INTRODUCING... BAILEY CHASE

SoapCityAlina: So, who is this Bailey Chase person that's about to become the new Chris Hughes?
Bailey Chase: Who am I? Maybe we'll come back to that one... I was born in Chicago, and then my older brother, my mom and I moved to Naples, Florida, when I was about five. I went to Duke on a football scholarship, majored in psychology. Acting was a boyhood dream. As a kid, I looked up to Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford. Those guys were cool, so I wanted to be like them, as I'm sure many other guys did. So many people like me move to Hollywood, realize what the reality of the situation is, and they go back home and get a real job.

SCA: So, how come that didn't happen to you?
BC: I was very fortunate. My first job was on Married... with Children. I was playing a lifeguard. And, yes, I was clad in a skimpy red Speedo. But I'm sure they hired me for my acting ability because, back then, I was such a serious actor. That show is in syndication everywhere, so everyone I know has seen Bailey's non-speaking role on Married... with Children in the Speedo. Hopefully, that will never turn up on (Late Night with David) Letterman or anything. And then from there I started to get some work in commercials. And I did Baywatch. I had to take my shirt off, but I got to make out with Yasmin Bleeth, which was nice.

SCA: And then daytime beckoned?
BC: I did a couple of days on Young and the Restless as a friend of Nick Newman's. And then they brought me back to try to break up Cole and his wife on the show. I didn't like daytime much. It wasn't as exciting as theater, where you have the interaction of the live audience or Baywatch, where we got to go on location.

SCA: So, would you consider Buffy the Vampire Slayer your big break?
BC: I came on Buffy in the beginning of season four. There were three guys who were the three main characters of the Initiative and I was one of those guys, the loyal sidekick. His name's Graham Miller and he was great. I later found out that he was based on one of the writer's real-life friends. Buffy has a great budget. I had a real assault rifle, and I was shooting blanks. Whenever I picked that thing up, I'd just get this big smile, and they'd have to tell me, "Bailey, you need to be a little more serious here. No smiles. You're killing demons."

SCA: So, if you weren't very happy at Y&R, what prompted you to take the ATWT part?
BC: Well, when you're just a day player, like I was on Y&R, it's a different deal. People are going to treat you differently. You're still kind of on the outside looking in. What happened was after I recurred on Buffy for a couple of seasons, I went over to Bulgaria. It was my first lead in a film, which is very exciting. But then right after that, we went into a recession, and there was no work, so I started looking toward New York. After everything that happened here at the end of 2001... I don't know, there was this connection. I met (ATWT Casting Director) Mary Clay Boland when she was out in L.A., and then I met (Executive Producer) Chris Goutman, and the next time a contract role came up, everything just clicked. In the end, it was an easy decision. And this isn't a day player, this is full-time. I'm just inundated with material. They just move with such a quicker pace. I've been working for three weeks and I'm dreaming about Chris Hughes!

SCA: You did your screen test with Jessica Dunphy (Alison). Did you know that Jessica is only 17, and so is Alison?
BC: Is she really 17? Oh, OK. But we're really not quite that far along in the storyline right now. We're still establishing Chris, so nothing might happen.

SCA: And a while ago, Chris was dating another high-school girl, Abigail.
BC: Abigail? I don't know who Abigail is. OK, maybe there's borderline pedophilia going on. I've been finding things out as I go along. Obviously, this is a character that has a bit of a track record, and a lot of different guys have been in my shoes. I know that he was kind of with Alison's mom, Emily. Somebody explained that to me, sort of. And Abigail and her mom, Molly? Well, maybe, he has a thing with the mother/daughter dynamic. Interesting triangle, Chris. I'm sure I'll have more dreams about that one.

SCA: After your experience with Buffy fans, are you ready to face soap fans?
BC: I must say that the fans from Buffy have been great. They're just respectful of my space. The majority of them are high school girls.

SCA: Again with you and the high-school girls!
BC: They're just really sweet and shy. Of course, I'll sign anything to them. And I did get asked to a couple of proms, some high school homecomings and things like that. But I don't know anything about the hardcore soap fans, as of yet. I mean, I've started to get letters. People have gone to my Web site (www.BaileyChase.com). I'm looking forward to meeting the fans. I really enjoy the interaction.

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