Cindy Elavsky, Contributor 
Nicole Forester
TAKING OVER for a popular actress on a soap opera much less the actress who originated the role can be a daunting task. It's not so bad, however, if you aren't aware of that fact when you audition to be her replacement.
When Nicole Forester auditioned for the part of Cassie Winslow on Guiding Light, she was told she would be reading for the part of a woman named 'Lori'. Nicole explained: "Then when I came back for my screen test, the makeup artist was saying, 'You're auditioning for Cassie, huh? You've got big shoes to fill!' Ricky Paull Goldin (Gus Aitoro) was impressed; he said I was very Zen about it all.
I just figured that if it's the right fit, it will
happen; if it's not, it won't."
Nicole must have shown that she fit nicely with the GL cast, as she was offered the part in November 2005 and has made the mostly smooth transition to life in Springfield. "On my first day, by the end of the day, I was exhausted! I thought, 'How do they do that every day?' All the lines of dialogue and all the scenes we shoot. But Robert Newman (Josh Lewis) took me under his wing and really helped me."
SUPER SWEET
It also helped that Nicole got a pep talk from her predecessor on that first day as well. "My first day was Laura Wright's (ex-Cassie) last day of shooting. I got to talk with her, and she was super sweet. She told me not to worry and that I would love it here."
Nicole might be loving her days on the set, but Cassie probably wishes she were invisible at times. It seems she is starting to fall for her sister Reva's husband, Josh. "This is so hard for Cassie. She is very, very torn. She knows that nothing can happen between herself and Josh, but she is extremely drawn to him. There is an undeniable chemistry there."
Unbeknownst to Josh and Cassie, Reva has been fighting cancer, which would account for why she has been away from home so much, but all this time away isn't helping, as "Cassie and Josh are left to their own devices. And then, when they discover what Reva has been through, that will be a whole new level of shame and guilt."
SUPPORTIVE
And it also doesn't help that Josh has been incredibly supportive of her son, R.J. "That's definitely part of the attraction. She sees him as a wonderful man and father figure to her son. She sees the joy he brings to R.J. it's a beautiful thing to witness. It's attractive to see a man who's good with kids, especially at a time when R.J. really needs a father."
Her relationship with Josh is also helping her see her daughter, Tammy, in a new light. Although she never really approved of Tammy's beau, Jonathan Randall (Tom Pelphrey), "Cassie's feelings for Josh made her realise that Tammy had no choice you can't help who you fall in love with. You can fight it, but it's still there. She has a newfound compassion for Tammy and Jonathan's situation."
The aspect Nicole likes most about her current story line is that "it is realistic. It's not far-fetched. No one's being abducted by aliens; no one is stealing babies; no one is a clone this stuff actually does happen."
For future story lines, Nicole wishes only one thing for her character: "I always want to see her happy. I want her to have a man with whom she can share things and feel safe with. Cassie has had a lifetime of yearning for some stability."
