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Review: Soap actors deliver a pleasant afternoon in Tarrytown, New York (Includes first-hand account)

They participated in a question and answer session for an intimate group of fans. The actors opened up about some of their favorite scenes and the moments in their careers that helped define them in their profession.

Greg Rikaart

Greg Rikaart stated that in his acting career, he has had highs and lows. “The wins feel like wins and you take those as such,” he said. “The failures are the things that ground you,” Rikaart added.

Emmy award-winning actor Greg Rikaart

Emmy award-winning actor Greg Rikaart
Riker Brothers

Freddie Smith

“We film so much that we can’t keep up with other people’s storylines,” Freddie Smith said. “We are always pumping out work. Every now and then, there will be scenes where you will be stopped in the hall that your cast-mates will praise you for doing incredible work. That happens maybe once or twice a year, and when that happens, you realize that you did something out of the ordinary that even your colleagues that are used to it are impressed. Those are the moments that defined me.”

“Growing up, in my 20’s, was a transformational time in my life,” he said. “How I viewed the world then and how I view it now is totally different. Your perception of the world is different.”

Emmy winner Freddie Smith plays Sonny Kiriakis on  Days of Our Lives

Emmy winner Freddie Smith plays Sonny Kiriakis on ‘Days of Our Lives’
Chris Haston, NBC

Eric Martsolf

Eric Martsolf concurred with Freddie Smith that when a fellow actor compliments you for your work it’s a “huge deal.” “It is really nice when it comes from your peers.”

“You need to appreciate what you have while it’s there,” Martsolf added.

Martsolf shared that when he got the call for Days of Our Lives back in the day, he had his twin boys in a stroller. He brought his boys with him to the casting office. “You see your career through the growth of your children,” he said.

“As your boys grow, you assimilate that with your life,” he said.

Emmy award-winning actor Eric Martsolf of  Days of Our Lives  on NBC

Emmy award-winning actor Eric Martsolf of ‘Days of Our Lives’ on NBC
Chris Haston, NBC

Gilles Marini

For Gilles Marini, a special moment was when he was at the Sex and the City premiere and he was waiting in line to see his own movie and then he realized that the red carpet was in a different location. “That’s how much I knew about the red carpet,” he recalled, prior to adding that his date for that evening was multi-platinum-star Fergie (who was in The Black Eyed Peas at the time).

When asked to look back over the last decade, Marini acknowledged that he sees his two kids, Georges and Juliana, growing up. “I was on Dancing with the Stars, and it was a journey for them as well,” Marini said.

Gilles Marini

Gilles Marini
Alan Mercer

“The Star Struck fan event in Tarrytown was more like a gathering of a soap family than actors and fans,” said Joanie Nowak, a longtime fan of the show.

“This fan event in Tarrrytown afforded me the privilege to get to know these actors as people outside of my TV set,” said Trisha Lund.

The Verdict

Overall, “Summer Fever” was an organized, engaging and pleasant fan event, where the fans and all four actors alike thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Star Struck deserves a round of applause for a job well done.

To learn more about the upcoming Star Struck fan events, check out their official website.

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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