| FOR ZIMMER, EMMY IS 'ICING ON THE CAKE':
Friday, May 21, 2004 By Sue Merrell Kim Zimmer has been to enough Daytime Emmy Awards shows that she knows all the tricks. "You sort of read their lips before the words actually hit your ear," the Ada native said. That gives nominees an extra instant to compose themselves before stepping up to receive the award or turning to congratulate the competition. For the eighth time, Zimmer is nominated as best leading actress for her role as Reva Shayne Lewis on CBS's "Guiding Light." She won the award in 1985, 1987 and 1990. "Hopefully their lips will form Kim Zimmer," the actress said in a phone interview from her New Jersey home. "Winning is the icing on the cake. It's really true that just getting nominated is an honor. But I've never accepted an Emmy on the stage at Radio City Music Hall. It would be fun to do that." The 31st annual show will be broadcast live tonight and includes Lifetime Achievement Awards to 10 veterans of daytime dramas, including Rachel Ames, John Clarke, Jeanne Cooper, Eileen Fulton, Don Hastings, Anna Lee, Ray MacDonnell, Frances Reid, Helen Wagner and Ruth Warrick. Zimmer, who has portrayed Reva since 1983, said this year's nomination was based on a series of segments last May when her character's son, Shayne Lewis, was paralyzed as the result of an auto accident caused by her character's husband, Josh Lewis. "So, I was torn between loyalty to my husband and concern for my son," Zimmer said. Since then, Zimmer's character has been playing a more low-key role. "It's always that way. By the time you get an Emmy nomination, your character isn't doing much. I'm just playing a mom and a sister, doing normal things," Zimmer, 49, said. "It's a nice break." Over the years, Reva has been involved in some of the show's most outlandish plots. She's been cloned, become Amish and been a princess. A graduate of Forest Hills Central High School, Zimmer met husband A.C. Weary at Hope College. In real life, Zimmer's major role is as the mother of three. "Doing all that normal stuff that people don't think you do," she said. She recently attended the graduation of daughter, Rachel, 22, who received a degree in psychology from the University of Colorado. Son Max, 17, is into high school sports and plays guitar. Her youngest son, Jake, 14, made his primetime debut this week in an episode of "Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit." Last November, he appeared in a scene with his mother on "Guiding Light" as a young boy seeking Reva's psychic abilities. "Ever since he was about 10, he's been asking us for an agent for his birthday or Christmas," she said. "Finally we agreed, but he had to interview agents and pick his own." Zimmer said she has been talking with Brendan Ragotzy, producer of The Barn Theatre in Augusta, about appearing there again, but she can't fit it into her summer schedule this year. "'Guiding Light' is kicking off a big promotion, so it will be a while before I can do any theater," Zimmer said. |