Eric Martsolf (Ethan Winthrop, 'Passions').

The question that is on every interviewer's mind when speaking with Eric Martsolf (Ethan Winthrop, Passions) is, 'When will the Gwen/Ethan/Theresa love triangle finally be resolved?' Well, we just might have an answer. According to Eric, it will be "the year 2064, around mid-April". OK, so maybe Eric was joking.

As he told me: "That's the question I am asked so frequently. This must be the longest-running love triangle that hasn't moved a bit in soap history! But, the tides have definitely turned. Ethan is getting divorced from Gwen and has told Theresa that she's the woman for him."

If you think you're frustrated by Ethan's indecision, think about how Eric feels, someone who's played this character for five years now. "It's like, 'Make up your mind, man!' There's nothing more unattractive than an indecisive male, is there? But at least he is becoming more aggressive. He is following his heart and emotions more, versus worrying about only his obligations."

When Eric took over the role of Ethan from Travis Schuldt - it'll be five years in July - he did his research on the character and realised: "He seemed a bit dull to me. I wanted to see him heightened. Always the women in his life were manipulating him - I guess that hasn't changed too much, huh? I've tried to throw a little bit of - if you'll pardon the pun - passion into the guy."

Blackmailer

So, as long as we are on the subject, what are some more things Eric would like to bring out of Ethan? "Lindsay (Korman, who plays Theresa) and I have talked about it; we'd like to see Ethan and Theresa happy, if only for a little while. Let them run off to Hawaii, and not think about the blackmailer and her brothers who are in jail for a little bit and just allow them to be together and have a good time. But then, I guess it wouldn't be a soap opera if things ran smoothly, now, would it?"

Another thing Eric would like to see Ethan concerned about is his own family. In regard to James Hyde, who plays his father, Sam, Eric says: "We always get a kick out of seeing each other onscreen, because we look more like brothers than father and son. We have a great rapport together, on-and off-screen. I would love to have more scenes with James. I mean, Ethan has an inordinate amount of half brothers and sisters, whose relationships we haven't even explored yet. Ethan is always with Gwen or Theresa and dealing with Theresa's family, but never his own."

Spring cleaning

With the recent announcement that Passions will be airing, starting September 17, on DIRECTV, perhaps Ethan will get to explore his relationships with his family members more. Everyone at the show "couldn't be more pleased with the move," Eric enthuses. "There is so much potential in this move. And as to the storylines, there is a change in the air. The characters will remain the same, but the ante will be up a little bit. The stories will be amped up. With DIRECTV, we can push the limits. It's all very exciting - it's like a fresh start, a little spring-cleaning."

Also new on the horizon is Eric's new CD. For those who might not know, Eric comes from a musical-theatre background and has been singing most of his life. With his new CD, he explains: "This was a long time coming. I had the fans in mind when I did it. It's very youthful, pop-rock, with elements of the '80s in there. I'm very proud of it. It's been hard to get into the studio to work on it, what with Ethanbeing so busy and all. But the sound is very raw, not overly produced. I wanted to go old school with it. One of the songs, Hold on to Me, might be featured in an upcoming Ethan/Theresa montage, so be on the lookout for that." Fans can be on the lookout for Eric's CD at cdbaby.com or find the link on his website,ericmartsolf.com.

- Cindy Elavsky