| Official Kim Zimmer Fan Club Chat with Mark Dobies: April 9, 2001 |
| Kim Zimmer: Who is the best kisser in daytime (your wife excluded)? Mark: (laughs) I've only kissed one person on daytime, it has to be Kim by lack of another person, and she's great to kiss. I love to kiss Kim. They don't have us kissing anymore, but Kim is great. Put it this way, if every other co-star kisses like Kim, I'll be a happy man. (to Shelli) I remember what you told me, no what you said online, you said, "It looks like they're having a tonsil exam when they kiss." Shelli: I did, but that was in the beginning and they don't let you guys do that anymore. Mark: They don't care if we do that, but they just don't have us kissing. Natalie: What facets of Noah's personality and character would you like to see further explored? Mark: The dark side, it has got to be the dark side, the Batman side that makes him who he is. They never delved into it too much, like when he stopped Reva from shooting/killing Edmund because he's killed people before. He has a license to kill, he HAD it before, and Noah tries a fine line. He says "Okay, I'll shoot you and kill you because you're a bad guy and it helps humanity, but who am I to judge?" Noah's like Pierce Brosnan/James Bond with a medical license. I mean, so, as far as him being a judge and jury, he justifies the means to an end, but it sits with him and he doesn't like it. That's one of the reasons he got out of it, he's killed a lot of people, he's a spy. The dark parts of him are what motivate and drive him, he can be down right nasty to get what he wants, but he's so good at heart. He's complex as a character and you can go anywhere with him. Melissa: How are your daughters doing? How many words is Olivia saying now and how's Francesca doing in preschool? Did they like the bunnies (that the KZFC sent for them)? Mark: They're doing fine. Growing up too fast for me to catch up and for me to accept it. They just change so fast, it's so hard. You're reading a different personality daily. Francesca is doing great in preschool. She gives me all her projects that she makes for me to hang up on my wall, along with the gifts you guys have given me. Olivia has one word for everything…a mixture of "dija" and "dada"...for everything. They love the bunnies. Frankie sleeps with the old ones and the new ones! She sleeps with the two bears you all sent her way back, she calls them "Greens" and "Spangles." Allison: Can you give us any vague details on what's coming up with Noah and Reva? (pretty please?) Mark: I don't even know, to be honest with you. There's a very interesting scene coming up. Contrary to what you might read in the magazines about their relationship, Noah puts his foot down. That's coming up. He gets more strength, so does Reva. They can relate to each other. Reva and Noah are not intimidated by each other. But, Noah has kind of had enough, and there is a confrontation coming up with another character. The letters were great you guys, too. (Letters that came with his birthday book) Tracy: So, is Kim still your favorite co-star? Mark: Loaded question? (laughs) Of course, how can anyone not want to work with Kim? Rachel: Mark, we know you and your family have visited with Kim's family, does your daughter still have a little crush on one of Kim's sons? How does Kim rate with your daughters? Mark: I think it switched from Max to Jake. Fickle women. Oh well, she's not the mean lady that was yelling at Noah, like with the fights on TV. They love her, they really do, both her and A.C. Amy: I read that your wife also acts and even appeared on GL before as Alan's physical therapist. Does she have any plans to go back to acting? Mark: Not in the immediate future, but she will want to get back on stage soon. We have the same commercial agent. She wants to do a part in a reading with the other GL people. Liz Keifer's husband, Bobby, did a reading at "Sweet Bird of Youth" (a private, invitation only reading that Kim and Mark did). He was great, so Lin wants to do one. She's a good actress, but an even better director. She has a good eye, a really good eye. Shelli: When you read the KZFC message board, are there times you have to hold back and NOT reply to the discussion regarding your character/storyline? Mark: I am compelled to sometimes, yes. (laughs) Shelli: Were you mad at us? Mark: No! When I did jump in about Noah, the one about me acting out of character, because it was in character…going to San Cristobel, not wanting the adventure, etc. It was actually difficult, the premise of the scenes, but we pulled it off. Noah did not want Reva to go down there, he's had enough of the excitement and danger. That's the way he looked at it, it was foreshadowing. It was an interesting topic and I felt the need to clarify. There is a pragmatic side, due to his past. He loves life, and loves to have a good time, but he's not into danger because it's stupid. There has to be a good reason. There are better ways than just acting by the seat of your pants. He has a plan for everything. Nekea: Ever since I read the Soaps In Depth article where you said "We had a Jetta when we lived in California and I destroyed the clutch," I have been curious. I drive a stick too and I was wondering what does one do to destroy the clutch? I just want to make sure that I'm driving it correctly. Mark: You need to have the Hollywood Hills in back of you and go over them three or four times a day, and downshift instead of using your brakes. And if you have a Jetta, you can beat it to death and they'll replace the clutch for free. Jackie: Through what we've seen of the blind story so far, Noah and Reva have had some very emotionally charged scenes. Has this story been a challenge to you and do you go about preparing for these scenes any differently? Mark: Yeah, I do actually. Kim and I had a discussion about it. It's very difficult to look her in the eyes because I feel like I'm intruding, eavesdropping on her. She told me it was all the more better to look right at her, but I disagree. It's like I'm an intruder, and it's not fair. I find myself looking down and not at her face. It's a conscious and a subconscious thing I do. It's not like seeing her big, beautiful, sparkling eyes, like before. Those were easier scenes, this is like I just listen to her voice, I trust her voice. Kim is wonderful with it. If you listen to her, she won't steer you wrong. It's like, wow, she can't see, it's different. Laura: Do you have many public appearances scheduled in the next few months? Mark: We're doing a charity event for John Hopkins down in Baltimore, Kim and I, on April 21, then Marco Island, Florida the week after. Shelli: Will you be in North Carolina for the Ronald McDonald Charity Golf Tournament that Kim is chairing? Mark: Yes, I will be there, too. Alicia: What's your favorite website(s)? Do you have a fan club? Mark: I will have a fan club pretty soon. Right now, my favorite is OKZFC. I don't watch the stock market anymore, it makes me sick to my stomach. I can be totally honest, yours is the first thing in my bookmarks and the first I read. I do not go into Media Domain, it seems like they don't like anybody. It gets to the point that it's so ridiculous that it's funny and that's it. We're actors that work too hard for that kind of nonsense. Everybody has an opinion, and that's mine. Let them do my job for one hour, and let me go online, be anonymous and criticize/critique them. Kevin: How is it working with Laura Bell Bundy and Billy Kay? Do you find working with the younger crowd easier or more challenging? Mark: About the same. Laura Bell Bundy is great, Billy Kay is great, too. They're more quirky, which is not a negative on them. They're young kids and I feel like I'm a dad to them. They're actually more mature for younger kids. Terri: Do you have any kind of idea about how long you'd like to be with GL? Mark: I've thought about that a lot. If I could foresee the future, I would be the president of the world. I really don't have any idea. I'm trying to do the best job that I possibly can while I'm there. That's my job. I love the work, acting is acting no matter what medium you're in and you give 100 percent. We have fun, we get paid to play! I'm grateful for that. To me, acting is acting. If it's three years, fine, if it's twenty years, wonderful. The people at GL are phenomenal. Brooke: Did you enjoy last year's GLFC Gathering? Are you planning on attending this year too? Mark: Yes, definitely! It was a kick. That's what it's all about, I was kind of flattered actually. Like I said before, I felt bad that I couldn't get to everybody. The people were great. I will definitely be there again. Lisa: Are there any GL actors that you haven't worked with yet but would like to? Mark: I'd love to work more with David Andrew Macdonald (Edmund). Those two (Noah and Edmund) are of the same skin and tread a fine line. One just moves to the dark side of the dark side, and the other (Noah) moves to the lighter side of the dark side. We had some great scenes when I started, they cut a lot that made me too dark, but those scenes were just brilliant. It cut out a lot between Edmund and Noah. Who haven't I worked with? (laughs) Oh man, I've worked with most of the others but I'd like to work more with David and be more confrontational with Edmund. Gina: As you probably know, the Noah/Reva fans refer to this pairing as "Nova". What was your first reaction to that? Mark: I never knew they referred to the characters like that, until the first time I had lunch with you (Shelli) and Melissa, and Kim said that they call us Nova. I go, "Nova, that's cute." I didn't know they did it to every coupling they have on soaps. I think it's kind of cool. Nicole: Thanks for taking those birthday pictures of Kim, they came out great! Was she shocked with the roses? Mark: Oh yeah! And the quantity, she was overwhelmed in a good way. Stephanie: Have you been recognized a lot in public? What do most people have to say about your character? Mark: Yeah, in the strangest of places. The Crayola factory in Easton, PA! We were in Easton visiting my sister. It's funny, some fans want Josh and Reva back together, others prefer Nova. I haven't had one bad piece of fan mail. Not one negative fan mail yet! Watch, I'll get one now! It's been so supportive. People have been great, I always learned as an actor to do the best I can, and try to improve. The character is supported, and very well liked, even by the Jeva supporters. KZFC: Is there any message you'd not only like to get out to the KZFC members but to all your fans? Mark: I appreciate all of the support. All of you at KZFC make me feel so good, but still make me think. Just remember that when they write me as Noah giving Reva a hard time, it's not my fault! (To which Shelli told Mark, "Melissa will always be on Noah's side.") I am overwhelmed by the support that KZFC gives me. The surprise gifts, you guys make my job so much more enjoyable and I really, really mean that. Reading the message board, you keep it an open discussion, you love the characters. You watch the show, you say, "Hey, I hate what he did there," and you either like what's going on or you don't like it, but you keep it in the realm of how the story is being told and understand they're doing a job. You understand that the actors are given a job and they go with it and it's just an open discussion. You don't hate Robert Newman, but he's playing how he's written and you all know that you hate what he (Josh) is doing because Robert's doing it so well. If he was doing it badly, you wouldn't believe him. Shelli: I think we've said that, too. Mark: Yes, exactly, you guys have and do say that, I'm just reiterating that. You keep it an open discussion which is nice. It's just interesting, it's all about fun, right? I love you guys to death!! Shelli: Do you want me to say good night? Mark: You can say night if you want. Shelli: Good night! |
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| To the KZFC members, You continue to be the Best fans alive. Thanks for your continuing support!!! Love Ya All! Mark Dobies |