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Gina Tognoni opens up about Soap Con Live virtual fan event (Includes interview)

Gina Tognoni
Gina Tognoni. Photo Credit: Bjoern Kommerell
Gina Tognoni. Photo Credit: Bjoern Kommerell

She is known for her stellar acting work in such daytime dramas as Guiding Light, One Life to Live, and The Young and The Restless. She is a three-time Daytime Emmy winner.

Soap Con Live

The inaugural Soap Con Live fan event was co-created by Susan Eisenberg and Lacretia Lyon; moreover, it is will stream via The Locher Room’s YouTube channel.

Tognoni will be a part of Soap Con Live’s “One Life to Live Panel: The Cramer Women” along with fellow actresses Kassie DePaiva, Kristen Alderson, and Laura Bonarrigo, which will take place remotely on May 1. “I think Soap Con Live is cool,” she admitted. “It’s my first virtual event that I’ve ever done in the soap world.”

“This is a way for people to talk about their favorite show, and speak to actors that they recognize over the years,” she said. “I will be with Kassie DePaiva, Kristen Alderson, and Laura Bonarrigo in the Cramer Women panel. Those women are good all around, and they are the real deal. One Life to Live was such a favorite among fans, and it was my first show.”

“I hope people come out and give Soap Con Live a try. I think it’s actually brilliant,” she said. “You don’t need to go to a meeting spot or a hotel, you can do this virtual convention right in the comfort of your own living room.”

‘Venice: The Series’

She shared that she enjoyed being a part of Venice: The Series, where she played Sami Nelson, which was co-created by Crystal Chappell and Kim Turrisi. “That is a great show and a great idea. It was a fun experiment,” she said. “Kudos to Crystal Chappell, that was really her love and she put so much into that. What she did with it was remarkable.”

“I just love the resurgence of soap operas when people went into quarantine,” she added. “I will forever be a cheerleader for daytime drama. It is very dear to my heart.”

Key to longevity in entertainment

On the key to longevity in acting and entertainment, she said, “It’s a fine balance of admitting that you need to always hone on your craft, and you need to stay active, even if that means jumping into a class or workshop. Don’t rely on your past successes, and I think it’s important to learn other styles and learn other aspects of your instrument and keep your instrument open.”

“Longevity has everything to do with falling in love with your purpose again, and what it is that you are here to do,” she added. For Tognoni, her faith is of utmost importance to her, and learning more about what God has to say to me in this life. “I try to stay open and get in touch with the present moment. When I watch great acting, it’s that present moment awareness where you can’t even tell they are acting. They are within the script but they have made it alive.”

She continued, “I loved every place I’ve ever worked. I want to give a special shout-out to my One Life to Live stage manager Alan Needleman. The crew and camera people are beautiful technicians that know their craft,” she said about the people that work behind-the-scenes in daytime dramas.

“Get used to the changes. Stay open with the changes and make sure that you are having fun with it,” she added about the key to longevity.

Life during the quarantine

During the quarantine, Tognoni revealed that she honed her cooking skills. “I became more of a cook and I became much more adventurous,” she said. “I am making my own plant-based recipes that I really like, and that my husband likes. I am also working on my golf games.”

On the silver lining during the pandemic, she said, “We have become more in touch with the things that money can’t buy, that effort can’t receive, which is our health. We cherish our health, and we can’t always control it. We do our best to take care of ourselves but at the end of the day, God has the final say. We have to find another level of peace and we have to find it within. Going forward, we do have to find our power and we do have to find our love and we have to make that commitment to not be driven by fear.”

“As an actor and a creative person, you have to stay open to your source energy. You have to stay open to that higher energy so it can work through you. When you have that fear, it is harder to flow,” she added.

Regarding the title of the current chapter of her life, Tognoni said, “Tuning in to Faith.”

Legacy

When asked what she would like her legacy to someday be, she said, “I hope that my children and my family never ever give up in their journey in this life. Look for God, and know that he has never left you. You will find what you came here to go, stay grateful in the process and remember that you are never alone. Your faith is there and it goes so deep.”

Success

Tognoni defined the word success as “being honest with yourself and believing that you are enough.” “Believe that you are worthy, and you are enough to shine in this life,” she said. “Success is peace of mind, knowing that you gave it your best and no regrets.”

To learn more about Gina Tognoni, check out her IMDb page, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Emmy award-winning actress Gina Tognoni

Emmy award-winning actress Gina Tognoni
Bjoern Kommerell
Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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