Tamara Braun Plays Same-Sex 'House' in Pine Valley

(continued)

TG: (Laughs) No… I’m actually going somewhere.

TB: Okay. Yes. I kidnapped my ex lover but with good reason. His wife… I was ill informed. Actually I was not ill informed. I didn’t listen to the people who had the right information because I had decided that his wife was a woman who was not his wife, but in my head she was his wife.

TG: If you're trying to lose me you haven't yet.

TB: So, I kidnapped her and then I got him and then his wife came looking for him. I had a whole bunch of people at gunpoint. It was fabulous.

TG: Oh my. Alright. As I said, I am going somewhere. So, would you say that Reese is one of the more down to earth, more normal characters that you’ve played?

TB: Ahhh. Isn’t that interesting? Yeah. Reese is pretty down to earth and normal. You know, in whatever sense you can say normal is. We all have our quirks.

TG: Going back to some of your former plotlines, what is one of your favorite, most outrageous plots that a character you’ve played has been involved with?

TB: Oh my gosh… the most outrageous. I've got to say. Most recently on Days, it was pretty outrageous because the character Ava…. I had been held captive in my room for years and my father was paying my psychiatrist to give me the wrong medication, which was making me crazy. And the reason was that he didn’t want me to remember that I saw him kill my mother. So, I was going crazy because of the medication he was giving me. That’s pretty outrageous.

TG: That works for me. Thank you.

TB: You’re welcome.

TG: Regarding AMC... were you approached for the role?

TB: I was.

TG: Had you followed the story? I mean, there’s much to keep up with regarding soap plots. I imagine while you’re on one it must be difficult to keep up with another one. But were you familiar with the storyline?

TB: I was not very familiar with the storyline. I knew that Eden Riegel played a character, Bianca, and that she was a lesbian. And that she was the first lesbian on daytime TV. I had not followed it. When I was approached by Chuck [Charles Pratt, Jr.], the head writer on AMC, he explained to me about the character and I was immediately intrigued.

TG: You and Eden get into some pretty fresh territory for daytime.

TB: What’s mostly groundbreaking about this is that they are together and they are having a family. They have a baby together. And that is huge. Bianca already has a little girl, so these are two women are in a committed relationship and that’s the most relevant thing. They’re not just dating. They’re in a relationship and having a family together. And taking on that challenge in an authentic way.

TG: Is there any back story you can reveal about Reese or is it all under cover?

TB: Hmm. Reese is an architect and she and Bianca met in Paris, where Bianca’s been living for the last year. For Reese, it was an immediate draw and attraction and pull. It was one of those loves that just takes you by surprise and there’s nothing you can really do about it. They have a really loving relationship. Reese and Miranda, who is Bianca’s daughter, who’s five. They hit it off right away and they’re very close. They’ve created their version of a family out there. Now that Bianca has had the baby. Oh, everyone knows they have the baby.

TG: Right. So that’s no big plot revelation but it would make me very popular if you would spill some secrets. Although it wouldn’t be good for you.

TB: It would. It would. I may get in trouble but you’d be doing well.

TG: Have you already started shooting?

TB: I did. I just finished my first week of shooting.

TG: How was it?

TB: It was great. Everybody is fantastic, really nice and very welcoming to me. And Eden and I have a great chemistry. It seems like we’ve known each other forever and we just met. To work with someone you just feel that connection with immediately, it makes the job so easy. It’s a great sisterhood already.

TG: Have you worked with Susan Lucci yet?

TB: I did. Today was the first day. And I love her. It was so fun. She was a complete professional.

TG: Did she do any high kicks for you now that she’s on Dancing with the Stars?

TB: She didn’t. But Tony [Dovolani], her dance partner just showed up and as soon as we were done, they were off to rehearsal. She told me her schedule… Oh my goodness! What these people do on DWTS, my hat is off to them. I applaud them.

TG: I’m sure you can’t spill about any plot lines, but can you let on if Reese goes toe to toe with Erica Kane at all? I know it’s supposed to be a very loving, happy situation out of the gate but I’m just wondering if there’s any sort of…

TB: Head butting? As of now, things are good but you never know what might come in the future.

TG: Would that be fun for you to throw down with Bianca’s mom?

TB: What’s fun for me as an actress is to have scenes that are really well written, where whether you're throwing down, as you say, or go head to head with another actress or actor on the show, that it’s based in something that’s true, which creates visceral reactions. I love that stuff. I like passionate, intense moments. So, I’d love to have that with any and everyone in the cast. There should be opportunity for that. I hope so.

TG: Well, my gay co-worker, the one with the Erica Kane doll, he said, “Alright, Bianca and Reese are all in love and happy with the baby but really, how long before the baby’s kidnapped or one of you heads off to the hospital and ends up with the wrong baby,” or something along those lines.

TB: (Gasps) tell him to bite his tongue. And I’ll be watching for him at the hospital if my baby ever has to check in.

More on next page...