Last week, Soap Opera Network featured a Center Stage interview with “One Life to Live’s” legendary veteran, Erika Slezak (Victoria Lord). She opened up about the future of ‘OLTL,’ working with the fresh, young faces on the show, and what it’s been like to have show creator Agnes Nixon back at the helm. And this week, we’re revealing how she feels about Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord), what it’s like working with Roger Howarth (Todd Manning) versus working with Trevor St. John (Victor Lord), and who she’d like to see return to Llanview!
Browsing: Erika Slezak
With six Outstanding Lead Actress Daytime Emmy Awards under her belt — or rather, on her shelf — “One Life to Live’s” Erika Slezak (Victoria Lord) is one woman to be respected. So when she says TOLN’s version of the iconic show she’s been a part of for more than 40 years is going to be stellar, you’d damn well better believe her!
As previously reported, singer/actor Corbin Bleu has joined the cast of TOLN’s “One Life to Live” in the contract role of Jeffrey King. The actor released the following statement to his 338,000+ Facebook followers:
“I’m very excited about joining the “One Life to Live’ family and beginning a new chapter in the shows long history. I can’t wait to meet the entire talented cast & crew and begin filming at ‘One Life to Live.”
“High School Musical” alum Corbin Bleu has joined the cast of The OnLine Network’s “One Life to Live” as Jeffrey King, a reporter working at The Banner.
Amongst the news of TOLN setting a premiere date for both “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” the network also formally announced that Roger Howarth had joined the cast of the online reboot of “OLTL” as his character Todd Manning. Previously, Soap Opera Network had reported the news through official word by representatives for the actor and via “OLTL” co-star Erika Slezak (Victoria Lord Buchanan). Howarth will begin filming at the Stamford, CT studio of the soap on Monday, March 18. He will join the full cast of the soap for four weeks before returning to ABC’s “General Hospital.” It is understood that “OLTL” will complete filming its first batch of episodes (reportedly 40) on Friday, April 12. “AMC” will resume production on Monday, April 15, according to “AMC’s” Debbi Morgan (Angela Hubbard).
The OnLine Network (TOLN) has confirmed the following stars who have joined the cast of “One Life to Live.”
As Prospect Park continues casting for the upcoming online rendition of “One Life to Live” under the promise of blending “new themes, fresh stars and youthful energy,” the soap is making some alterations to a previously released casting call for a “charming” new character.
Although her name was among fifteen “One Life” cast members listed in a press release last week from Prospect Park as joining the online version of “OLTL,” Erika Slezak (Viki) confirmed the news today with a statement on her official website. Telling fans that she is “pleased” to join the upcoming online version of the show when production begins “near the middle of March,” the six-time Daytime Emmy winner says the new show will be “an exciting and groundbreaking adventure” and that she hopes fans will tune in.
Prospect Park first announced plans to move “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” to the web back in July 2011 after striking a license holding deal with Disney/ABC Domestic Television. Sadly, plans fell through by November 2011 after apparent financing and union discussions fell through. Since that dreadful time period, Prospect Park has resumed work on returning the soaps to your [computer] screens, only this time with financing said to be in place and union deals already signed with the DGA (directors), SAG-AFTRA (actors) and the WGA (writers). With more than a year gone by since “One Life to Live” last aired, we thought it would be a great opportunity to see which stars have (so far) signed on to return to “AMC” and “OLTL” compared to the list circling back in 2011.
Prospect Park today announced an initial listing of writers, producers and cast members who have signed on for the online reboots of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.” The company has formally announced Susie Bedsow Horgan and Thom Racina as head writers of “OLTL.” Thorsten Kaye and Jill Larson bring the “AMC” cast count to 7 stars signed. “OLTL” adds Erika Slezak, Tuc Watkins, Kassie DePaiva, Florencia Lozano, Melissa Archer, Hillary B. Smith, Kelley Missal, Josh Kelly and Andrew Trischitta, who join previously signed Robert S. Woods, Robin Strasser and Jerry verDorn. With the exception of Strasser, Woods, Smith and Watkins, Prospect Park has secured most of the actors signed on during the first round of plans to reboot the soaps back in 2011.
After scheduling conflicts reportedly kept her from reprising her signature role of housewife turned hooker Karen Wolek on “One Life to Live” in show’s final months on the air, Judith Light is finally coming back to Llanview…sort of. On Friday, January 13, just three hours before the final “One Life” episode airs, Light will set down on “The View” with several of her former co-stars to recall some of her fondest memories of the soap she called home from 1977-1983.
After five months of negotiations with various guilds, hundreds of presentations to potential financial and technology partners, and a hope that we could pioneer a new network for the future, it is with great disappointment that we are suspending our aspirations to revive “One Life to Live” and “All My Children” via online distribution. It is now becoming clear that mounting issues make our ability to meet our deadlines to get OLTL on the air in a reasonable time period following its January 13, 2012 ABC finale impossible.
December may bring the first signs of the winter season, but as the month begins things will be heating up on “One Life to Live” when several familiar faces return to the canvas as the show’s ABC run prepares to come to an end.
A collection of Twitter and Facebook posts from current and former cast and crew members of “One Life to Live” during and following the show’s final days of production on its ABC Daytime run, which wrapped production last Friday.
Prospect Park decides to move forward with plans for “One Life to Live,” while delaying the launch of “All My Children” for the time being. But why the sudden change of plans?
Prospect Park executives Jeff Kwatinetz and Rich Frank have confirmed to Soap Opera Network that the production company has signed “One Life to Live” cast members Tuc Watkins (David), Josh Kelly (Cutter), Florencia Lozano (Tea), and Shenell Edmonds (Destiny) for the online version of the ABC soap pending final Guild agreements.
As “One Life to Live” winds down production on its television run, the show has landed the mother of all returns — literally. Agnes Nixon, who created “OLTL” and sister soap “All My Children,” will make an appearance on the show as, what else, a soap opera scribe.
When “One Life” fans last saw Charlie Banks (Brian Kerwin) earlier this year, he was leaving town in disgrace after his love affair with Echo DiSavoy (Kim Zimmer) was exposed, ending his marriage to Viki Lord (Erika Slezak). However that isn’t stopping him from creeping his way back into Llanview.
On Friday, September 30, Prospect Park officially announced actors Melissa Archer (Natalie Buchanan Banks), Kelley Missal (Danielle Rayburn), Sean Ringgold (Shaun Evans),Andrew Trischitta (Jack Manning) and Jerry VerDorn (Clint Buchanan) will be joining already signed Ted King (Thomas Delgado), Michael Easton (John McBain), Kassie DePaiva (Blair Cramer) and Erika Slezak (Viki Banks) when “One Life to Live” is transitioned over from ABC to the web beginning in January 2012. Since the announcement, Soap Opera Network has reached out to a number of the signed stars and today Missal explains why she signed on.
Buenos Dias Llanview! January LaVoy is reprising her role as Noelle Ortiz Stubbs, diner waitress turned close friend of Victoria Lord (Erika Slezak), according to Soap Opera Digest.