November 2007 News Archive (Page 7)

EJ Bonilla has portrayed Rafe Rivera on Guiding Light for almost seven months now.

Soap Opera Digest recently sat down with the young actor to discuss his time on the soap opera...

Soap Opera Digest: How are things? You're busy!
EJ Bonilla: I just wrapped on a production — a movie. It's called Don't Let Me Drown. It's a love story. I got the lead because I'm awesome [laughs]! My character is Lalo Aguilar; he's Mexican-American. It takes place after 9/11 and these [two] teenage kids and their families are affected by it in one way or another. The girl lost her sister and the other kid is sort of quiet and mellow and they just find each other, basically.

I've been with this project since way before I even knew about Guiding Light. I've been with it for like two-and-a-half years. It finally got funded and we finally got to make it, so when I first signed my contract [with GL], they knew about it. That's why I've been able to do it. I can admit it, it's awesome.

Digest: Speaking of Rafe, he's been having a rough time of it lately since Daisy's abortion. He's acting out and drinking again.
Bonilla: Part of it is he's just angry that [Daisy, Bonnie Dennison] did this, and part of it is that he's mad that he wasn't there to help her and that she couldn't trust him to tell him. He felt safe [with her] and that was really different, so it scares him that this person that he got so close to hurt him like that and lied to him or couldn't trust him the way he trusted her. If that's the case, then how real was [their love]?

That's scary for anyone. It's sort of freaking him out that his mom, the one who's always tried to put him in check, isn't. So he's free to really make his own mistakes completely now, so that's sort of weirding him out! He didn't really want to fall back into the alcohol thing, but he did.

Digest: It's common for teen storylines in soaps to address the alcohol issue. Will viewers see Rafe spin out of control?
Bonilla: I hope not! I think Rafe's smart enough that he realizes he doesn't need [alcohol]. It's just that easy way out, that quick fix. Once you sober up, you're sort of worse off than you were beforehand. I'd like to see him do better in school and get back on track and realize that if something goes wrong, it goes wrong and the bottle isn't going to do anything.

Digest: You recently experienced your first big Guiding Light fan event at the luncheon in October. How have fans reacted to the Riveras being in Springfield?
Bonilla: What I've heard a lot ... and from people of color, they're like, “Awesome! We needed some spice up in there [laughs]!”

Welcome! The Soap Dispenser has posted its eight guides to soap opera episodes airing Monday, November 19. As this holiday week of daytime drama is now underway, you can catch up with the following soap opera guides:

• General Hospital
• The Young and the Restless
• The Bold and the Beautiful
• As the World Turns
• One Life to Live
• Guiding Light
• Days of Our Lives
• All My Children

Thanks for visiting The Soap Dispenser for daily soap opera spoilers and news. From The Bold and the Beautiful to Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and more, thanks for making The Soap Dispenser the #1 soap opera site online.

Now that Cameron Mathison has officially been voted off Dancing with the Stars, co-star Thorsten Kaye can only answer one more round of questions about the competition with Soap Opera Digest.

Here's the final Q&A on the topic...

How do you feel about Cameron getting the boot?
To be honest, I'm a little pissed off. The worst dancer didn't leave. Actors tell stories for other people that are alive, and Cameron did that. I think you have figured out by now that I am not really a dancer. But I do enjoy a great performance. Cameron went out there with courage and integrity and a tremendous amount of class, and he was not given the same respect.

The judges kept talking about his outfits. He didn't pick his outfits. The show picked his outfits. It's not like he had a suede vest in his suitcase and he just pulled it out to dance in. They can't judge a person for that, but they did. For my 35 cents, Cameron was the most entertaining.

How about the four people who are left?
I don't want to name any names, but one of those semi-finalists is entertaining like a car wreck. I don't see what art she is creating. The story she is creating is for herself, not the audience. But Cameron is okay with it, so I am too. I just don't think the worst dancer left, that's all.

The worst dancer certainly didn't leave when that Cheetah girl got voted off, either.
I was surprised by that, too. I think the person who left this week was the hardest worker. Hard work should be rewarded.

By that argument, Mark Cuban should still be in then.
He had hip replacement in July! Cuban was rewarded by not getting voted off FIRST, because he dances like me.

Did you give Cameron any advice about going back to his regular life?
He doesn't have a regular life. The guy still has 40 jobs and there are always at least two camera crews following him. I think he's doing a reality show now: “Behind the Dance, Starring Cameron Mathison.”

Will Cameron miss dancing?
No, because he's not going to put it away. It's in his blood now. If you've been watching All My Children — which we all should — there's a different flow to his character now. He glides across to Annie now with more of a purpose. He's going to have to come out and thank the competition for that. But for now, fans just have to enjoy his movement on All My Children.

We love to post inspiring information about stars from our favorite soap opera. To wit:

As The World Turns and Guiding Light actors will participate in the first ever Daytime Fights Pancreatic Cancer event on Thursday, December 6. It will take place from from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at Blondies, located at 212 W. 79th Street, New York City.

Cost is $25.00 at the door and all proceeds will go to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

Those scheduled to attend include Martha Byrne, Jennifer Landon and Grayson McCouch.

Not only is Natalia Livingston remaining on General Hospital, but a familiar face is soon coming back to the show:

Kristina Wagner will return as Felicia in December. We'll have more details on this exciting piece of casting news as it develops.

Rest easy, General Hospital fans: Natalia Livingston isn't going anywhere, despite a few recent rumor to the contrary.

"[General Hospital] and I started contract negotiations several months ago... Both wanting to work something out. We have finally come to a deal where both sides are happy," Livingston said in a statement. "With that said, I am, have been, and will always be incredibly grateful to General Hospital for giving me such a wonderful job. I love and treasure every day on the show."

The rumors of Livington's departure spread after a General Hospital fan club member actually stated online that she was exiting the series.

But Livingston said the statements made about her supposed departure were not only inaccurate, but fraudulent as well.

"I have no doubt that my fans, friends and family at General Hospital will easily distinguish between fact and fiction, reject sensationalist headlines, Internet blogsites, and know that if a statement didn't sounds like something I would say I simply did not say it," the 31-year-old actress said.

Take a look at the General Hospital spoilers for the next few days...

• Spinelli persuades Logan and Cooper to aid him in battling the minions of darkness, as brothers in arms.

• Carly (Laura Wright) goes snooping around on her own, then hangs around for Jason to get her… when someone strangles her with a phone cord to the brink of flatlining.

• Johnny arrives in time to apply CPR to a lifeless Carly, as Lulu observes with trepidation.

• After Johnny breathes life back into Carly, she, Lulu and Jason deduce that this strangulation must be the work of a second psychopath on the loose, the one who may be sending those text-messages.

• Carly makes Jax (Ingo Rademacher, pictured) very happy by assuring him she’s done investigating Leticia’s murder.

Want a few All My Children spoilers? Of course you do. Enjoy...

• JR (Jacob Young, pictured) opens up to Ava about his drinking problem.

• Amanda (Chrishell Strause) is heartbroken when she realizes that Janet's new medication is wiping out her memories.

• Erica welcomes Celine Dion to New Beginnings.

• Kendall fears the worst when she finds traces of blood on Zach's abandoned car.

• Greenlee and Zach find themselves trapped together in an abandoned mine.

• Derek gets damning evidence against JR.

• Richie tells Annie that his feelings for Babe (Amanda Baker) are real.

One Life to Live takes Thursday and Friday off from new episodes. But here are a few spoilers for the fresh shows this week:

Monday, November 19: Gigi is tempted to turn in Marcie (Kathy Brier, pictured) after she sees the wanted poster Todd puts up; Nigel reveals some details of Asa's will to Alex; Viki and Charlie's attraction to one another continues to develop.

Tuesday, November 20: Todd attempt to tempt Gig with a $1 million reward for information leading to Marcie; Natalie and Jared decide they want a real relationship... but Jessica is far from please about this news.

Wednesday, November 21: Viki and Charlie spend Thanksgiving together; Gigi tells Marcie that Todd is looking for her; Michael spend Thanksgiving at Rex and Adriana's with Layla, Vincent (Tobias Truvillion), Roxy and Miles; Cristion is thrilled to learn that Sarah and Jared aren't together.

What can you expect on The Young and the Restless this week? Take a look below for a few spoilers...

• Preemption Alert: CBS Daytime will be preempted on Thursday, November 22 due to holiday programming. Be sure to tune in on Friday, November 23 for a special compilation episode of the Clear Springs Collapse.

• While Victoria (Amanda Heinle) and her child’s life hang in the balance, Nikki and Victor struggle to make a decision about whose life to save.

• Phyllis learns her appeal has been granted, leading to a bittersweet reunion with Nick, as the Newman family remains in crisis.

• Lily invites Cane to Thanksgiving but when the preparations don’t go as planned, Lily cancels dinner. Lily finds comfort from an unlikely source, but will she be able to pull together dinner in time?

• Kevin (Greg Rikaart, pictured) visits Jana in prison on Thanksgiving with the proposal of a lifetime.