As is the case with all CBS soap operas, Guiding Light will take a break for New Year's. When it returns with new episodes on Wednesday, though, here's what you can expect to see:
Attention, Guiding Light fans: the following interview with John Driscoll contains a few spoilers regarding how Coop may soon be ditching his good-guy image for a far more seedier one...
Soap Opera Weekly: So, what's going to turn Coop into a bad boy?
John Driscoll: He becomes furious about a lot of things. He's been so happy since his family won the election, but with any good [thing] another.
Weekly: How do you think your fans will respond?
Driscoll: I hope everyone looks forward to seeing what happens. Fans usually love bad boys. Like with Tom Pelphrey's character Jonathan they loved the bad boy, but at the same time, when the baby [Sarah] came, they loved that soft side, too. And his love for Tammy.
Weekly: Will there be any big changes with Coop and Ashlee's relationship?
Driscoll: Like the fans, sometimes we have no clue what's coming up (laughs). The fact that everyone is really rooting for the Coop and Ashlee relationship is great.
Weekly: Coop and Ashlee are one of the show's most popular couples.
Driscoll: I can't tell you how many people I talk to say, "This story really means a lot to us. It's a story that we want to see and one that needs to be told." I don't think Caitlin Van Zandt and I had one doubt in our minds that this was not going to be an extremely important story. We're both [still] very gung-ho and very excited about it.
Read the full interview with Driscoll now.
The show takes Tuesday off for Christmas, but here's what you can look forward to on Guiding Light for the rest of the week:
CBS.com sat down with Gina Tognoni to chat about Dinah's current situation in Springfield.
Dinah and Mallet
[Dinah] and Mallet (Robert Bogue) are sort of on the backburner, quite literally and figuratively as far as [their] relationship. I don't know what's going to happen. I am the biggest fan of Mallet and Dinah. I think that they will come full circle. They're at a point in their relationship where they're in their own separate corners.
Mallet is still in her life, but very much on the edge right now, and vice versa. I pray that that comes together again, and it will. I miss working with Rob Bogue [Mallet].
Bill's Back
Bill (Daniel Cosgrove), her younger brother, has come to town and he has much more of an edge. Dinah is a lot more manipulative than she's been in the past year, because she is good at that. In the very essence of her soul, that is what she's about. And that's what she's trying to evolve from. But it's what she knew and because she went back to what she knows, she has to deal with some of the consequences that come along with living a life like that.
That's what we're seeing. We're seeing her bad behavior again. We're seeing her manipulate, [and] work with Bill trying to get what they need. So, really, Dinah is having more fun with Bill these days than anybody.
Good Girl vs. Bad Girl
[Being a bad girl has] always worked for Dinah. It really has. People find her very interesting when she's like that. I like both. I like the manipulative side and I also like the side that discovers there's a different way. Gina, personally, likes that because I actually find that more of a challenge than being a bitch. And you can print that! [Laughs]
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Here's a scene from Guiding Light. It centers on Dinah (Gina Tognoni), Cyrus (Murray Bartlett)... and a Christmas tree.
Crystal Chappell recently talked with CBS about various Guiding Light characters, actors and story lines.
Here's a summary of what she had to say:
Who would she like to work with?
Ricky Paull Goldin [Gus] - I don't think we've ever worked together - in passing maybe. And it's certainly nice to have Danny Cosgrove [Bill] back. And even Marcy Rylan [Lizzie]. We haven't really had much to do in a long time. So, it's really fun. There's a lot coming down the road, which complicates [Olivia's] life and sends her in a different direction for a while.
On Olivia and Gus
It's a friendship but then something happens in her life that sort of makes her really value the time that she has. And he's a great friend to her through all that. So, after a period of time, she does start to feel something more for him.
Working with Ricky Paull Goldin
I've known him for 15 years. Ricky's a writer so it's fun to sit and rehearse with him. He tries to make it sound as real as possible, so he's very loose and flexible that way and it works for me too because we're always tweaking stuff just to make it flow a little easier off the tongue. I think there's a nice energy there. We'll see what happens. So far it's completely platonic.
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Here are a few Guiding Light spoilers for the upcoming week:
Stop wondering what takes place on Guiding Light next week and find out now:
Beth Ehlers recently sat down with Soap Opera Weekly. Here are excerpts from the interview with the Guiding Light star:
Soap Opera Weekly: What was Harley thinking when she learned Gus proposed to Natalia?
Beth Ehlers: She was freaking devastated. She found out from Lizzie, of all people. Harley didn't know a thing [about it], and Lizzie came in and said she was sorry, and Harley was thinking, "What are you talking about?" What a terrible way to find out. She's thinking, "We just broke up. We just broke up, you piece of [crap]!"
Weekly: Even though Gus and Harley had been having problems for a while, the divorce and proposal came as a shock?
Ehlers: Harley was trying to give [Gus] a lot of leash to do what she thought he needed to do, because if she didn't let him explore [a relationship with Natalia], he was going to resent her. I thought it was to come back to Harley.
Weekly: In the aftermath of the engagement news, Gus and Harley seem to be getting along. Will that continue?
Ehlers: No. She's so wounded and so furious. It's not casual at all. There are a few scenes written where Harley is sweet to Gus. I understand that, but no freaking way am I playing that. I hate him. He's an a------.
Weekly: Even though you enjoy working with Ricky Paull Goldin (Gus), do you think it's better that Harley and Gus not interact much during Gus' engagement period?
Ehlers: Harley has so much going on in her life right now. After she almost died, she felt like she needed to change the direction of her life and do something that she felt mattered again. That's why she started up the [detective] agency. Going back to the police force was too intense, since Gus was there. She needs to get away from him and she doesn't need to see him every day, so [she can] have some space, some freedom and some control.
Weekly: At least you still have Murray Bartlett (Cyrus) and Mandy Bruno (Marina).
Ehlers: I never get to work with Mandy enough, so that's been wonderful. I know she's my niece [on the show], but I really look at her like a daughter. It's been nice working with Murray. His energy is very Buddhist, but I don't think he attaches himself to any religion. He loves to travel, and he's a worldly guy, so it's nice.
Following a taping of Guiding Light yesterday, a trio of cast members traveled to Baltimore.
John Driscoll (pictured), Crystal Chappell and Ricky Paull Goldin went there to attend the Hands On Network affiliate, Baltimore Volunteer Central, as they helped sort and package thousands of toys and clothing to be distributed to children through the Salvation Armys Angel Tree Program.
Immediately following the Guiding Light shows on Wednesday, December 19, Thursday, December 20 and Friday, December 21, fans can watch special video packages, highlighting the journey and efforts in Baltimore.
Sam: Lucky, it's called cleavage, and it's the best weapon we've got.