NEWS/JENSEN: Texas Soapy Articles
Some early DOOL articles. The last is my personal favorite. :)
Never seen Eric Brady in action? I have several screencap-spams in my personal journal.
From the Austin American-Statesman; June 6, 1999.
Dattilo enjoying his 'Days' with rival
One of Bryan Dattilo's (Lucas) favorite co-stars on "Days of Our Lives" is on-screen rival Jensen Ackles (Eric).
"I think Jensen is a great actor. He always has his stuff together," Dattilo boasts. "I like that, because I like being challenged. I don't like approaching a scene -- going into a scene thinking, 'I might be able to take a break in this one.' Or, 'I might be able to just put it on coast for a second.' I try not to do that with anybody, but it's hard sometimes because of the way things are written. You have to play towards them."
Dattilo also likes working with Ackles because the two of them "get along so well outside of (this job), too. We like each other," he notes, "which makes the Eric and Lucas thing so much fun to play. The two of them are just so confrontational. They don't like one another at all. They come from different sides of the world. They don't wear the same clothes. They don't look the same. They don't act the same. They are totally different, and I like that."
From the Austin American-Statesman; February 22, 1998.
Days' stars start league of dream teams
The 1998 Days of Our Lives'' fantasy basketball league is up and running, and Jensen Ackles (who plays Eric Brady) has gotten to play, since he is a big fan of the pro sport.
Alison Sweeney (who plays Sami Brady), Bryan Datillo (who plays Lucas Roberts), James Reynolds (who plays Abe Carver) and some of the crew guys are in the league,'' Ackles says. He notes that Reynolds is pretty much in charge of everything. He accumulated the stats on all the NBA players and faxed them out to everyone at the beginning of the season. Then, we all got together and picked teams. We had a big draft night where we picked NBA players. We each had a salary cap of $260,000. We couldn't go over that amount, and out of it we had to bid on 12 players. The whole thing was very strategic. You really had to figure out who you were going to spend how much money on, who is a good player , and who is going to get you what kind of points.''
Ackles notes that his TV sister, Sweeney, held her own in the bidding war. Ali knew more than I did,'' he says, laughing. She'd been preparing for weeks, reading magazines, like Sports Illustrated. She knew all the prospective players and was really ready for the draft.''
And who can blame her? After all, there is a grand reward for the team that comes out on top.
There's a money pot,'' says a smiling Ackles, who is not revealing exactly how much is in it. Everybody put in a certain amount; then, at the end of the season, whichever team has the most points wins it all.''
From the Austin American-Statesman; December 21, 1997.
Days' star enjoys Dallas holiday lights
Jensen Ackles, who plays Eric Brady on Days of Our Lives, reports that back in his native Texas it wouldn't be Christmas without taking a drive to Spring Park and Highland Park -- two areas near his family's home known for their elaborate light displays.
There's a theme on every street which the homeowners follow. They decorate with it,'' he says. There's always a train of cars going through these neighborhoods.''
Ackles said his family takes part in the lightfestivities of Dallas, too.
"We don't do anything really elaborate. It's strictly lights. No cutouts or anything like that,'' Ackles said. "It's just the way my dad puts up the lights. He really takes the time to get out there and do them perfectly. He lines the roof -- every crevice -- with big bulbs. Then he covers the bushes lining the front of the house with white lights and our two side trees with multicolored lights. And, of course, our Christmas tree can be seen through the front window all decorated and lit up."
From the Austin American-Statesman; October 19, 1997.
Taylor finds male bonding with Days' son
Josh Taylor, who returned to Days of Our Lives'' several months ago to play Roman Brady, really enjoys the tight father-son bond the show has been developing between him and daytime newcomer Jensen Ackles, who plays his on-screen son, Eric.
"Eric is kind of an extension of Roman,'' explains Taylor. He has the same kind of strength as his father, the same sense of justice. And he's not going to be taken advantage of, if he can help it.''
Taylor also says that what really makes the relationship work is the fact that Ackles is "such a terrific kid and a very good actor. He's always willing to rehearse, to put that extra time in to do the best work he possibly can,'' Taylor notes. "And, when it comes time to tape, Jensen really listens. When you're doing a scene with him, he's right there with you, right in the moment. As a result, every scene I do with him is real.''
Never seen Eric Brady in action? I have several screencap-spams in my personal journal.
From the Austin American-Statesman; June 6, 1999.
Dattilo enjoying his 'Days' with rival
One of Bryan Dattilo's (Lucas) favorite co-stars on "Days of Our Lives" is on-screen rival Jensen Ackles (Eric).
"I think Jensen is a great actor. He always has his stuff together," Dattilo boasts. "I like that, because I like being challenged. I don't like approaching a scene -- going into a scene thinking, 'I might be able to take a break in this one.' Or, 'I might be able to just put it on coast for a second.' I try not to do that with anybody, but it's hard sometimes because of the way things are written. You have to play towards them."
Dattilo also likes working with Ackles because the two of them "get along so well outside of (this job), too. We like each other," he notes, "which makes the Eric and Lucas thing so much fun to play. The two of them are just so confrontational. They don't like one another at all. They come from different sides of the world. They don't wear the same clothes. They don't look the same. They don't act the same. They are totally different, and I like that."
From the Austin American-Statesman; February 22, 1998.
Days' stars start league of dream teams
The 1998 Days of Our Lives'' fantasy basketball league is up and running, and Jensen Ackles (who plays Eric Brady) has gotten to play, since he is a big fan of the pro sport.
Alison Sweeney (who plays Sami Brady), Bryan Datillo (who plays Lucas Roberts), James Reynolds (who plays Abe Carver) and some of the crew guys are in the league,'' Ackles says. He notes that Reynolds is pretty much in charge of everything. He accumulated the stats on all the NBA players and faxed them out to everyone at the beginning of the season. Then, we all got together and picked teams. We had a big draft night where we picked NBA players. We each had a salary cap of $260,000. We couldn't go over that amount, and out of it we had to bid on 12 players. The whole thing was very strategic. You really had to figure out who you were going to spend how much money on, who is a good player , and who is going to get you what kind of points.''
Ackles notes that his TV sister, Sweeney, held her own in the bidding war. Ali knew more than I did,'' he says, laughing. She'd been preparing for weeks, reading magazines, like Sports Illustrated. She knew all the prospective players and was really ready for the draft.''
And who can blame her? After all, there is a grand reward for the team that comes out on top.
There's a money pot,'' says a smiling Ackles, who is not revealing exactly how much is in it. Everybody put in a certain amount; then, at the end of the season, whichever team has the most points wins it all.''
From the Austin American-Statesman; December 21, 1997.
Days' star enjoys Dallas holiday lights
Jensen Ackles, who plays Eric Brady on Days of Our Lives, reports that back in his native Texas it wouldn't be Christmas without taking a drive to Spring Park and Highland Park -- two areas near his family's home known for their elaborate light displays.
There's a theme on every street which the homeowners follow. They decorate with it,'' he says. There's always a train of cars going through these neighborhoods.''
Ackles said his family takes part in the lightfestivities of Dallas, too.
"We don't do anything really elaborate. It's strictly lights. No cutouts or anything like that,'' Ackles said. "It's just the way my dad puts up the lights. He really takes the time to get out there and do them perfectly. He lines the roof -- every crevice -- with big bulbs. Then he covers the bushes lining the front of the house with white lights and our two side trees with multicolored lights. And, of course, our Christmas tree can be seen through the front window all decorated and lit up."
From the Austin American-Statesman; October 19, 1997.
Taylor finds male bonding with Days' son
Josh Taylor, who returned to Days of Our Lives'' several months ago to play Roman Brady, really enjoys the tight father-son bond the show has been developing between him and daytime newcomer Jensen Ackles, who plays his on-screen son, Eric.
"Eric is kind of an extension of Roman,'' explains Taylor. He has the same kind of strength as his father, the same sense of justice. And he's not going to be taken advantage of, if he can help it.''
Taylor also says that what really makes the relationship work is the fact that Ackles is "such a terrific kid and a very good actor. He's always willing to rehearse, to put that extra time in to do the best work he possibly can,'' Taylor notes. "And, when it comes time to tape, Jensen really listens. When you're doing a scene with him, he's right there with you, right in the moment. As a result, every scene I do with him is real.''