à Nagazine Articles

Water World - SID

Bree Williamson is in great shape, but you might be surprised by one of the ways she keeps herself fit: kiteboarding! "You use a kite and the wind to pull you across the water on a surfboard," explains the actress of the up-and-coming sport. "It kind of looks like a parachute and you have a 100-foot rope attached to you for the harness. It's really great."

While Williamson was waiting for New York to thaw out during a brutal winter, she took off to Puerto Rico to hit the waves. "I just went for a long weekend to a remote place there," she explains. "One of my friends is a kiteboarding teacher there, so that's why I went. The water and the weather were just perfect."


On The Road - Soap Opera Previews

Bree Williamson loves to travel, and takes every opportunity that she can to see new and different things. Her passion for the open road began in college, when she had a once-in-a-lifetime experience as a student at the University of Toronto. "I spent my first year in university living in England," says the actress, who received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and women's studies. "It was a program with Canadian kids [to study there]. It was wonderful."

During the school year, Williamson had the privilege of visiting many of England's neighbors. "I got a chance to travel through Europe quite a bit," she explains. "I went to Spain, France, Belgium, Scotland, Ireland, and The Netherlands. We took trains everywhere. It's very easy to get around Europe that way." Looking back, she concludes, "I'm so happy I had that experience."


Getting to Know You - SOD

Now that she has grown up, OLTL's Jessica has settled down with Antonio and is pursuing an ambitious career as an investigative journalist. Much like her character, Bree Williamson also knows exactly what she wants -- especially when it comes to getting her beauty sleep!

Chocolate or Vanilla? "Vanilla. It's weird because I love chocolate so much. I eat it everyday. But for some reason, with ice cream, I opt for vanilla. It just tastes better. It's a lot lighter!"

Snooze or Hop out of Bed? "Stay in bed and hit snooze, for sure! I'm not a morning person at all. I have a problem getting to bed at a decent time, so I'm always paying for it in the morning. I never realized how precious sleep was until [I started] working here."

Sunrise of Sunset? "Sunrise because it's so rare that I ever get to see one. It would be cool. But, also sunset because it's beautiful. Where I'm from [in Canada], I lived on the beach, and there used to be a beautiful sunset that went right over the water."

Cinderella or Snow White? "Cinderella went to the ball, right? She was tougher. She had a bigger role. She wasn't asleep [laughs]."

McDonald's or Four Seasons? "Definitely not McDonald's. Ugh. I'd say Four Seasons. I hate fast food. I appreciate good food."

Give or Receive? "Give a gift. It's so cliche, but definitely give. I really love when I pick a good gift. I'll be handing a person a present and I'll be like, 'I hope you enjoy your...' and I'll say what it is because I get so excited about it [laughs]. Giving, definitely."

Bath or Shower? "Shower. I want to be in and out. With baths, I never think I get clean."

Pecs or Buns? "[Gasps] Oh, my God! I have no idea! It doesn't matter. I don't care. It's not what I'm looking for in a guy. That's not important."

Homebody or Party Animal? "Party animal. I don't like staying in much. I'm not much of a homebody and New York is the place to go out."

Walk or Take a Taxi? "Walking, definitely. I love walking everywhere -- this is New York, you have to! It's just great to walk around, clear your head, see the neighborhoods. Shanelle [Workman, ex-Flash] likes to take cabs everywhere, and I'm like 'Why?' "


Clothes Encounters - SID

Although One Life to Live's Bree Williamson enjoys living on her own in a hip, New York City apartment, the Canadian-born actress admits that she's not exactly the queen of domesticity -- at least when it comes to certain household chores. "I don't like doing laundry," she reports with a laugh. "It just fills up and piles up and piles up. It's this thing that will never end."

When all is said and done, the actress does manage to take care of her clothes (however begrudgingly) but prefers to relish the great outdoors. "If it's a nice day, I'd much rather be riding my bike out in the park. It's always so much nicer to be outside when I'm not working."


Double Take - Soap Opera Weekly

OLTL's Bree Williamson has proved that she's not just another pretty -- and familiar -- face.

Question: What's more daunting for a soap newcomer than taking over a role from a popular veteran? Answer: Replacing a popular veteran who grew up in the role, who also happens to look just like you.

Bree Williamson -- who took over One Life to Live's Jessica from Erin Torpey in December 2002 -- didn't let the pressure affect her screen test, mainly because she didn't have a clue what a big deal it was. "But when I got it, they were like, 'This is a big deal. She's been on the show since she was 8.' And I'm like, 'Great.' "

Williamson knows that one of the reasons she was cast is her uncanny resemblance to Torpey. In fact, she believes that prevented her from getting an OLTL role three years earlier. "I would assume it was for the role of Jen," she says. "I think it didn't work out because I look so much like Erin, it would have been a little confusing."

OLTL kept in touch with Williamson though, and when Torpey announced she was leaving they knew just who to call. "I put it all together after the fact," says Williamson. "I asked the casting agent questions and she's like, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah.' "

While her looks may have helped her get the job, they did not endear her to critics and fans who speculated that she was cast solely on her appearance. "I prepared myself for the worst and tried not to take it personally," shrugs Williamson. "They loved Erin and it's hard to watch somebody else play her role. I tried to imagine how I would feel if I was watching another show and somebody got replaced: You're going to hate them when you first see them and then you're either going to continue to hate them or you're going to like them."

Not that she wasn't nervous. This was, after all, her first U.S. acting role. (The Toronto native did some work in Canada, including an independent film and the syndicated TV series Mutant X and Doc.) "I felt pressure to act well, regardless of what I looked like. This job was a big shove forward for me in my acting career. Also, I walked into a big storyline, where I was having 40 pages a day on my first and second days -- so it was tough."

She pulled it off, however, winning most critics and fans over immediately. "I don't know if I just came in at the right time in the character's life for there to be a change or what," she says modestly. Putting Williamson's Jessica in scenes with Antonio -- a character with whom Torpey's Jessica hadn't been involved -- probably did help. "I got a great reaction from the fans; they were really supportive. It was nice, because I was expecting the opposite."

She has taken heat for her Canadian accent. But she's used to criticisms -- even from Canadians! "One of my acting teachers (in Toronto) said, 'You have the strongest Canadian accent I've ever heard. Bree, you need to work on that,' " relates Williamson with a laugh. She says she has worked on it, but she keeps slipping every time she phones or goes home. Funny thing is, when she's home she gets teased, too -- for her American accent! "Every time I say the word 'sorry' my mom is like, 'Oh, stop it. Don't say it like that. You know how to say it.' They all make fun of me."

The role has been hard emotionally, as well. "Kamar (de los Reyes, Antonio) and I were talking one day in dry rehearsal and he was like, 'Am I never not going to be angry?' and I was like, 'How about you cry and I'll be angry? We'll switch.' It is hard for both of us. It is tough to leave it at work." She's learning to deal with it though. "I listen to my Walkman on the way home from work. I cuddle with my cat when I get home. I call my parents..."

Actually, compared to the actress' pre-OLTL life, her current schedule sounds pretty easy. Williamson had just finished up her degree at the University of Toronto -- where she double-majored in psychology and women's studies -- when she got the OLTL gig. Between classes and semesters she modeled, auditioned, helped her sister Tarra run two clothing stores (which they founded), and was a sexual health counselor at Planned Parenthood.

"Honestly, doing five different things makes me so much more happy," she laughs. And to think, we thought this job would be overwhelming.


Fun Facts
The origin of her name: "On Charlie's Angels there was a character named Sabrina, and they called her Bree for short. And my mom liked short forms. My grandmother on my mom's side was like, 'Bree, Bree? What kind of name is Bree?' I got teased a lot, but everybody remembered it."
Who she hangs out with: "When it comes to work people, mostly Shanelle (Workman, ex-Flash)."
Does she have a boyfriend: "Yes."
Five things she likes: "Ice cream, the beach, my fans, my old sweatshirt at home, and Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov."
Five things she dislikes: "Do you know the candy Turkish Delight? It's chocolate-covered red jelly. Who came up with that? Wind and lip gloss together (you know, when your hair blows in your lip gloss). Pretentiousness, although that can be funny sometimes. Horn-honking in New York. And blow-dried hair on men."
What she worries about: "I worry about my family, mostly. My family lives very close together in Toronto and I'm far away."
What makes life worth living: "Being woken up by my cat licking my face. Three a.m. phone calls from a drunken best friend. A great day at work when you're emotionally connected with the scene. And a nice pair of jeans."


Gold Star - SID (November 9, 2004)

Bree Willliamson is this issue's standout performer


It was only a year and a half ago that Bree Williamson stepped into the role of Jessica Buchanan, a character we watched grow from a tot into a young lady. As such a highly publicized recast, the pressure was on to live up to viewers' lofty expectations. From day one, the actress flawlessly transitioned the role into womanhood. But in her recent performances as a heartbroken singleton facing one of life's major crossroads, Williamson has far exceeded any expectations we could have had.


Clinging To Hope
Receiving a surprise proposal from Tico, Jessica confronted her ex-finace, Antonio. Williamson's cool and aloof front was skillfully tempered with trepidation as she told Antonio the news. Jessica was counting on Antonio to tell her to say no. Unfortunately, she didn't hear the words she needed to. We could see the pain in Williamson's eyes as she came to the realization that the only way to get over him was to hear the words she dreaded most -- that Antonio didn't love her. Like a double-edged sword, Antonio's words ripped through her heart as he told her the opposite -- he'd never stop loving her. As he wrapped his arms around her, Jess broke down. We couldn't contain our own tears as Williamson's talent shone through. We could see in her body language that, with no words spoken, all Jessica craved was that embrace, yet all the while, she knew that it might be their last.


Saying Good-Bye
Anyone who's ever loved and lost felt the familiar sting of the reality that sometimes love just isn't enough. Williamson let loose the frustration that Jessica had felt throughout the course of her relationship with a man who had always kept her at arm's length. Along with her cascading tears -- tears of hope and of hurt -- Williamson perfectly coupled Jessica sorrow with the sudden strength to demand the respect she deserved. "When are you going to stop treating me like some naive little girl?" she shouted. With the outburst interrupted by a phone call, Williamson effortlessly shifted Jessica back into her lovelorn state as she begged for Antonio to prove that he would put her before the investigation. Seeing that he never would, Williamson switched to biting sarcasm with such ease, we instantly found ourselves cheering her strength instead of crying over her moment of weakness.

Williamson's excellence has made it impossible to see where the story ends and the reality begins as she forces us to live Jessica's pain. She has expertly melded both character and actress into heartbreaking heroine.


Eye Candy - SID

If a picture's worth a thousand words, this year's Yuletide Soaps in Depth gallery is bound to leave you speechless. Luckily, while posing for gorgeous new portraits, the stars of GENERAL HOSPITAL, ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE knew just what to say, regaling us with seasonal stories to warm the heart all year 'round. Enjoy!

It's a Wonderful Life
Especially at this time of year, according to Bree Williamson (Jessica) and Melissa Archer (Natalie)

What are your family traditions?
Bree Williamson: "We usually get up early in the morning and open gifts. My grandfather lives right down the street from us [in Toronto]. It's a tradition that we stay in our pajamas, hop in the car and go open presents at his house. My grandfather makes breakfast and we stay until noon."
Melissa Archer: "Every year we spend Christmas with my grandmother in San Antonio. I used to drive with my parents, but when I got old enough, I'd take my own vehicle so I could do stuff like go shopping on my own -- which was fun. I liked being able to drive there by myself."

What is your favorite Christmas memory?
Williamson: "A few years ago, we had the entire extended family together. It was really special."
Archer: "The biggest was the year that you really wanted the bicycle, then there was the big bicycle under the Christmas tree. Each year, it gets better and better."

What should your character get for Christmas this year?
Williamson: "Jessica needs a really nice Christmas with her family, especially after everything that's happened this year -- and she'd want Natalie to be happy."
Archer: "Natalie needs peace. Obviously, she's grieving for Cristian. But last year, Christmas was very awkward for Natlaie, so in a sense, this year she is closer to her family during the holidays. At the same time, she s not going to have that first Christmas with Cristian, so she'll be back and forth from happy to sad."

What are Natalie and Jessica going to give one another this year?
Williamson: "Natalie deserves a nice day at a spa -- a massage and a spiritual retreat to help her heal."
Archer: "Natalie should give Jessica a free manicure at Foxy Roxy's."

Bree, you were born on December 28. Did you ever feel shortchanged having a birthday so close to Christmas?
Williamson: "Never. By the time my birthday rolls around, people are over Christmas and on to the next thing. Our family is big on skiing and snowboarding, so we'd usually do that for my birthday."