An Interview

 

Transcript from SoapNet Chat on

with Robin Strasser

 Jan. 26, 2006

CHAT TRANSCRIPT:

The chat with Robin Strasser will begin in just a few minutes so get your questions ready!

This really is Robin, nobody is pretending to be me! I can't wait to hear what you're interested to know about. Let the good times roll!

i have been on and off for 27 years. Certain people who are involved in this chat could probably give a more accurate answer than that. There was a seven year and three year period where I wasn't on the show. I was the third and fifth Dorian. I didn't originate the part, I was the third person and the fifth. There were some very nice actresses who played the role.

I want to work again with Tuc (David) so if they feel that we shouldn't be a romantic couple then I would certainly hope we can work together at Craze, be trying not to be involved with each other and maintain that sexual tension. I never loved the idea of giving up working with David. The scenes were so wonderful when he said he wouldn't marry Dorian. In the pre-Emmy process, I chose that scene to submit.

Right? I think so, too. I quite agree. Spencer should be dealt with and Dorian should be the one to do it! I got in his face the other day in a show that will air soon. But I can see Dorian actively plotting to get him out of Llanview.

When the Wicked Witch of the North says I'm going to get you and your little dog, too, you'd better stand and deliver.

Thank you for asking that question! I love dressing up as Dorian. It's totally spoiled me in real life because Susan Gammie, who's our Emmy-award winning designer, always allows me to go shopping with her for the clothes. Or if she has selected them herself, she lets me say what I feel comfortable and fabulous in. She's so talented and gifted that she achieves so many different looks for each character. That's a real gift to the show and a testimony to her talent that she can do that. She always waits for me to fall in love with an outfit before she says I'm going to wear it.

Dorian loses her clothes as her weapon, they're part of her arsenal. It's not about just looking sexy, it's about how she feels that day. Viki has a multiple peronality disorder but I always feel that Dorian has a fashion multiple personality disorder! She does what she feels works.

No doubt about it when they were trapped in the elevator right after they got their divorce papers signed. Dorian had a claustrophobic attack and they had sex and that made her forget her claustrophia!

Oh my goodness. I heard Allen Toussaint sing it at Joe's Pub and I wasn't sure if he had written or not. When he said he was looking forward to performing with me at the event I said, what about that song about the person who is waiting by the phone for their ex-lover to call? I asked if he wrote it and he did. I am not a singer per se and I'm going to be performing in the company of great singers.

But I chose this because it's a story song that an actress can perform. Who can't identify with a song like that? Because it's about love lost and pain, it will go so well with a gorgeous gown, leaning against the piano. THis is a lifelong dream of mine to be dressed glamorously and leaning against the piano. We'll have fun.

The event is Broadway Cares, February 6th at the New Amsterdam Theatre and there will be some real heavy hitters there. La Lucci! Anyone who missed seeing Renee Goldsberry in The Color Purple can see her here!

It sure looks that way! Dorian is rebounding big time from the pain of her breakup with David and by going after Clint so obviously she gets two things done at the same time: she gets a new man to distract her and she gets to tick Viki off. Now that is a good thing where Dorian is concerned! I'm sure Viki is going to hate seeing Dorian all over Clint. And so will David.

Unfortunately, at this point there was a change in schedule at the show. The change is that we have a surprise location to shoot (on OLTL) at the end of the March and everyone will be taking time away. So, it's not a good time to expect the actors to be in town. So I am rescheduling the event for April 9th at Caroline's.

The venue only sits 300 people. We haven't set the price yet or made any annoucements because I want to make sure the date is solid. But the good news is that we're going to videotape it so we can sell that as well as the CD. People who couldn't go to the fundraiser will be able to buy the DVD/VHS.

I would like people to understand that the crisis is not over. And even though it's not in the headlines or constantly on the news, the situation and the need for relief and money going into the area will be there for along time. So, whenever possible I would love people to buy the CD. It would be a great Valentine's Day gift because it's not fattening like candy and will last longer than flowers! And 100% of the profits goes towards the charity.

Plus, they'll get a 32-page booklet of photos taken by Michael Easton. You can bring that to fan events to be signed!

I think I'm more interested in working with Nathaniel and Kathy than I am in being a hospital administrator. But if there was a great story at the hospital, that would be wonderful. But working with them, whoa whoa whoa. I have a feeling of great respect and admiration for those young actors and I think that comes across on the show.

I immediately responded very favorably to Jerry verDorn's energy. Since he is so fantastic, I think it would be impossible not to really dig being with. That would be Robin saying she really enjoys working with Jerry and that informs Dorian's relationship. Remember that Dorian got involved with Joe but ended up falling deeply in love with him.

I wish that they would use Cassie more. I don't know if there are plans to bring her back but I always bring it up. But I'm afraid I don't have control of that. As for which was my favorite, that's an awkward question for me. I adored Susie Cramm who was 13 when she got the job. The scene where Dorian told Cassie why she gave her up was on my reel the year that I won my Emmy. The two actresses after that both brought strength to the role.

Laura, who was the last Cassie, she had the reverse situation as she had worked with Elaine Princi as her mother. Then I came back to the show and she was having problems with her comfort level with me. So, I said, look I may be your second Dorian but you're my fourth Cassie so we'll work it out. Elaine was a very sensitive actress so I had to say when I came back that my Dorian doesn't cry. Dorian is such a survivor of such abuse and she hates feeliing pain.

Thank you, Olga. Neither of my sons have wanted to be actors. They're both very artistic and musically inclined so they didn't become investment bankers. They are wonderful and creative people. They write music and screenplays. Benjamin is a very good artist. They were both involved in One Life, Many Voices. Nick wrote the music for Shakespeare Re-Mix. I lost two graphic artists for the CD just before Thanksgiving and I was trying not to be blue about it. Ben quietly and firmly said, mom, I'll do it. And he kicked butt. I'm very blessed to be the mother of these two fine men.

I owe my return to the show entirely to Frank Valentini so this is a great way for me to publicly acknowledge that. Had he not become the EP, I would have still been wandering around saying I wish the negotiations had gone differently. He put it all back together. I have been one of his biggest fans since he first started working with the show twenty years ago. I hope that we're out of the revolving door syndrome on the show.

I was there for a lot of that and it was exhausting. I will confess that the last when it didn't work out, I didn't have the ability to get past the fact that it was obvious I wasn't wanted on the show. It really hurt my feelings at that point. But they're going to have to carry my coffin out through a revolving door because I'm not going anywhere!

Thank you! Absolutely yes! I love her! I have no problem about being typecast you know, when people refer to me as Dorian, I think that's great. I love playing this part. Every performance I give is like opening night for me.

I don't watch myself because I'm too critical and it makes me self-conscious and it's not constructive. So, I will sometimes see be able to see somebody work as they're taping and I think the performers are all so good in their own unique way. A big plus has been that Bree Williamson really took hold of the split personality story so effectively. I don't even think she knew how strong she would be but she's quite delicious. I'm a fan of my fellow actors. They're a strong group of people.

That's sweet. I guess I talked about it so much and people were able to hear about my life in Northern California and my year in France. But I was renting an apartment in France. When I came back in February 2002, I gave up the apartment because I didn't know if OLTL would ever call, I sold the house I had remodelled and made two purchases in Los Angeles. I was preparing - if there wasn't any work for me as an actress - then I would go to college in France and become totally fluent in French and immersed in the culture.

In the midst of finishing the work in the house in L.A. that I would want to retire in - if I ever retire - I was getting the vibe that I shouldn't be unpacking books. I started to feel like it was too soon. I'm not kidding that a few days later ABC called and I repacked the books!

The wonderful people at ABC took care of that because they have turned it into a Fun in the Sun event over Mardi Gras. So, they're going to be putting their magic touch on it. We're doing a parade event on February 24th and a fan event as well. So, this will be a much bigger event that fans should come down for. But definitely consider Jazz Fest as a vacation destination. This will be my first Mardi Gras and I am honored to be asked. But when I've gone to New Orleans it was for Jazz Fest and it is a wonderful event.

The most challenging was a couple of revolving doors ago when Dorian ran into Jessica in her car, left Jessica's body by the roadside, and was basically responsible for the death of Jessica's baby. I loathed that and had a hard time believing Dorian would behave that way. I learned to drive when I was 32 so when I get behind the wheel, I say please God protect me and everyone on the road. It wasn't hard for me to feel the horror of being responsible for the death of a child. I think the fans understood that Dorian felt great remorse for that as well.

The most fun is just about any day I go to work. If I see that I'm working with Kassie DePaiva and my Cramer women I'm thrilled. I think that Dorian and Starr have a lot in common and I love working with Kristen. Tuc is like someone who lets you have every dessert on the cart but it's not fattening. It's all pretty delicious.

I want to thank everybody who came to chat. I extend my heartfelt, personal thanks. I would also like to acknowledge that I know the fans have been responsible for my longevity and success in daytime television and I would like to think that one of the best ways I can demonstrate how grateful I am is to always give 200%a and have that always show in the work.

And please go to ABC.com for information on attending the Broadway Cares Event in New York City in February and the kick-off Fun in the Sun event in New Orleans in February. Get your tickets today to support wonderful charities!