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While loony Lisa was the last person anyone wanted to see in Port Charles, her talented portrayer, Brianna Brown, is wanted everywhere! Her recurring role last fall as an undercover prostitute for a Saudi prince on the Showtime hit drama HOMELAND has put her on the radar. "I have been working a boatload [since October] -- literally non-stop -- and receiving straight offers," she tells Soaps In Depth.

Last month, she appeared as a love interest for Taye Diggs on PRIVATE PRACTICE. "Then I shot USA's new show COMMON LAW, and CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, working opposite Ted Danson," she confides of the episode airing Wednesday, February 8, at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. (ALL MY CHILDREN's Jill Larson (Opal) also appears in the episode.)

Look for Brown to appear in an episode of HBO's hit vampire drama TRUE BLOOD when its next season kicks off this summer, as well as NBC's upcoming drama AWAKE. "[It] is produced by Howard Gordon [one of the creators of HOMELAND]... It's a very big guest star, and who knows what will transpire," Brown says with a grin. "I'm having a blast working opposite [series stars] Jason Isaacs and Steve Harris."

As ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Eli, Matt Walton played the ultimate bad boy. But in his latest role, he's the ultimate playboy! The actor is currently starring in a production of Boeing-Boeing at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey as Bernard, and American cad living in Paris during the swinging '60s, juggling three flight-attendant fiancées. With a little help from his phenomenal housekeeper and the luck of differing airline timetables, Bernard is able to convince each lady that she is his one and only. That is, until the fast, new Boeing jet and weather delays place the women on a collision course!

"It's a farce, so I'm getting to do more comedy," an excited Walton tells Soaps In Depth. "My character is filling up his days doing a balancing act with these three flight attendants: one German, one American and one Italian. The play comments on the socioeconomic statuses of the different governments of this triangle through the lens of this ridiculous, over-the-top French farce. He's very calculating, and depends on the precision of the airline schedule [to keep his fiancées apart]." But then all hell breaks loose when, thanks to the faster new airplane engines and bad weather, all three ladies are in Paris at the same time! "Doors slam, identities are mistaken, everyone's kissing everyone and women are flying all over the stage. It's quite a romp!" he says with a chuckle.

Read more after the jump!

It's a sad time for many GENERAL HOSPITAL fans. Those long time viewers who have watched Lucky Spencer grow up before their eyes, loving and losing and loving and losing Elizabeth again had become a sort of something to count on, as it was always assumed they'd eventually end up together forever. Not so. At least not this time: This week, Jonathan Jackson leaves the role he created when he was just a young lad of eleven.

The Challenges
Although Jackson believes it's people's "natural instinct to look for a bad guy" as to why it's playing out this way, he says, "The reality is that I had certain things that needed to be adjusted. I think [GH writers and producers] genuinely wanted to be able to do that. But from their perspective -- with the demands that they have on them -- they weren't able to provide that to the degree that would have been necessary for me to stay. At that point, I understand."

What, exactly, does that mean? The amount of material he was shooting each week got to be a bit overwhelming and when asked for a lighter work load, the people in charge at the time didn't believe that was possible for a character as vital as Lucky. "It's a different time than it used to be," Jackson confesses. "I remember in the 90s when I was on the show, it was not even comparable in terms of the amount of work, and it was already an incredible amount of work for everybody. I mean, if you had 20 pages in a day, that was really a lot. Now, it's 20 to 35, sometimes 40, multiple times in a week. It's been quite the challenge.

"I'm extremely thankful for the opportunity to be able to do a lot of those insane stories. It would have been nice if there weren't quite as many," he adds with a grin. "But the stuff that I got to do with Tony Geary (Luke) around Jake's death, the intervention show... within the two-year span, we packed probably packed in four years of really great material. I'm grateful for that."

Read more after the jump!

If you want to check out a movie this weekend and a teenaged vampire bride or The Muppets aren't your cup of tea, then consider something a bit different by today's big-screen standards: The Artist, a black and white silent film set in the late 1920s towards the end of Hollywood's silent era. You'll even see a familiar face -- GENERAL HOSPITAL's Jen Lilley (Maxie)!

The film, written and directed by Frenchman Michel Hazanavicius, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, even winning star Jean Dujardin the Best Actor Award at the prestigious competition. "It's a tribute to Hollywood's Golden Era, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been a part of it," Lilley tells Soaps In Depth. "I have such a soft spot for Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow, so when I got the opportunity to celebrate their art, it was touching. Michel Hazanavicius did an amazing job striving for 1920's authenticity, and it shows!

The Artist focuses on a declining male star and a rising actress as silent cinema begins to be replaced by "the talkies." Considering her love for the genre, being a part of The Artist was huge for Lilley. "I remember calling up my agent and telling her she had to pitch me for this project," she recalls. "When I went in to audition, I told Michel that I knew so much about this era and I was simply delighted to hear he was making this movie. I asked him if he wanted it to really simulate a 1920s silent film, and when he said yes, I did what I knew -- Clara Bow. Michel had the writers add a part for me! He was a delight to work with, as was Jean Dujardin.

"I'm actually one of the few characters that has a line in the film!" Lilley continues. "I am near the end of the film, one of the neighbors who helps rescue George Valentin [played by Dujardin]. I say, 'Oh my God, it's George Valentin!' after a policeman rescues him from a burning building."

After filming was over, Lilley walked away with an experience she'll never forget. "There are great actors who also have small roles. I'm sure they feel just like me -- thrilled to be in such an amazing film."

The Artist also stars French actress Bérénice Bejo (A Knight's Tale) and Americans John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penepole Ann Miller and Missi Pyle. The film opens on Friday, November 25. To see the trailer, click here.

During tonight's DANCING WITH THE STARS two-hour finale -- which starts at 9 p.m. EST on ABC -- the coveted mirror ball trophy is going to be awarded to Rob Kardashian, Ricki Lake or ALL MY CHILDREN's J.R. Martinez (Brot). While the fan favorite got off to a slow start in last night's competition, Martinez and pro partner Karina Smirnoff rebounded brilliantly in the all-important freestyle dance, earning a perfect score of 30.

"It was a real testament to J.R.'s character when [host Brooke Burke Charvet] asked him after the first dance how he did and he said the judges were right [in their critique]," co-star Vincent Irizarry (David), who was in the audience to cheer on his buddy, told Soaps In Depth at the show. "Most people would say they did well even if they didn't. J.R.'s a warrior."

"He didn't let it get him down," concurs Michael E. Knight (Tad), who was also in the crowd rooting for Martinez, along with Cameron Mathison (Ryan), Darnell Williams (Jesse), Jacob Young (JR; now Rick, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL), Shannon Kane (Natalia) and Bobbie Eakes (Krystal). "JR nailed the freestyle," Mathison says. "I think it's a slam dunk!" Adds an enthusiastic Eakes, "I'm just his biggest fan. J.R.'s fantastic. He's going to win!"

The war vet-turned-actor was thrilled to have the support of his Pine Valley comrades last night. "It was an amazing feeling to see all the AMC-ers out there in the audience," Martinez says. "It shows that, despite the show being canceled, we all support each other."

But there's still more dancing to be done. Smirnoff explains that on tonight's finale, "each pair has one more dance. Then, the top two couples will learn an 'instant salsa.'"

The other two dance pros who are in the running -- Derek Hough and Cheryl Burke -- have each won the competition before, so Martinez is hoping that he'll win not just for himself but Smirnoff, too. "I'm so grateful for this second chance at life, to be on this show and meet an amazing friend," Martinez says of his dance partner "Whatever happens tonight this has been an amazing journey."

Turning to Martinez, Smirnoff adds with a smile, "You're my mirror ball trophy!"

As Ingo Rademacher (Jax) tweeted yesterday, GENERAL HOSPITAL has a story arc that will bring his presumed-dead character back to the canvas for about 3 weeks early in the new year, and the actor exclusively tells Soaps In Depth that his return has actually been in the works for some time!

"We've been talking about it for a while," Rademacher reveals. "When I came back the first time -- which was almost an extension of the contract in a way -- you couldn't really call that a "comeback" because there was no real time in between.

The actor remains hopeful that the storyline will leave the door open for Jax to pop back into Port Charles in the future. "[Executive producer] Jill [Farren Phelps] has always been very much upfront with me with this whole thing," he says. "She's always had the thought that Jax was going to keep returning."

For more on our interview with Rademacher, pick up the next ABC issue of Soaps In Depth!

Can't get enough of sexy, former GENERAL HOSPITAL bad boy Sebastian Roché (ex-Jerry)? Then you're in luck! In addition to his current recurring role as the mysterious Mikael on the CW's THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, the French actor also plays prominently in the upcoming holiday blockbuster, The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn!

The first in a series of 3D motion capture animation films based on the iconic character, the movie explores the experiences of Tintin and his faithful dog, Snowy. "It's an extremely popular comic book in the whole of the world, except America," Roché tells Soaps In Depth of the Stephen Spielberg/Peter Jackson-directed picture that's currently screening in Europe. "My character's name is Pedro, who's a bad guy, of course. But I also play Mr. Eccles [the first mate of the unicorn]."

Filmed in early 2009, this visually mesmerizing production is one project that Roché -- who waited six months following his audition to be cast! -- was exceptionally excited to land. "I did all my scenes with Daniel Craig [Casino Royale], and Andy Serkis, who plays Gollum in The Lord Of The Rings series," Roche teases. "It's a wonderful, wonderful group of actors."

The family film hits theaters on Wednesday, December 21. In the meantime, the mid-season finale of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES airs tonight at 8 p.m. on the CW.

If you're like us, you haven't yet stopped crying over ALL MY CHILDREN coming to an end on ABC. But wipe away those years, because Walt Willey (Jack), Darnell Williams (Jesse), Cameron Mathison (Ryan), Michael E. Knight (Tad), Jacob Young (ex-JR; Rick, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL) and Vincent Irizarry (David) are bringing a whole lot of PV fun your way! Via the Tribute to Pine Valley tour -- which hits the NY metro area in various locations on October 25, 26 and 27 -- the actors plan on wowing, entertaining and paying tribute to all you die hard AMC fans who may have missed out on the show's as-of-now final fan club weekend. "Back East, that was our home, and many of the fans haven't seen us in a while," says Irizarry. "And [the East Coast] fans are just as rabid as many of them here on the West Coast!"

The events consist of both a Q&A session, as well as a meet and greet portion for VIP ticket holders. And both are sure to be a blast! "Whenever we do these types of events, they're completely non-scripted, and the audience, really, is the greater part of the entertainment!" the actor smiles. "They're very, very vocal, and you sort of just ride with them. Whatever they come up, with you go with it. And it's a lot of fun. When people leave, they've always had a great time. So I'm looking forward to it."

But Irizarry says you better hurry if you plan on buying a VIP ticket! "There's a limited number of VIP tickets still available, so people should get on top of it," he suggests. "Not only do you get the best seats, but you also get some up close and personal time after the show with the actors, so those are the ones people seem to be grabbing. So I'd encourage people, if they're interested, that they might want to consider that."

But either way, Irizarry promises that he and his co-stars will be bringing plenty of fun and laughs. "I guarantee people will not be disappointed," he teases. "It will be a lot of fun."

For more information, including how to buy tickets, please visit www.atributetopinevalley.com. And be sure to check the website frequently for updates, as the tour will be visiting other markets around the country soon!

Alina Adams has done it again! The New York Times best-selling author of AS THE WORLD TURNS and GUIDING LIGHT tie-ins Oakdale Confidential, The Man From Oakdale, and Guiding Light: Jonathan's Story, has just released her latest soap opera-themed tome, Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule Of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments. The enhanced E-book -- which can be obtained by downloading the free Kindle app from amazon.com to any Internet-enabled device -- will allow readers to have a truly interactive experience as they read about 45 of daytime drama's greatest moments as voted on by industry insiders and fans alike.

"People sent me by E-mail, Facebook, and Twitter their memories of the scenes that meant so much to them. Then I went to the actors, writers, and producers who had been part of those scenes to ask them how they came together," Adams explains of how the compilation came together.

In the book, readers can hear Linda Dano recount playing Felicia's intervention on ANOTHER WORLD, Eden Riegel relate her memories of Bianca declaring her sexuality on ALL MY CHILDREN, Michael Corbett regaling the tale of David Kimble's death on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS by trash compactor and more... and then click on provided links provided to see video clips, leave comments, or find out what the actors are doing now. "You can read about the scene, watch the scene, and contact the actor and [share] your thoughts!" Adams enthuses. "In that way, the book will not become stagnant because all of those pages will be constantly updated."

Having spent 30 years watching all of the great serial dramas that have come and gone, as well as those still on the air, Adams promises that there will be a little of something included for every fan. "There's a lot of talk about where soaps went wrong and what can we do to fix them. Those are completely legitimate questions and things that people should be asking in order to save and reinvent the genre," maintains Adams, who has also penned a slew of mystery and romance novels. "But I also wanted to talk about what soaps did right and ask: what were these moments that really had people glued to their TV sets? Because sometimes we can learn a lot from [identifying] and emulating that."

Soap Opera 451 retails for $9.99 and is text-to-speech and lending enabled. You can purchase the book here, and find out more about the author at www.alinaadamsmedia.com. And to learn how her history as a soap fan led to a career in the industry, keep your eyes open for a Look Who's Watching feature in an upcoming issue of Soaps In Depth!

ALL MY CHILDREN can count Kim Delaney -- who played beloved Jenny Gardner Nelson on ALL MY CHILDREN from 1981-84 -- as one of the former stars who would love to return to the show for one last cameo before the program airs its finale on ABC in September. "I hate it! I hate it!" Delaney told Soaps In Depth yesterday at the TV Critic's press tour about AMC ending its ABC run. "I'd go back now and do a cameo [if I could]."

She's not kidding. Long before it became popular for actors to come back to soaps for quick cameos, Delaney reprised the role back in 1994 in some heavenly scenes with Michael E. Knight as Jenny's brother, Tad, hovered between life and death. While a return for the late heroine could tie in to the soap's current storyline involving "Project Orpheus" and the returns of presumed-dead favorites like Dixie, Tad and Leo, even if ABC did want Delaney to appear one last time, the ARMY WIVES star would have to get permission from her bosses at the Lifetime series to do another show. "I wanted to go to the [Daytime Emmys] but they didn't want me to," she laments.

Delaney is currently promoting her upcoming Hallmark Channel movie Finding A Family (set to air on Saturday, October 15), but she's not giving up on one last Pine Valley visit. "I'm going to work on it," she insists. "It's a good idea. And there's still time. I should call [AMC creator] Agnes Nixon."

Tell us below, would you like to see Delaney bring Jenny back to Pine Valley for one final visit?

He's become a bona-fide movie star since exiting ALL MY CHILDREN, but when Josh Duhamel (Leo) heard that the soap would be going off the air, he immediately wanted to revisit the series that launched his acting career. His alter ego has been presumed dead since Leo plummeted over a waterfall in 2002 while trying to save new wife Greenlee from his maniacal mother, Vanessa. But as Duhamel himself tells Soaps In Depth, "if there was a chance that I was still alive, then I wanted to go back and do something. I really enjoyed those three years that I had on AMC, and I've kept up with a lot of the people there."

Just a few days after Duhamel placed a call to casting director Judy Blye Wilson, "they called back and said they'd love to do it." While we couldn't get the Transformers star to divulge any storyline specifics -- not even whether Leo returns in the flesh or as a ghost -- Duhamel does promise that his character's reunion with Greenlee "is respectful to what's going on in her life now."

Look for Duhamel to appear on-screen for a handful of episodes starting Thursday, August 4. And for more of our interview with the star, check out the ABC issues of Soaps In Depth on sale July 25 and August 8!

Yes, ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Lindsay was scheming, manipulative and, let's face it, homicidal. But really, those were just her endearing qualities. "I always love playing that girl," her portrayer, Catherine Hickland, laughs. "She is so out there."

Of course, while Lindsay's been in jail actually paying for her crimes, Hickland hasn't let anything constrain her. The writer, cosmetics queen and stage performer admits to not following OLTL on a regular basis, but she still looks back fondly on the show. "When I do check in, I feel like the fan I used to be before I was ever on it. Everyone there is so talented."

Viewing the show as a fan, though, has made the cancellations of OLTL and ALL MY CHILDREN all the more poignant. The actress has been front and center with protestors, taking to the streets and to Twitter to support the soaps. "For me," she affirms from the thick of a protest, "[being here] is way more real than it is to any executive or anybody who doesn't bother going out to where the real viewing audience is."

Read more after the jump!

The old Hollywood catch phrase "quiet on the set" took on whole new meaning on Friday, May 20. That was the day awkward silence shrouded Stage 4 at the Prospect Studios, marking Tyler Christopher's last day on GENERAL HOSPITAL as Nikolas Cassadine. After completion of his final scene, no one moved. "Everybody was kind of, 'Okay... so... I guess... okay,'" Christopher laughs. "I had been there so long, nobody really knew what to say to me."

Read more after the jump!

Let's get right to the point... is GENERAL HOSPITAL's "certifiable" surgeon, Dr. Lisa Niles, dead or not? Truthfully, it looks like "not." Now, before Scrubs fans get their panties in a bunch knowing that the woman who attempted to both destroy and end Robin's life isn't roasting marshmallows in hell, there is a lot of storyline still playing out from the Robert Guza Jr. arcs. That said, with new headwriter Garin Wolf steering the ship, whether Lisa's coma is permanent or not remains to be seen. Will she wake up? If she does, will she still be "bad" or will she be redeemed? So many questions and, unfortunately, not many answers just yet.

What Could Have Been
"There's definitely a part of me that thinks there could have been some really fun stuff had they kept her with Johnny," says Lisa's uber-talented alter ego, Brianna Brown.

Read more after the jump!

It's official: Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo (Brenda) is nearing the end of her latest GENERAL HOSPITAL run, and will soon tape her final scenes. Yesterday, the actress posted an on-set photo with co-star Maurice Benard (Sonny) on her Official Facebook Fan Page labeled "last weeks with Maurice," and last night, Marcil Giovinazzo tweeted that her exit story has "a twist!"

While many fans were hoping that the actress would stick around Port Charles, the plan was always for Marcil Giovinazzo to be on the canvas for approximately a year. "I was always 'coming for a visit,'" she tells Soaps In Depth. "I never described it as anything other than a visit. And that's what it is. I always hate leaving. It's always devastating to me. I love it there so much, but I've never, ever made it sound like it wasn't going to have an end. I came for a very specific amount of episodes and a very specific amount of time. Nothing has changed."

Prior to her return last summer, it was rumors of a different sort that Sorenda fans bandied about. "It was always that I was coming back when I was under contract with NBC [for LAS VEGAS] and clearly couldn't come back," she says. "All of that stuff I understand is kind of fun to kind of guess about. But they are untruths."

In an attempt to manage the rumor mill herself, the normally private actress has taken to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter in recent months. "The problem is when other people say things are factual when they're not," she explains of her motivation to join the sites. "It'll be fun to clear up simple things like that."

< You can follow Marcil Giovinazzo at www.facebook.com/vanessamarcilg or on Twitter @VanessaMarcilG. And be sure to check back with Soaps In Depth for our exit interview with the fan favorite!

In an exclusive interview with Soaps In Depth, Ingo Rademacher is speaking out about his release from GENERAL HOSPITAL, where he's played the role of debonair businessman Jasper Jacks for the better part of the past 15 years. "The writing has kind of been on the wall for the character since last August, when I stopped working my usual amount of shows," he shares. "Sometimes there's a lull in between storyline, but it never picked up again for me. So I kind of knew."

Even though executive producer Jill Farren Phelps had told Rademacher earlier this year that there was a chance his character would be written off of the canvas, the actor was still surprised to be let go from the soap. "I think the character is worth a lot to the show," he says with a shrug. "I don't know the exact reason for it, and I don't want to speculate because there's too many different things that you hear. A decision has been made, and I am not going to fight it. You move on. I had a long run there. They've got their reasons for doing it, and I've got to respect that."

Read more after the jump!

As fans rally in an attempt to save their soaps, one thing that comes up time and again are questions regarding ratings. In an attempt to answer questions regarding how audience size is measured and what is -- and, perhaps more importantly, isn't -- counted when it comes to figuring out how many eyeballs a show is attracting, we went straight to the source. Here, Scott Brown, Senior Vice President of Strategies and Digital Platforms for the Nielsen company answers your most pressing questions!

While the entire conversation can be read below, two pieces of information -- answering topics most often asked of us about ratings -- are worth commenting on. The good news: According to Brown, shows viewed via TiVo or DVR within three days of their original broadcast are included in the overall Nielsen numbers. (It should be noted that as with all Nielsen information, this only applies to shows that are DVR'd or TiVo'd by those in the Nielsen pool, as detailed below.) The bad news: When it comes to shows viewed on-line -- whether via Hulu or a specific network's site -- only count if the on-line version contains the exact same commercials as the network broadcast. Why is this bad news? Because anyone who has ever watched their favorite show via an on-line site knows that in general, there are far fewer ads featured during on-line airings. Currently, none of the soaps which can be viewed on-line feature the same ads as the network broadcast, meaning that those viewing their shows in non-traditional formats are not being counted in the all-important Nielsen ratings.

For the full details on our chat with the folks at Nielsen, read more after the jump!

Hot on the heels of the news that Tyler Christopher (Nikolas) will be leaving GENERAL HOSPITAL in the coming weeks, Soaps In Depth has learned that Adrianna Leon (Brook Lynn) will also be leaving the soap in early April, when her songbird alter ego heads out of Port Charles on a music tour. But since Brook's exit was written before Christopher was told by GH execs that the soap would not be offering him another contract, does that actually mean that Leon is off of GH for good? Not necessarily.

A GH spokesperson says that the character of Brook has always been recurring, and will continue to be so. And Leon herself hasn't yet said a final farewell to the soap. "All storylines were left open, all explanations were left undefined," she tells In Depth. "When I returned to GH, I knew that they had plans to alter my character and I was all for it. Looking back over this last year, I realize that it was a whole mastermind plan of genius! What we have now is a woman who I don't know... and neither do you. So, what is the real story? Who is Brook Lynn? Even though we thought we had it figured out, Brook Lynn is a complex character and we really have no idea."

Leon adds that she's ready to return to the set whenever GH wants the character back on the canvas. "GH and I have a really nice working agreement and my status as recurring is mutually supported and beneficial," she says. "When they need me, I do my best to manage schedules effectively and efficiently and I will always make it happen for them."

Last night, Soaps In Depth's Twitter page released Tyler Christopher's official statement on his exit as GENERAL HOSPITAL's Nikolas: "Commitment, professionalism and performance doesn't get you anything." And now, In Depth shares more of our exclusive interview with the Emmy-nominated actor about the circumstances surrounding his being let go from the soap.

"I was told that I would not be signing another contract," Christopher frankly declares. "I didn't see it coming." In fact, it was the actor's plan to remain with GH even while working on the upcoming new ABC Family series THE LYING GAME, where he's been cast as Detective Matthews. "A lot of people think that the reason I'm leaving is because I'm going on this other show. That's not the case," he explains. "I have zero idea of what my involvement with THE LYING GAME is going to be. I'm a character that may or may not be permanently involved. Leaving GH was not my choice. I wanted to stay and work out a deal, and that was not an option to me."

As of press time, Christopher had not been told how much longer Nikolas would remain a part of the Port Charles canvas. "No one has told me," he shrugs. "I don't know if I'm going to be gone at the end of the contract [in June] or next week. I have no idea."

We'll have more of Christopher's first exit interview in an upcoming ABC issue of Soaps In Depth, so check it out!

Maybe it was all those catfight with Erica, or maybe it was just growing up around animals all her life. Either way, ALL MY CHILDREN's Julia Barr (ex-Brooke) is a proud supporter of animal rights, and the actress is helping bring awareness to the problem of using wildlife in the fashion industry by being a judge in Born Free USA's 3rd Annual Fur Free Fashion Competition! "It's such a cool thing: It's fashion that is fur-free," Barr says of the competition that encourages current and up-and-coming designers to come up with eco-friendly and animal-friendly clothing. "It gives new and existing designers in the business a chance to participate in this and simultaneously not only do well for themselves, but to get the word out about compassion and care as far as animals in the wild is concerned. So it's a win/win situation, which is always very nice."

Read more after the jump!

On February 7, former GENERAL HOSPITAL baddie Josh Wingate (ex-Carter) guest-starred as rapping ex-con Greg Page on the "Lucky Stiff" episode of ABC's smash hit CASTLE. In the show, Wingate and actor Brian Jones (who played Greg's brother, Titus) rapped their alibi in the catchy tune "Get On The Floor." Thanks to tweets by CASTLE cast and crew the next day -- including stars Nathan Fillion (ex-Joey, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) and Seamus Dever (ex-Ian, GENERAL HOSPITAL) -- a full-length video for "Get On The Floor" became an instant viral sensation. Soaps In Depth tracked down Wingate to get his take on the YouTube sensation!

"I had a blast shooting CASTLE," Wingate says. "The entire experience was amazing, not unlike my time on GH. Brian and I got to go into the studio and record our track for the show. We were like kids in a candy store, having the times of our life. I grew up listening to hip hop and rap, making mix tapes. Even though I took a lot of crap for it from my peers, I didn't care. And now it has come full circle."

Wingate was pleasantly surprised to find out the next day that his CASTLE rap had gone viral. "I was so pumped and excited! It's fun and catchy. It's been getting a lot of great feedback from fans and friends and family."

Following their CASTLE appearance, Wingate and Jones are collaborating on some songs. "We're planning on recording some more. We're just having fun, but who knows -- the Page brothers could make a return!" In the meantime, Wingate is recovering from knee surgery ("I tore my meniscus in my right knee teaching martial arts," he reports) and busy planning his upcoming wedding with fiancée Amy Shea. "We are looking at venues in New England. The planning right now is fun and exciting."

Check out the video for "Get On The Floor" below!

Matthew Ashford might be best known as DAYS OF OUR LIVES' Jack Devereaux, but ABC fans still remember him for his turns as ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Dr. Stephen Haver (Jessica's nutty professor who turned out to be the Music Box Killer) and Buchanan cousin Drew Ralston. He was also the actor who brought GENERAL HOSPITAL's Dr. Tom Hardy back from Africa. What all of those characters had in common with their portrayer is that they were driven men. In fact, not even a severe case of laryngitis was going to keep him from telling Soaps In Depth about "Matt's Musings Month By Month," the wall calendar of pen and ink cartoons that he's produced to raise funds for Retinoblastoma International (the charity that he founded following his youngest daughter Emma's diagnosis).

"The girls always asked, 'What were you like when you were our age?'" Ashford says of his daughters. "We were at the beach, and I started drawing pictures of funny things that happened to me growing up.

"The calendar was an idea I've been kicking around for a few years," he continues. "I enjoy drawing cartoons... [and] I've been trying to think of a way I can raise some much needed funds for RBI," Ashford says. The dedicated advocate of curing the rare infant eye cancer is determined to carry on. "We have seen the time of diagnosis almost cut in half because of heightened awareness -- what will be next?" he wonders.

Read more after the jump!

Louise Shaffer has appeared on more soaps than are still on the air, so she knows a thing or 200 about what fans want: romance! "The medium is its most successful when it deals with relationships," says the ALL MY CHILDREN veteran (she played Erica Kane's wicked stepmother, Goldie). "I mean, I really don't hear too many soap fans talking about that fabulous serial-killer story their favorite show once ran, but everyone has their root-for couple -- all the way back to GENERAL HOSPITAL's Luke and Laura."

Read more after the jump!

ALL MY CHILDREN's Finn Wittrock (Damon) leaves the canvas the end of this month, and though it was the actor's decision to walk away from the role he took on in October of 2009, it didn't make leaving much easier! "I already miss the sense of community and family that was there," he admits. "But I'm trying to see new horizons and explore new things."

Having spent a lot of time "soul-searching," Wittrock decided that signing a longer contract like the show wanted wasn't an option for him, and taking Damon off the canvas seemed like the logical thing to do. "I gave it a year and learned a lot. My time with the show was so valuable," he says. "But I sort of felt like Damon wasn't grown up, and I felt he needed to go to college and make something of his life."

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Gladiators and sex and slaves, oh my! Yep, that's what GENERAL HOSPITAL alum Marisa Ramirez (ex-Gia) has been thinking. If you tune into STARZ' SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA -- the prequel to the cable network's popular SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND series -- you'll find out why. "I play Melitta, Lucretia's [played by Lucy Lawless] personal servant," Ramirez says. "I was in New Zealand for three months shooting five of the six episodes."

While the series delves into the past to relate what happened prior to Spartacus' time, the racy nature of the first drama remains intact in this spin-off. "My costume is pretty much a curtain -- it's material draped around me that the wardrobe person just cut and cut and cut until there wasn't much left!" Ramirez grins.

In addition to having to change her accent -- "The Valley Girl/East L.A. one had to go away!" she laughs -- Ramirez also had to do something else for the first time: nudity! "My soul took a big hit," she confesses. "It's not really life-changing, but once you do it, it's something you can never take back." Fortunately, the scenes, which take place with her character's gladiator spouse, Oenomaus, weren't gratuitous. "It's art... I was pleased with it," she states.

SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA premieres Friday, January 21, at 10 p.m. EST on STARZ. For more information, visit www.starz.com.

After the news broke last week that GENERAL HOSPITAL's Sebastian Roché (Jerry) was not only returning to The CW's SUPERNATURAL but had also booked a recurring role on CRIMINAL MINDS, Soaps In Depth caught up with the actor to get all the dirt! We found him hard at work shooting scenes for his return as SUPERNATURAL's Balthazar. "I'm in Vancouver now doing another episode -- this is my third, and I'm gonna be back for possibly more," he reveals. "I play a sort of naughty angel that helps Castiel and Dean sometimes, but always with a twinkle in his eyes. It's a good role."

When he finishes up in Vancouver, Roché will head to the CRIMINAL MINDS set. And with his new role, the handsome Frenchman will be turning on the charm in a more conventional way. "I'll be playing a good guy for once," he says with a chuckle. "An Interpol agent in a relationship with Paget Brewster's character [Emily]. I'm gonna be around for awhile. It's a recurring role."

As his primetime schedule books up, fans of FRINGE -- the show that Roché appeared on last fall -- have been waiting patiently to find out if he'll be popping up again. It's a possibility that the actor, who enjoys the exciting drama, has high hopes for. "We'll see," he says. "I am dead, but you never know what will happen on FRINGE!"

What does all this primetime action mean for the future of GH's nefarious -- and presumed dead -- Jerry Jacks? Roché is quick to clarify that his busy schedule wasn't the reason why his recent storyline was cut short. "It was just a money thing... So that's the reason why I didn't stay long. I was disappointed to not to be able to work with Nancy [Lee Grahn, Alexis] this time." But should the show's budget allow, Roché would consider a return and is glad that is character is of the difficult-to-kill variety. "Jerry never dies," the actor chuckles. "He's like a cockroach. He keeps coming back."

Air dates for Roché's various upcoming primetime appearances have not yet been released. Check back soon for an update!

It's been several years since GENERAL HOSPITAL star Maurice Benard (Sonny) has made a public appearance outside of the GH Fan Club Weekend. But that's all about to change come January: Not only does the fan favorite have several events lined up, but the actor -- who has publicly confessed to a fear of flying as a result of his bipolar disorder -- is going all out by making his return to the East Coast! Soaps In Depth recently chatted with the multiple Emmy winner all about it!

Soaps In Depth: When was the last time you did a fan event on the East Coast?
Maurice Benard: It's been about eight years. I think the last time I flew was when I did THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW in 2004. I've had a problem flying, but I'm bringing my whole family and they're going to be seated with me. I think it's going to be much easier for me. I'm going to do an appearance in Hollywood, FL, and we're going to spend a couple of days in Disney World. And from there, we're going to go to New York, and I'll do my appearances there. We're going to see some Broadway plays while we're there. My daughters have a whole list!

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Between an exciting new role on TNT's THE CLOSER, a new public relations business with his wife, Touriya, and playing Mr. Mom to his two young sons, Greg Vaughan (ex-Lucky, GENERAL HOSPITAL) hasn't been letting much grass grow under his feet since exiting the soap last year!

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His last air date is Friday, October 15, and it turns out, ALL MY CHILDREN's Adam Mayfield (Scott) has already landed on his feet with a lead role in the upcoming indie film The Preacher's Daughter! Co-starring DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES' Andrea Bowen, the movie "is about a young girl named Hannah who has been groomed to basically carry [on the work] of her father's church," Mayfield explains. "She starts taking voice lessons from the local music minister [which I play], and they wind up having an affair. Meanwhile, this music minister is married with four kids, he has a disgruntled relationship with his wife and is just not happy at home. And to make matters worse, Hannah is only 17, and he gets her pregnant!"

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Soap fans know Florencia Lozano as ONE LIFE TO LIVE's tragic heroine, Téa Delgado, but in Actors Equity circles, she's also known as an accomplished stage performer and playwright. The latest production from the creative gal's pen is underneathmybed, now playing at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in New York City through Sunday, October 10.

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