Ever since beginning her daytime career in 1985 on the now defunct Rituals as Dakota Lane, Mary Beth Evans has been a favorite of daytime fans and press alike. Beloved for her good nature as well as her ability to play believable characters, Mary Beth cemented her soap star status as heroine Kayla Brady Johnson on Days of Our Lives-- a role she played from 1986-1992. Towards the end of her tenure on Days, it wasn't Mary Beth fans were disenchanted with, but the role of Kayla. No longer was the character a good girl, but a woman who fell hard for her own sister Kim's ex-husband Shane.
Prior to taking on the role of Katherine Bell on GH in 1994, Mary Beth toyed with the idea of returning to the soap she called home. She had just given birth to her youngest son Matthew, and was looking for the stability a daytime role brought. When she got wind that the newest regime of Days writers didn't know what they could possibly script for the character of Kayla, as well as Steve (Stephen Nichols) Mary Beth by her own admission, "closed that chapter and moved on.
"OK I've seized control of the main come. ''''then, it became more fun when I came to terms with it and knew I could say, "Shut up!" to someone. Those scenes were hard in the beginning and then, they became fun. It even helped personally because it helped me be a bit bolder. Every day was sort of a learning experience. I remember one scene in the beginning when I had to tell Alan to shut up. Monica had just learned of her cancer and I had to tell Alan to shut up in front of the entire Quartermaine family. I remember saying to the producer, "Can't I just tell him to be quiet?" He said "No, you're crazy! Just say shut up!!" Then I said it and it was so liberating and I thought to myself. "This is great" Sometimes all you have to do is try to work it out and it turns out out ok."
Q: Do you find it more interesting to go to work now because all of your old Days castmates joining GH?MB: It's definitely a lot more fun! Billy Warlock (ex-Frankie, Days now A.J. GH) recently came on. I love billy! I guess if you stay around soaps long enough, you end up meeting up with everyone again!"
Q. When Katherine first arrived in Port Charles, she was a woman who wouldn't take any garbage from anyone. Now she's kind of nice!
MB: You just can't discount your history. I think a lot of things have changed her for life. The shooting, being in the hospital and having a lot of time to think. I think she is still a woman who is looking to get what she want's, I don't think she'll let Stefan (Stephen Nichols) walk out on her. I think they have an incredible pull between them. They want each other, whether they can have each other or not. I think she's going to be a softer version of who she was, but she's still going to be a strong to be a strong woman.
Q: For many years, daytime fans had been clamoring for a reunion of yourself and Stephen Nichols (Stefan). Then, GH fulfilled all their dreams and brought him to Port Charles. How are you enjoying working with him again, and how does your history of work benefit your scenes today?
MB: Stephen and I have a history together and I think it transcends and carries over the work. We know each other so well and as an on-screen couple, we trust each other and don't mind telling each other what we think and know that won't get offended by each others comments. We work more as a team, which is really nice.
Q: What has been the response from the fans regarding your re-pairing? In the press it has been both negative and positive.
MB: Everybody's been very supportive, I haven't gotten one negative response. The fans love it, they love the tow of us together, they love the characters, they've been very supportive.
Q: Would you consider Katherine and Stefan's relationship to be dangerous?
MB: I think it has the potential on a very neutral territory, but I think they are both naughty at times and have done bad, conniving and not legal things. How far they go until they can get a common ground an honest situation will be interesting!
Q: It seems that theirs is the most honest relationship in town.
MB: They don't have to lie to each other because they both have done worse things. I think they will be an interesting couple to see which way they go, how much of that villain stuff comes out or if they'll have that together, I don't know.
Q: It was such a relief to fans to see Katherine walk for the first time in months. You must have been relieved when you read in the script--today, you stand!
MB: Yes! it was great! When certain writers left I thought, 'Oh my God! They left me in this chair!' I was extremely relieved to be walking again. It really was a long time, like five or six months since the shooting that had left her paralyzed.
Q: Soap actors are notorious pranksters. When the cameras weren't rolling, did anyone ever play jokes on you with the chair?
MB: I had gone to sit down and the chair had slipped out from underneath me, or I had gone to open the door and taken off and done a wheelie accidentally! Once I tried to leave a room and before I did, turned around to talk to someone and I was banging into the walls instead of turning. There were little things like that but overall it was fine.
Q: Did you tend to soften your performance a bit while Katherine was in the wheelchair?
MB: I don't feel like I did that, but I did squint a lot because the lights were above everybody's head. That's what I mean by it not being as bad as I thought. I thought I wouldn't be able to act the way I normally do. It turned out to be fine. It was more like my tush would go to sleep and I wanted to stand.
Q: This isn't the first time you've played a character that something has happened to (Days' Kayla was temporarily deaf)!
MB: I know, I know! If you've been on soaps long enough, something's gotta happen to you!
Q: It seems like you are working all the time. Is it difficult to maintain a good balance between work and home?
MB: This show is wonderful about the hours. Normally, I am in for about five hours. They really try to clump scenes together and they are so great about that. I try to do juggle things with my kids when I'm off. We went to Disneyland last week and the beach--we always try to do fun things and sometimes, I bring them here with me in the summer and days off from school. They like to hang out in my room and have a doughnut without someone watching them. It's juggling, but I think all working moms juggle. So I think I have it a lot better than most people, because I usually have one day off during the week.
Q: Did you tend to soften your performance a bit while Katherine was in the wheelchair? Mary Beth: I don't feel like I did that, but I did squint a lot because the lights were above everybody's head. That's what I mean by it not being as bad as I thought. I thought I wouldn't be able to act the way I normally do. It turned out to be fine. It was more like my tush would go to sleep and I wanted to stand.
Q: This isn't the first time you've played a character that something has happened to (Days' Kayla was temporarily deaf)!
MB: I know, I know! If you've been on soaps long enough, something's gotta happen to you!
Q: It seems like you are working all the time. Is it difficult to maintain a good balance between work and home?
MB: This show is wonderful about the hours. Normally, I am in for about five hours. They really try to clump scenes together and they are so great about that. I try to do jugal things with my kids when I'm off. We went to Disneyland last week and the beach--we always try to do fun things and sometimes, I bring them here with me in the summer and days off from school. They like to hang out in my room and have a doughnut without someone watching them. It's juggling, but I think all working moms juggle. So I think I have it a lot better than most people, because I usually have one day off during the week.
Q: How are your children and how old are they now?
MB: My oldest boy Daniel is almost ten, my daughter Katie is seven and my little guy, Matthew, is four. My husband and I were together six, seven years before we had kids, so we're pretty into it. We really like them, you know. We all work hard and play hard, like most families who try and fit it all in.
Q: Does your oldest have any inclinations for show business?
MB: We really don't get into that at home. They don't watch the show. It's all very separate. They've been here, but I don't make a big dial out of it at all. Except for people recognizing me, I don't really discuss it with them and don't get involved with it outside of here. They are totally normal, great kids.
Q: You look fabulous! What is your secret?
MB: I try to make exercise part of my life. If I can, I do. If I can't I don't kill myself over it. My husband is Mr. No Fat! He's a doctor and he thinks we shall ass eat no fat. So I try, but he's gotten so out of control. He eats air popped popcorn with water at the movies. We get a big bucket and a code: If I get trim, it's because I hang out with him. I try, that's all I can say. I try and I wear support hose under evening gowns. What can I say?