Eric Stuart:
Hi
NBCHost:
When did you both realize that you wanted to be actors?
Amy K. - West Milford
Tom Eplin:
The profession just picked me.
Eric Stuart:
I decided in high school after I chose acting as a blow off class, and
than I realized I actually liked it.
NBCHost:
Reivel
Lake Charles, Louisiana
I want to know if Tom and Eric get along as well as Jake and Chris and will
we see either of them in a new relationship soon?
Tom Eplin:
I have been on the show for 11 years and I have never got along with
someone immediately as I have with Eric. I appreciate his talent and look
forward to them exploring the friendship as much as possible.
Eric Stuart:
I think that Tom has been a tremendous help as far as understanding
this business for someone who is relatively new for soap operas.
Eric Stuart:
I think that our relationship in real life compliments what we do
as Jake and Chris. We feel if we are having a good time then the audience
will have a good time watching us.
NBCHost:
Do you enjoy playing your role?Is it hard to remember your lines knowing so
many people will be watching?
steve1p@aol.com for kelli p.s she thinks your so cute.
Eric Stuart:
Yes I do enjoy playing the role. I don’t think about how many people
are watching when I am trying to memorize the lines, or I'd go insane...
Tom Eplin:
I can't imagine playing another role other than Jake, and when we tape
the show there are not millions of people watching…so we are allowed to
make mistakes which allows us to be less nervous.
NBCHost:
This question is for Tom Eplin. I think you are the hottest male on AW. Do
you think you and Paulina will get back together? I hope so I loved you too
as a couple. I know she's married but it's a soap anything can happen
right? from: April Queens, New York
Tom Eplin:
Thanks April! Soooooooooooooooooooooo, you live in New York :-) What is
your sign??? I enjoy working with Judy a great deal. I don’t think they have
immediate plans as a couple and thank you for the comment but lets keep
our fingers crossed!
NBCHost:
Eric - Did you ever want to be a reporter... you seem to really know
how to get the story?
Joe - Manalapan
Eric Stuart:
No, I never wanted to be a reporter but I did want to be either a
newscaster or a disc jockey.…and I went to school originally for
communications.
NBCHost:
Tom - Did you have trouble with the story line with Ryan? How did you
handle having to pretend that he was not there?
Dana - Bloomington, IN
Tom Eplin:
Actually, Ryan was the one dying, not me and I wouldn't say trouble but Paul Michael Valley has a tendency to try to make castmates laugh....
NBCHost:
Hello Tom and Eric! I enjoy both of your character's. Tom I'm interested in
knowing if you have license to expand on the dialouge that is written for
you. Jake has some of the greatest line's in the show and I wonder if you
have any input in those line's. Eric can you tell us in what direction they
will be taking your character. Would you like Chris to have a love interest
and if so with whom. (Carol, Michigan)
Tom Eplin:
I speak for both of us when I say that we are actors first, not
writers and we like to stick to the script as much as possible.
Occasionally, we will try to interject some of our brand of humor and that
allows our writers to get to know us better.
Eric Stuart:
I would like to see Chris involved with more conflict of any kind. Something that entails him having to fight between his job and possibly his relationship with someone else. Down the road they get to know our humor and we get to know their writing and it works great for everyone. And unfortunately or fortunately
depending on how you look at it most of those funny lines come from our writers.
Eric Stuart:
And as far as my love interest there has been one cast and things
should start to pick up with us hopefully within the next few months, her
name is Toni. And she is a police officer.
NBCHost:
Eric. If you could have any love interest on the show who would it be with
and why?
Eric Stuart:
Sophia. Just because it would never happen and because Rachel is
taken :-) I just think a Sophia and Chris story line would make for
interesting chemistry.
NBCHost:
Tom and Eric.. what do you guys like to do for free time when you are not
working? Bonnie from Livingston
Tom Eplin:
Hi Bonnie!
Tom Eplin:
Sail. Fly my own airplane. I live at the beach so I like to walk my
dog. And I started to read The Partner the other day.
Eric Stuart:
Hello Bonnie!!!
Eric Stuart:
I love to go to the movies, I like to read comic books and listen to
Tom telling me about sailing, flying his dog, and walking his airplane.
Tom Eplin:
I happen to know another one of Eric’s hobbies...it is to coming to my
dressing room, brush my dog out and leave my dogs hair on the floor.
NBCHost:
Teri-Denver Tom, do you still conducted seminars? If so when is your next
one?
Tom Eplin:
Yes, and it will be advertised soon.
NBCHost:
Eric, Congrats on the recent marriage!! How's it goin'? Shirley in Texas
Eric Stuart:
I am extremely happy and I look forward to spending the rest of my
life with my wife.
NBCHost:
Tom.. Do you enjoy working with Jenson Buchanan? You two have great
chemistry and I hope you get together :)
Tom Eplin:
I think working with Jensen Buchanan is the best gift I have been
given as a actor. They say in an actor’s lifetime you get one great partner,
and I have as Tom Skerit said "I have been truly blessed."
NBCHost:
What is the funniest thing that happned on the set? Who's the biggest
prankster? Kellie in Orange, CA
NBCHost:
(They are thinking....)
Tom Eplin:
Eric is the one who will come up with the most unexpected lines.
Eric Stuart:
Tom will do some form of physical or sight gag that makes both of us
break up.
NBCHost:
Do you ad-lib? Also, did both of you submit
your names for Emmy consideration, since the nominations are
announced next week?
Tom Eplin:
Neither one of us have nominated ourselves for an Emmy, nor will we
for this season even though the test of the daytime community should wake
up and smell the coffee and realize that we are "AW's" super couple of the
future!!!!!!!!!!
Eric Stuart:
Damn Skippy!!!!!!!!!
Tom Eplin:
But seriously, thank you for the compliment and we do have a great
time together.
Eric Stuart:
As far as the ad-libs, during rehearsal Tom and I may say things
just for fun that we don’t expect to get on the air and occasionally if its
liked by the directors and producers, they will let us keep it.
NBCHost:
Amanda from Virginia--How do the two of you think Michael Malone's arrival
will effect the stories on the show? Can we
look forward to good things?
Tom Eplin:
Everyone at "AW" is very excited about the arrival of Michael. His
history in daytime speaks for itself and not only can we expect good
things but Eric and I promise you that we are going to knock you on your
a...
NBCHost:
Will both of you be attending the AW Fan Club Luncheon in
April???
Andrea C. -- North Carolina
Eric Stuart:
One of us will for sure. Tom's going to do his best.
NBCHost:
Hi guys, big fan of the soap since the beginning. I wanted to say first,
congratulations to Tom for his award! My question is will Jake and Amanda
become an item and do they have a love interest in mind for Chris? Happy
Easter!
Tracey from Revere, M
Tom Eplin:
Oh, thank you!
Tom Eplin:
Decisions, decisions. Amanda - Vicky - Vicky - Amanda. I just hope it works
out so that it makes an interesting and compelling story and catapults us
past every Bill Bell show!
Eric Stuart:
Yes they have and its about
!@@##%$$%^$%^&$%&^*^**#%^*&(((%*($&(*$^&%^@$% time!!!!!!!!
NBCHost:
I like Chris's integrity. He always does the "smart" thing. I think
a relationship with Toni would be great. (is that Diana Ross's
daughter?) I think Jake is better as Vicky's best friend. A totally
new love interest would be better for Jake.
Eric Stuart:
Thank you also and to your other question - YES!
Eric Stuart:
No, not since the accident!
NBCHost:
Was there a Final Four Basketball Pool at "AW"? Who are your picks to go
all the way? (Regina L. "Go Tar Heels")
Eric Stuart:
NO pool! No picks... no idea
Tom Eplin:
Do the Raiders play?????
NBCHost:
Hi Tom & Eric! Thanks for bringing some comedy back to
AW. Who do you admire most in the acting profession?
T.Foster Université Sainte-Anne, NS, CANADA
Tom Eplin:
Eric
Eric Stuart:
Tom
Eric Stuart:
Seriously, I think after a conversation I had today with Tom, he has
a great deal of respect for Harrison Ford after last nights interview with
Barbara Walters.
NBCHost:
FYI, there is a loyal group of AW fans who chat in the Bay City
room on AOL. Please join us anytime. Lisa in Iowa
Eric Stuart:
Thanks, I did not know.... I will try and check in some time as soon
as I get a modem.
NBCHost:
Tom, you said you were an animal lover, If you had to choose a favorite
farm animal...what would it be? Eric you can answer this too. (Ed the
Farmer from KS)
Tom Eplin:
I love all kinds of animal including Eric and especially my dog.
Eric Stuart:
Elephant!!
NBCHost:
Do you get along well with Robert Kelker Kelly? Thanks for the fab shows!!
:-) Tim@aol.com
Tom Eplin:
You are welcome for the fab shows. I get along great with Robert. I
have as much respect for Robert as any actor I worked with and my mom
thinks he is the sexiest man on daytime (which kind of hurts if you know
what that means) He is a great, great asset to our show!
NBCHost:
Tom and Eric: Please say Hi to my mother Sheila, she has
parkinson's disease and is not able to type in for herself! She loves you
both! Whitney in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Tom Eplin:
Hello, Sheila.
Tom Eplin:
We will try to sneak something in about Oak Ridge and you will know
what we mean!
Eric Stuart:
Sheila, we thank you so much for watching and we will continue to
think of you and pray for you!
NBCHost:
Barb, from New Jersey, How many fans send letters to you
complete with "intimate" photos of themselves?
Tom Eplin:
NOT ENOUGH!!
Eric Stuart:
I usually get farm animals!
Tom Eplin:
Which translates to not enough!
NBCHost:
Amber Landry - Miami
Tom- I am a senior studying theatre at The University of Miami.
I have always been interested in acting for daytime soaps. How
does one get started on that track, and how did you get
started?
Tom Eplin:
My advice to anyone trying to get into this business (who is serious
about the business) to get as much training as possible. Move to one of the
major cities where soaps are done, ie., NY, LA. Do as much community
theater as possible! And talk to the man every Sunday it never hurts!
NBCHost:
What do you think of this idea for a primetime sitcom: "Eplin"? A show set
in NY about nothing. Also starring Eric Stuart as "Cosmo." (Tracy A in AK)
Tom Eplin:
LOVE THAT. We are sitting with network executives right now asking
the same question.
NBCHost:
Speaking of animals...what do you think about this sheep cloning business?
Would you want a clone of yourself?
Eric Stuart:
I personally am scared of cloning across the board. I am afraid of
what it may lead to in the future and there is no way in hell I would ever
want to clone myself because I saw that movie MULTIPLICITY and if I came
home and found my clone in bed with my wife there would be clone parts
splattered all over the room!
Tom Eplin:
In closing thank you for the support of the show. I think I speak of
both of us when I say when day in and day out we try to provide you with as
much range and entertainment as we can muster. CBS is dry and boring. ABC
is glitsy and fake. May the force be with you and stay with the NATIONAL
BROADCASTING COMPANY. I want to go eat now :) DONT PRINT THAT!!! WHAT ARE YOU
DOING?
Eric Stuart:
cccccccccccc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ccccccccccccc! Good Night! :) We love
you!
Eric Stuart:
Keep writing.. keep watching and keep sending the pictures! Lots of
pictures!
Tom and Eric:
Thanks for the largest amount of questions...on an NBC chat. We
will be doing our next chat butt naked..
NBCHost:
THANK YOU for a great chat everyone. :-)