Terri Ivens is an American actress, author, and producer. She is best known for her role as Simone Torres on All My Children, a role she originated in October 2001 and played until December 2006. Her feature film credits include; Jimmy Hollywood, Marked for Death, Coven and more. Ivens has also made guest appearances on serials such as; Roseanne, Coach, Melrose Place, Baywatch, Married with Children, Civil Wars, Boy Meets World, Medicine Ball and more. Her most recent credits include her roles as Orchid on the Emmy Award-winning web series “The Bay” and Kassandra Bently Emmy nominated web series “Tainted Dreams”. Ivens is also known a major sports fan who enjoys skiing, white water rafting and much more. She also offers her support to Media Fellowship International, Emergency Response Support Team, and Youth Outreach. Soap Opera News caught up with the former soap star who discussed her big AMC reboot idea, upcoming projects, if she would return to soaps and much more. Read below!
Congrats to you and the rest of the cast of The Bay who won the Emmy award for Outstanding Digital Drama, you must be ecstatic about this? Can you tell us what it has been like being a part of such a wonderful award-winning web series?
Terri: Thank you Michael! We are thrilled and humbled by the acceptance we have received from the Academy, our peers, and supportive fans. It is an honor to be a part of a history-making show. Unprecedented.
You’ve also been a part of Tainted Dreams who was nominated this year. Is the experience of being a part of The Bay and Tainted Dreams the same? What are your hopes for the future of the series?
Terri: I love Kassandra, my character, on Tainted Dreams because I play an Emmy winning actress on a Soap Opera! It’s a TV show inside a TV show and portraying two different roles is a creative challenge and an actor’s dream. Working with creator/producer/director Sonia Blangiardo is pure joy. Filming on the streets of New York City truly a career bucket list experience. I would be ecstatic for Amazon’s green light to begin season 3. I miss the NYC lifestyle.
I’ve been spoiled with exceptional co-stars, writers, and producers on both series. I mean seriously! I have TWO series on Amazon! I have TWO families on separate coast! I’m Emmy competition to myself! (Laughs…) I feel blessed with favor. And now they can say, “Terri Ivens, Emmy Nominated Actress!”
And, you spent a number of years in daytime television playing the role of Simone Torres on ‘All My Children’ – what was your daytime experience like?
Terri: My sixth day from moving to NYC and my second day on set was 9/11 … I know I am not alone when I say, the shared experience created dynamic relationships across every department, staff, and crew. AMC is my first TV family and every single person holds a precious place in my heart.
Have you kept in touch with your former co-stars?
Terri: I could grocery list names, but that would be name-dropping! (Laughs..) Thank God for social media! Because of it we are in each other’s lives daily. I am so thankful Alicia Minshew, Bobbie Eakes and I were cast to work together again on Tainted. It is truly special.
You played a bit of a feisty character that’s always welcomed in daytime, is it possible we could see you back in the genre anytime soon? Would you consider a return? If so what role or what show could you see yourself on?
Terri: I have friends on the 4 remaining Soaps. It would be a blast to call any of these shows “my new playground!” The character of Simone was created for me. It would be another honor if that happened again.
There’s the possibility of an AMC reboot since the rights to the show are now back with ABC, what are your thoughts on this and would you be open to reprising your role if a reboot happened?
Terri: Soap Operas are expensive shows. They were created to sell soap to the housewives, purely an advertising cash cow. Nowadays we are over saturated with content on a mecca of channels. Producing a new show every day is a tremendous exercise to master. I believe the concept would need to be tailored for a new medium to make it cost effective. Make it a prime-time soap with one episode a week. I would center the story round the Martin family (Tad and Simone’s twin sister) and keep the majority of the cast on recurring status. I sure would love to see that!
You also have a few upcoming films in the pipeline according to IMDB; can you share anything about these?
Terri: I’m currently working on The Last Exorcist, a psychological thriller/horror film. It’s a love story about two sisters. It’s like Frozen went to hell! (Laughs..) Thriller Films is excited about this project and what they have seen already. Producers have said my performance is another world, if you can imagine. (See photo below) Distribution is slated for the fourth quarter of 2018. Vows of Deceit, recently completed, is a made for Lifetime movie. It’s a good one. I enjoyed the screening. Coven is the first movie collaboration I did with Thriller Films. It’s in the major CGI effects stage. No release date has been given as yet.
Do you have any other projects on the horizon whether primetime or movie roles?
Terri: I just inked a new series regular pilot. We begin shooting in June. I signed a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) so that’s all I can say about that! (Laughs..)
Could we see you as a Producer once more?
Terri: Well, now you’ve got me excited about my AMC Reboot idea! I need to make some calls.
What keeps you busy outside of acting?
Terri: I’m a die-hard San Francisco 49ers football fan, I’m a golfer and I’m a writer. I live in my head full of multi-faceted storylines, being every character, directing every scene, and inventing every word. Currently, I’m in rewrites based on producer coverage (in order to have my first movie script slated for production) and working on the second book of my teen novel series entitled, “The Buzz” available on Amazon.
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