Grant Aleksander on How So Long Springfield Reminds Him of the 80's
from Daytime ConfidentialHe returned to Guiding Light during it's final season with the Herculean task of helping to try to keep the soap that made him a star alive. Unfortunately, not even the dashing, good looks and tremendous talent of Grant Aleksander could keep the light burning in the end, not that the actor has any regrets about reprising his signature role of Springfield's (and Alan's) favorite son, Phillip Spaulding.
At the recent So Long Springfield event in Pittsburgh, Aleksander spoke with Daytime Confidential about how grateful he was to come back for the
show's final months, and filled us in on what he's doing next, and no it doesn't involve any fishy business ventures with Michael O'Leary!
Daytime Confidential: What have you been up to since Guiding Light ended?
Grant Alexsander: Um, Michael O'Leary and I opened that tropical fish store.
DC: Wait, Seriously?
GA: No, not seriously. [Laughs]. God, what am I doing. No, but seriously I've been actually catching up on a lot of things there were
put aside when we were all crazy with the last months of Guiding Light. I'm back in school finishing my degree that I've been working on for
the last couple of years.
DC: What's your major?
GA: I am a theater major. I dropped out of school to take the job at Guiding Light. I figured I'd pick it back up in a couple of years,
but it ended up being 30 years. So, I'm having fun with that.
DC: Are you auditioning for anything?
GA: Yes, there's a few things. There's a play that I may do. There's a directing opportunity I may do. I'm currently working
on a screenplay. Nothing of any great magnitude, but it's just a lot fun. I'm just enjoying it right now and I'm grateful to have the time. I'm
missing all these great people. I'm very happy to be back together with them once again.
DC: Would you ever do another soap? I know you were Alec McIntyre on All My Children at one time. Would you go back there?
GA: You know, I would absolutely do another soap. I don't think I would be asked to do a major role and I wouldn't really want to do a major role. If somebody asked me, it would probably be for 6 weeks or 3 months or something and that would be perfect. I'm open to anything like that. I've been very fortunate to have done this for a long time and I'm at a place in my life where I can just enjoy it. I've been so much more fortunate than almost anyone I know. I'm just spending time with my wife and kids and life is great right now. I'm just grateful.
DC: Are you going to stay in New York?
GA: Yes. I would go out to Los Angeles for maybe a couple of months if a job was there for me but I wouldn't live there. We, my family and I , lived out there for a couple of years and it just wasn't my scene. I've got a lot of great friends out there and I'd love to visit, but it's just not for me.
DC: What are your thoughts on So Long Springfield and the droves of fans that have come to say goodbye to the show.
GA: It's great. You know being here is just like the 80's with the fans. Pittsburgh has always been one of our main supporters and they didn't disappoint today. It's just like the 80s.
