June 2006 - The Parklander Magazine

MauriceBenardWhat is it about yourcharacter that appeals towomen in the audience.Sonny is kind of broken. Women loveto fix men who are broken andSonny’s as broken as you can be. Badboys also have an appeal to good girlsand he’s a bad boy who’s really good.Right now we’re doing a story aboutSonny’s manic episodes, which isgreat because I get to use what I’velived in my own life, with Emily beinglike my wife Paula. They’re similar intype because of that unconditionallove. It’s a great story to play but oneof the hardest I’ve ever done.Do you feel that acting it outas you’ve lived it is a help? Or is there a danger that itwill thrust you back into manic episodes?Having lived it does help the acting. And there’s always a littledanger in doing it but as long as I stay on my medication, it’llbe okay.Do your wife and kids watch you on the show?My wife watches the show. My kids don’t. They’re not tooimpressed with what Dad does at work. It was actually my wife’sidea that Sonny and Emily get together.Remembering your own dad, what advice wouldyou give about how to help kids survive in the21st century.I think I’d have to tell them what my dad told me and that is to bean honest person…a good person. What’s gonna happen is gonnahappen. Just be ready to deal with it.Where do you see yourself five years from now?Maybe living somewhere in Arizona, in the country, just enjoyingmy life.Vito wants to let you know that if you’re ever downthis way and you stop by his restaurant, lunch is onhim—you can have anything you want.Right on! That would be great.Josh TaylorJosh Taylor is no stranger to the bigscreen—or the small. He has starred indaytime and primetime TV series andsitcoms including Beverly Hills 90210, TheGuiding Light, The Young & The Restless, TheHogan Family and Riker; and his theatricaland TV film credits include Waltz AcrossTexas, Stand Against Fear, Kissing Mirandaand Woman On The Ledge—not to mentioncountless guest-starring TV roles. He hasworked continuously as an actor for30 years, which is, in itself, a majorachievement. Currently he’s starringas Roman Brady on the NBC hit,Josh TaylorDays of Our Lives.the Parklander: You’ve played the role of Roman Bradyfor how long now?Josh Taylor: It’s amazing how time goes by—it’s nine years.What is it about your character that appeals to women?Roman Brady is like Chris Kosichek. They’d be described at onetime as guys who headed the wagon trains west—and made sureyou had a lot of fun on the way.You also played Chris Kosichek on Days. Was there abacklash from fans when producers brought you back toplay Roman?I’d been gone ten years. Producer Ken Corday had wanted me backfor a while but knew there was no reason for Chris to return toSalem. Ken told me that half the audience had changed and theother half would be glad I was back. I’d played many other rolessince Chris. That’s what actors do. It took only about two monthsfor the most loyal die-hard Chris Kosichek fans to be won over.It’s a little weird watching a show with three actorson it who have all played the same character.How do fans react?In the beginning we all kind of played to it. Drake Hogestyn hasbeen there for a while and Wayne Northrup had been gone for over11 years. This is a medium where kids go from six to 16 in threedays. The story is so rich it hasn’t been a big deal.There’s a group of guys in Boca Raton who get togetherevery day in a pizza place to watch General Hospital.Why do you think real men watch soaps?Hey, I’ve never met a pizza I didn’t like, so maybe I’ll go in somedayand watch with them. I think Chris Kosichek had a lot to do with whyreal men watch soaps. Drake says Chris was the first rebel in daytimetelevision. And he was the first “jeans” character in daytime. All theother guys were doctors and lawyers and wore suits or sports coats.I came up with the idea for Chris to wear jeans and denim shirts.I’d have construction workers come up to me and say, “Hey man!At lunchtime, we take off and go to the nearest bar to watch you.”Chris was the first character men felt it was okay to watch. They couldidentify with him. Even back then, real men watched. Now, men makeup 40 percent of our audience. Every pro sports athlete I know watchessoaps. Early on, women stayed home and did the laundry and menwere hesitant to be in that group. We didn’t have tape or TiVo but timeshave changed. It’s no longer a monopoly of women.How did you get into acting?After I graduated from Dartmouth College, I went to law school atthe University of Denver. I passed the bar, got sworn in and thentook off on an adventure, headed for Alaska. I stopped in L.A.,where for a year I ran a steak house lounge in Beverly Hills.My employees were all aspiring actors and actresses and they kepttelling me I should get into the business. One night I went to anacting class and was instantly hooked. It left my dad shaking hishead for a while but once things popped, he was my biggest fan.What’s the best thing about being a soap actor?The money is so good. You work with beautiful women and getpaid for making love to them on screen. The schedule is verycivilized. On a primetime series you’ll work 14 to 16 hours a day.In daytime, we sometimes go long hours but no one works everyday. You know your schedule two weeks ahead so you can plan.Does your daughter Tristen watch the show and giveyou notes on your performance?She TiVo’s it. When she was in college and doing some acting, she’dgive me notes. Like my mother, my sister and my wife, she can’tbring herself to watch me in hot love scenes. She’s living in Berkeleyand has a bilingual, multiracial preschool that offers scholarships,so that it’s not just an “elite” preschool. I’m very proud of her....continues on pg. 24the PARKLANDER 23