"The Russell family is part of Harmony. They are an integral part of the show," Divins said. His character, Chad, is not part of the Russell family but is in a relationship (of sorts) with both Russell daughters.
"The Russells represent a strong African American family, and that's refreshing. There's no one really dysfunctional," he said.
Ross agrees with the way her character, a doctor, is written in relation to the show's multiethnic cast.
"If they wanted to make my character any other ethnicity they wouldn't have to change a thing about her. I don't know what else I could ask for," Ross said. "She's just a person."
OK, let's recap what we have learned so far. "Passions" has realistic characters but they live in an alternate reality where spells are cast and people jump down elevator shafts. So just how do the writers come up with this stuff?
"Our show is never, ever predictable," Ross said. "I get scripts and say 'Oh, I know where this is going.' And I never get it right. It's never going where you think it is. I don't know how the writers' brains work."
"Passions" is the cult show for soap opera fans. It's been praised by columnists for Time magazine, by Jeanne Garofalo in interviews and was even referenced in an episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Apparently Sarah Michelle Gellar is a big fan.
Despite its quirkiness and appeal to viewers, can an actor have a life after working on a soap opera such as "Passions?"
"You can't do anything else when you are on a soap," Ross said. "That's why you hardly see soap people on anything else. It's not because they aren't ambitious, there really isn't any other way to do it. The only way to do it is to leave."
"The Russells represent a strong African American family, and that's refreshing. There's no one really dysfunctional," he said.
Ross agrees with the way her character, a doctor, is written in relation to the show's multiethnic cast.
"If they wanted to make my character any other ethnicity they wouldn't have to change a thing about her. I don't know what else I could ask for," Ross said. "She's just a person."
OK, let's recap what we have learned so far. "Passions" has realistic characters but they live in an alternate reality where spells are cast and people jump down elevator shafts. So just how do the writers come up with this stuff?
"Our show is never, ever predictable," Ross said. "I get scripts and say 'Oh, I know where this is going.' And I never get it right. It's never going where you think it is. I don't know how the writers' brains work."
"Passions" is the cult show for soap opera fans. It's been praised by columnists for Time magazine, by Jeanne Garofalo in interviews and was even referenced in an episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Apparently Sarah Michelle Gellar is a big fan.
Despite its quirkiness and appeal to viewers, can an actor have a life after working on a soap opera such as "Passions?"
"You can't do anything else when you are on a soap," Ross said. "That's why you hardly see soap people on anything else. It's not because they aren't ambitious, there really isn't any other way to do it. The only way to do it is to leave."
