Kristen, DePaiva & Walker Join Tainted Dreams

NEW YORK CITY, July 24, 2013 – Three of One Life to Live’s most beloved fan favorites Ilene Kristen, James DePaiva and Tonja Walker have signed on for Tainted Dreams, a new dramedy providing a rare, realistic view behind the scenes of producing a daily scripted drama.

 

Ilene Kristen, best known for her role as “Delia Reid Ryan” on Ryan’s Hope and most recently, her twice Emmy-nominated role as the outrageous “Roxy Balsom” on One Life to Live, will play “Vivian Park,” the estranged mother of soap star, “Liza Park” played by Natalia Livingston. Kristen is also no stranger to the Broadway stage appearing in the original Broadway cast of "Grease.” She is credited on the original 1972 Broadway cast album (along with Adrienne Barbeau as Rizzo and Barry Bostwick as Danny). A talented singer and songwriter, Kristen frequently performs a catalogue of her own original music on the New York City cabaret scene, and she has made numerous guest appearances in primetime and independent films.

 

James DePaiva, who played sexy, heart-throb “Max Holden” on One Life to Live, will play “Eddy Parish,” an honest, hard-working NYC cop married to a high-profile, powerful network executive. In real life, DePaiva is married to his former co-star, the inimitable Kassie DePaiva (“Blair,” One Life to Live.) James began working at age 15 as a professional musician, a bass player. Eight years later, DePaiva back-burnered his musical career to focus on acting, and he quickly landed a recurring role as a waiter who tried to romance “Holly Scorpio” (Emma Samms) on General Hospital. Not long after his short stint on GH, DePaiva auditioned for the role of “Max Holden,” and for the next 15 years, he was one of daytime’s hottest hunks. After leaving the role of “Max,” he took up directing for both One Life to Live and As the World Turns. In 2006, James directed the suspense thriller Undone starring many of his former One Life to Live cast-mates, including his wife Kassie, Heather Tom, Forbes March, Roy Thinnes, Dan Gauthier and Timothy Stickney.

 

Emmy-nominated Tonja Walker, known for her portrayal of two volatile, dangerous women “Olivia Jerome” on General Hospital and “Alex Olanov” on One Life to Live, is slated to play “Eddy Parish’s” (James DePaiva) domineering sister-in-law, high-powered attorney, “Tina Scott.” Walker has starred in a number of pilots for television, episodic TV and films. She is also an accomplished singer; during her 15 years in Daytime television, Walker made singing tours across the country opening with national recording artists and in her own one-woman show in LA, New York and Las Vegas. Her first venture into production, earned her a Tony nomination for BEST PLAY, as the associate producer of “Enchanted April.” Her production company, TWD Enterprises produces film, literature, television, music and theater that uplifts, entertains and inspires the public. In 2005, Walker successfully produced her first film – The Derby Stallion. Tonja discovered Zac Efron and cast him in his first lead role in film in the award-winning, critically-acclaimed Derby.

 

Kristen, DePaiva and Walker join Tainted Dreams’ all-star cast which includes Alicia Minshew (All My Children), Terri Ivens (All My Children), Grant Aleksander (Guiding Light), Kelley Menighan Hensley (As the World Turns), Walt Willey (All My Children), Natalia Livingston (General Hospital), Marnie Schulenburg (As the World Turns), Michael Lowry (All My Children), Austin Peck (Days of our Lives), Colleen Zenk (As the World Turns), Larkin Malloy (Edge of Night and All My Children), Dina Manzo (Dina’s Party and Real Housewives of New Jersey), Anthony Wilkinson (My Big Gay Italian Wedding and the new My Big Gay Italian Funeral), Lisa Marie Varon (IMPACT WRESTLING) and “Mr. PEC-Tacular” Jessie Godderz (IMPACT WRESTLING and Big Brother).

Tainted Dreams begins filming in and around NYC July 29.