me tell you, I'm taking it easy this summer. Lots of golf.
(AKA: Executive producer of Sunset Beach)
Writer/director/producer/actor Gary Tomlin has worn many hats over the years, but his current assignment, as executive producer of li'l Sunset Beach, has got to be the most challenging. It's the lowest-rated soap on the air, and talk of cancellation is as frequent as a flashback or internal monologue is on the show.
We spoke with Tomlin on the eve of the soap's two-year anniversary, and were pleased to learn that, unlike a recent storyline, this captain has no intention of letting his ship sink. — Jonathan Reiner
How has the show changed in the two years it has been on the air?
That's an interesting question. When we started two years ago, if you look at the demographics, which is basically all we hear about [from the network] — the 18- to 49-year-old women — we did about a 1.2 rating or something like that. Days of Our Lives did about 5.6, The Young and the Restless did a 4.9 and General Hospital was doing a 4.7. What's happened in those two years to daytime is incredible to me. Everyone's ratings are down, but we've pretty much held steady.
What has happened is that we've been put in the position of constantly trying to up the stakes in what we do. I was home one day, it must've been back in the spring, and I watched some of the shows, and I thought to myself, "If they're not that different from one another, why do there need to be that many?" We have sort of made an attempt to say, "You're going to get something different from Sunset Beach" if you tune in for a week. It might be a little crazy, outrageous or just something we do in production, but it will be something.
The original concept of the show was to bring nighttime to daytime, and I think we've learned very quickly that that was something the audience wasn't very interested in. Also, we wanted to bring some good-looking people to daytime. I think across the board, we have a great-looking cast, particularly our men, and it definitely is a younger show. A lot of the shows I look at really focus on the over-40 crowd. I understand why to a degree — they're wonderful actors, and their characters have been around for a long, long time, so you have a real investment in them. We have only three or four people under contract who are over 40. Plus, we've tried some things that people said we wouldn't be able to do — like "The Poseidon Adventure" and the earthquake.
I think most of the experimental stuff has worked to a certain degree. It's not like you guys fell flat on your face....
No, I don't think so. There are a couple of things that we haven't followed up quite as well as we wanted to, but we learned something from each of those experiences. We were all incredibly proud of the earthquake and the stuff on the boat. The production team did a phenomenal job with everything.
But the problem was that the story fell apart after the action/adventure sequence was over. As a viewer, I had a problem with that.
I think you're right about that. To a degree, part of the problem is the nature of the beast. For instance, when you take a situation like that — we put 10 or 12 of our main characters on that boat and put those people in a situation where they're essentially driving toward the same thing. But when they get back on dry land, they get back to their normal lives. To a degree, we lost some of the focus that we needed to have because we brought in some other stories and did a few other things wrong. I don't think we could've ever kept it as intense as it was on the boat, but I think we could have done better than we did.
The problem is, when you do a story like that and you get people to watch who haven't necessarily watched the show before, you have to try to keep them watching after the action ends. When the helicopter came to rescue the people off the boat, it was like, "Roll credits, and let's go out and have some dinner. The movie is over!" That's how it felt. On the "Terror Island" sequence, our ratings went up and we drew in a lot of 18- to 34-year-olds, but we also drove away a few of the over-35-year-old viewers. We're trying to learn from these things.
Is there a plan to keep the viewers who were drawn into the Rosario jewels storyline?
Well, a story we sort of started on the boat with Antonio, Gabi and Ricardo absolutely builds to a crescendo in the February sweeps. It's very exciting, and it actually crosses over into Francesca's story, as well, because there is a connection between Francesca and Antonio from years back, and we sort of heighten that again. I think the story of a priest, a cop and the girl between them is an interesting one. They're brothers and there is really no bad guy.
I must tell you that I loved the Martin's Syndrome storyline, and even, to a degree, the turkey-baster story. Were you prepared for the backlash?
Not at all. I felt like people got on such a high horse with that. They were screaming about it. It's funny, because these were people who were defending the Luke and Laura thing, the fact that he raped her and then they ended lovers. They had all these excuses for that, but the turkey-baster story, they thought that was outrageous. To us, they do use turkey-basters for that, although we did take liberties, but it was hysterical. When Michael discovers that he's not the father of the baby, it's spectacular. Sherri, Jason and Russell (Saum, George and Curry, who play Vanessa, Michael and Tyus) were wonderful.
For me, it's the combination of outlandish elements and classic soap staples that makes the show appealing.
That's what we've been trying to do. Any other show in daytime that is doing the same numbers as they were doing the second week of January 1997 would be thrilled. We're still showing the same numbers, and everyone is saying, "What's wrong with this show?" Well, with the walls are falling down around us, we're just trying to hang on at this point.
Don't you think the situation is a little unfair? You've been in the business for a long time, and never have there been so many buzzards circling.
Well, they're circling a lot of shows. The problem is that it's very difficult for a man on death row to make plans, if you know what I mean. That's the problem you have on any show, and I know it's been a problem on Another World for a long time. You're constantly trying to jump through hoops, and the hoops just seem to get higher and higher and higher. The problem you also have when the expectation is "Make something bigger, make something bigger, make something bigger," something is only big in relation to what else it's with. If you make everything bigger, then nothing is big.
There was a story years ago about one of the network executives who did focus groups on all these shows, so he went through all the shows and compiled certain things that viewers liked. Then the executive said, "Give me a show that has all these things and it will be incredible," so they did a show with only those things in it, and the audience watched it and hated it! The reason that something is good is because of the build or because of the other things going on around it to balance it.
It feels like the show has been on for more than two years. What sorts of things would you like these characters to do that they haven't already done?
I would love to cross Cole and Annie. From the moment that he came on the show, I thought, "Wow, these two should cross! They have to!" With all the secrets that are blowing up, I think there could be a way to cross them together. There are certain people that you see together and think they would explode off the screen because you can actually see the chemistry. It's difficult on a new show. We have a huge cast, particularly for a new show, and sometimes I wish that we'd kept it smaller, because we're trying to keep a really good balance and not lose focus on our major players.
Is anything big planned for the over-40 crowd, like Kathleen Noone and Gordon Thomson (Aunt Bette and A.J.)?
Well, Kathy had some scenes with the girl who plays her daughter when she was blind and in the hospital — it was unbelievable stuff. She's so amazing. She can make you laugh or break your heart. She's going to be pulled back into the Cole/Olivia/Gregory/Annie story to a degree, and I'd love to give her her own romance, but at this time it's a matter of making the time to do it. But, hopefully, Kathy will be pulled back into story much more.
Now, I have to ask this question, since it's one of the biggest news stories of the century: Are you worried that you will forever be remembered for Sarah "Lewinsky" and the infamous beret/embrace re-creation?
We talked to (NBC honcho) Don Ohlmeyer and he loves that "ripped from the headlines" thing, so that was sort of the idea, that Sunset Beach would do a ripped from the headlines theme. We talked about bringing in Meg's sister and doing the Monica Lewinsky story, but only to a degree. Then we said, "Screw it! Let's get a guy who looks a little like Clinton and do it." We just tried to drop in little silly things along the way. The most fun was when we brought in (the character) Melinda Fall. Actually, her original name was Melinda Triplet, but the actress (Elizabeth Alley) was hilarious.
I also loved Jessica Tuck's brief stint as Dianne.
Jessica knew (Sunset producer) Lisa Hesser from One Life to Live. Jessica and I had only worked together a couple of days on One Life, but I'm such a fan of hers. We came up with this harebrained idea to have this woman who was into her romance novels and do a Misery-style storyline. Jessica had a wonderful time, and the sad thing is I'd love to bring her on, but we don't have room.
I think the show makes great use of the short-term characters that come in to stir up trouble.
Definitely! We had Nurse Stacey back in yesterday, and we've got a guy who Annie who went to high school with who she runs into at the hospital. This guy was great! We're going to have to bring him back because he's too funny. He's a stand-up comedian named Mark Davis and he was just dynamite. Sometimes you can fall in love with these people and they're a little off the mark of what you're trying to do with the big picture, so you have to make sure that you're servicing the story.
Do you have any New Year's resolutions for the show?
The only resolution is be on the air in January 2000. That's pretty much it. We have a wonderful, enthusiastic cast, and they work incredibly hard. It's a fun place to work, and that's maybe the one thing I'm most proud of. In spite of everything, there's not a lot of tension or yelling or screaming. We're really trying, and we've got a lot of really good stuff coming up. A lot of secrets are going to get blown out of the water in January and February.
