Soaps on ABC

General Hospital : Sarah Brown Q & A Interview

by Dexie on February 2nd, 2008

Sarah Brown did a Q & A interview with Hotsheet. A very informative and fun interview with the talented actress. I added my own comments so please feel free to tell me what you all think. Are you guys having fun yet with Sarah’s return? I am and I think it shows here in Soaps On ABC.

Welcome back! Everyone is so excited you’ve returned to GH.
Thank you so much! I appreciate that. It’s been really fun so far. I’m having a great time.How was your first day back on set?
Well, within twenty minutes of arriving, I was in bed with Maurice Benard (Sonny) again! [Laughs] It’s been absolutely wonderful on every level. Everyone has been delightful and fun to work with. I just really feel welcome.

Why is now the right time to come back to GH?
That’s actually a story. A few months ago, I bumped into Maurice, Kin Shriner (Scotty) and Jill Farren Phelps (GH’s Executive Producer) all in the same week. I was like, “It’s General Hospital following me!” [Shortly after] I had the idea to talk with the show about bringing me on as a recurring character. I thought, “If you guys are going to cast XYZ in a role that’s on a couple times a month, I’d love to do that.” I had a great time on GH and I love working with the actors. I had a really good year last year–I did a lot of fun and different projects that I really enjoyed. I see other people successfully manage daytime and primetime–I can play in both these worlds and I want to. So when they offered me a contract, I thought, “I want to do it. Let’s do it.” Timing wise, it made a lot of sense for me with everything that’s going on in my life. Creatively speaking, the opportunity to work on a character–and this character in particular–was huge. Bob Guza (GH’s head writer) pitched the hell out of Claudia.

*This sure is a big character for Sarah Brown. I think Guza did a great move in bringing her back into the canvas as another character. And just as big as Maurice’s Sonny.

How is it playing Claudia Zacchara?
Maurice and I did some scenes together that were really fun, complex stuff. When we finished he looked at me. He said, “This is going to be even better than we thought.” I said, “You think?” And he said, “Yes, because you are not Carly.”

There are places I can go with this character that Carly could never go because she had one particular backstory. Not to say she could never go there, but I don’t know if Carly would ever end up running the mob or the rival mob family. So to bring me in as someone who can go toe to toe with Maurice the way that we do is one thing, and a storyline where I’m chasing after his power and everything else is a lot of fun!

Is it challenging to step into an entirely new role on a show where you already played another character?
It is, but you know what’s wonderful about it? It’s exciting. I can’t take a role I’ll get bored in too quickly. Because I won’t do my best work, people won’t enjoy it, and I won’t enjoy it. When I first came on as Carly, I took the scripts home with me and worked all weekend. I locked myself in my room and said, “How do I make this fit? How do I make this real? How do I bring more than what’s on the page?” So here I am, back at square one, having to figure out the whys [of Claudia] and I enjoy it so very much. It’s so exciting and challenging.

How would you describe Claudia?
Claudia has a lot of skeletons in her closet, and she operates through those skeletons. In other words, her intentions are not pure in a lot of ways. She’s very strong and very powerful. She’s harnessed her insecurities and become a real powerhouse of a woman. She comes to town with an agenda. She’s got a lot of secrets… lots of demons and ghosts in her soul. She’s complex–and she’s hungry.

That’s a good way to describe Claudia, considering she ends up in bed with Sonny right away! What’s the dynamic between those two?
Well, the first time they meet, it’s just about two people who feel each other’s power across the room. That happens in life. You can absolutely feel people’s internal workings sometimes. Sonny looks like a guy in a really dark mood-really dark-and only some people can go to that really dark place. She recognizes it instantly. So at the beginning, it’s more about [that connection] and some salacious activity. [Laughs] Then as things unfold, it becomes something entirely different.

You’ve got two people who share this connection and attraction, then they find out they have different agendas.
Yes! And we also have to work together. You know, it’s interesting because [in a lot of my scenes] it’s Maurice and I, or Steve [Burton, who plays Jason] and I. What they write [for us] is one thing, but because we’ve played together for years and bared our souls to each other, it allows us a certain chemistry that’s instant. It’s like a gravitational pull. So they write it, and the chemistry is there. The chemistry is fun and good because we all love working together-and I think you can see that.

* I cannot wait to see those scenes. That’s going to be an intense and strange week. In a good way.

Working with people like Maurice and Steve, what’s it like having that comfort level present, but now playing a new character?
There are moments when I go, “Oops, that’s what Carly would do, not Claudia.” So I need to be really careful that people still see the underlying actress who’s in there and give them what they want. At the same time, I don’t want the characters to be too similar, where the audience is saying, “Wait a minute, that’s Carly.”

The thing is, Carly is now played by Laura Wright, and we couldn’t be more different. So whatever’s she’s given Carly, that’s now Carly.

*Yes, I noticed a few Carly mannerisms from Claudia on that first scenes. The way Sarah arched her back. I remember her as Carly doing that. but it’s all good. You gotta really have a keen eye to see those things. :)

How is it working with Laura Wright?
I love her. I’ve always tuned into her and I’ve always thought she’s done great work. So when I came back, we sat and talked for a couple hours before we did our scenes. And we formed a wonderful bond. So when you see the scenes, it’s as if Claudia and Carly have been friends forever. She’s great. We get along famously.

*I am sooooo happy about this. I love Laura and I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable doing scenes with the 1st Carly. Laura made Carly her own. I’m looking forward to watching their scenes together.

Are you excited to work with Claudia’s family-Bruce Weitz (Anthony) and Brandon Barash (Johnny)?
I can’t tell you how much! Part of the reason why I was so excited for the role was the canvas they put me into–not just Steve and Maurice, but also with Bruce Weitz. My dad and I used to watch Hill Street Blues. I think he’s doing tremendous work. It’s another great example of crossing mediums–daytime to primetime. I also love working with Steven Macht, who plays Trevor.

Brandon and I are working really hard to make the connection between Johnny and Claudia a huge part of the story. I want to show the love story between this brother and sister. The first day I saw Brandon [on the show], I was talking to Jill on the phone and said, “I really like his work. Am I working with him?” She said, “He’s your brother.” I was like, “Wonderful, I love it!” [Laughs]

You’ve been really busy since you left GH. Do any roles really stick out in your mind?
Two recent things I’ve done are some of my favorites. Absolutely K-Ville. I had the best time with them, and I loved the character they wrote And definitely The Closer.

How was it working with Kyra Sedgwick?
It was amazing! I’ve always looked up to her, and here we are working together and I was getting the kudos from her! I’m so grateful to go back to GH with those experiences. They’ve enriched my life and made me a happier person. I’m not going, “Gee, what if, what if.” I mean, I got to work with Kyra Sedgwick!

How do you juggle being a busy actress and a mom to your nine-year-old daughter, Jordan?
I’m really blessed and lucky. I have a child who is really wonderful. We’ve grown up together–I was quite young when I had Jordan. But my mom has always been there to help when I’m working, and her father and I have joint custody. Jordan is now in school, so I take her to school, help her with her homework, cook dinner. It’s challenging to juggle all the balls sometimes, but I’m so lucky. These are the problems we wish we all had!

When there’s passion for your work involved, it fuels you.
It does. Absolutely.

So let’s end with a tease: What can people expect from Claudia and her entrance into the world of Port Charles?
Expect the unexpected. Go with me. “I know it’s a stretch, but just try it,” to quote Pretty Woman.

*Oh of course. Keep us all in our toes. That’s ok. GH is going to be exciting from now on. With Sam’s hit and run, Claudia and The Mob, I could ignore Elizabeth and Jason, heh.

*Hotsheet

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