Soap Opera Digest
August 31, 1999
One on One

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a Digest editor and chat up soap stars all day? We decided to turn a few interview assignments over to our readers to let them in on the fun. ONE LIFE TO LIVE fan Rhoemi Smith of Jamaica, New York, requested an interview with Llanview vixen Catherine Hickland (Lindsay; ex-Tess, THE CITY).

Smith: Are you a natural blonde?
Hickland (laughs): It’s Clairol—Bombshell Beige.

Smith: What is it like to work opposite Erika Slezak [Viki]?
Hickland: I’ve watched the show for so long—18 years—that it took me a long time to get over being intimidated by being in a scene with Erika. She is such a powerful actress that you just feel pressure to rise to the occasion. It’s always good to work with someone who is so much better than yourself because it makes you work hard. It’s a thrill.

Smith: Are you still friends with anyone you worked with on THE CITY?
Hickland: Morgan Fairchild [ex-Sydney] and I are in touch with each other. I try to talk to her every couple of months. She was my best buddy on the show when we were there together. I love her.

Smith: You have your own cabaret show and also starred in the Broadway production of Les Miserables as Fantine. What advice would you give to people with limited singing ability?
Hickland: To take voice lessons and get with a very reputable coach who will be able to teach them how to execute the music, give them confidence and be honest with them.

Smith: Who is your favorite singer?
Hickland: Craig Rubano. He’s my favorite singer ever. His CD came out in February, and he sings on my CD. I just love his voice.

Smith: What do you do for fun?
Hickland: I have fun with everything I do. Everything is fun in my life. Work is fun, everything I do feels like fun—most of the time!

Smith: Who is your favorite actress?
Hickland: In terms of pure likability, I love Meg Ryan [ex-Betsy, AS THE WORLD TURNS]. In terms of hard-core talent, I love Meryl Streep.

Smith: Do you have a favorite television show?
Hickland: SEINFELD, I miss it so much, but I still watch it every single night [in reruns] at 11, and I don’t care if I’ve seen an episode 10 times. I’m still mesmerized and hysterical over it. I love them all, but Kramer and Jerry—those two just make me laugh no matter what.

Smith: What is your favorite storyline from ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s past?
Hickland: Megan’s death from lupus. It was a great story.

Smith: Your husband, Michael E. Knight [Tad, ALL MY CHILDREN], once appeared on OLTL as Tad. Will your character ever make a guest appearance on AMC?
Hickland: I’d rather him make a guest appearance on OLTL again. I just think that we need him here more than they need me there.

Smith: What do you like most about the character of Lindsay?
Hickland: That’s she’s an amalgamation of many people. I also think that she’s very real in the sense that she seems to admit to having feelings that other people deny themselves of having. She has uncensored thoughts. Everything just comes right out of her mouth, so you know what she’s thinking all the time. I love that she’s so very, very complicated. The situations [the writers] put her in are why she seems to be hitting a nerve with people. When people get hurt, they act out. And Lindsay has been hurt desperately. She’s vulnerable and extremely needy, but at the same time, she’s extremely strong. She has so much to give, but nowhere to give it.

Smith: How do you stay in shape?
Hickland: Right now, you’re just looking at what God gave me. I haven’t been to the gym in six months because I haven’t had any time off. I do love to eat, but I try desperately to watch what I put in my mouth. I try to figure out in my head where it’s going to land because you’re going to wear everything you eat. That’s my motto: You eat it, you wear it. I also try to watch my carbohydrate intake, and I’m a big believer in the Suzanne Somers diet. I could really be in awesome shape if I put my head to it, and I plan to do that when my schedule lightens up. But I don’t think people should stress out about their weight and how they look. I think people should be more concerned about how they are—and who they are. You’ve got to be happy with who you are, no matter what.