Say what you will about "One Life To Live" and the problems it has experienced the past year, but one glaring issue has been the dearth of new captivating characters.  With one exception-Liz Reynolds.

As played by Barbara Niven, Liz hit the canvas in a very controversial storyline. After having a one-night affair with her daughter's boyfriend, who she had never met, she found out she was pregnant. After finding out she could not carry the baby to term, enter daughter Kerri. And from there the story has been high drama, including this week's scenes where Antonio has put two and two together.

Was Niven aware of what her character was embarking on?  "Absolutely NOT!!!! I didn't even know her name!!! In fact, it was a big deal at the studio when I got there-NOBODY let me know who I was going to play. Then one day one of the assistants filled me in."

Coming from a background in prime time and films, Niven's road to "One Life" hit a few bumps.
"I almost didn't go for this role. They screen-tested me a year ago for the role of Tina. Then they decided not to go with the character at that time. I was disappointed. I was all ready to move to New York.

"I was in Portland (Niven's home town) helping my sisters sell my dad's house. I didn't want to let them down, when my agents called (with the Liz role), I said I just cant make it. My sisters said I had to go. So I went, learned my lines on the airplane, went in and got put on tape and flew right back out that night.  Then I found out I was getting a screen-test and I went BACK to New York. I knew I was going to get it. I just felt it.

"I screamed (when I got the role), then thought OMG what have I done! I had to be in New York, living here by Sunday to work on Monday  OMG I had a lot of dialogue forty pages a day!  I thought, All I can do is just do the work. It's all about the work.!"

Not bad for a Portland girl. "I cant remember ever NOT wanting to be an actress. In fact I remember practicing my movie star pose at five years old. The whole family joked when I was a little kid.  When we went on family outings, I would disappear. My mom and dad would be frantic trying to find me. They would find me right in front of some stranger's home doing movies or a camera shot. It was weird! All these people must've got their pictures back with this strange little girl in them and no one knew where she came from. It's a true story!

"We grew up in the greatest old-fashioned neighborhood in Portland, where we always put on a show or parades I just always had the acting bug. And I dont know where I got it either because nobody else in my family is in show business."

Having played Kate on Pensacola; Wings of Gold in addition to her
portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in HBO's 'Rat Pack", Niven is an acting vet. Now working in the fast world of daytime, what does she like better?
"Daytime suits me better. I love doing film. I love the rush of
theater and the audience. My big rush is working really hard on a scene and trying all the different ways and putting the puzzle pieces together and rehearsing with the other actors over and over trying different things And moving on.

"In primetime, of course it' s great because you get to spend more time on your scene, but I dont think there's that sane rush.  You dont get to do as much every day. Acting is my drug. Any day I get to do it is a great day!" 

And Niven is getting to show her talents on the small screen with all the drama. And her storyline will only intensify in the next several months. 
"I'm so torn with this baby thing. I can only imagine how horrified I'd be in my own life with my own daughter. You think it would never happen, but you see these talk shows and it really does happen!"
"I love Liz!  What a dilemma she's in. I want to be around Llanview the next twenty years! I hope the fans can get past whatever they dislike about my storyline and like my character.  There is a lot to her."

And Liz is certain to continue to interact with a certain Gannon
brother.
"I want to see what happens with R.J. and Liz! They were
their first loves. I consider them a bit like Romeo and Juliet-star crossed lovers. They had incredible passion despite all odds, the black/white thing, the difference where they grew up. And
they still went after it! Yet circumstances and misunderstandings
prevented them from taking it any further. And once you get hurt, you dont want to go there again because you're afraid someone's going to hurt you again. I think on the other side of this incredible hate (with R.J. and Liz), is this fierce incredible passion and love. So every time they are together, the sparks fly. Every time one opens up a bit, the other one closes down. I want to see what's going to happen when their guard is down-what kind of spark ignites."

With new writers and a new executive producer, Niven is excited about "One Life's" future. 
"They (the fans) are going to love what they see. It just takes time. People are getting panicked. They just need to sit back and trust that all things are going to work out just fine. We all have to move on."
"(New EP) Frank Valentini is such a joy to work with. They could not have gotten anybody else. Everyday he moves around and tries to encourage everyone on the set, from the cast to the crew. Everybody feels good working with Frank!
"Frank has been there seventeen years. I think everyone just needs to trust that all the puzzle pieces are now in place with the new writers and everything. And instead of expending so much negative energy, everybody send some positive energy our way. Let's just watch it all unfold and I think the show will get the old magic back."

And lest you think Niven only cares for the new guard, she offered this, 
"I give Gary Tomlin so much credit! He did great things for the show. It's really hard to be at the helm of a really big, almost like a warship. Look what he brought to the show-some great things."

With a cast that rivals almost all of daytime in talent "One Life"
features some truly amazing performers. Many of which Niven would be thrilled to share the screen with.
I want to work with Ilene Kristen! And Erika Slezak-I cant wait to work with her. What a powerhouse actress-she just knows her stuff. The better the actor you work with, the better you are.  Hillary B. is awesome. And Linda Dano-I CANT wait to work with her. They are the greatest people I ever worked with. I want to work with Bobby Woods too!

A front burner storyline coupled with moving and unpacking boxes could tax anyone. Not Niven. She still has time to act as webmaster of her own site-Barbara Niven.com
"I love it. I think the website is a real immediate way for me to interact with fans! I created the Dreamers network on my board where dreamers come together to support each other and inspire each other and help each other achieve our dreams. This is real lives being changed and real miracles are happening. People think if this person can it, then maybe it's not so scary to take that one step towards their goal, and then the next step. When that one step works, you get unstuck and you go to the next step.

"I know how many other people must be like me out there-when I was alone as a single mother, in Oregon, just watching my life go by. They need to hear this inspiration!  Dreamers need to stick together. It's such a negative world out there."

Niven's fan base is pretty wide.  With her new daytime role, new fans are bound to discover this bright talent. One thing Niven realizes is the fans keep you going.   
"I have the best fans in the world! They've seen me through years of good times and bad times. I know a lot of new people are discovering who I am now and I just hope they get behind me and really like Liz and who she's going to be. She's going to be a great broad!   
"My parting words to everybody is if I can live my dream, so can you. Dont settle for less than wonderful in your life. And dont give up five minutes before the miracle, because IT will happen."