EM: As a closing note I wanted to share something with you. This is a comment taken from The Big Purple Dreams forum. A member by the name of Amanda posted this to the site and she gave me her blessing to not only share it with you but also to add it to this interview. She writes:
“I have had a real problem identifying (or even admitting to myself) my own orientation. The telling of this story has been particularly poignant for me, as it has made me look honestly at choices I have made in the past and question why I made them. I’m afraid I fell under the pressure to conform and ended up following a path that my family wanted for me rather than admit how I really felt.
I think on some level I have known that I’m primarily attracted to women for as long as I can remember but now being 42 I feel so stupid even admitting that I have lied to myself and everyone who knows me for so many years.
For me Otalia has been cathartic, not only because it is a wonderful love story, but also because I can identify with the emotions of the more mature couple.
Hey, and I’ve just told 1000 other forum members, so let’s call that step 1 on the road to self-realization.”
–Amanda
JL: WOW! That’s a lot to say. That’s exactly what we’re talking about. And that doesn’t mean that this person watches Otalia, watches the show, watches the storyline in particular “That happened to me, this is exactly what happened to me!” but that’s kind of the point. Her experiences could be so different from what Natalia and Olivia are going through. It’s the general feeling of there’s nothing wrong with this…at all! This is kind of a validation for people who have gone through this and like Natalia and Olivia have had to struggle. The struggle is very real for people and I’m so glad. It makes me very, very happy and I’m very, very proud that there is some release for people that are watching and maybe can you know take a step further in making themselves happy. I’m thrilled and I feel for Amanda and I’m so glad that she’s more open with herself and I’m so glad that she enjoys the show and I hope that we do it justice for her!
Interview by: Tiffany N. D’Emidio
To catch up on the latest Guiding Light episodes visit CBS.com. If you’d like some detailed scoop on the Otalia storyline head over to YouTube to check out Otaliafan.
Thank you for such a wonderful interview. It’s such a pleasure to see an actress so excited and engaged with her work. Ms. Leccia is a great addition to the cast of Guiding Light. Her portrayal of Natalia is just amazing- multi-faceted, interesting, powerful, and relatable. I am excited to see where this love story takes not only Olivia and Natalia as a couple, but Natalia individually on her journey. I have full confidence in Ms. Leccia to continue to bring her A-game. Bravo, Ms. Leccia, bravo!
what an inspired interview. thank you so much to eclipse magazine for giving us all the opportunity to get to know jessica leccia a little better. natalia has often felt like an enigma to me. it seems she does so much processing internally while olivia has always been the extroverted vocal one. but jessica has taken a character that once seemed wishy-washy and undefined and has turned her into a powerhouse who has risen to the challenge of acting as the anchor to the blustery olivia.
a lesser actress would not be able to stand in the wake of such a brilliant scene chewer like crystal chapell, but jessica makes it look effortless. i’m surprised their molten hot chemistry hasn’t melted my tv and computer recently. personally, i cannot wait until this time next year when we are all talking about her well-deserved emmy nomination for her amazing work in this storyline. i feel very privileged to have found this show and this story with these actresses. it truly is the best love story i have ever seen developed on television. period.
kudos, jessica! and thank you again eclipse magazine (and OtaliaDCfan for bringing all our Big Purple Dreams fan forum love along) for covering this poignant and timely story. we need more characters like natalia on tv– and brilliant actresses like jess to play them.
This was a brilliant interview, well thought out and delivered. Jessica has grown as an actor over the past year and her chemistry with Crystal is simply mind-blowing. There’s a dynamic there that is very rarely found and Jessica and Crystal nail it every time, whether it’s a dramatic, angst-filled moment, or a tender family moment with Emma and Olivia.
I’ve been an out lesbian for many years, but I so much identify with both characters and the storyline. I’ve been there at times. Falling in love with someone unexpected and not knowing where it’s going to go or if they feel the same is a journey, which Natalia and Olivia are going through, and it’s label-less. I so much enjoy that nature of the story, that it hasn’t been labelled. It draws people in, no matter what their preferences. And because it’s taken place over the course of the year, it’s showed the audience that it is a love story, told with a family. Unconventional, but a family all the same.
So a great cheer out to Jessica Leccia and Crystal Chappell, the writers and producers for having the courage and determination to tell this story the way they have.
Great interview, Tiffany! Loved getting some insight about this wonderful storyline. It brought me back to watching GL, too – hadn’t paid a lick of attention since Roger Thorpe died.
Jessica’s performance is nuanced and controlled; her character is walking a tightrope right now, and she’s splendidly conveying Natalia’s internal conflicts and desires, and the struggle to keep them balanced. She and Crystal are really must-see tv, and I’m telling all my friends to give GL another chance. The shaky camera is under control now! Mostly… 😉
What a wonderful interview. Thank you for the coverage. Wow. Jessica has been a revelation. To hold your own in a scene with a pro like Crystal Chappell can’t be easy, but Jessica has been up to the task. These two marvelous actresses are delivering stunning performances day after day. This storyline isn’t resonating because of some flashy buzz about a lesbian storyline. It resonates because of the quality of the storytelling by the writers, directors, actors and all the creative folks over at Guiding Light. The time they have taken to tell this story has been utilized perfectly and it’s unique. When was the last time anyone saw a couple so carefully and consciously built? That’s the way it used to be and Guiding Light is bringing it back.
Congratulations to Jessica, Crystal and Guiding Light on the great work they’ve done so far. And thank you to CBS for continuing to have faith in this grand old show.
Thank you so much for this interview. Jessica comes across as so down to earth and really aware of what her character means to her fans. I think Jessica and Crystal are truly creating a magic on GL that will be remembered and talked about for a very long time and I really hope that they continue to do so for a very long time from now.
Thank you Eclipse Magazine, for giving us an opportunity
to find out more about Jessica Leccia. I have to say I had never watched Guiding Light until about a month ago (and previously haven’t had a lot of patience for most soaps for all the wacky plot devices that are usually overused and abused), but I’ve been incredibly drawn into her storyline and now watch every day.
Jessica does a simply amazing job of portraying a woman that has so much going on beneath the service. There is so much attention to detail in her protrayal that you forget you’re watching an actor. Her performance is so incredibly layered and nuanced, and sometimes I find myself laughing at just an eye or hand moment. If you read body language, she’s performing not just with her words but really inhabits the moment/character. She deserves to get major props for her work, and I hope that she does. Bravo Jessica and I hope we can continue to see more of this brilliant actress!
Thanks for the interview with Jessica; I loved how open she is and has the candor to admit that the show is purposefully targeting every kind of person out there. Props to you for the exposure and props to her and Crystal and the writers at GL for making it happen!
buggy
Wow that's a beautiful interview. I especially liked the part that they were telling the story to be inclusive, to be recognisable and to be entertaining. I say they score on each one of them.
Great interview. Thank you so much!
Awfully late to say thanks for this interview! Jessica seems so nice and real, just like the storyline she' playing. It's a perfect fit – the writing, the acting, the chemistry between the actresses, the music choices…
The Otalia storyline is just amazingly refreshing! It's so addicting…and I'am so glad to witness this perfect package unfold.
Jessica Leccia's portrait of Natalia is captivating, you can just feel everything Natalia feels without her saying it… it's remarkable.
To stop my ramble, thanks again for the interview it was a joy to read!
Introduzca el texto aquí!Gracias por la entrevista, ha sido muy interesante saber las opiniones de Jessicca Leccia sobre esta hermosa historia y sobre su personaje. Al igual que dice que le hubiera gustado ahondar en el pasado de su personaje, a mí me gustaría que en una próxima entrevista hablara un poco sobre su preparacion y sus comienzos, así como de sus raices latinas. Gracias otra vez.