Here, Take This, I Love You: Chapter 6

A bittersweet throwback to my soap opera days. #GeneralHospital4ever

Friends,

A few weeks ago, soap opera actor Tyler Christopher died suddenly at the age of fifty, shocking and devastating the daytime television community, fans, and actors alike. I knew Tyler well. We worked together for years on General Hospital (he was my first on-screen kiss!) and he was always a kind, considerate, wonderful person to work and hang out with. In my sadness over his passing, I found myself looking at some old GH memorabilia and came across something that made me laugh and also tear up. It was a box of my official ABC headshots from the show when I was a teenager. In the black-and-white photo, I’m standing slightly in profile, with blown out hair, wearing lipstick with a look on my face that says: Take me seriously.

Tyler and I used to laugh at these photoshoots while we were doing them, seeing who could out-serious-soap-opera-face the other. Tyler would lift an eyebrow, pout a lip, place his hand to his chin. I would smile coyly, side-eye in semi-profile as if calling the camera in to share a secret. Once the headshots came out, stacks were given to each of the cast members to use for promotion and to autograph for fan events. Tyler and I would always give each other our headshots, putting them up on the mirrors in our respective dressing rooms with a sarcastic, egotistical wink: You’re welcome for this face.