Soap Opera Weekly: Where did you grow up?
Mandy Bruno: I'm from Arizona originally. I lived there for 13 years then my family moved to Portland.

Weekly: What was it like moving to New York?
Bruno: It's great now. I was petrified when I first moved here, so it's definitely been an adjustment period. But I like it now.

Weekly: Do you get to visit your family often now that you live across the country?
Bruno: Twice a year. I get to go back [during] Christmas and sometime over the summer. My sister's graduation is this year, so I'll go back for that. They come out here more than I go out there.

Weekly: Since you were so involved in theater in college, do you have lots of school friends coming to New York to crash on your couch?
Bruno: I do and I love it. A couple of my good friends have moved out here and they are trying to get into the business. We have such a supportive college group.

Weekly: Did working with Paul Anthony Stewart (Danny) in THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING give you an idea of what it would be like to work with him on GL?
Bruno: Absolutely. In the show, we played opposite each other, so it made it more fun to then have that relationship when I came here.

Weekly: Are you interested in staying in soaps or do you have other acting ambitions?
Bruno: I entered this whole thing knowing that I wanted to do theater. I'd never even taken a film or television class in my life. My experience here at GUIDING LIGHT has taught me that I am so open to everything now. I love working here and I love working daytime. It's an awesome job, but I would be open to other opportunities.