Handsome, classy and personable are 3 words that come to mind when someone asks me how I would describe Walt Willey. If you ask any longtime All My Children fan just exactly who is Walt Willey, then you are sure to illicit squeals of enthusiasm and bated breath. Willey has played the role of dashing district attorney and entrepreneur Jackson Montgomery since surfacing in Pine Valley in 1989.

 “ Fans maybe surprised to know that I did not have to audition for this role, that it was written specifically with me in mind by Megan McTavish (AMC’s current head writer)…(laughing) my agent called me one day and said you are now working on All My Children,” Willey says.  Even though Walt has been on All My Children for the past 14 years, he is certainly no stranger to daytime television.  Walt can currently been seen in old episode’s of the defunct ABC drama Ryan’s Hope playing the role of Joe Novak, that is currently airing on the cable station Soap Net, as well as a role on the defunct NBC sudser Another World.

Even though Walt has had many leading ladies during his tenure on the show, their seems to be only one leading lady that he has remarkable chemistry with and that is none other than Susan Lucci.  “ Susan is the consummate pro and is a role model to many, she knows what she wants and she goes out and gets it, her cosmetic line is a prime example of this.”

For many years fans were teased with a potential Jackson and Erica love story, only to have their hopes and dreams deflated as they watched both of these characters marry and become involved with other people on the show.   For the last few months, it appears as if Jackson and Erica has become an item once again. Fans recently saw Jackson give Erica her fifth engagement ring from him, but will they actually make it to the altar this time?

“ First of all I don’t know, I honestly don’t know,” says Willey. Walt goes on to say “ I feel that if they would do this again (a Jackson and Erica engagement) and didn’t take us to the altar that their would be an outcry from the fans, but I do feel that their will be a wedding this time, that is my feeling anyways.”   Of course fans know that no Erica Kane wedding is a small feat, “ I do think that the fans would feel cheated if they (Jackson and Erica) did not get a big wedding, but what I would like to see the show do is to send us to Paris for 4 days, shoot some remote locations and let Jackson and Erica get married while they are there and air it during November sweeps.

Even though Walt is now in a major, front burner storyline on one of the top soaps in New York City, this Illinois native did not always work in the entertainment industry.  “ Before daytime I worked for a manufacturing company that made gas grills and swing sets,” Willey says.  So what intrigued this Southern Illinois University sculpture major to choose daytime over another medium in the entertainment business??

“ I guess I gravitated towards daytime because it is considered the blue-collar of the entertainment industry… I came from a blue- collar family and daytime is what seemed most familiar for me …daytime is a never ending story, it’s like doing a play a day and being giving a character and going forth with their history and I am proud and honored to be part of this medium that has been around for many, many years.”

With his character’s resurgence as a leading man on All My Children would Willey ever consider the soap to pursue a career in the film industry?? “ Well I have done a few films and it was weird to me to go to the set and sit and do nothing all day or to film one scene or two scenes and then sit and play cards or set up lights with the other actors for the next two hours before having to film again.” Rest assured soap fans, Walt Willey does plan on being around on All My Children for a long time to come.

So does Walt feel as if there are any other ways that the character of Jackson should be written??? “ I kind of like the journey that Jackson has made, there were a few years that really nothing was going on.. I like the fact that he is edgier, I think that is a sign of his life but of the times now too.. I don’t know if I would do any thing different.”

Recently, Jackson has become a foster parent to a former teen gang member Reggie, played by Michael B. Jordan. (Laughing and smiling) “ Ahhh Michael, he is one of my favorite people.

With the influx of young people on the show does Walt consider himself a mentor to them?? (laughing) “ Well years ago Kelly (Ripa, ex-Hayley) used to call me Uncle Daddy and now Rebecca (Budig, Greenlee) and everybody calls me uncle daddy.. The kids do show up at my door and ask my opinions on ideas or whether or not they should and could change and particular line, I am honored to be a mentor to them.”

Since it’s inception, All My Children has been known to focus on its characters families, heritage and history and one thing that is blatantly noticeable to fans is the lack of family presently on the canvas for Jackson. “ I have wondered about this, but it does not bother me because Jackson has his niece Bianca and Erica …(laughing) besides he is the DA and he is involved in everyone’s life in Pine Valley.”  So could someone from Jackson’s past soon show up in Pine Valley?? “ Well you never know, there is the time that Jackson left home at 18 until he showed up in Pine Valley and it has never really been addressed what happened during those years.”  Last year, fans welcomed Anna Stuart into the recurring role of Greenlee’s mother Mary Smythe and hinted that Jackson and Mary knew each other off camera, and then this storyline appeared to be dropped

“Obviously the writers did decide to drop the storyline, I honestly don’t know what happened there.. I was very excited to be working with Anna (Stuart, Mary) again and then it was dropped and I do not know if they are planning on revisiting this again at some point in time.”

Once it was hinted to fans that Mary and Jackson, could have had a past the rumors began to swirl that Greenlee would be revealed to be Jackson’s daughter.  “ I don’t know if they were going this way or not, I always thought that since Josh (Duhamel) and I resembled each other that it would be an interesting twist if it were revealed that Jackson was actually Leo’s father.. I wouldn’t mind having some more family on the show.”

Even though Walt has been busy filming the show, hosting a pre –Emmy show with fellow co-star Finola Hughes (Anna) and doing personal appearances, he does find time to devote to his family and his Inn located in New Mexico.  (laughing) “ Fans usually don’t recognize me because I am in a baseball cap and have a pitchfork in my hand….they usually ask is the Inn this way and is Walt Willey going to be their.”

When you ask Walt about his fans a smile comes to his face, especially one fan base in particular, the Jackson’s Posse website.  “ I have to give a shout out to these ladies… they are fantastic… they wrote so many letters to the show in support of Jackson and to get him a storyline, they are just amazing.”  How does he feel when he hears that fans want to see more of the veterans of the show “ they want to see them back, and they are aware of the history of these characters.”

Of course any avid Walt Willey fan can purchase merchandise from his official site www.willeyworld.com to show their support of Jackson.  “ I decided at the end of the year which charities I will give the proceeds to and that 80% of the donations MUST go to the actual cause, not the administration of it…. I tend to gravitate towards children’s charities because I have a son who has Sensory Integration Disorder. Right now the proceeds are going to the children whose parents are members of military and are over fighting the war in Iraq.”

For more information on Walt Willey be sure to check out www.willeyworld.com his official website.  I would like to thank Walt for taking time out of his busy schedule to do this interview with Soaptown.  Also, special thanks goes to Mike Cranford of the Funny Bone Comedy club in High Point, NC for making this interview possible.

Flash, graphic and web design © 2003, Won-By-One Design
Site content © 2001-2003, NLG Design Productions
This site is not affiliated with ABC-TV, Disney or any of their affiliates. This is strictly a fan appreciation site. No copyright infringements were intended.
© 2001-2003. Not to be reproduced without permission.