And that
certainly rings true for All My Children’s Chrishell Stause, who is
living her dream by playing the role of Amanda Dillon. Stause and I
dish about what its like to live your dream, meeting the fans, her
hopes for Amanda and whether or not we will ever see another Dillon
family member return to Pine Valley.
Okay soap fans
let me ask you a question. How many of you reading this interview
can honestly say that you have a wonderful life? Perhaps many of you
can, while others may answer with a resounding- it could be
better. Now let me ask you that same question with another
element. How many of you reading this interview would say that it is
a wonderful
life if you were an aspiring actress, who got your first role on one
of the hottest and longest running daytime dramas…sound better?
Well if
you are daytime newcomer Chrishell Stause then it certainly does. “I love being
on AMC and I am living my ultimate dream,” says Stause excitedly. In
fact, Stause started preparing for a career in daytime at a very early age.
“Like many of the viewers, I grew up watching the soaps,” she reveals. “My
family has always been a big fan of CBS’ The Young and the Restless, and
I remember being fascinated by their opening montages… you know the ones where
the actress’ hair is flowing in the breeze…well I was so fascinated by them that
I used to stand in front of the mirror and practice my montage,” she says
laughing.
“So see,
I was destined for a career in daytime,” she continues followed with a vibrant
and bubbly laugh that became a familiar sound throughout this interview.
It was
not only watching daytime that helped peek this Kentucky native’s interest in
the profession of acting, but a certain black and white ad she came across in
the back of a magazine. “I was looking through those black and white ads, that
you find in the back of a magazine and I saw one advertising an acting kit,” she
says.
Unfortunately, Stause never got that acting kit. “I sent in all the money I
saved up and waited excitedly for this kit to come, and no kit ever
arrived…looking back I am sure it was a scam,” Stause says with a sigh. Even
though that acting kit never arrived, Stause was bound and determined that one
day she was going to be an actress and make her mark in the profession.
It was
that focus and determination that led her to enroll at Murray State University,
where she graduated in 2003 with a degree in theatre arts and broadcasting. “The
people at Murray State and all the experiences I had there were just fantastic.”
In fact it was those experiences at Murray State that prepared her for her
latest role.
Stause
reveals, “When you act LIVE on this HUGE stage in front of hundreds of people,
it really does a lot for your confidence and self-esteem, which are extremely
important traits to have, especially if you want to be successful in this
profession.” She continues, “When we were not on stage we were in the classroom
learning techniques that would allow us to perfect our craft even more.” Those
techniques allowed her to wow audiences on stage, but did they pose a challenge
for being on daytime? “Oh sure they did, since they prepared me to be on stage
and not on film” she says. “I went from acting live on this huge stage in front
of an audience of a few hundred, to a very small sound stage with no audience
and all of my scenes being taped.” It was seeing one of those tapes that allowed Stause to come to a realization. “I realized watching one of those tapes that I
was being a little overdramatic, especially for daytime television,” she says
with a chuckle. “Even though that is what I had been taught and trained to do, I
had to take it down a few levels and try not to be so overdramatic.”
However,
it could have been some of those overdramatic scenes that captured fans
attention when Stause debuted on All My Children in May. “Not long after
joining the show, I remember I went on line and read a lot of negative things
some viewers had to say about me, some of which had to do with my appearance and
acting abilities,” she says softly. “I remember calling my sister in tears and
being all upset, and she told me that I was living my dream and that it would
take viewers a while to get used to the character and not to be discouraged or
give up.”
And she
did neither of those, especially when she was thrust into a storyline where she
could potentially break up a couple who had a huge fan following, Babe and
Jamie. “Justin and Alexa are SO great,” she says admiringly. “In fact, Alexa
has really taken me under her wing and given me a lot of guidance and good
advice about being in daytime.” And Alexa has had some assistance in providing
Stause with all that good advice, in the form of co-star and daytime veteran,
Jacob Young. “Jacob has also been extremely wonderful and helpful,” she says. “Viewers may not realize that I screen tested with Jacob when I was auditioning
for this role, so being in scenes with him definitely makes me feel
comfortable.”
It was
that screen test that started the wheels rolling for Stause to finally live her
dream. She says, “I originally auditioned for the role of Amanda while I was
living out in Los Angeles and about two weeks went by and I had not heard
anything, so I assumed that they had offered the role to another actress.” “Fate
must have been on my side though, because my agent called and told me that they
wanted me to fly to New York for a screen test,” she continues. Fate was on her
side and so was her chemistry with Young that made Chrishell realize she had a
shot at making her dreams come true.
“I met
Judy (Wilson, AMC casting director) for the very first time during the
screen test and she made me feel very at ease…it was when I was doing my scenes
with Jacob though that it finally clicked and I realized that I had a great
shot of making this dream come true.”
After
the screen test was over, Stause boarded a plane and returned to Los Angeles
where she awaited news on whether or not she had won this sought after role. Then the call came! “I think I screamed until my throat bled,” she says with a
laugh. Even though screaming left her hoarse, that didn’t stop Stause from
spreading the word about her good news. “I immediately picked up the phone and
called everyone I knew,” she says excitedly. After that came the daunting task
and the week that Chrishell claims “as the longest week of my life,” packing up
and moving back East this time to the Big Apple and to the studios she would now
call home.
“Everyone on the show has been so great and I absolutely LOVE being a member of
this cast,” she says excitedly. And who could blame her, sharing scenes with
some of daytime’s legends, “I was in the background of a scene with Susan Lucci
and I was so awestruck... being in a storyline with her would be so awesome.”
And of course working opposite some of daytime’s hottest hunks is sure to make
anyone love their job.
With all
the perks that come with being in daytime, even the best actresses get first day
jitters, especially when your first day consists of prancing around in skimpy
lingerie! “Oh the lingerie,” Stause says with a laugh. “It was my first day and
I was already nervous, and then I found out that in my first scene I was going
to be in lingerie,” she says with a chuckle. “All the girly things were running
through my mind at that point.” Stause worked through the nerves, nailed her
marks like a trouper, and revealed that screen test chemistry and magic with
Young. It was those first scenes together which lead fans to wonder whether JR
and Amanda might make their way scheming through Pine Valley together.
“JR and
Amanda have that whole love/hate thing going on,” she says with a laugh. Will
that love/hate relationship inevitably turn to one of all love, or is there
another leading man that will soon catch Amanda’s eye. “If a single man comes
to Pine Valley and crosses Amanda’s path… all I can say is they better watch
out,” she continues with a laugh. Could that man that crosses her path, be
dashing brit Aiden Devane? Rumors have been making waves across the net that the
show was planning on testing the waters with an Aiden/Amanda romance, ever since
he took those steamy pictures of her on the beach. With his girlfriend Anita
being off in California, now might be the perfect time for someone to fill the
void.
“Aiden
and Amanda are not through with one another quite yet,” she reveals. When I
asked her to explain, she did say “even though Aiden looks at Amanda as being a
selfish, spoiled brat he feels the need to protect and look out for her, like he
does for Lily.” So does this mean that someone from Amanda’s past might be who
she needs protecting from? Perhaps a crazy mother, an over bearing father or a
big brother? “I have heard the rumors that
Amanda’s family might be returning to
the show, but I don’t know if there is indeed any truth to them, I think a lot
of it depends upon whether or not there is a spot for them on the show and
whether the actors are available,” she says. Would Stause love to see her
character’s family make their way back to Pine Valley? “Heck yeah,” she says
with a laugh and enthusiasm. But there is one member she would especially like
to see return. “Her mother DEFINITELY.”
“I would
love to play those crazy storylines that involve Janet and I think the fans
would love to see the show explore the mother/daughter relationship between
Janet and Amanda and all the dynamics involved,” she says. Some of the dynamics
of Amanda’s relationship with her mother and the reasons for her vixenish change
will soon be revealed. “I have filmed scenes that should air throughout the
fall, that will allow viewers to learn what exactly happened to Amanda all those
years that they lived in Colorado that changed her from that sweet, innocent
littler girl with blonde pig tails that fans remember,” she says coyly.
Yes soap
fans, I tried to get more from Stause, but she did say “tell the fans to be sure
to tune in - they definitely do not want to miss any upcoming scenes involving
Amanda.” And she did reveal that there are two co-stars that she is dying to
work more with. One of them is Susan Lucci, as we revealed earlier in this
interview and the other is fellow newcomer, Kelli Giddish. “Kelli is a
PHENOMENAL actress,” Stause praises. “We had a few scenes together, but I would
love to see Amanda and Di interact more with one another and be involved in the
same storyline,” she says excitedly.
Until
then, fans will just have to settle for watching Amanda’s vixenish side continue
to come out, with everyone she meets. “I LOVE playing the bad girl role,” Stause says with a laugh.
The
other thing Stause loves is interacting with all the great daytime fans. “The
fans are what keeps us going in this business and it was a definite blast
getting to meet all of them at this year’s Emmy’s, fan club luncheon and the
event hosted by Alexa and Justin.” In fact, fans will once again get to mingle
with Stause as she will be one of the many daytime stars who are planning on
attending the Daytime salutes St. Jude’s Children’s hospital Charity event on
October 14th. “I am so excited that I am able to be part of this
wonderful charity event,” she says. As for Super Soap Weekend, check out Chrishell’s official site, for news, updates and much, much more.
Chrishell Stause is a vibrant, bubbly young lady who is living her dream and
“having a blast” doing it (her words, not mine). I would like to thank Chrishell for taking time out of her busy weekend to give us this great
interview. Also special thanks goes out to my SoapTown USA team for doing the
leg work in the big Apple to make this interview happen.
“Everyone on the show has been so great and I absolutely LOVE being a member of
this cast,” she says excitedly. And who could blame her, sharing scenes with
some of daytime’s legends, “I was in the background of a scene with Susan Lucci
and I was so awestruck... being in a storyline with her would be so awesome.”
And of course working opposite some of daytime’s hottest hunks is sure to make
anyone love their job. 
“JR and
Amanda have that whole love/hate thing going on,” she says with a laugh. Will
that love/hate relationship inevitably turn to one of all love, or is there
another leading man that will soon catch Amanda’s eye. “If a single man comes
to Pine Valley and crosses Amanda’s path… all I can say is they better watch
out,” she continues with a laugh. Could that man that crosses her path, be
dashing brit Aiden Devane? Rumors have been making waves across the net that the
show was planning on testing the waters with an Aiden/Amanda romance, ever since
he took those steamy pictures of her on the beach. With his girlfriend Anita
being off in California, now might be the perfect time for someone to fill the
void. 
Amanda’s family might be returning to
the show, but I don’t know if there is indeed any truth to them, I think a lot
of it depends upon whether or not there is a spot for them on the show and
whether the actors are available,” she says. Would Stause love to see her
character’s family make their way back to Pine Valley? “Heck yeah,” she says
with a laugh and enthusiasm. But there is one member she would especially like
to see return. “Her mother DEFINITELY.” 
Yes soap
fans, I tried to get more from Stause, but she did say “tell the fans to be sure
to tune in - they definitely do not want to miss any upcoming scenes involving
Amanda.” And she did reveal that there are two co-stars that she is dying to
work more with. One of them is Susan Lucci, as we revealed earlier in this
interview and the other is fellow newcomer, Kelli Giddish. “Kelli is a
PHENOMENAL actress,” Stause praises. “We had a few scenes together, but I would
love to see Amanda and Di interact more with one another and be involved in the
same storyline,” she says excitedly.