Marisa Ramirez
		Quick-Change Artist Marisa Ramirez transforms Gia from miscreant to Miss Congeniality

	When Marisa Ramirez made her GENERAL HOSPITAL debut, her character won few points for congeniality. Not only was Gia blackmailing Emily, but her need — compulsion? — to tell it like it is alienated everyone around her. Even the actress herself was taken aback by her antagonistic alter ego.    "When I first came on the show, Gia was just so rude, so mean to everybody," she marvels. "She thought she was better than everybody else. That's how everybody came to know me on the set because those are the kinds of things I would have to say.    "I think some people maybe took it seriously and thought that's what I really am," she adds. "Basically, I was kind of nervous. I was afraid to befriend people because I wondered what they thought of me, thinking they'd think something negative." Finding Her Footing How did Ramirez overcome her apprehension about her colleagues' opinion of her? "Eventually, I just got over it," she says. "I became more sure of myself and my character and keeping the two separate. Actually, my character helped me open up my personality and just be myself, be who I am now."    Actually, standing back and letting folks get to know her is very much in keeping with Ramirez's own character. "I'm the kind of person that doesn't make the first move," she admits. "I like for other people to come and talk to me. I like to sit in my own little corner. That's just how I am. I like to soak in people and see what they're all about. It's nice to watch people and get a sense of what they are and what they're all about."    Between Gia's nature to speak up and the experience of being interviewed by the press, Ramirez has learned to loosen up around strangers. "People now have more of a reason to ask me questions. It helps," she notes. "I didn't used to like to talk about myself because I didn't really feel like I was doing what made me completely and totally happy." Basking In The Spotlight Now, doing interviews is more fun for Ramirez because she realizes that fans want to know about her. "They actually care, so it makes me feel more open," she confirms. "It's really sweet when they can come up to me and tell me how much they appreciate my work. It really makes me feel like I'm doing a good job. I like that. It makes me happy. It's not an awkward thing anymore.    "I think it's weird," she adds, "that a lot of actors don't like people coming up to them to sign autographs. But it's part of the territory, part of the job. If I can make somebody's day by taking a picture of them or something that small, then definitely I'm going to do it." — Rosemary Rossi