Kristian Alfonso (Hope Williams Brady, 1983-87; 1990; 1994-present)
Digest: What do you remember from the early years?
Alfonso: I spoke so fast. Besides being from Boston, I was so nervous I thought the faster I speak, the faster it gets over with. The thing is, they kept saying, "Kristian, we can't understand a word that you're saying. No one will know what you're saying and what the storyline is."
Digest: When did you realize that Hope was a big deal?

Alfonso: I think when we shot in New Orleans. I remember Peter, Frances Reid [Alice] and I were getting off the plane and I went, "Oh, my God, Peter, listen, they're playing Bo and Hope's theme song," which was "Tonight I Celebrate My Love." Like how ironic is that? I step off the gateway and there's a 10-piece band. My heart all of a sudden went into my throat. Peter grabbed me by the back of my shirt, and my feet never touched the ground. He threw me into the limo. I was so frightened. I never even saw the airport because it was so inundated with people. That's when I realized, "Oh, my gosh, I think I fooled America. They like the character and they like the storyline." It was so overwhelming and shocking and a good feeling. And the New Orleans people were so welcoming and so warm. And the food was great!
Digest: Are there any particular scenes that stand out as favorites?
Alfonso: After I returned [in 1994], there was one scene when Bo realized that it was, indeed, Hope. He finally believed her, and she finally found out who she was, who she always knew she was, but she couldn't prove and she still had some doubt. I also loved working with [the late] Macdonald Carey [ex-Tom]. Miss him.

Alison Sweeney (Sami Brady, 1993-present)
Digest: Do you have a story that you liked so much, you would want to do it over?
Sweeney: It's funny, because there are a lot of little moments that I've gotten to play as Sami — fight scenes or some of the crazy antics that she did — where I was hanging out of windows or hiking up the cliff in Italy or shooting gangsters in Italy, that are so funny to me in terms of how outlandish my character has been over the years, but there's always a new one on the horizon so I'm never looking back with Sami.
Digest: Is there a favorite storyline that you did?
Sweeney: I guess my standard answer's always been the execution. I really enjoyed that storyline, the buildup of it over the course of many years, falling in love with Franco, the whole buildup to the wedding, only proceeded by this obsession with Austin over the years, finally getting over him, then having Austin tell her that Franco's cheating on her. I mean the whole buildup to that whole story was so fabulous in terms of the way it was scripted and then the really heartfelt, emotional scenes between me and Deidre. It really was just so well done.

Digest: Is there someone on the show who you never worked with or who you didn't work with enough that you'd love to have a storyline with?
Sweeney: That's another funny thing about Sami. My character has really had the opportunity to work with so many different people; she really sort of butts into everybody's life, so I really have had the opportunity to work with a lot of different actors and I feel really lucky. Just right now, I would like to have more scenes with Kyle [Brandt, Philip]. He always makes me laugh and we don't get a chance to work together that often.
Digest: Does it surprise you that for all the things that Sami does and has done that she still is so popular?
Sweeney: Yes, it does surprise me, but at the same time, I really like Sami, so I understand people relating to her and sympathizing with her. She really generates a lot of debate, whether people love her or hate her. I feel like there are a lot of conversations that take place about her, and it always makes me laugh. She really does want to be happy and be normal. I think the funniest thing about Sami is that her life goal is to be normal, and to have this normal love and this normal family and she just can't seem to do that.
Digest: What would you say is the most fun part of your job?
Sweeney: Gosh, it's so hard to say because my job is so fun, period. Right now, it's so fun playing out these scenes with Ari [Zuker, Nicole], where we get to do the comedy. And Bryan [R. Dattilo, Lucas] makes me laugh every single day. I love my job.
Digest: And any hopes for Sami going forward?
Sweeney: I would love to play a story where Sami was being pursued by a man. She's always sort of at the wrong end of that stick, and it doesn't have to be a man she wants to be with. It would be hilarious if it was someone she has to scheme to try to get out of this guy's path. I think that would be funny.

Melissa Reeves (Jennifer Horton Deveraux, 1985-95; 2000-present)
Digest: Is there someone on the show you've never worked with who you always wanted to?
Reeves: No. I got to work with Macdonald Carey and Frances Reid. I get to work with Peter and Kristian, who I love. I really got to work with everybody a little bit here and there.
Digest: Is there a story you'd want to do over?
Reeves: I did love Jennifer and Frankie when they were young. He'd always do all these special things for her. I just loved the innocence of it and the writing was so good. You barely had to act at all; it was all on the page for you. I just remember that being so fun that it was so well-written. Then, of course, when Matt [Ashford, Jack] and I started working together, we'd have these great scenes with us bantering back and forth, which was so challenging. We really had to be rehearsed and on top of it. That was fun. I remember going, "This is great." It's kind of the old DAYS I miss. I'd love to have some of that back. We do what we can to incorporate that, but it's such a different style now, a different way that they've been going.

Digest: Did you see yourself as a comedic actress?
Reeves: I always say, it takes the people I feel you work with to challenge you to be good. I feel like Billy Warlock [Frankie], having had more of a career when I met him, wanted to be good and wanted our storyline to be good. I always felt challenged by him to want to work harder. Working with Matt, he was always like, "Do it, try it. It will be okay." I always say it takes two. They're both great. They're both funny and honest.
Digest: Favorite part about your job?
Reeves: Probably getting my makeup and hair done every morning, and then getting my wardrobe, and then getting to work with Matt and Billy. It doesn't get any better!