ESPRIT LIBRE // Press Archive

Jump Back! (Soaps In Depth 9/25/07)
Forbes March looks at Nash from a different angle

Stealing away Jessica from Antonio on One Life to Live may have done wonders for Nash's love life this year, but it's probably cost the winemaker a few fans. But his charming portrayer, Forbes March, doesn't see why that would be such a big deal. "When Nash and Tess started up," he considers, "there wasn't a lot of support for Jessica and Antonio. Now people want Antonio to win, and he can go into another storyline as the underdog."

Furthermore, it doesn't really bother the star that his character apparently wronged Antonio in the process. "I don't know where this thing invaded soaps where all these actors want their characters to be heroes," March says. "I do not want 99 percent of the audience to hope that Nash and Jessica can survive. That's not a story, that's an ad campaign."

That's Amore
March knows a little something about ad campaigns, having modeled before segueing into acting. But in addition to money and passport stamps, he gained something truly valuable from his time posing for the camera -- the chance to meet his wife, Vanessa! "I was dating a model in Milan," he recalls, "and that relationship didn't go very well. So she went back to live with her husband in their house that she'd been paying for the whole time she was living with me -- unbeknownst to me about the house and the husband -- over money.

"So I was having this little nervous breakdown," he continues, "and living with a woman platonically. And in a drunken stupor, I described the perfect woman for me. My friend said, 'I know her: La Vanessa.' I said, 'You're kidding.' She said, 'No.' I said, 'Hook me up.' She did, and two nights later, we went to a club in Milan called Hollywood, and I was introduced to La Vanessa, the future mother of my children."

Getting The Girl
Unfortunately, things didn't go as smoothly on All My Children for March, where he only played Scott Chandler from 1999-2000. But he bounced back by starring on the cult Canadian series Mutant X from 2001 until its cancellation three years later. Then came OLTL in 2005 and the role of Nash, a romantic sparring partner for Jess' then-alter ego, Tess. Something of a cad, Nash seemed to quickly lose his bad boy edge. But March doesn't see it that way. "The impression I got was that Nash was only a good man because of Tess," he explains. "The perfect love story with an anti-hero is when everyone recognizes there's good in him, but it takes the love of a good woman to bring that out."

Things got stickier for the pair when Jess and Tess became integrated last year; and the resultant Jessica chose to marry Antonio. But then the love triangle heated up anew once she and Nash decided that they wanted one another, and the two began hooking up behind Antonio's back! "I have no problem wearing the hat of the hero or the bad guy," March admits. "I prefer the bad guy because it's more interesting. But I think that Nash was just really happy to have Jessica."

Nash did get to be with his daughter's mother in the end, but it took two liver transplants, a quickie divorce and an even quicker marriage to get there! "I think it was a good story," he says, "and really got people fired up. Not everybody likes how it ended, and that's great -- that's a success."

Kids Gap
With a happy family and a satisfying career, March can be considered a success himself these days. "I have never experienced a period of my life like this," he beams. "Things are balanced right now and really good. And if nothing changed, I would be a happy man."

Well, the actor does have one wish. "I want another kid," admits the father of Marina, 7, and Peter, 11 months. "But that's it. I'd like another kid by this time next year."

But didn't we hear him once say that he actually wants a total of seven tykes? "Yeah, another five," March laughs. "We got some catching up to do...but it's hard work, I'll tell you!" -- Frank Scalise

...On New TV Rival John Brotherton (Jared): "He takes his work very seriously," points out March, "and is very into it. He's a good guy, and I am hoping that they will make it a battle of wits [between our characters]."
...On Nash Having To Sew Up Antonio: "I thought it was a great thing to play," says the actor. "I had fun doing it, and people seemed to get a kick out of it, so that's all that matters."
...On Kerry Butler (ex-Claudia): "She is amazing," he enthuses, "a funny, quirky, full-of-positive-energy person. She's a great girl, knows the rules of our profession and is always a pleasure to work with."
...On Leading Lady Bree Williamson (Jessica): "I have the best working relationship with her that I have ever had with an actor," shares March. "I never know what's going to happen and it never gets stale -- it's good fun."

FYI
Birthday: November 12.
Birthplace: Bristol, England.
Hometown: Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Farmer Forbes: The actor finally got something that he's always wanted: a country home. "I've been dreaming of a little mini-farm since I was a kid," shares March, "and went carrot-picking on my friend's farm. Anybody who has a farm will laugh, but if you're from the city, eight acres is a lot of land. And it's all covered in corn."
All In The Family: Someone who got to check out March's newest digs was his wife's father, recently here for a visit. "He's an interesting cat," says the actor. "He's more of a friend than a father-in-law -- we used to go out together all the time in Italy -- and I think it took about three years before he realized I was dating his daughter!"