Forbes March Madness (Soaps In Depth 12/6/05)
Nash's portrayer shoots and scores as Llanview's latest loverboy



FYI
Birthday: Novemeber 12.
Birthplace: Bristol, England.
Meet The Parents: March's mom is a music teacher, while Dad is a well-known columnist and philosopher.
Fall Guy: His MUTANT X role demanded stunt work which once left him injured after he overshot a trampoline crash pad and careened into a cinder block wall!



If you need a guy to liven up your party, One Life to Live's Forbes March (Nash) is definitely your man. Blessed with the energy of a 12-year-old and the kind of boyish good looks that make women swoon, the actor exudes a charm that draws you in from the moment he starts talking. And then there's the smile, which along with his twinkling eyes, serves to let everyone know that this is one fellow who, despite his successes, will never take life -- or himself -- too seriously.


A Shaky Start
Given his good nature and optimism, it's tempting to think that the road for March has been easy. But, as he points out, his first daytime experience was less than idyllic. Brought on to All My Children in 1999 as the fourth actor to play Stuart Chandler's son, Scott, he found himself out of work just a year later. "It wasn't a surprise," he says. "I think that their intentions were good, but they had no real storyline prepared for Scott." While March learned quite a bit from the brief stint, his dismissal left him with a few practical considerations.

"My daughter had just been born, I had just bought a house -- actors have real lives, too," he notes. But despite the financial concerns, he says that in terms of his career, getting the boot turned out to be not such a bad thing. "I learned a lot, even though I didn't get to contribute as much as I'd like to. Professionally, I was kind of relieved to be let off the hook," March says candidly. "I realize that now, in hindsight. You learn what's in your control and what's not. It's kind of freeing."


New Horizons
After spending the holidays with his family, March headed out to L.A. for pilot season and landed a role on a new science-fiction series. As fate would have it, Mutant X took the actor back to his native Canada and allowed his family to settle down. "We had lived in 10 houses in 11 years," he notes. "Or was it 11 houses in 10 years? I can never get it right. For the first time in a very long time, we set roots down. I'd been away from Canada for so long -- it was really nice," he adds with a touch of nostalgia. "At first, it was irritating, because it wasn't as I remembered it. But by the time I left, I realized that it was much better."

Alas, primetime can be as uncertain as soaps, and after a three-year run, the series was cancelled. As March began to look for work, the real-estate market helped him figure out his next move. "I had a house in New Jersey that wouldn't sell, and one in L.A. that would. So, I told my agent, 'Get me a job on the East Coast.'"


Second Time Around
"I really didn't think I would ever come back [to soaps]," March reveals. "The trouble with daytime is, you never have a moment of relaxation."

Despite his initial apprehension, an intriguing role at OLTL convinced him that Nash was a part that was worth returning to the genre for. From the start, he saw Nash as a saucy character, different from the uptight guys he had played in the past. "I really wanted to play something a little more 'wink, wink,' a little more devilish -- I had a good feeling [about him]."

Because of the sale of his California home, the actor wasn't overly concerned about money, and the absence of pressure was refreshing. "For the first time in my life, I could take a job that I didn't need and just have some fun with it. I hope that doesn't come across as unappreciative, but it's nice."

March explains that his new sense of calm has allowed him to make the most of a great opportunity. Having received a warm welcome from folks at OLTL's Fan Club event in August, he is happy that his enjoyment seems to come across to viewers. "It was really neat to see that the fun I was having in some way translated." And now that the character has followed Tess home, he's looking forward to Nash becoming a bigger part of the Llanview scene. So are we! -- Paula Rueger.


...On Working With Jerry VerDorn (Clint): "It's going to be interested to see what happens with Nash and Clint.  Jerry is so much fun to work with; we get along really well.  He's got a little devil in him."
...On Parental Roles: The father of a 6-year-old, March says that wife Vanessa is the one who makes most of the rules.  "You're supposed to be grown-up, and I'm not.  I'm more of a party organizer than a disciplinarian."
...On Nash's True Feelings For Tess: "The audience -- and Nash -- are never quite sure if he's fighting for her spirit or for possessive reasons.  I think it's a little bit of both."
...On His Former AMC Dad: "David Canary (Adam/Stuart) has the enormous respect of everybody around him without ever demanding it.  He's the most dignified man I've ever worked with."

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