Christina Chambers (Marty, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) made the conscious decision not to watch any of Susan Haskell's (ex-Marty) tapes. "She's a fabulous person to follow," Chambers says about her Emmy-winning predecessor, adding that "there's just no way I could compare at all with Susan."

That decision made, Chambers landed in the middle of the volatile Todd/Spencer/Blair story on Nov. 17.

Marty, as viewers learned, had been living in California with Patrick Thornhart and their son, Cole. When Patrick died, a grief-stricken Marty decided to head back to Llanview, where she still had some family and friends. (Viewers might be hard-pressed to name these friends and family, but hey....)

So has marriage, motherhood and, sadly, widowhood changed Marty? Chambers believes so. "I've heard that she was a brat and a party animal and not very compassionate to other people's plights, and that she was just a spoiled rich girl. I think that with age and having a son with anybody, you have to really look beyond yourself. I'm hoping to show that about her."

During that time away, Marty became a psychologist. "Anybody who's been a victim," Chambers begins, "you have to understand how you're going to be able to live with that and move on. I think that's why she turned to psychology. So in that sense she has [matured], and I think maybe she's more accepting."

Part of the process of merging into Llanview has meant sitting down with some of the actors and actresses whose characters were involved with Marty.

"Marty did have some fabulous relationships with Nora and Jessica in her past. I want to make sure there's [still] something [substantial] to those relationships that Susan established with these women. [So I] sat down and talked with Hillary (Smith, Nora) just so we know each other as women as well as the characters we're playing, to bring a little bit more depth to it. [I wanted] to make sure I get all the nuances that Susan brought to the relationships that the original Marty had [with] Todd, especially. It's just making sure that I don't lose sight of everything that happened to her before I got here."