Digest: Had you done any TV work before?
Manera: No, I'm shooting an independent film called Goodbye Baby and I had a small role in The Girls' Guide To Hunting And Fishing, but I haven't done any television.

Digest: Do you know what brings Gillespie back?
Manera: I wish I did, but I haven't seen anything! I was sitting next to Alan-Michael in the courtroom before I left. Maybe he'll come back on behalf of the [Spaulding] family. Maybe they could find other jobs for him apart from trying to off people.

Digest: It would be nice to see him redeemed, somehow.
Manera: I hope so. It's kind of exciting to think that this character could have a lot more to him, apart from the dark side; that he could be like every other human being in the world. A lot could come out about this character. Does he have a family that he sends money to? Is he like a sailor, with a different girl in every port? He could be an amnesiac who works a regular job every day. I hope they find some sort of love interest. It would be nice to show a good with the bad.

Digest: He seems to really like Ava.
Manera: Yeah, I wouldn't mind if the writers pursued that [laughs]. That's fine with me!

Digest: We don't even know if Gillespie is his first name or last.
Manera: I wish I could say definitively. What do you think? Is it his first name or his last name?

Digest: Hard to say. First.
Manera: My visa lawyers' surnames are Gillespie. So it was kind of a cool little thing.

Digest: A little nod for all their help.
Manera [laughs]: Yeah, a hit man! But they were excited when they found out. It was a good coincidence.

Digest: So you would have no problem signing to do a soap for longer?
Manera: Please — I've had the time of my life on GUIDING LIGHT. I love the opportunities they've given me, especially being here in New York and getting to work with the guys I've gotten to work with. If it kept going, it's all good.