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The Road To Super Soap 2008: Interview With Bradford Anderson (Spinelli)
Bradford Anderson has fond memories of going to Disney World every year with his family.
“Disney World is one of my favorite places,” he said. “It was the family trip. We all got in the car and drove down from New Hampshire each year and I looked forward to it so much. This year, I’m bringing my mom and my sister as well as my girlfriend. So coming back to Disney World in this capacity is strange but amazing.”
Anderson, best know as Damien Spinelli on General Hospital, is one of the 31 stars meeting and greeting fans at Super Soap Weekend 2008 - this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15 and 16. As Disney has announced, this will be the final year for the popular event and Soapbox will be the blogging live from SSW.
Bradford was the breakout star last year, with his FastPasses being the first to go each day.
He also surprised the fans camped out the Disney gates at 1 a.m. by visiting them and bringing them goodies to eat and drink. But Bradford says he won’t be doing the same this year, because he’s performing at the Street Jam for the first time - and he got the word from Disney not to.
The following is an interview I had with Bradford last weekend before his appearance with other daytime stars at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.
As promised, here is my Bradford Anderson interview.
Michele: What are you looking forward to about Super Soap?
Bradford: It’s kind of hard to pick just one thing out. I’ve only been there one year and it was just a barrage of positive energy and fun. Seeing familiar faces. Seeing lots of new faces. Being able to perform in the Street Jam. Just the opportunity to meet people and run around and basically be as crazy as we want to be because that’s why we’re there. It’s kinda neat.”
Michele: What is it like to have Spinelli become such a breakout character?
Bradford: “I came from doing musical theater in New York. Not only did I never have a job that lasted more than two or three months, but the life of a theater actor is not necessarily congratulatory. Getting on a show like this with a job that lasts more than three months, those are the things that blow my mind on a daily basis. The things beyond that - like all the things I get to do because of it and the people I get to meet is just beyond anything that I could’ve imagined. I’m just glad to have a job.
“When I joined the show, I was only supposed to be on for two months. So the fact that I’m here two years later is the biggest blessing I could have asked for and all the things that come with it is the cherry on top.”
Michele: What do you love/hate about Spinelli?
Bradford: “I love his sincerity and the fact that he’s innocent enough to not quite know how to communicate without telling the truth. He’s so earnest and honest in everything he does. It pains him to not tell the truth. He never tries to put on anyone or manuever anyone.That’s what I love about him.
“What I look forward to improving on is his self-confidence in knowing that he is such a good person and therefore doesn’t need to become something that he isn’t. That is the struggle that makes him somewhat interesting. The more he allows himself to be confident in who he is, I think more adventures will ensue. I don’t think the confidence will take away from who he is, it will just enable him to have more experiences.”
Michele: How difficult is it to memorize Spinelli-speak?
Bradford: “It’s funny. When I go to work and put on my hooded sweatshirt, my mouth just figures out how to do it. People have asked me to go into Spinelli when I’m not at work and it’s hard. At work, I just kind of step into it and when I’m not at work, it’s out of me. Some soap actors, their characters are just a different version of themself and it’s hard for them to separate the two. You get kind of confused, because we live in our characters so often. But, for me, I never get confused.
“I grew up in central New Hampshire, we don’t have football, but I played sports. I was never the strapping young athlete, but I did okay. And my social skills are actually pretty good and I’ve always had a fair amount of self-confidence because of my parents. I do have much more confidence in interacting with people than Spinelli does and I know how to use a computer, but I don’t even know what hacking means.”
Michele: What do you hope for Spinelli”
Bradford: “To relax and to love, somehow. To find someone who allows that part of him to really come out. Being able to see how he reacts when he is loved in return and knows it.”
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Super Soap Weekend 2008
Comments
By Sheri
November 13, 2008 9:34 PM | Link to this
I love Spinelli~~He would be the first person I would want to see (since Jason is not going to be there) at ss!! Great interview! He seems like a great guy!!