Soap Opera Magazine
February 20, 1996
Star of the Week

Whether she's sneaking around Sydney's penthouse searching for potential blackmail material, or doing shooters of tequila at the City Bar with Buck, Tess Wilder's an attention getter. For her ability to make the many facets of Tess' charismatic personality so fascinating, The City's Catherine Hickland wins Soap Opera Magazine's Star of the Week honors.

Making Tess Stand Out from the rest of the Soho crowd is a challenge Catherine has taken up with gusto. "She's high energy and high power," says the actress. "And she has the best sense of humor - which I think is the most important thing."

Even though Catherine doesn't think the move from Corinth to Soho has changed Tess, she admits her character's lack of a love life is an obvious difference. "It's been a dry spell," laughs the actress, who doesn't miss Tess' hoping into bed with every guy who comes down the pike.

"The truth is they're out of men for me," she declares. "There really isn't anyone on the show who is quite right for me.

"Buck and I have already been down that road. The guys are in their early 20s - and I've already done that with Cooper.

"But I don't mind being without a guy," Catherine adds. "It leaves me free to create a lot of trouble - and that's what I like doing."

One example: Crawling around Sydney's penthouse looking for something to hold over her nemesis' head. Finding the urn with Jared's ashes was a priceless scene - and one Catherine enjoyed taping.

"It was great," she says. "It was a whole show where I really didn't have any dialogue. They just let me improvise the entire thing," she reveals. "All they had on paper was Tess going through Sydney's apartment and finding the Kamasutra and the urn. There wasn't any scripted dialogue at all. I'm always happy whey they say 'Whatever you like.'

"I always think of funny things - things that strike me funny, anyway," Catherine adds. "I love to improvise, so I'm lucky to work on a show where they give me some creative freedom."

Catherine is quick to give credit to the show's writers for their creative efforts, especially in the scenes she plays with Morgan Fairchild (Sydney). "They really know how to write for these two characters when they're together," she says. " We don't fool too much with the lines.

"I love working with Morgan," she adds. "I've worked with actresses who are out for themselves and a re very insecure - she's neither of those things." As for Tess' future storyline, Catherine will leave that in the writers' capable hands as well.

"I don't think about those things," she admits. "I read my scripts, do my work and go home. I don't sit around thinking of storylines for myself - although I used to do that when I worked on Capitol," she confesses.

"I have to tell you I don't know if I'm mellowing with age, or I have so many other things going on, but it's not the focus of my attention anymore, Catherine adds. "You have to trust that the writers are going to do what's best for the show - and for you."