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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Sunset Beach Star Clive Robertson Plays Wicked Games
by Daniel R. Coleridge
In the '90s, Clive Robertson starred as the mysterious Ben Evans — and his crazed evil twin, Derek — on NBC's Sunset Beach. Now the Brit's back in the suds as wealthy womanizer Theo Crawford on MyNetworkTV's telenovela, Wicked Wicked Games. What better excuse for TVGuide.com to catch up with one of our favorite cads? Good thing the Games player was game for all of our nosy questions!
TVGuide.com: How did you land on a MyNetworkTV telenovela?
Clive Robertson: I turned them down for another show called 'Watch Over' Me because it wasn't a very meaty part. It would have been a bit of a waste of time, I thought. Then they came back and offered me this part opposite Tatum O'Neal. I thought, "They obviously like me!"
TVGuide.com: We've heard from other actors that these telenovelas are demanding work.
Robertson: I knew it would be a grueling schedule because I spoke to [Fashion House star] Morgan Fairchild. She talked with me for two hours while I was driving down to San Diego [where MyNetworkTV's telenovelas are filmed]. I had my earpiece in and she gave me an earful about what I was in for! Shooting 65 episodes in three months is hard work, but we got through it and I'm actually pleasantly surprised at what I've seen on the air.
TVGuide.com: For those who haven't yet watched Wicked Wicked Games, fill us in on what it's about.
Robertson: Basically, I dated Tatum O'Neal as a young man. We were lovers.
TVGuide.com: Well, wasn't she a lucky lady!
Robertson: [Laughs] That's for you to say! I couldn't possibly comment. Anyway, I spurned her for another woman, who happened to own a famous racetrack called The Tides. That woman is played by Joan Severance. Tatum's character, Blythe, has spent about 25 years seeking her revenge on me. Now that's a woman scorned!
TVGuide.com: Indeed! Anyone's bitter about getting dumped, but this is extreme.
Robertson: She's quite successful in getting her revenge. I spiral down into gambling and alcohol, and it gets worse.
TVGuide.com: Unlike today's afternoon soaps, where the action happens mostly indoors, these MyNetworkTV telenovelas shoot on location. They're very visually appealing.
Robertson: We had the use of the Del Mar Racetrack, which is right there on the ocean in San Diego. It's one of the nicest race courses in the world. Having Del Mar substitute for The Tides' track added more color to our show.
TVGuide.com: For budgetary reasons, the soaps don't go on location as much as they once did. You folks did some lovely outdoor stuff on Sunset Beach.
Robertson: We did do a lot on location on that show! We went to the beach, and I have fond memories of going to Kansas, where Meg (Susan Ward) came from.
TVGuide.com: Do you get double pay for playing dual roles on a soap?
Robertson: You know, I definitely got more money. There's no question there. I certainly felt like I
should have been paid twice. Let's put it that way! [
Laughs] It's hard playing scenes opposite yourself, but I really did enjoy doing the evil twin stuff. It's liberating to be so bad.
TVGuide.com: It must be such fun playing shady rich guys like Ben on SB and Theo on WWG.
Robertson: I enjoy playing those parts, as long as I don't have to play that
all the time. A few years back, I did a Canadian series [Starhunter] where I played a bounty hunter in space. I wore leather trousers and carried a big gun and brought in the baddies.
TVGuide.com: Actually, one of your fans wants me to ask if you've still got those leather pants!
Robertson: I do not have the pants in my possession, I'm sorry to say. The show sold them off without my knowing. You know, they also put me in this beautiful, fitted leather coat that I had my eye on. Where I could've worn this coat without looking like a complete idiot, I don't know.
TVGuide.com: NBC recently announced the cancellation of passions. Was it hard on you when the axed SB?
Robertson: Not for me, it wasn't. I come from the theater and I'm used to playing many characters, so three years in the same role felt like a long time for me. I remember a lot of people on the cast were worried what they would do next. They were worried about the financial side of things. I've never worried about finances too much because I feel like the money comes, if you make the right decisions.
TVGuide.com: You finished filming WWG a short while ago. What's next for you?
Robertson: I'm going to visit my children in Australia. They're four-year-old twins, Amelia and Alexander. I got divorced and my ex-wife's down there, so I go see them as frequently as I can. It is rough, but these things happen.
TVGuide.com: Among your fanbase, everyone's really curious about your new girlfriend.
Robertson: [
Laughs] I'm sure they are! I'd better not get into that. What happened was I did the
Good Day L.A. show and I mentioned something about it. I don't think any of my fans even knew that I was divorced! I kept it private because I was going through a bit of a rough time. I needed to work through it on my own and I didn't want to announce it to the world. I had a couple of years there where I was pretty low, but I feel more like myself again. The upshot is that my kids are somewhere else and I have to work that into my schedule now.
TVGuide.com: Looking on the bright side, Australia is a beautiful place to visit.
Robertson: It is! I have been there about 12 times in the past two years, so I know it pretty well. I'm watching the Australian Open right now, in fact. It's the most unbelievable tennis I've ever seen. It's quite extraordinary.