Darnell Williams

Director of Manhattanites on TMZ!


We Loves Soaps' Roger Newcomb has arrived! TMZ caught up with Gregori J. Martin, the director of Newcomb's movie Manhattanites, outside of the film's L.A. premiere. Manhattanites stars Ilene Kristen, David Fumero, Aiden Turner and Forbes March. The film was co-directed by Darnell Williams.To purchase your copy of Manhattanites go here.

 

 
 
 

AMC: One Town, Two Shocking Crimes (Video)


Could there be evidence clearing Kendall (Alicia Minshew) of Stuart's (David Canary) murder? If so, who is responsible? If that isn't enough to get you to watch All My Children maybe Jesse (Darnell Williams) covering up a crime is. Da-da-da-dum.

RELATED: Kelly Monaco and Co. Give Back | Caption This: Liza "Gives Birth" (Images) | DC #424: OLTL Casting Shocker

The Problem with Liza Colby

By now, it should be a shock to no one that the near unanimous consensus among most of us who watch All My Children here at Daytime Confidential, the casting of Jamie Luner as Liza Colby Chandler has been a huge bust as of this writing. We know that opinion could change in the future with a knockout performance by Luner, an engaging storyline for the character, or a relationship of any kind that could revitalize Liza and make us see her with new eyes. Unfortunately, none of those three things have happened yet.

The collective criticism of this "new" Liza has centered mostly around the (mis)casting of Ms. Luner, an actress who has her fair share of fans from her days on Melrose Place, Savannah and other shows. On AMC, however, Ms. Luner is delivering the kind of performance that might described as, if I may be permitted to coin a phrase, pseudo-catatonic. Sure, some of the dialogue sounds a little like what Liza might say, but not after three tablespoons of Nyquil.

As a result, at first I was convinced that the problem with Liza was mostly the fault of the actress. That opinion changed with a couple of scenes that aired on Monday's episode that revealed the fundamental reason this character isn't working is because of head writer Chuck Pratt's fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of Liza. READ MORE

Murders Most Foul

Hot on the heels of my admittedly scathing review of Friday's ultra-campy, Scooby Doo meets The Munsters inspired episode of All My Children which culminated in the murder of Stuart (Not Adam) Chandler, I finally had the opportunity to catch up with Guiding Light, which had its own less heralded "Who Killed Edmund Winslow?" whodunit kick off.

Since I received a little bit of blow back for my harsh (and well-deserved) criticism of AMC, I'd like to take the opportunity to explain why Springfield's simultaneous murder mystery is infinitely superior to Pine Valley's. READ MORE

Support Indie Soap Production: Buy Manhattanites Today!



Looking for a sudsy, sizzling good time? Then turn off SOAPnet, log on to your PC or laptop and order Manhattanites. Directed by Gregori J. Martin and All My Children's Darnell Williams, Manhattanites is set in the same universe as We Love Soaps editor Roger Newcomb's popular online radio soap Scripts and Scruples.

Manhattanites is the story of a Marilyn Marsden (One Life to Live's Ilene Kristen), a successful entertainment lawyer who discovers her conservative magazine editor fiance, Blake (Lev Gorn, The Wire) is having an illicit gay affair with one of her clients, Matt Malone (OLTL's Forbes March), a rising star in the art world. 

Marilyn's sister Gretchen (Caroline Hay) is paying her dues, working at a greasy spoon, while dreaming of a career as a news anchor. Fate pays her a visit when she meets cocky anchorman Kyle Carpenter (All My Children's Aiden Turner in his breakout role).  READ MORE

All My Children's Darnell Williams in Bonfire Night


All My Children's Darnell Williams will be appearing in Bonfire Night, beginning May 6th. If you live in New York City or will be visiting "The Big Apple" between May 6 - 9, 2009 and are interested in more details find out more, after the jump. READ MORE

Random Thoughts on Five Soaps


I'm back, gentle readers, and not a moment too soon. Since we were last together, real life has provided more plot twists than an episode of Lost, but I've still managed to faithfully watch the stories day in and day out. While there are a few larger topics that I'll be addressing in the next few days and weeks, it turns out a little time and distance provides the opportunity for a bit of clarity and perspective on issues that one might have been previously too close to appreciate. In that spirit, here are a few completely random observations about the five soaps I normally watch that I've noticed in the little over a month since I last posted. These observations generally are not a part of the usual list of talking points, but just a number of things that have popped in my head. Without further ado... READ MORE

Sudsy "Manhattanites" Coming to DVD May 6!



Ready for a sexy, sudsy romp featuring a slew of your favorite soap stars? You don't have to wait much longer. On May 6, Manhattanites, the independent film written by We Love Soaps' Roger Newcomb  and Gregori J. Martin (who also directed) is coming out on DVD!

The steamy flick about the lives and loves of a group of Gotham-dwellers, is set in the same universe as Newcomb's wildly-popular radio soap Scripts and ScruplesManhattanites stars One Life to Live's Ilene Kristen, David Fumero and Forbes March, a well as All My Children's Aiden Turner and Jill Larson. AMC's Darnell Williams served as co-director on the project. For more on Manhattanites go here.

Daytime and Diversity: How Far Have We Really Come?



Daytime television has come a long way from the time when soap operas solely revolved around the lives of Midwestern WASPs. Thanks in large part to Agnes Nixon, and the racially and socially diverse landscapes she brought to the artform with her daytime dramas One Life to Live and All My Children, people of color began to carve out a niche on daytime in the late 60's and early 70's. Nixon was also responsible for creating signature roles for women like Robin Strasser and Suan Lucci, both of whom have been quoted as saying they had been told their look was too "ethnic" for television early in their careers.
  READ MORE

Angie & Jesse, Storylines Worth the Return?


The much heralded return of Angie (Debbie Morgan) and Jesse (Darnell Williams) earlier this year brought us one of the most touching reunions in recent All My Children memory. 

Yet as time has gone by one has to ask, have the storylines these wonderful actors have had written for them been worth their time?