Julie Pinson

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Julie Pinson (Janet, ATWT)

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The 411

Fremont, CA native Julie Pinson became interested in entertaining when she was very young. She and her family would frequently watch her mother Elissa, an opera singer, perform and Pinson was intrigued by the whole process, from the elaborate costumes to the idea that her mom was getting applause.

In high school, Pinson participated in school plays. Then, during the summer after her junior year, she studied at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. Still, rather than pursue acting for a living after graduation, she went to college. She dropped out a year later and landed a hostess job at a restaurant in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Pinson continued with that job for two years, during which she had the opportunity to perform in shows for the guests. Knowing now that she definitely wanted to be a professional actress, she moved to Los Angeles.

In the beginning, she took on very small roles and stand-in parts in movies such as The Mambo Kings and Sgt. Bilko. She then auditioned for the part of Billie on DAYS in 1995 after Lisa Rinna left the show. Pinson didn't get the role (it went to Krista Allen), but she did get the attention of agents and other showbiz personnel.

She was eventually cast as Eve in the GH spin-off PORT CHARLES, which debuted in 1997. There, she quickly became a fan favorite. Off-screen in 1998, she became engaged to Billy Warlock, who was playing GH's A.J. at the time. However, they broke up the next year, due to what Pinson has admitted were her "commitment issues."

In 2002, fans — and Pinson — were shocked when Eve was killed off PC. However, the struggling soap ended its run the next year, anyway. Over the next couple of years, the actress made guest starring appearances on prime-time series including THE DREW CAREY SHOW and DHARMA & GREG. Then in 2004, she joined Y&R as J.T.'s (Thad Luckinbill) music manager Shiloh. However, the storyline never gained steam (and Shiloh was never given a last name), and the role only lasted five months. That fall, though, daytime came full circle for Pinson when she was finally cast as DAYS's Billie.

Though the actress spent four years on the show, her character was almost always the loser in love — especially when it came to winning Bo away from Hope. In real life, though, Pinson found love once again when Warlock returned to DAYS as Frankie. The couple wed in 2006 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.

In February, 2008, Pinson left DAYS. Three months later, she moved to New York City and joined ATWT as the feisty "Juicy" Janet. Fans and critics immediately took notice; Janet was even voted "Best New Character" by Digest in the 12/16/08 Best & Worst issue.

When she's not acting, Pinson enjoys traveling and cooking; she's also an avid animal lover.

Et Cetera

Five Random Facts
— Learned that she got the part of Eve while she was vacationing in Egypt with her mother.
— Collects Barbie dolls.
— Enjoys practicing target shooting.
— Was a stand-in for Kate Nelligan in Fatal Instinct in 1993.
— Is a skilled cake decorator.

Other Roles

Other Soap Roles
DAYS OF OUR LIVES (Billie Reed, 2004-08)
YOUNG AND RESTLESS (Shiloh, 2004)
PORT CHARLES (Dr. Eve Lambert, 1997-2002)

TV Roles
THE DREW CAREY SHOW (Beverly, 2002)
DHARMA & GREG (Cici, 2001)

Film Roles
A Day Without Mexican (Daytime Actress, 1998)
Starship Troopers (Female Trooper, 1997)
Unstrung Heroes (Nurse Franklin, 1995)
The Mambo Kings (Girlfriend No. 2 , 1992)

Personable Pinson

"One thing that I noticed when you get married, all of a sudden, you're in the married people's club. Married people you have known in the past who never really invited you to go out when you were single are inviting you out all the time. And it's like, ‘Well, what was wrong with me when I was single? Why didn't you call me then?' "
— Soap Opera Digest, 3/13/07

"It was a big surprise; I was shocked. It was really sad; I didn't want it to end. I wasn't ready to let go. I'd been playing Eve for five years. I was friends with the character; I liked her. And I had to stop being her."
— On her PC alter ego getting killed off, Digest, 1/16/04

"I absolutely love my job, but I've been playing Eve for four years and I would love to be somebody else for a while. That's why I became an actor — to pretend to be all kinds of different people."
— Digest, 2/12/02

"In high school, I accidentally dyed my hair purple. It was when cellophane was really in, so I got a burgundy cellophane. My hair is like a sponge — it absorbs color really easily. And it just absorbed all the burgundy and turned it purple [laughs]. That wasn't good."
— Digest, 9/28/99

"Part of my family is from Russian aristocracy — very reserved, polite and well-mannered. I got some of that from my mother. I never chew gum in front of other people, because it's unladylike. On the other hand, I'm not as reserved as my mother. I like to let loose and have fun. But still, she taught me how to be a lady [laughs]. And I do know how to be a lady when I need to be." — Digest, 6/30/98

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