Renee E.G.: It's time to get back to OLTL!!

[rhythmchyc]

I read on the local newspaper in NYC that the show she co-starred in "Rent," closed down a few weeks ago. So, she better hightail it back to Llanview, ruffle Todd's feathers a little and get it on with Brody (who'll definitely need a lawyer after last week).

[marceline]

I miss Evangeline too but Broadway is Renee's first love and it's where she excels. OLTL didn't do right by her. And as long as Frons is calling the shots they never will. The final performance of RENT was cinecast in movie theatres last week and speaking as equal parts Renthead and REG fan, I was thrilled. That's the kind of success I wish for her.

[dragonflies]

Please stay away, IMO the actress is overrated and the character was basically a Nora clone.......

[detroitpiston]

Amen.

[EricMontreal22]

I was lucky enough to see the closing night of Rent which in a new tryout move for Broadway productions was shown in movie theatres across North America Wednesday and Thursday night--she was *amazing*--I didn't think she'd be able to pull off a rougher character like Mimi but really she impressed me far more than she ever has on OLTL. I don't see it being hard for her to find another role on stage soon.

*edit* Marceline I'm glad you got to see it too!

[miajere]

I saw it in theaters and was more than impressed. After seeing the film- I just don't think the character of Evangeline provides her with enough range - writing issue- and I would much rather see her in prime time. I don't think daytime should be home to many talented actors, so perhaps I'm just biased.

[Vee]

I know I've recycled this one, but I'd rather eat ground glass than watch her again. She has no range, or at least she never displayed any on OLTL as far as I was concerned. I found it truly sad that after years of praying for a black female lead on OLTL, I got one that was written and acted in the most one-note, insufferable manner possible. I was excited for her first airdate, but within a couple hours (episodes) of her intro on the show I felt she was all surface and smirks, and not much else. That's still the opinion I hold today. Beautiful woman, wonderful singer, apparently a very nice person. Not for me, not on the show. Keep her gone. She became as obnoxious and all-consuming a presence as Rae Cummings or Jen or Sam Rappaport before her. And no, she wasn't a Nora clone. Nora has a solid personality.

She does look nice in that clip as Mimi, but I'm awfully loyal to Daphne Rubin-Vega. I wonder how she choked out that "I'm 19" line. Of course Daphne wasn't 19 either.

[EricMontreal22]

That's what surprised me about Rent--the character is utterly different than Evangeline and she pulled it off--i never thought she could be a drug addled hooker (for all intents and purposes)--she was never a fave of mine on OLTL-_i didn't dislike her but I never got the fuss--she had a lovely singing voice as well btu again i saw no actign when she sang--anyway maybe she's better at musical theatre where she acts through her voice--or stage, or whatever, but I eat my words.

I disagree that talented actors don't belong on soaps--and I get why some prefer to work there--espcially theatre actors. Not only can they do a soap in New York and stay available for Broadway--but soaps still film more the way plays work. I dunno if he was any good cuz I don't watch Days but when i was a theatre major we had Roark Critchlow come to our school (he graded from UVIC here in BC Canada where I went) and do an acting workshop and he said one benfit of working on most soaps is you get to really do the emotional throughline fo a scene. It's not like film where you film it in many takes, quick shots, scenes out of order, etc--so in that way it's much more like being on stage (he also said that DAYS would be his last choice to do as a soap again because he said how it was directed--at the time anyway--was very staticly without allowing the actors to make many of their own choices but he seemed to think this was less true of other soaps).

I don't think primetime is necesarily anymore rewarding--especially for an actor who loves theatrical acting.

[rangethatrover]

Vee- God bless you.

Her and McBain drove me away from OLTL for many years.

One of the most overrated actresses in daytime history. How she got 2 emmy nominations is beyond me.

Bland/bland/bland. And that look she always has on her face. I can't even explain it.

It didn't help that she was shoved down our throats.

[rhythmchyc]

Aww. Shoo all ye hates LOL.

Oh well. I always liked her, especially with TSJ. She seemed to do subtle in a good way, like Joshua Morrow does on Y&R. Not the best actors but good enough to put a life-long stamp on their characters. I know that was the period when he wasn't the real Todd, blah, blah, blah but I liked their chemistry together. I didn't see her with McBain but didn't like them either when they were in scenes together. And with Christian, WHAT A BORE. But that's because Fumero's a bad actor IMO, and had very little chemistry with her. Oh well.

Anyway, I miss her.

[marceline]

You and me...same wavelength.

After seeing her in RENT I'm perfectly comfortable with her never returning to OLTL. Just like I would never want Nathan Fillion to return. Daytime is like a job in fast food or bartending. Its a great place to get your start or make some extra money while you do what you really want to do. Do it too long and you get stuck there. I think we can all think of actors who made that mistake.

[rhinohide]

Well the flaws in the emmy process are discussed ad nauseum, so I don't put much stock in the awards. And I was never a fan of Evangeline after she lost her edge. That said, Renee is very talented and I am sure she will continue to find much success in whatever she pursues in the future. She's obviously well respected across many genres in the industry, so I feel confident we haven't seen the last of her, just probably not on OLTL ever again.

[miajere]

I thought she did well for a character with no background, no connections to core, moving amongst veteran actors, and being forced to sing every wedding, holiday, birthday, etc....But she needed a good scene partner and for the last year I couldn't watch the majority of her scenes....literally yelling at the television. I was only a casual Jovan fan- but only missed them after watching Jolie....(WE all have our preferences)..I always thought there was room for her on the show without driving viewers away and can think of plenty not capable of handling her scenes with the same passion. In all her accused "blandness" I can't think of a scene where I thought she called it in- something most the cast does on the regular

I thought the same thing of TSJ after watching The Kingdom- completely seamless in his scenes and he reminded me of an early Arron Eckhart (he's a bit too commercial now). But I understand the draw of staying in daytime. I guess like the fast food industry- occasionally you get to spit in a burger to get through the day ( referring to the occasional TSJ interviews).

After watching Rent (only because I couldn't sit through Marker- Steven Segal makes me want to crawl out of my skin), I believe she will be working somewhere else soon- but I read an interview with Nia Long where she talked about the challenges in being an AA actress- and how there are close to no roles whatsoever (most scripts probably make it to Halley Berry first), and I saw what a blessing a show like OLTL could have been for her.

[EricMontreal22]

OK i kinda hear that--although I don't think it's necesarily a bad thing if an actor's comfortable doing soaps and maybe some theatre in the summer for their career. But yeah--that's true--it's more a training ground

Mia--you saw Rent on one of its limited showings because you were meant to see a Steven Segal movie? *so confused* lol

The race issue is interesting--Audra MacDonald is one of my all time fave musical theatre talents--and she's benefitted immensely from the fact that Broadway does colour blind casting for the most part now (her first major role was in a Carousel revival)--she often said she had much mroe freedom of roles than she ever would on TV> Her TV work I've found VERY limiting--she was on that awful show Bedford Diaries (the shortlived one with the guy from Heroes) and now of course she's on Private Practice but I find the show too embarassing to watch--though I wish her all the success in the world. But compared to the amazing presence and range she's showed on stage, it just feels like a step down.

Has Trevor St John said he doesn't wanna move on? he's in Wes Craven's new horror film I saw--and I guess will make a few more cameos on Dirty Sexy money

[marceline]

Quite the opposite. He's already talking about how dealing with the role of Todd is the "next guy's problem."

Obviously, the race issue isn't a new one. But soaps just aren't the opportunity that they used to be. Dwindling audiences, shoestring budgets, insane stories, backstage politics... Soaps were a good job once. Of course so was being a broker with Lehman Brothers.

If REG were to return I'd hope that she'd pull a RealGreenlee, sign for a year, bank the cash and do the Broadway she loves.