Much like DAYS
OF OUR LIVES'
Jack, Matthew Ashford plays his
characters with a wink and a smile
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As
much as we loved seeing Jack romance Jennifer on DAYS OF OUR
LIVES, he was often more entertaining when elbow deep in shenanigans.
"I found that when Jack was [being written as] the villain
or darker, he was doing more things," his portrayer,
Matthew Ashford, recalls. "And when he was wearing the
white hat, he was always having stuff done to
him."
However, in his current role on THE BAY (www.thebaytheseries.com)as
Steve Jensen, the oddly likeable schemer who blackmailed his
way into the town's richest family, Ashford gets to live in
the gray areas. Fortunately, that's just the way he likes
it.
Bayhem Ahead!
"I think of myself as an actor and a creator,"Ashford
offers, adding he also serves as a producer on the Emmy-wining
soap. "And I see the funniness in a lot of these situations.
Like [in this fall's season], all the members of the wealthy
Garrett family will be sitting around and trying to figure
out, `What are we gonna do to hold onto the money?' while
Steve's wife, Sara [played by DAYS' Kayla,
Mary Beth Evans] is in jail.And everyone's got an angle!"
Ashford will also go for the giggles via THIS JUST IN, the
teen sitcom that he recently shot a pilot for. In it, he plays
one of the dads -- a doctor who also happens to be a magician.
"He comes and goes in a puff of smoke," the actor
laughs. "If you're gonna be a parent, this is the kind
you wanna be. You're crazier than the kids, and that's fun!"
Passing It On
With three children of his own and another (a baby girl) expected
this November with actress Lana Buss, Ashford knows what appeals
to their sense of humor. He and Buss also work with young
people as mentors at the International
Academy Of Film And Television. And just to push himself
further? Ashford's been co-writing a horror film with Darn
Brooks (Ex-Max, DAYS; now Wyatt, THE
BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL). "It's another iron
in the fire that hopefully will catch flame," he maintains.
"When I said, `I'm gonna be an actor' oh so many years
ago, I never imagined I'd have to be a lot of things, too."
What About Jack?
Might Ashford someday "be" Jack Deveraux again as
well? Certainly, Jennifer could use love in her life once
more, and troubled sibs JJ and Abigail need their dad's support
now more than ever. "You just never know with DAYS,"
Ashford suggests. "If the stars align, and people are
wanting it... the character might resurrect and show up.
Remembering
the scene in which Jack fell into Jennifer's bathtub, the
DAYS alum says, "Missy [Reeves] was really open and
vulnerable. It wasn't just tears. It was deep sadness and
pain, and it was in the middle of a comic scene."
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