I just had the pleasure of interviewing film and TV icon Laurence Fishburne, in advance of the release of the new all-star Steven Soderbergh thriller CONTAGION. Co-starring alongside Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard and Bryan Cranston, Fishburne brings his usual gravitas to the role of Dr. Cheever of the Center for Disease Control. However, when I was reading his Biography in the press notes, I was struck by one of the very first credits he lists. Before APOCALYPSE NOW, BOYZ N THE HOOD, THE MATRIX trilogy, WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT or TV's CSI, there is a conspicuous listing of his years on the soap opera ONE LIFE TO LIVE (as "Josh Hall").
He was an adolescent at the time but already displaying enough talent to keep him in Llanview for three years (He'd made his theatrical debut in New York at the age of 10 in a production of "In My Many Names and Days." Sounds like it could be a soap, eh?!)
As I sat down to chat with him about CONTAGION, I told him how impressed I was that he still included OLTL in his Bio and how much respect I've always had for the genre. His eyes lit up and he was keen to compare notes and told me, "Hey...work is work!" A true hallmark of an actor who appreciates his career! He told me that Tommy Lee Jones and Tom Berenger had also spent some time on the show during that same period (as "Dr. Mark Toland" and "Tim Seigel," respectively). Who knew we also had a mutual affection for Irwin Allen disaster movies, him citing THE TOWERING INFERNO and THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE as his favorites. There is no doubt that exposure to the rigors and rewards of working in Daytime Television developed his impressive work ethic.
Due to time constraints, I didn't have the opportunity to delve further into his reflections on soaps but I can't help wonder if I didn't rekindle his curiosity about that wonderful world. Who knows, maybe the Oscar nominated, Emmy winning superstar might want to return for a final appearance before the series ends its long distinguished run on broadcast TV. Ya never know...
DAYTIME SOAP OPERAS
