DAYTIME DIVAS "Thou Shalt Overcome" Written by Donna Adams 8975 rue de Reims Montreal, Qc H2N 1T2 514/895-2682 [email protected] Registered WGAw #1502347 TEASER FADE IN: INT. NBC STUDIOS - MORNING TELEVISION HOSTS REGIS PHILBIN and KELLY RIPA sit on high stools facing their live audience at the taping of their popular show Live With Regis And Kelly. REGIS The number one rated soap opera at this moment is Path To Glory. The audience applauds loudly. REGIS (CONT’D) Yes, I see we have some fans here. A few audience members whistle and shout. REGIS (CONT’D) Okay, enough already. The audience laughs. REGIS (CONT’D) Now where was I? KELLY Geez, Regis, good thing you’re retiring soon. The audience laughs. Regis looks sternly at Kelly. KELLY (CONT’D) You were talking about Path To Glory. REGIS Ah yes, Path To Glory. I don’t know if everyone’s aware, but the Daytime Emmy nominations are right around the corner. Our next guest is often referred to as part of the new generation of Daytime Divas. Here she is, Maria Medeiros. Daytime actress MARIA MEDEIROS enters the stage as the audience stands up and applauds. Her olive colored skin radiates as the lights shine on her. Maria waves to the audience, then sits on a high stool next to Regis. 2. REGIS (CONT’D) Welcome, Maria, so glad to have you here. MARIA Thank you, I’m happy to be here. MALE AUDIENCE MEMBER (shouting) I love you, Maria. Maria smiles at the audience. MARIA I love you too. KELLY Regis used to get that all the time. Now he’s lucky if he gets someone winking at him other than because of cataract surgery. Regis looks at Kelly as the audience chuckles. REGIS So tell me, Maria, why do you think Path To Glory is such a huge hit, especially with the younger generation? MARIA I think it was a matter of timing, that there had to be something different to offer in a daytime soap. When you think of it, most of our audience has never seen the mini-series North And South, which is the inspiration behind Path To Glory. KELLY And why is that? Why North And South? MARIA That was the brainchild of ABC studio head Norman Rockwell. There was talk that ABC would be cancelling most of their daytime soaps, and he felt the need to come up with something that would stand out from what was presently on air. 3. REGIS I hear his mother was a fan of Patrick Swayze and somehow she’s the real story behind the show? MARIA I’ve heard that as well. KELLY So tell me, Maria, what are your future plans? MARIA Right now, I love just being involved with daytime. The audience applauds. KELLY But you still your motion picture fan base as well. MARIA That’s true and I still leave myself open to doing movies. Right now in my career, I like the stability that daytime provides. REGIS I’m still at a loss with the cancellation of All My Children. I’ve watched it for so many years, and well, hate to see Erica go. Speaking of Erica, they compare you to Susan Lucci, but refer to you as the NEW generation of Daytime Diva. How do you feel about that? MARIA This whole Daytime Diva concept is flattering in that both me as a person and in character as Kathryn are strong, independent women. What I believe differentiates the now Daytime Diva from the prior is that we are IN control, and don’t necessarily WANT control. KELLY What do you mean by that exactly? Regis folds his arms and looks at Maria. 4. MARIA Now the studios allow actors to participate in certain aspects whereas before, if the actor didn’t like it, they shouted it out. I think that’s why the term Daytime Diva took such a bad rap for the longest time. KELLY So what do you think your chances are of being nominated for a Daytime Emmy? The audience applauds politely as Maria shyly smiles. MARIA I know there are many talented, well deserving actress out there. I’m just happy to be part of such an elite group. REGIS There’s big talk of Susan Lucci being nominated as well, and winning her second Daytime Emmy. MARIA It would be great for her. She dedicated so much of her life to All My Children, that it would only be appropriate that she leave on such a high note. REGIS I heard through the grapevine that there’s still two years left with her contract at ABC. Think she’ll join the cast of Path To Glory? MARIA I haven’t heard anything about that. Regis faces the camera. REGIS Well it’s just a thought. A very good thought that I proudly encourage ABC to follow. The audience laughs while Kelly rolls her eyes. 5. INT. NORMAN ROCKWELL’S OFFICE - AFTERNOON ABC Studio head NORMAN ROCKWELL and Executive Producer BRIAN TUCKER watch a scene from “ALL MY CHILDREN” on the large FLAT SCREEN TELEVISION in Norman’s office. The office walls are covered with various posters of ABC Daytime shows along with a small shelf containing two Emmy Awards. NORMAN Isn’t she great? Imagine the dynamic she’ll bring to the show? BRIAN I don’t know, Norman. The cast and fans are so in tune with one another. Don’t you think bringing in an older character would stir up the pot too much? NORMAN See, that’s just it. We need to inject new life into the show. Norman looks at a photo frame with a picture of his mother on his desk. NORMAN (CONT’D) Ahh, yes, life. Norman shows the picture to Brian. He points to his mother. NORMAN (CONT’D) She was the one who gave me life. Now, in her twilight days, what kind of a son would I be if I didn’t fulfill her dying wish? BRIAN TALKING HEAD Brian looks at the photo of Norman’s mother. BRIAN Before we go any further, and you think I’m insensitive, well, let’s just say her dying wishes have lived on for the past three and a half years here at ABC. NORMAN TALKING HEAD Norman looks through a family photo album. 6. NORMAN My mother. She’s quite the fighter. (beat) It was her that came up with the idea of “Path To Glory.” A picture of PATRICK SWAYZE from the mini series “NORTH AND SOUTH” appears on screen. NORMAN (CONT’D) My mom loved Patrick Swayze in the mini series “North And South”. That was way before all that grinding he did in “Dirty Dancing.” Mother didn’t approve of that one. INT. NORMAN ROCKWELL’S OFFICE - AFTERNOON Norman turns off the television. He sorts through papers on his desk as Brian curiously watches. Norman takes a page and hands it to Brian. NORMAN You see, we still have Susan under obligation for the next two years. Brian studies the page. BRIAN Wouldn’t it be wiser to just, you know, wish her well and pay her off? Norman wipes a fake tear as he stares at his mother’s photo. NORMAN No, it’s not what mother would want. Case closed. BRIAN How soon will this happen? I mean, I have to speak with the writers to figure out her role. NORMAN (interrupting Brian’s sentence) That’s the beauty of Susan. Brian leans back in his chair and stares at Norman. 7. NORMAN (CONT’D) She’s such a highly skilled actress that well, she can throw out the ideas. You know, what her role is and how it affects the supporting cast. BRIAN But Maria is the main actress. The fans love her. Our ratings have jumped ever since she joined. NORMAN Yeah, she’s young, pretty. Norman smiles as he winks at his mother’s picture. NORMAN (CONT’D) But she’s not Susan. So Brian, Susan will be passing by tomorrow to meet you and the cast. Make her feel at home, maybe have one of the hunks bring her around. (beat) Do the kids still use that word? Hunk? Brian gets up and puts his hands on his hips. BRIAN Yes Norman, they still do. NORMAN Okay then. Off you go. Brian leaves the office while Norman kisses his mother’s picture. END OF TEASER 8. ACT ONE FADE IN: INT. ABC STUDIO SEVEN - EARLY AFTERNOON Maria and various actors sit around a long rectangular table performing a table read of “Path To Glory”. Ruggedly handsome leading man DERRICK WOODS sits next to Maria. DERRICK When I look at you, Kathryn, my breath is taken away. It’s like loading my rifle with love powder. MARIA Oh, Daniel. How can we survive by being so far apart? DERRICK My love, when I am at battle, you will be the one that keeps me safe from the North. MARIA Daniel, I love you so much, it hurts. The pain is tighter than the grasp of my corset thrusting my breasts in the air so in close quarters that I can hardly breathe. Seated at the head of the table, Head writer PATRICK MORGAN raises his hand. PATRICK Maria, do you think you can put a bit more passion in the later part of that? MARIA Okay, sure Patrick. PATRICK Let’s try that again, from Derrick’s part before. Maria and Derrick smile as they look at each other.