Access Blogs
The NEW Luke and Laura: My 'General Hospital' Cameo
I knew from the first time my dad took me as a little girl to visit the TV station inside the building that he worked at, KDKA in Pittsburgh, that I wanted to be a TV reporter. Never, ever did I dream of being an actress or of winning an Oscar one day. Besides my tiny role in "The Music Man" in high school and my appearance once, when I was a model in Philadelphia, in a fitness commercial, I have not acted. So, when "General Hospital" called to offer a walk-on role I was excited but terrified all at the same time. Then someone said to me, "but Laura you act like you like celebrities every day. You'll be a great actress."
Well, that's true. Or at least, it's true about certain less-than-pleasant celebrities who shall remain nameless. Most of them I actually do like. This time I was going to have to memorize and read lines. I was back to being terrified.
The day before my big appearance they sent me over the script with my two lines. "Doctor, where are they taking us?" and "I need to get in touch with my family." I drove all over town that day reciting the lines in my car and once I finally got home, script in hand I stood in front of my mirror and rehearsed the lines. I tried every different inflection I could to see what sounded right. Once I found what I thought sounded good, I stuck with that. The next morning I must have recited those lines on the car ride to the studio one hundred times. I'm sure this was absolutely the worst thing to do but hey, I'm a newbie.
I arrive to the studio and go to pick up my wardrobe. Blue pajamas and a blue robe. At least it wasn't a hospital gown with my tush barely covered! I head into hair and makeup. I thought if I was playing a patient they would make me look all disheveled but quickly learned that on a soap opera even a sick person gets to look a little bit glam. I inquired with the shows hair stylist, "What's soap opera patient hair?" Her response, "the same as regular soap opera hair!" My makeup was minimal (at least to my eye) and they created a fake gash on my forehead. At this point, I'm ready for my close-up.
I head up to the set and am placed with a group of extras also playing patients. Our characters names - patients #1 - #9. I was patient #7. I find out I'm actually in two scenes with Kimberly McCullough (Robin Scorpio) and Sonya Eddy (nurse Epiphany) and for both I have to be in a wheelchair. For some reason this takes my nerves away. I like that I get to sit during my scene. The director calls us over for rehearsal and I'm no longer an Access Hollywood reporter. I'm just an extra with lines. No coddling. No asking me if I need anything. I'm just told where to go and what to do. I like this. It helps me "get in character," I think. Whatever that means.
We rehearse the scene twice and on the first take I'm spot on with my lines but Sonya messes up her lines and yells out an expletive and everyone cracks up laughing. Any nervousness I had is gone now that an expert has messed up.
Off to the side I talk to Ingo Rademacher who plays Jasper Jax on the show. His only advice to me, "don't get dead!" Then I try to talk Greg Vaughn, who plays Lucky Spencer, into seeing if the producers will give me more lines. "No. That doesn't work for me either," he laughingly tells me. A girl can try though, right?
The big moment comes and I'm placed back in my wheelchair. Fake snow comes pouring down and a stagehand brings out a blanket for me. I feel good now that I have somewhere to put my hands. I hold onto the blanket for dear life. All of sudden a makeup artist comes over and tells me "the director says we need to un-pretty you." Apparently I'm too glamorous. I like this note!
She powders me down to make me look more pale and makes me blot off my lip gloss. So, much for looking hot in my first national TV acting appearance. Then it's time. The scene starts and I say my lines. I feel like I've done a good job but then someone comes over and tells me to "up the panic factor."
Take two - still not panicky enough I'm told. So, this time I try to think how I would feel if I really were trapped in a fire and needed to find my family. Take three and it's a winner. I finally got it right. This must be what they mean by "getting in character." I'm officially an ac-tour.
Afterwards, I pull Kimberly and Sonya aside for them to critique my acting debut. I get high marks from Kimberly, "You just like rolled with it and you got a little note and you took it in and you used it. It was awesome!"
So, I'm feeling pretty good about the whole experience. That is until ABC sent the clip over to me yesterday. Let's just say it's so bad... its good. My acting skills definitely need some work. I don't think I'll find the same success on "General Hospital" as Demi Moore or John Stamos did.
A girl can dream though.
I smell Daytime Emmy ;)
That's pretty cool Laura. I'll keep an eye out for your cameo. It's so cute that you were nervous for your two lines. I don't even think people like Lindsay Lohan spend that much time practicing when they have an entire script to learn.
When you start blogging about DWTS, you'll be talking about Nancy too! I'm guessing Access will have some hot behind-the-scene scoop (even more than usual that is).
I loved watching you Laura on GH. I had everyone watching. You did a great job. Very believable. I've tried to comment three times but it would not go through.