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Kate Mansi (Abigail) discusses working with Matt Ashford (Jack), the relationship between Abby and Chad, and teases what’s to come for her character on Days of our Lives.
Last Wednesday, TVSource Magazine headed to the set of Days of our Lives, getting a sneak peek at what fans will see when the series “reboots” itself beginning September 26. The show wants fans to embrace their theme for summer, “Watch now to see how we change” and during our visit to the set of “DAYS 2.0,” we were given the opportunity to see just how much has changed. We were treated to a sneak peek at the brand new, massive Horton Square set and interviewed some of the stars. Each day for the last week, we’ve published one of our interviews with the stars who participated in the tour.
PHOTO GALLERY: TVSource Goes Behind the Scenes at ‘Days of our Lives’
Kate Mansi is one young actress daytime fans should take notice of. The thespian, who graduated Pepperdine University with a bachelor in Arts degree, she took a chance on Hollywood and landed the contract role of Abigail Deveraux the daughter of one of the shows most popular couplings of all time, Jack & Jennifer (Matthew Ashford & Melissa Reeves). While she had accomplished a lot already, taking on a daytime role is something nobody can be prepared for.
Mansi was taking on a lot, as Abby was not only her first soap role, but one of her first roles period. We asked her how she mastered the extreme amount of work that goes into a daily serial, and she admitted that “It is a lot of work,” and commented on the lack of respect the genre gets by saying “soap actors work harder than anyone else. The commands they have over their characters emotionally is just something so admirable.” Mansi also tells us how the pace and amount of work has helped her as an actress, “It was an adjustment, but it just sort of happened. One day I woke up with an audition and had eleven pages and I just memorized it all [quickly], so the pacing helps as an actor.”
When we last spoke with Mansi at the Daytime Emmys, she had yet to work with the returning Matthew Ashford. Well, time has passed since then and she has had the opportunity to work with him and was finally able to answer our question, “He is so fun! Missy (Reeves, Jennifer) and I sometimes have to bite our cheeks because he is so damn funny. I knew that before he came back on.” So, how does jack re-enter his daughters life after abandoning her? Mansi was tight lipped on the details, but did share that “there is a big reveal at the Horton Town Square,” adding that “those were incredible scenes to film because it was a mix of the past and present merging into the future.” Mansi also told us about the dynamic between Abby and her father, sharing “It’s been interesting because I created so much of his relationship with her in my head. So when he came on it was neat because it took life in a new way.” She also told us that “it has been terrific to work with him and the bar has been raised.”
We moved on to her popular pairing with Casey Deidrick, who plays Chad DiMera, “Chabby!” She exclaimed, aware of the merged name fans of the coupling have given them. “Well, that story is as old as they come,” says Mansi of the pairing who took of before further adding that “it is sort of Romeo and Juliet. For them it was that instant attraction, then she found out he was a DiMera and tried to back off but couldn’t. Once she did, it took Abby a lot of convincing her Mother to accept it.” The road has been a little bumpy for them along the way, but is about to get a whole lot bumpier with Kate and Stefano unhappy about her influence on Chad, so how does Mansi feel that will impact the couple? “They both have to fight for their relationship and that makes them stronger.”
She also shares why she feels she works so well with Deidrick, pointing out that “We have had very similar experiences in our life. Casey and I are both very sensitive people. We both have fallen in love, out of love, new love, all of that. We want to give that to our fans. This is life, and you don’t plan on who you really fall in love with. We get that and can put that into our characters relationship.”
Also, if you are going to be in Los Angeles area tonight, you have the chance to see a funnier side of Kate Mansi, her comedy side that is! She will be the guest host of ACME Hollywood Dream Role! Visit acmecomedy.com for information on tickets or the chance to live stream the show starting at 9pm!
COMING TOMORROW: Interviews with Peter Reckell (Bo) & Kristian Alfonso (Hope) and Drake Hogestyn (John) and Deidre Hall (Marlena)
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