NATALIA LIVINGSTON, who assumed the role of General Hospital's Emily Bowen-Quartermaine in April 2003, understands why Emily 'suddenly' fell in love with Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard).
"So much has happened to her," Livingston says, and cites just a few examples of Emily's ongoing litany of troubles: Helena (Constance Towers) is always threatening to kill her. She was raped by Connor Bishop, and killed him. Then her marriage to Nikolas (Tyler Christopher) fell apart because she couldn't bear to have him touch her after the rape, especially because he looked exactly like her rapist.
"Of course, what she should have done is get counseling," Livingston says. "But she didn't, and that was a big mistake."
Livingston says, "Emily has always been close to Sonny and loved to care for his children. And after a while, she began to see him as more than a friend."
Livingston went on to explain that "Sonny's mob connections make him a very powerful man. And for someone like Emily, who has had to face so much, I believe she sees Sonny as a man whose power would protect her."
And, of course, with power being the most potent aphrodisiac, it's no wonder Emily felt that she was in love with him.
But is she in love with Sonny, or is Nikolas still the man who has her heart?
ACTING CLASSES
"I think she and Nikolas will always have a connection," Livingston says.
The Emory University graduate says she wanted to be an actor for as long as she can remember. Although her major was sociology, "I took as many acting classes as I could." And when she found herself on the set of General Hospital two and a half years ago, "I could hardly believe it. It was the most exciting thing that had happened to me."
Livingston says there were some anxious moments when she started. "But everyone was so wonderful and helpful. It was like being part of a family. If you had a problem, someone was there to help you with it."
But the real test would come with the viewers' reaction to someone who had stepped into a role played by an actress they admired: Amber Tamblyn. As it turned out, Natalia Livingston passed. The audience liked what she brought to the role, and continues to tell her so.
"That's one of the many nice things about working on a soap," Livingston says. "You have this wonderful relationship with the fans. They want to tell you how they feel about your performance, about the story line, what's good and not so good about it. It's really so personal."
Carly's growing awareness of Emily's feelings for Sonny has brought out Carly's strong streak of possessiveness where her erstwhile lover and husband is concerned. She fears Emily might not just be another woman in Sonny's life, but will take her place as The woman much like Emily, who worried that Courtney would displace her as Nikolas' great love. And so, where will the Emily-Nikolas-Courtney-Sonny-Carly-Alcazar (yes, he's still involved) nexus take us?
"I don't know exactly where," says Livingston, who says she's having fun just going along for the ride. "And I think the fans will, too."
