A lot of actors just want to direct — but Maurice Benard is not one of them, at least not anymore. He scuttled plans to direct a film and chose instead to helm an experimental project featuring some familiar faces from the GH universe, which he’s debuting on his YouTube channel on March 1, his birthday. “I did it for the fans,” he explains.
Soap Opera Digest: So tell me how this all came about.
Maurice Benard: It all started when I met this guy from Turkey, a friend of a friend of mine. I just got a feeling about this guy, Sergio [Santairas, videographer/camera-man/cinematographer]. I said, “Okay. Why don’t we do, like, a film or something, put it on YouTube?” So, we started doing it, and the film was a great idea — I play this gangster and this boy comes to my house and he says, “Can you find the people who killed my parents?” And the boy was played by Joshua, my son. So, I was going to direct and we shot it, I started doing these scenes, and they were cool, but Serge, he was learning, so he made a lot of mistakes. But I still believed in him, and my wife, Paula, was getting like, “Honey, you’ve got to figure this out! We’ve got to do this, we’ve got to do that.” We even shot Joshua with my goat, Buddy The Goat; it was a beautiful scene where he was crying. So, we wanted to tell this whole story, but then I realized, “I don’t want to direct, man! I’m not a director.” I know how to get performances out of people, but I had to stay up all night editing and all of that. So, Paula made a great suggestion — we kind of disagreed, but now I know she was right — and she said, “Honey, just make this a fun thing, so you take off the pressure of having it be a movie; just make it a fun thing with different scenes with your friends.” And then I thought of putting it up on my birthday. I said, “Okay!” And that’s where we’re at now.
Digest: And you got several of your friends from GH involved, including Ian Buchanan (ex-Duke), Steve Burton (Jason), Kin Shriner (Scott), Brooklyn Rae Silzer (ex-Emma) and Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), to name a few.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
B&B: HOPE AND LIAM MAKE LOVE
Now that he’s moved back into the house, Liam surprises Hope with a romantic evening for two. “This romantic gesture will definitely help,” says Annika Noelle (Hope) of repairing the couple’s marriage. “She is ready to get things going again, and every little effort that Liam makes is only going to help. Ultimately, deep down, I think Hope has been missing him.”
GH: BRITT AND JASON ON THE RUN
Forced to flee their original safe house location, Britt and Jason take shelter in a barn on a Cassadine property — and though she’s no stranger to life as a fugitive, Britt makes it clear to her travel buddy that she’s far from pleased with their dicey situation.
young and restless
AROUND TOWN At Society, Billy overhears Nikki and Victoria talking about Nick’s search for Adam. Billy assures Victoria that he won’t pursue a ChancComm story about it. Lily walks in and spies Victoria and Billy in a close moment.... Jack asks Summer about her and Kyle’s wedding plans.... Kyle shows Mariah the picture of Harrison that Tara sent him. Mariah asks if he’s doubting the decision to not be a part of his son’s life. Kyle asks Mariah to be his best person at his wedding.... Jack asks Summer and Kyle for permission to throw them an engagement party.... Nina delivers a care package from Chance to Abby, who continues to hover over Mariah.... Devon and Jack discuss the rehab program that Devon started in Neil’s honor.
Y&R PREVIEW! SPECIAL VICTOR/ADAM EPISODE
Y&R will feature a standalone episode this week that centers around Adam and Victor. In the fantasy, Adam imagines playing a particularly surreal game of chess with Victor.
VICTORIA KONEFAL RETURNING TO DAYS!
Though Ciara moved to South Africa with Theo, her time abroad will be brief: The character — and actress Victoria Konefal — are headed back to Salem this summer.
days of our lives
HEY, JEALOUSY Nicole tells Chloe that Ava and Rafe kissed, and how Ava accused Nicole of wanting Rafe for herself. Chloe asks if Ava was right, but Nicole protests.... Ava and Rafe talk about their kiss. Rafe admits he has feelings for Ava. They lean in for a kiss, only to be interrupted by Rafe getting called back to the station. Rafe asks Ava out to dinner; she happily accepts.... Nicole visits Rafe, who says he knows Nicole wasn’t too happy about the kiss. Nicole swears she’s fine about that, but when she learns they’re having dinner tonight, she admits she’s jealous ... because she’s missing Eric. Later, Rafe remembers a close moment with Nicole, while Ava asks for Nicole’s help in going shopping for her date.
bold and beautiful
WHAT WILL HAPPEN
Be Our Guest
On Digest’s Podcast, Dishing With Digest, Y&R’s Eric Braeden (Victor) Reflected On His Years In Genoa City — And His Plans To Continue His Legendary Run.
general hospital
WHAT WILL HAPPEN
DAYS: KRISTEN TRAPS SAMI AND LUCAS
Sami spies Nicole and Xander entering the Salem Inn together, but before she has a chance to follow them, she runs into John and Marlena, and informs them that Brady has been in an accident and is in the hospital. “Sami is outraged at Nicole’s behavior; she’s immediately suspicious,” says Alison Sweeney (Sami). “She gets distracted dealing with Brady in the hospital, but of course, she’s not going to let Nicole get away with that!”
Off the Beaten Path
When a hiker falls 75 feet from a mountain cliff, a young stranger goes to extremes to save her
Paul Andrew Hutton
True West’s historian is a natural storyteller whose love of country and the West makes him one of best in his field.
Our 19th Annual Celebration of the Absolute Best of the West!
For many in 2020, great treks, trips and vacations to the American West were put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paula Echevarría – "Me hace mucha gracia que la gente se fije en lo que llevo. No soy un oráculo"
En el segundo trimestre de su embarazo, la actriz lanza 'Paula Rouge', su nuevo perfume. Hablamos con ella de fragancias, moda, deseo y navidad en tiempos de pandemia.
Power of Positivity
POP STAR PAULA ABDUL’S JOYFUL OUTLOOK KEEPS HER DANCING PAST THE PAIN.
WICKED WILLIE'S CHEATIN' HEART
Nelson reveals he couldn’t stay faithful
THE ART OF NEYSA MCMEIN
Margary Edna McMein was born in Quincy, Illinois on January 25, 1888. (Various sources list her date of birth as 1890, and a few as 1889—once McMein moved to New York she decided to trim a few years from her age.)
An Exclusive Interview with NICK ERVINCK
NICK ERVINCK (° 1981) graduated in 2003 from the KASK (Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Ghent) with a master's degree in Mixed Media.
WHO BREAKS THE TIE?
How do cofounders settle disagreements when they have an equal say in the business? Six entrepreneurs share their methods.
PAULA DOMZALSKI
An Exclusive Interview With ART CONSULTANT & REPRESENTATIVE