NIKOLAS AND EMILY
TYLER | NATALIA

SOAPnet Chat With Tyler Christopher
SOAPnet.com
February 5, 2004

Tyler Christopher:
Welcome everybody. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks for logging on today (or however you got here).

Melissa:
Tyler, You're an excellent actor and you inspire me greatly. What was the hardest scene that you ever had to accomplish??

Tyler Christopher:
Thank you. The hardest scene would be the first scene I ever shot when first joining the show. There was just a lot of expectations, it was my first job, and I really felt the pressure to perform. Ever since then it's been a breeze.

mikki:
What do you see as the biggest change in Nikolas since you've come back?

Tyler Christopher:
He has a level of respect from his family and what little friends he does have. He's far more cynical than he once was, if that's even possible. And he's more aware of people's motivations and intentions.

chrisi:
Do you think Nikolas will ever turn to the dark side of the Cassadines or is he forever the good prince?

Tyler Christopher:
I don't think he has the kind of personality that would make him go the other way.

Melissa:
Tyler, You are a absolutley inspiring actor! Who do you go to for advice and who are your friends on GH??

Tyler Christopher:
I go to my wife for advice. And not joking, but I'm friends with everyone on the show. That's how close we are. There's not one outsider on the show.

FanOfLiz:
First I would like to say I was thrilled when you returned to your role on GH. My question is, 'What is your reaction to this whole "pirate storyline" and does anybody on the set discuss that Emily is adopted so she could not possibly look like Constance?'

Tyler Christopher:
Not until a fan asked me that question (re: Constance) did I go "that's right." Nobody even mentioned it. It was just one of those things that slipped through the cracks and nobody, not even the producers or directors, caught that. But that definitely can't be true if you're adopted.

The pirate thing is cool. Not only do we thrive on things we know and do, but it was cool to visualize it for once. Was it a little campy and hokey? Yeah, but it was meant to be that way. It wasn't meant to overly dramatize some Cassadine history, but it was a clever way to portray it in a light, fun kind of way instead of being so heavy all the time.

Kathy:
Have you picked your scenes for Emmy consideration yet? If so can you tell which ones? You have MANY to choose from.

Tyler Christopher:
They're shows, not scenes, so we have to pick entire episodes. Yes, I have narrowed it down to two or three episodes, one being 'Nikolas tells Emily he's in love with her', the 'Stefan dies' episode, and the 'freighter blows up' episode.

Kim:
I love Nikolas so much. You portray him so well. Are you anything like him? and if so, would you date a girl like Emily? Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions!

Tyler Christopher:
I think I'm most like him in the way I approach life passionately and respectfully. I care deeply about a great many important things in life... love. I don't value monetary things, such as cars.

ghstuff:
Were you surprised that they had Nikolas and Emily fall in love?

Tyler Christopher:
Surprised is not a word often used to describe anything on Daytime. I think they, being writers they are, just throw a couple together and see what kind of spark they have and if it works, they run with it. If they don't, they don't. In this case it just happened to work.

Ingothedingo:
I loved you in Catfish and Blackbean Soup. Was it harder being in a movie or harder on a soap?

Tyler Christopher:
I don't find one any more difficult than the other. They just require different levels of concentration. Honestly, I enjoy a part just for the process.

FanOfLiz:
Don't you think that there needs to be more of Nik and Lucky? I miss the older days when we got more stories between the two brothers. Would you like to see the writers try that with the newest Lucky?

Tyler Christopher:
Absolutely. I think Greg can more than handle the duty and the commitment that it takes to hold a story. I think he deserves one.

Chelsea
I love you so much on GH!!!! Do you ever criticize yourself after watching a scene that you've done?

Tyler Christopher:
All the time... every scene. I think an actor who doesn't watch his own material is doing his/herself a disservice. I think you can learn an incredible amount by critiquing yourself and watching yourself and the things that you do to bring a character to life. The camera doesn't lie and it picks up a lot of inconsistencies in a performance.

Tammy C. San Francisco:
I enjoy your work both on and off General Hospital. I was wondering if your independent projects are available on video or DVD. Thanks!

Tyler Christopher:
Yes, they are. You can see the "CATFISH" movie on DVD "OUT OF THE BLACK" is available on DVD, and pretty much every scene that I've ever done on TV or in a movie is loaded onto my website (www.tylerchristopher.com).

chrisi:
What's going on with your theatre group? Are you still doing plays?

Tyler Christopher:
I'm starting a play the last weekend in March called "THE BOYS NEXT DOOR" at my theatre called Theatre 68. See my website for more information.

Natasha:
Tyler, I love you on GH! I was wondering what your favorite storyline has been so far!

Tyler Christopher:
Emily's cancer storyline simply because I like stories that are true to life. I'm not a big action fan or whodunit kind of fan, I just like real stories that affect the audience members or change their lives or at least make them think for a bit.

DreLA:
How long have you been acting? Do you feel that it is the profession you were MEANT to be in? If you do something else, what would it be? (I know that's 3 questions...LOL)

Tyler Christopher:
I've been acting almost 10 years. Considering it's the only professional skill I have, I think it's what I was meant to be doing for my whole life. If I weren't an actor I think I'd be a professional athlete (football).

Nicole:
What type of storyline would you lke to see for your character, and do you have any input in the writing? BTW, It's great to have you back. :)

Tyler Christopher:
I don't have one specific storyline that I feel I HAVE to play. I've always said I just like to tell real stories that touch people's heart and change their lives. I like to make them feel better about themselves. Whatever falls under that criteria are the kind of stories I like to play. The stories that are written happen so quickly that if I did have input into the writing, it's too late to change it.

Shelly:
What's been the biggest adjustment you have made since coming back to GH?

Tyler Christopher:
I don't feel I've really had to adjust anything. I find it much easier this time around to approach the work. Having gone off the show and done film and prime-time TV, in which the pace is incredibly slow and tedious at times, I enjoyed coming back to the schedule of Daytime which allows you to still have some kind of life.

Rebecca:
Is there a trait in your personality that you make sure that Nikolas has, as well as one trait that Nikolas has that you make sure you've adopted as well?

Tyler Christopher:
I think I always try to give Nikolas my sense of humor even when a situation doesn't seem good.

Tyler Christopher:
Thank you so much for taking time out of your Friday to talk with me. If any of you can make it out to the play in March, April, or a portion of May, it will be thoroughly entertaining. It's a really great show.