THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS
Susan Flannery, as Stephanie Forrester
Harkening back to 25 years ago…
(Laughs.) I know, it's a lifetime ago, isn't it?
You won an Emmy for your work on "Days Of Our Lives." Speaking as both a director and an actor, how have the soaps evolved, in terms of both production and performance?
I think especially "The Young and The Restless" and "The Bold & The Beautiful" have, from a production standpoint, pushed the envelope as close to doing a film nighttime show as possible, considering the economics and the pressure of time that we have in daytime. Both shows win technical awards every year for directing, lighting, sets, and the shows just have a beautiful look to them, different than the New York shows, which are still done in kind of a flat studio lighting that we did in the 60s (laughs) and the early 70s. I don't think I'm being prejudiced…I just think our shows look really good production-wise, and I think we've pushed the envelope and it's made the other shows follow in using camera movement much more, rather than being static and just cutting from sort of a master to an over-the-shoulder then to a close-up. I think, also, you can't forget that basically daytime is radio. It's so much dialogue, which is what the transition came from, from radio to daytime, little 15-minute shows. A lot of dialogue is cheaper than having to try and go outside and shoot. So, you have the constraints of that. But I think it's come a long way production-wise compared to what it was when I did "Days Of Our Lives."
How about in terms of performance?
Oh, I think we've always had wonderful actors in daytime. Elizabeth Hubbard has been in daytime since I was, and she was doing "The Doctors." I cite her and…Ruth Warrick…and the wonderful New York actress Charita Bauer on "Guiding Light." They've had fabulous people that have been on daytime as far as performance goes...The acting on the shows, however, has become more naturalistic, more toward what you would find in film versus broader performances that were there in the early days of soaps. I think that's the influence of people having done film work.
Regarding acting and directing and the relationship between the two crafts, do you feel that directing enriches your acting? Or does acting enrich your directing?
Both.
They feed off of each other.
If you have the opportunity to act, then I think it helps the directing. And if you look at really wonderful directors in films, like Sydney Pollack, he started out as an actor. A lot of actors have made the transition into directing over the years. They may not have had big careers in acting, but they started out as actors. And I think that gives you a great insight into dealing with the talent. Fortunately for me, because I acted with everybody on the show, they trusted me. So when I would say something to them, they would usually accept my advice or direction. But I do think acting first. And I tell anybody who ever wants to be a director, 'You should really go to the Actors Studio or some master class with a really wonderful drama coach here in town and get permission to sit in on their classes. Tell him that you want to direct or that you started directing and listen to how the drama coach or the teacher talks to the students, to the actors. Because you can pick up a lot of the lingo and see what's going on.' That's my advice.
Your character has run the gamut, from highly charged confrontations with arch rival Brooke to life on the streets as a bag lady.
Oh, I know. (Laughs.)
She has had an opportunity to explore a full spectrum of experiences and emotions. Where would you like to see your character go dramatically?
Back into a nice, big, major conflict with Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang). That's been the spine of the show for the 13 years, the conflict between those characters. And I think it's just a dynamic that really works so well with the show and I'd love to see another huge big conflict with her again. She's off having this mad affair with Stephanie's son and that's a big taboo for Stephanie. So I'd like to see that continue in another big way like we did it this past year. I'm sure the fans would love to see the rivalry reach another peak.
They don't seem to tire of that in any way, shape or form. I think it's because the history has been laid in so beautifully between Bill [Bell] Senior and Bradley [Bell]. And I think Katherine and I just work so well together. I was very disappointed that Katherine didn't get nominated this year, I must say. Because I felt she deserved it. She's done such beautiful work the past 18 months. I was kind of disappointed for her.