News Round-up: Muhney, March, Hutchison, Woodward

INTERVIEW: Y&R's Michael Muhney (Adam)
"There might be some more interactions between Adam and Rafe, but I can tell you that what I have read in comments of random people online and going to forums and whatnot, the interesting thing that kind of opened my eyes to the way that this was shot and what has aired, I've been very concerned and curious and interested what gay men are saying about this. When you leave something to the imagination, you give the viewer the opportunity to fill in the blank. However, in the future, those blanks are going to be filled in by what you see on screen."

Fiona Hutchison back to the LIGHT
Fiona Hutchison once again reprises her GUIDING LIGHT role as the ghostly Jenna, beginning on Wednesday, July 29.

INTERVIEW: Manhattanites and ATWT star Forbes March (Mason)
"Maybe because I have always been surrounded by very diverse people in my life, it did not cross my mind that much. I grew up in a diverse neighborhood, and it was a neighborhood that was not quite gentrified yet. To the left of me, I had a biker clubhouse. My dad was an academic. The next house was a cathouse, and the next house was a gay couple that had been together for 20 years, and I never saw them in any way being different. I never thought it was a big deal or had a major discussion about it; that it was a man and a man who lived together."

A brief history of gay characters in movies and TV
In the movies, Brokeback Mountain sparked exactly zero major studio attempts to tap that audience with something similar. What might be most instructive here is the soap opera AS THE WORLD TURNS which has broken out its first openly gay couple in Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah (Jake Silbermann).

Given that soap opera audiences tend to be older and often very traditional, this has been rightly hailed as a major breakthrough. At the same time, it took Luke and Noah – "Nuke," as they are sometimes known – months to even kiss and more months before they moved on to steamier stuff. Straight couples rarely show that level of discretion. It's progress that reflects two strong forces tugging at both the entertainment industry and the whole country.

Edward Woodward in hospital after fall
Veteran actor Edward Woodward has entered hospital after injuring himself falling down stairs. The 79-year-old Bafta winner fell at his West Country home several weeks ago, but only checked into hospital after realising that the pain was not subsiding. Woodward made a cameo in EASTENDERS earlier this year as Tommy Clifford.