In this exclusive interview, which includes some spoilers, Days of our Lives actress Molly Burnett shares her thoughts on what has been going on recently with Melanie. Some of the things she reveals are her thoughts on finding out Daniel and Carly were Melanie's parents, Melanie's conflicted feelings for Nathan and Philip and her reaction to the news that Mark Hapka, who plays Nathan, is leaving the show.
Adjusting to Daytime TV
Burnett didn't have much experience watching soaps before joining the show, even though her mother was a fan. “I didn’t really get time to watch them because I was always doing stuff after school and during school. My mom watched GH though. She was big into GH.”
Nevertheless, due to her background in theatre, it wasn't too difficult for Burnett to adjust to the pace of a soap opera. “Because the show is the first thing I’d ever done, and I was used to theatre where you just have one take to do it, it was kind of close to theatre in that sense. But we go fast and you just jump in, and everyone directs you where you need to go, and you kind of get the hang of it.”
Getting to know the cast better has also helped, and the recent scenes at the church where Philip's infidelity was revealed were made easier because of it. “We’re just like a big family so we’re laughing and joking around, but when we need to be serious and hurt for our characters, it’s almost easier because we care about each other so much off-screen. If I see Shawn yelling, I’m able to be drawn into that moment, or Jay or Crystal, because you care about them so much.”
Melanie's Family
Burnett was thrilled when the show revealed who her parents would be, and it came as a complete surprise to the young actress. “I thought it was awesome. I didn’t know until pretty much one of the shooting days. We were filming, and I asked why I was being so mean to Carly, and our producer comes up, and he kind of whispers in my ear ‘well, you’re mean to her because she’s your mom, and mothers and daughters don’t, you know, get along all the time’ and I was like ‘Oh my gosh!’ It was kind of surprising, but I adore Crystal Chappell and Shawn Christian and have so much fun working with them.”
Arianna's Death
Burnett admits that the recent death of Arianna has had a big impact on Melanie. “Oh gosh, it is another awful situation on top of a whole bunch of them. Unfortunately we weren’t able to dig too deep into that because of the pacing and storylines and all the other unbelievably dramatic things. It absolutely affected Melanie. It broke her heart when her best friend died.”
Melanie and Philip
Burnett understands why Melanie is attracted to Philip. “They have that ‘I hate you, I love you’ attraction. They rubbed each other the wrong way at first, but they get each other. He’s a bad boy, and he’s extremely handsome. She got to him, and he got to her.”
Melanie and Philip are at odds right now, due to the revelation that he cheated on her, and it is not clear if they will be able to work things out. Burnett isn't sure what would have happened in their relationship even if the truth hadn't come out. “I know Melanie really does love Philip, but I wonder how Nathan would have come into play there, so I’m not sure.”
Melanie and Nathan
Burnett also understands Melanie's feelings for Nathan. “They have always been joking and flirting. It was so innocent, and it’s hard to get that out of your mind. They care about each other very much.”
Burnett was upset to learn that Mark Hapka would be leaving the series. "I’m heartbroken. I’m disappointed that Melanie and Nathan never got to really get anywhere. I love working with Mark. He’s going to do great things, so I’m not worried about him at all, but I’m definitely going to miss him.”
The Days of our Lives Cast
Burnett enjoys working with all the cast members, and she wouldn't mind working with some of them more often. “I love everybody that I’ve worked with. I’d love to work with anyone on the show, because everyone brings something fun and different to the table.”
Burnett especially enjoys working with Suzanne Rogers, who plays Maggie. “It’s great. I adore working with her. She’s the sweetest thing.”
Melanie's Future
Melanie is going to get quite the shock soon when she realizes she is pregnant with Philip's baby. “It’s quite a blow. They were trying to have a baby, and now they are going to have a baby, and now she’s really lost.”
Chip Snyder - Chip Snyder is a graduate of The University of Mississippi. He has two degrees. One is a BA in International Studies/French. As part of ...
