Nice To Meet You, Amanda Baker

— By Julie Globus

Daytime fans met Amanda Baker on SOAPnet's GENERAL HOSPITAL: NIGHT SHIFT, but now she's changed coasts and soaps to play ALL MY CHILDREN's nuBabe.

Soap Opera Weekly: Congratulations on the role — you must be excited.

Amanda Baker: I'm very excited to switch locations, come to New York City and be able to work on ALL MY CHILDREN. I'm in my new apartment. I'm just trying to get everything settled.

Weekly: Fans most recently saw you as Jolene on NIGHT SHIFT. What were you doing before that?

Baker: I have done a TV-movie with Lacey Chabert, HELLO SISTER, GOODBYE LIFE. I got to work with her and Wendie Malick. I did a CBS TV movie (THE DEAD WILL TELL) alongside Anne Heche (ex-Marley, ANOTHER WORLD) and Eva Longoria (Gabrielle, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES). I did some guest-starring parts on ONE TREE HILL, and worked on an improv comedy show on the Oxygen network called CAMPUS LADIES. That was a blast.

Weekly: How did you get into acting?

Baker: Growing up, I was involved in artsy things. I always loved to sing and dance. The acting came about when I was in middle school. I started doing little musicals. Then, in high school, it started to flourish and I really knew that I had a love for it. After graduating from college I got serious about it and started doing it professionally.

Weekly: How did you prepare for the role? Did you watch Alexa Havins (ex-Babe)?

Baker: I did. What I'm going to bring to the character might be a little bit of a different take, but I definitely wanted to get the characteristics down and stay true to who Babe really is.

Weekly: Your first scene was with Bobbie Eakes (Krystal). How did that go?

Baker: Just wonderful. Bobbie Eakes is one of the nicest people I've ever met. She welcomed me, and before we actually got up to tape she came by and said, “If you ever need anything, please let me know.” I felt a true connection with her right off the bat. That was very helpful, knowing she's going to be playing my mom.

Weekly: How would you compare the daily grind of daytime to a weekly show like NIGHT SHIFT?

Baker: I've always liked having a fixed schedule, and daytime actually provides that for a lot of actors. You can work during the day and know you're going to be out by 8:30 at the latest.You get your script a week beforehand. NIGHT SHIFT was different because we shot all over the place. It was sporadic; the hours could be anywhere from 7 in the morning until 11 o'clock at night. We were there all day, which was also a lot of fun. We actually all would hang out together. We got to become really close really quickly. But I certainly don't mind having set times. I think I'm really going to love that.

Weekly: Babe's new love interest (Wes/Richie) started right before you did. Do you think it will be easier to start fresh with him than to continue to play Babe opposite a longtime character like Jamie?

Baker: Yeah, I think that it's really a good opportunity that I'm going to be able to work with another new actor on this show, Billy Miller (Wes/Richie), and develop that relationship. I know that Alexa worked with him a little bit when he first came on a few weeks ago, but I think it's going to be exciting to see where we can take the two characters together. I think that's going to be a fun journey.

She better be good - thats all I can say.

I laughed when she got excited about a fixed schedule...'you're always out by at least 8:30'. 8:30!??! That's late girl!

I laughed when she got excited about a fixed schedule...'you're always out by at least 8:30'. 8:30!??! That's late girl!

Stacy Haiduk: I'll just say this: Probably in the middle of shooting [my first run], I looked at Thorsten [Kaye, Zach] and I said, "This is so much fun. You guys are the luckiest people on earth because you get to have a life outside of work as well." In nighttime, you work 14 or 15 hours a day, you come home exhausted, and that's it. Here, you usually work the morning shift or the afternoon shift. Thorsten said to me, "Why don't you go down to Julie [Hanan Carruthers, executive producer] and just let her know how you feel?" I was like, "Okay!" And so I did. I just told her, "This is so much fun. I'd love to come back. I have no idea how this works, but...." And she said, "You know, let's see what happens." I'm very blessed that I got "Hannah comes back!" It's pretty awesome.

Source

I wish they'd just written Babe out -- better yet, prove how evil Richie is and have the piglet slaughtered.

That is early for any sort of acting! Like she said they would start at 7 in the morning and not end until 11pm. Those long shifts tend to be odd in daytime unless a big event is being planned. Otherwise they work in the morning and our out in the afternoon or early evening or come in in the afternoon and our out by like 8:30.

AMC wasn't always like that though. They used to dry run at 7am, block at 10, break for lunch/makeup/hair, dress rehearse at 1pm and tape at 4 until about 7. So, that was like a 12 hour day.

Now, it seems as if they don't even rehearse. They just get into wardrobe, hit the set, block, run it through and then tape.

Ahhh ok - makes more sense now! haha - thanks!

Maybe this "different take" on Babe that Baker talks about will be taking Babe out of PV all together. Then she will be my favorite AMC actress of all time. Julia Barr notwithstanding.

A lot of soaps have cut the dry run out but AMC still does it, even in the rehearsal hall away from the set.

The difference is that one group of actors tape their scenes, and leave, and then the next group of actors come in. They didn't do that during the old days, so you had to stick it around all day.

It was Julie that changed all that right? Seems to me I remember actors commenting on something along those lines a few years back.

I am going into this Amanda Baker very pessimistic as I went in way to optimistic with Sabine, and that blew up in my face. Basically Amanda has no expectations or at least very small ones from me.... and I pretty much doubt she'll surpass them but we'll see. I will miss Alexa! If we must have a Babe world, Alexa has to be in that world playing her

I wish they'd just written Babe out -- better yet, prove how evil Richie is and have the piglet slaughtered.

Damnit Sin your posts should come with warning labels *wipes off keyboard* :lol:

I am jsut gonna miss AH.

I am gonna give Amanda a chance because i loved her on NIGHT SHIFT.

She better be good - thats all I can say

I remember a phrase Days fans used to say when a newbie would come along.

ACT OR DIE! Maybe that applies here. lol. I don't plan on seeing her first day. She looks nothing like Eakes or Vincent and I was NOT impressed with her on NightShift. She is not Babe.

and I pretty much doubt she'll surpass them but we'll see. I will miss Alexa! If we must have a Babe world, Alexa has to be in that world playing her

I agree. I wish Alexa all the best. But I don't want a Babe without her. They should have just had her move to New York with Di or something.

I am jsut gonna miss AH.

Ditto

Edited October 6, 200718 yr by Skin

I wish they'd just written Babe out -- better yet, prove how evil Richie is and have the piglet slaughtered.

From your lips to you know whose ears.

I feel like the reason you guys aren't happy with her already is because she played a villain on Night Shift. Just because she was evil on Night Shift does not mean they are making Babe evil, people. Her performance on NS was very, very good.