Soap Opera Digest: Which actress's career would you most like to emulate?
Eden Riegel: Helen Hayes. I met her when I was 9, and she gave me an amazing perspective that a career isn't one role, it isn't one performance, it is your entire body of work throughout your entire life. And that with every role you take and every step you make, you should challenge yourself and learn and grow. She's the one who really made me love theater and acting

Digest: What was it like the first time you had to sign an autograph?
Riegel: I was 7 years old. I was in Les Miserables and I was coming out of the stage door. These fans who had just seen the show, I think they wanted me to feel good, so they asked for an autograph. They were really waiting for the leads of the show. I was so excited, I took a half an hour to sign my name; I wanted it to be perfect. Meanwhile, all the leads of the show filed out the stage door behind me. The people who were waiting for their autographs totally missed it. I think that they weren't too pleased with me.

Digest: What's your idea of a dream date?
Riegel: I am a hopeless, hopeless romantic, and I love to be swept off my feet. A dream date would be something that I don't think I can imagine right now. It would have to be something so spontaneous and unimaginable that it took me by surprise.

Digest: What's your most valued possession?
Riegel: It sounds kind of stupid, but it's the journals I kept when I was little and my scrapbook and photos.

Digest: What would you like to be doing five years from now?
Riegel: I would love to be acting [and] to have finished my education

This article originally appeared in the July 17, 2001 issue of Soap Opera Digest.