By Nelson Branco
When Laura Wright took on the impossible challenge of re-imagining General Hospital’s Carly Corinthos, the former Guiding Light star finally came into her own as an artist.
Laura Wright as Carly |
In the pantheon of great recasts — Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott on Y&R; Robin Strasser as Dorian Lord on One Life to Live; Robert Kelker-Kelly as Bo Brady on Days; and Lesli Kay as Felicia Forrester on B&B — a new member has recently emerged, Laura Wright as Carly Corinthos on General Hospital.
Arguably one of the most complex and fascinating roles ever created on daytime, Carly is a contradiction of sorts: equal parts femme fatale, little girl lost and heroine. In the hands of a lesser actress, the role would alienate fans. Although many in the industry would have probably not suggested Wright, a 16-year soap vet, as a replacement — the former Loving, The City and Guiding Light star was considered more of a fan favourite than a powerhouse actor— but thankfully someone at ABC saw a diamond in the rough.
And not since Emmy winner Sarah Brown created the role has anyone come close to capturing the heart, soul and spirit of Carly until Wright was hired last year in one of the most risky recasting moves in daytime history. And it paid off. Wright, as Carly, is simply the right fit. In fact, she’s just as good as Brown was in the role — and that’s impressive (we’re huge Sarah Brown fans here at TV Guide).
Leaving GL as Cassie Winslow was not an easy decision — Wright had to uproot her family from New Jersey to Los Angeles practically overnight and say a bittersweet goodbye to her CBS family. But in the end Wright, who was looking for a new creative challenge, invested in herself by blindly jumping off the cliff of life, proving that if you don’t take chances you will not grow. Her undiscovered talent acted as her safety net, and the rest is history.
With this role, Wright is now a real daytime contender — and an Emmy award is surely in her future. It’s a long way from the ingénue with curly strawberry locks who used to pump gas before becoming a soap star, whom we first met in 1991.
TV Guide: Congrats on your success! Had you watched any of the previous Carly’s before?
Laura Wright: I didn’t watch much when Tamara Braun was Carly because I was having babies at that time, but I remember Sarah Brown [vividly].
TVG: Did you ever imagine you’d be playing one of the most popular and well-written characters in daytime history — an Emmy-worthy role on such a popular show like GH?
LW: Never! And I feel very fortunate. It was at a time in my personal growth as an actor where I needed a change. Personally, I needed to do something different, and as an actor I wasn’t sure if I could play Cassie falling in love with her sister’s husband on GL. I think Nicole Forrester [Cassie] is doing a fantastic job and it works because she’s a new actor in the role, so it feels less incestuous. I was ready to tackle something new and this came out of the blue, even though I had turned the part down the twice before realizing what a great opportunity it was.
TVG: Your interpretation of Carly is dead-on, and little more spirited and comical than her previous reincarnations. Was that conscious decision on your part to make the character your own, yet pay homage to her past?
LW: I respect the actresses who played her previously and respected the emotion each actress brought to the role. My Carly is extremely feisty and strong, but I also brought sensitivity and vulnerability to the character. I also wanted to make her funny.
TVG: Why does Carly still resonate with viewers after all this time?
LW: Fans want to see what the hell she’s going to do next, because anything’s possible! I love the character because there’s nothing she won’t do. After 16 years in the business, I’m really good at justifying just about anything a character does, especially Carly! And it’s a dream to work with Maurice Benard [Sonny] and Ingo Rademacher [Jax].
TVG: Who do you think is the right man for Carly?
LW: Before I played this current storyline, I would have said Jax, but now I don’t know. I keep changing my mind! Now that I’m working with Maurice more, I finally get the unhealthy addiction Carly feels for Sonny. She doesn’t know how to say no to him. During this recent explosion, Sonny really pours his heart out to her. He almost begs her to come back to him. I really got to see why Carly and Sonny are intertwined. Either way, whether she chooses Jax or Sonny, I think there’s a lot of story to be mined there.
TVG: How has your family adapted moving from the East Coast to the West Coast?
LW: I think we’re happier. It was a hard adjustment for my kids because they miss their friends and coming new into a school is never easy, but they’re doing great now; they love it. I do miss the fall on the East Coast, especially when it’s still 85 degrees here in L.A.! That’s a little weird for me.
TVG: Did you watch Tammy’s death on GL last month?
LW: I couldn’t watch! I watched it the day after she died, but it would have destroyed me to see my little girl die on screen.
TVG: Do you keep in touch with any of the GL cast?
LW: Of course! Kim Zimmer [Reva], Gina Tognoni [Dinah] and Bradley Cole [Jeffrey]. I could never have taken on this role before without playing Cassie. I had to work with the Kim Zimmer, Bradley Cole and the Ron Raines’s of the world to learn from.
TVG: Are you excited that you may earn your first nomination at this year’s Emmy award for best actress and have a real shot at winning?
LW: I’ve never had a nomination in 16 years, which I’m totally OK with. This year if Nancy Lee Grahn [Alexis] wins, I’d be thrilled. I’m having a really hard time picking a tape; my best work is really airing now.
Published: Thursday, February 15, 2007