The second season of Soapy kicked off with a bang — and a lot of heart. Hosts Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart sat down with actress AnnaLynne McCord, who fans now know as Cat Greene on Days of Our Lives.
What started as a fun chat about her soap career turned into a raw, honest, and deeply moving conversation about her journey through trauma, healing, and self-discovery.
AnnaLynne has been in the business for a long time — from Nip/Tuck to 90210 — but she says her recent Emmy nomination for “Emerging Talent in a Daytime Show” feels like a total life reset.
Days of Our Lives
Working on Days has brought a whole new creative energy for her. She loves the fast pace of the soap world. She compares it to theater or even improv, where everyone has to trust each other completely. Her character, Cat Greene, started off as a bit of a “hot mess energy,” but has grown into a tough, capable ISA agent — and AnnaLynne clearly adores playing her.
But what really stood out in the interview was how open she was about her past. AnnaLynne talked about growing up in a strict, conservative family — her dad was a pastor, and she wasn’t allowed to watch things like Harry Potter. Acting, she said, became her escape. “It let me fly,” she explained. “When I was a kid and everything felt so bound and confined.”
AnnaLynne McCord Talks Being Abused
Her breakout role as Naomi Clark on 90210 brought fame, but it also brought pain. During one storyline, her character was sexually assaulted — and filming those scenes brought up buried memories of her own teenage trauma. She shared how one moment on set triggered a complete breakdown, forcing her to confront what she had long tried to forget.
Eventually, AnnaLynne was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). She spoke about it candidly, in an effort to help others who may have the same experience.
Her recovery wasn’t easy. She revealed that she went through intensive therapy — EMDR for PTSD, somatic healing, sound baths, breath work, Kundalini, you name it. Over time, she found peace in practices that helped her reconnect to her body and emotions.
That same compassion flows into her activism. Back in 2009, she joined an anti-human trafficking ground team in Cambodia. Now, she channels her passion into The Love Storm, a campaign that uses loving-kindness meditation to help people heal from trauma and reconnect with empathy.
Finding Love
Of course, not everything was heavy. AnnaLynne also opened up about love — the romantic kind. She talked about her relationship with her partner, a retired rugby player, and how timing truly is everything. They first dated nine years ago but weren’t ready for each other. Now, after years of healing and self-work, they’ve found their way back to each other.
By the end of the interview, it was hard not to feel inspired. AnnaLynne McCord isn’t just an actress or an advocate — she’s someone who’s turned pain into purpose. Her honesty on Soapy reminded us that even when life falls apart, it’s never too late to rebuild — and to do it with love.
Watch it below for yourself.
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