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General Hospital's Ex-Carly is Ready, Freddie
by Daniel R. Coleridge

Tamara Braun's last day on General Hospital was April 15, but to many soap fans, she still is Carly Corinthos Alcazar. That made life hard for Jennifer Bransford, the poor gal who spent five months fighting a losing battle to replace Tam before GH abruptly axed her. Last week former Guiding Light star Laura Wright became the fourth thesp to step into Carly's high heels. Braun — who had to replace suds phenom Sarah Joy Brown as Carly — definitely feels her fellow actresses' pain. Here, she candidly weighs in on the whole Carly-swap controversy and fills in TVGuide.com on her fruitful life after GH.

TVGuide.com: You've been off GH for a while. Can you believe all the continued fan devotion?
Tamara Braun: It's so nice. I think that, for whatever reason, I touched peoples' lives in that role. I don't mean to sound vain because this still surprises me, but women come up to me in tears and say how I'm the best Carly there ever was and how I inspire them. It's weird, but for me, that's what acting is about.

TVGuide.com: Did GH approach you to come back after Jenny Bransford did not work out as Carly?
Braun: I was approached. I'm not going back. I didn't leave the show to come right back. It put me in a wonderful position for negotiation, and I probably could've made quite a bit of money! But I didn't leave because of that. I left because there are other things I want to try in my acting career. As flattering and wonderful as it was that GH wanted me back, it was just too soon. I think Laura Wright will be wonderful.

TVGuide.com: Are you familiar with her work as an actress?
Braun: I am not. I met her at [a recent charity fund-raiser] and she seems like she'd make a great Carly. And she's a veteran soap actor, so she knows the drill.

TVGuide.com: Right. Unlike Bransford, Wright has the benefit of years of daytime experience. That's half the battle with a demanding role like Carly.
Braun: Sure it is. You're thrust into a role like that with no daytime training? I know what that's like. I didn't have any. You've gotta hit the ground running and every day you're on set, you have to do the best you can and try not to beat up on yourself.

TVGuide.com: Bransford had the misfortune of airing the day after your Carly left. At least there was a month in between her departure and Wright's first airdate.
Braun: The show told me they thought it would be a seamless [transition between me and Bransford]. They wanted to replace me at a time when the story line was so gripping that people couldn't turn their TVs off. But they forget that [soap viewers] are attached to the actor playing the role, not just the role. Jenny walked into a really rotten situation. And she, just like I, did not know she was auditioning for the role of Carly!

TVGuide.com: Mercifully, that wasn't the case with Wright.
Braun: Laura knew exactly what they were asking her to come in and play. She's watched this character and she thinks it's one of the greatest female roles on daytime. She has a love and a respect for this character and no fear. I wish her the best.

TVGuide.com: Let's get back to Tamara. You're doing Freddie Prinze Jr.'s ABC sitcom, Freddie, on Nov. 9 and 16.
Braun: I'm a baker takin' away his dessert business. I guess my sweets are sweeter than his sweets! [Laughs] I end up dating his best friend, who's played by Brian Austin Green. But Freddie's character and mine really get along well as friends.

TVGuide.com: Is this a recurring gig where you'll do more than just two episodes?
Braun: Freddie was really great. He said, "If we get picked up for [a full 22 episodes], I want to have you back." I said, "I would love to come play with you." Wait, that sounds terrible! [Laughs] You know what I mean.

TVGuide.com: Of course we do. But his wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar, will be relieved to know you don't want to play with Freddie in that sense.
Braun: Sarah was sweet. She came to the set while I was there and reintroduced herself, because I'd done small stuff on Buffy the Vampire Slayer years ago. She had since watched me on GH and she was very, very complimentary. I think she's OK with me going back to play with Freddie on the show.

TVGuide.com: Your indie film Little Bayou has been submitted for consideration by the Sundance Film Festival, right?
Braun: The working title had been Little Bayou but it's called Little Chenier now. Hopefully, it'll get into Sundance. We did the film in Louisiana and my heart's breaking because Hurricane Rita has since caused destruction everywhere we shot. We're trying to raise some money for the [affected areas]. I believe they'll all rebuild. It can never be quite the same, but if there's conviction and people work together, they can do it. That's the Cajun spirit. My time there really was special, so my heart and my love and my blessings go out to them.