ABC Gossip



Making Change: While some actors may fight the maturation of their characters, Genie Francis (Laura) sure isn’t one of them. “I remember the first time I was on the cover of TV Guide,” recalls the actress. “I was 17 years old, and they wrote ‘Soap Operas’ Tragic Princess.’ Now, I’m 38½, and when you’re almost 40 and you’re still a tragic figure, it’s deeply unattractive. What we want to see is a character who has learned to take care of herself and become strong. I think if you’re still a victim at 40, you’re just stupid [laughs]. If you haven’t figured it out by then, it’s like, ‘C’mon!’”