It's always a blast to talk to AS THE WORLD TURNS' Trent Dawson (Henry), so Weekly fired off a few random questions — and got some even more random answers.
Soap Opera Weekly: Were you just singing your own hold music on the phone?
Trent Dawson: I was singing "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash. I have no idea why. I'm not a huge Johnny Cash fan. I respect the man, but it came out of nowhere.
Weekly: I haven't seen you in person since the Tammy Rubin Rice charity softball game in June. Are you recovered?
Dawson: I've gotta tell you, I got pretty into it on that AstroTurf, plus I had some new shoes. I was really flying. I hadn't sprinted like that in a long time. I work out a lot, but I don’t sprint. My legs were killing me! Of course, just swinging the bat is using different muscles. I was pretty tender. I'm not 22. The kids were fine. I was like, "Oh, man. Give me a beer!"
Weekly: Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Dawson: I have two incredible cats, Samantha and Kaia. They are absolute sluts and daddy's girls. I spoil them and they love me. They follow me around everywhere. I am the luckiest pet owner in the world. They're like dogs in cats' bodies. They guard the house. I love my cats. They do a lot of sleeping, but they sleep with me. I spoon with my cats. When I leave and I don't have them with me at a hotel or something, it’s hard for me to sleep. I'm used to their weight on the bed. When the alarm goes off Kaia comes up to me and starts kissing me.
Weekly: Who is your favorite person to work with?
Dawson: I'd have to say Terri (Colombino, Katie) because she’s been my partner in crime since the get-go. I was watching one of the things I submitted for my Emmy reel and there was so much going on above and beyond the script between us because we just work so well together. We know each other really well. It’s like having a six-and-a-half year rehearsal and then taping it every now and then. Unfortunately, we haven't had the chance to work together lately. I love working with Kelley (Menighan Hensley, Emily). She's pretty amazing as a performer. Her energy is just unbelievable. I don't know how to describe it, but it's an extraordinary combination of personalities; I think it works really well. I'd say those two are my favorite. There are plenty of people I'd like to work with that I haven't really worked with in any sort of depth — like Scott Holmes (Tom). I'd love to work with him.
Weekly: Do any of the guys on ATWT envy you because drag-prone Henry has so many clothes?
Dawson: I didn't think of it that way. I don't know if 'envy' would be the word. But I guess I do have twice the wardrobe!
Weekly: Does it bug you that people are always wondering about Henry's sexuality?
Dawson: They've been wondering about that ever since I got on the show. I actually asked after a couple of months. [ATWT] had me saying something like, "Well, I brought my gay friends." So I asked, "Is Henry gay?" The producer said, "No, no, play up the sexual tension between Henry and Katie." After that, I tried to keep it as ambiguous as possible. It kept the audience guessing. At the time he was really ambitious and aggressively pursued money and power, and I said, "He'll do anything it takes to get that." That was fun, but once they launched the Henry/Katie relationship they basically affirmed his heterosexuality. I can't really play that card anymore, but it was fun to play then.
Weekly: But the show does keep the drag gag going.
Dawson: Some of the ways I've played him can send certain signals. When they have me quoting The Wizard of Oz so often I think that sends some signals, but the thing with drag is, if you're comfortable with your own skin and sexuality, then putting on women's clothes isn't going to change that. I think Henry's pretty comfortable in his heterosexuality!
