CHARACTER STUDY

Actors Offer Insight Into Their Alter Egos

- Janet Di Lauro

How has Gabi changed since you first started playing her?

“Gabi has changed significantly from a girl to a woman. I’ve been working on the show for 11 years, 11 very formative years of my life. I’ve grown up at the same time that Gabi has grown up. Obviously, with growing up comes a different level of maturity. Starting a family was a big thing that matured Gabi. Gabi’s integrity and morals are still there. She’s very family-oriented. That’s never going to change. She definitely has this newfound desire for business. She’s developed and matured so much in her career and in what she wants in her life.”

How have you liked Gabi’s career turns over the years?

“I love the way it’s developed. It started out as her being a model for Countess Wilhelmina and transitioned to her seeing the inside of the fashion industry. That is something that put a fire under her butt, illuminated her, and gave her this new energy. She thought, ‘Well, I can take a stab at this.’ With the newfound success of Gabi Chic, she saw that she could do so much more. She saw the power within herself and that she didn’t have to just settle for Gabi Chic. She could do bigger and greater things in the business world.”

What are Gabi’s strengths and weaknesses?

“One of her strengths is how passionate she is, but that’s also one of her weaknesses. Her passion sometimes stops her from being logical and seeing what is right in front of her, and that can get her in a lot of trouble. The positive part of her passion is that it has gotten her into rooms that she never thought she’d be in, rooms where she has significant power. She’s seen herself become this boss babe.”