steadily and I feel like I’m actually a part of a show! I’m really happy!
It shows. And so are we!
18. CRYSTAL CHAPPELL
Silver Lining Playbook No rest for the wicked and the determined: The Emmy winner rebounded off a topsy-turvy 2011 year with her first Daytime Emmy Award nomination as Carly on DAYS (a show she was unfairly fired from); a successful third season of VENICE and the “slacker” created, wrote, directed and starred on another new web soap, THE GROVE, which should be released today; she delivered yet another critically acclaimed gig on B&B in yet another gay role, Danielle; and boobilicious beauty penned her thoughtful yet candid memoir of her life so far, THE PERFECT ART OF IMPERFECTION (out now; read the review below).
17. JEANNE COOPER
The Old Adventures of New Jeanne Another soap superstar penned another brilliant memoir, NOT YOUNG, STILL RESTLESS… proving that Eric Braeden and Melody Thomas Scott are not the real stars of this show. Her candid honesty, infectious quips and stories, authentic star appeal, and unrelenting honesty illustrated why William Bell is still — at least somehow — smiling down on his beloved creation from Creation.
16. TREVOR ST. JOHN
Zero Dark Thirty No one dropped our jaws more than the superbly and incomparably talented Trevor St. John on ONE LIFE’s final episode on Jan. 13, a day that will famously live on in infamy…. An episode that not only marked the brilliance that was Llanview but also punctuated ABC’s stupid, self-sabotaging move ABC made by canceling this great show in its prime. St. John’s killer comeback also, with a wink to the audience, proved it had a lot more life in it by revealing that Victor Lord Jr. was still alive… illustrated by the dripping saliva hanging off Victor’s mouth! The fact that this shocker was kept a secret — credit goes to a misleading interview with Trevor in DIGEST weeks before ONE LIFE ended that affirmed he was not coming back from the star’s own mouth; nicely played, Trevor and ONE LIFE — proved no one puts ONE LIFE in a corner and lives to tell about it. As expected, St. John is experiencing a very lucrative, actor-driven post-soap career with leading roles in critically acclaimed, award-winning films and mainstream projects. Will he return for Prospect Park’s ONE LIFE reboot or appear on GH to wrap up his character’s end story? Only time will tell in 2013.
15. ANDERS HOVE
American Soap Opera Horror Story “Make it stop, Daddy! Make it stop… But don’t!” While I experienced Faison in my early-to-late teens, I didn’t think too much of him. The writing was too cartoonish, I claimed. The performance was cliché, I argued. He’s not even that hot, I lamented. And, to be fair, I thought Anna, at that point, could have been written better so I was not overly engaged with her as I am now. Well, that all changed when Anders Hove came roaring back to GH— despite and in spite of resistance from the U.S. Customs. In one of the most shocking and chilling cliffhangers in recent memory, where it was revealed Duke was really Faison who was adorning a latex mask of the hero, proved why Anders Hove should be nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Supporting Actor. As Kimberly McClullough exclaimed after Hoves’ last scene on GH: “Best. Villain. Ever.” My regards to you, Michael Zaslow. No one is better than Hove. Nobody! Memo to Cartini: Send a cheque to U.S. Customs because I need to begin my love affair with Hove on a long-term basis. (And I will cut anyone who sends Hove hair conditioner.)
14. KIRSTEN STORMS AND JEN LILLEY
Gilding Maxie What an unfortunate case: Beloved —and somewhat controversial — starlet leaves her iconic soap role and is replaced by an earnest, enthusiastic and talented newcomer. It’s an old story, right? Well, it played out once again in public when Jen Lilley did the impossible: she attracted a rabid, loyal fan base, which seemingly actually preferred Lilley in the role and refused to watch otherwise if Storms returned after her medical leave. Warranted? No. But the brouhaha did exclaim what Lilley impressively accomplished in such a short time under such stressful conditions. Yes, she was not Maxie to me — at all — butI won’t deny Lilley’s effervescent charm and raw talent helped keep Maxie alive onscreen while Storms got healthy again. Luckilly, Kirsten Storms triumphantly returned to the soap role that finally put her in the acting races (sorry, DAYS) and won over our cold hearts and minds all over again… because no one replaces Kirsten Storms and gets away with it… and the fact that no one is talking about Jen Lilley today proves who the real Maxie is. (GH should cast Lilley in another role to be fair; and Lilley’s a brunette these days, so discuss.)
13. RONN MOSS
Call Me Maybe How do you solve a problem like Ronn Moss? This past summer, the soap world was stunned when the hair model suddenly quit B&B sending the cast and crew of the sudsier into a tailspin — and making Moss the first legacy B&B actor to quit B&B. What happened? The actor quit a very cushy salary by today’s standards after being asked to take a fair pay cut because of ego (along with a few story issues). So what’s Ronn up to these past few months? Selling tweets online. No worries — B&B Chief Brad Bell fought back in the press threatening to recast the role with a younger (and better?) actor should Moss not agree to come back at said episode salary. In fact, according to Moss, Bell didn’t even invite him to reprise his role briefly to say goodbye to Susan Flannery as Ridge’s mother, Stephanie, who died from lung cancer making Ridge look more like a douchebag. Bell: 3 Moss: 0
12. STEVE KENT
Game of Thrones The Sony honcho was responsible for saving us from more needless torture by doing the impossible: spearheading an epic coups d’etat which successfully overthrew Maria Arena Bell this past summer in favour of soap vets Josh Griffith and Jill Farren Phelps. Thank you, Steve Kent! He also helped swap Y&R’s Eileen Davidson over to DAYS. Good thing, too, because the chick has single handedly revitalized the show — and we’re all better for it.
10. KELLY MONACO
Zou Bisou She danced. She cried. She won our hearts all over again. Thanks to her scene-stealing gig on DANCING WITH THE STARS, the former champ made headlines with her showmance opposite dancing pro, Val Chmerkovskiy and strutting her fine ass to the final three of the competition. She also helped GH garner mainstream publicity ABC couldn’t pay for thanks to her DANCING stint. But it was her award-worthy work — while rehearsing and competing on ABC’s competition show at the same time — that really made the Princess of Monaco fascinating. Let’s review: Sam was raped by Jason’s twin, Franco; survived a complicated pregnancy; faced the death of her baby; reunited with Jason and then immediately lost him when Steve Burton left the show. Brava!
9. CHANDLER MASSEY AND JAMES SCOTT
50 Shades of Gay Anyone who saw the electric and explosive sexual chemistry between James Scott and Chandler Massey early this past year knows that DAYS finally had a dynamic yet controversial super couple on its hands. You know, the stuff Hollywood would pay millions and millions of dollars for, but alas, in true DAYS fashion, the cowards behind the show aborted success and self sabotaged its embattled legacy once again. Bravo to the actors for embracing their sexy and dangerous chemistry. Let’s hope 2013 reunites Will and E.J.. in any capacity since the two never share airtime together anymore. FYI: Massey also made headlines this past summer when he deservedly won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor.
8. HEATHER TOM
The Master Bitch can act. Young soap vet Heather Tom picked up her fourth Emmy Award this past summer, becoming the first actor in NATAS history to win a trophy in all three acting categories: Younger, Supporting and Lead. It was also her second consecutive win in a row for playing a role that common logic would insist could never compare to her iconic turn as Victoria on Y&R. Well, no more — Katie is a far more complex, fascinating and viable soap opera character than Victoria ever was and currently is. Tom’s recent tour-de-force performance when Katie battled a horrifying case of postpartum depression solidified her stature as daytime’s most elite actors. In fact don’t be too surprised if Tom wins her fifth Emmy this year and third in a row in two different categories! (FYI: She did this all while pregnant, B
TW.) Hey, Heather: No one likes a show-off! But seriously, if that wasn’t enough to make us all feel lazy — with the exception of Monaco and Chappell — Tom is also producing and starring in a new HGTV series, RENOVATION UNSCRIPTED, too!
6. SHARON CASE
Les Misérables No one had a harder year than Emmy winner and daytime darling Sharon Case. Nope, not even GH’s Cartini. Oh, wait: you win if you answered Sharon Newman because no one had it worse than our beloved heroine. Case deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for her Herculean efforts in 2012 both on and off-screen. She somehow made one of the most destroyed and ruined characters in daytime history work — and also seduced the audience into root for her, too! Heck, I’d like to see some Oscar winners try making a romance with the creepy and misogynistic Victor Newman work when you play his long-suffering, mentally unstable daughter-in-law Sharon on Y&R, who previously wed two of his sons. It’s as if The Queen of Turning Shit Into Gold, Kim Zimmer, abdicated the throne and handed the crown over to Case after the actress came in with an arsenal of passion, skill, and compassion to save this horrible mess