Greenlee Smythe
| Greenlee Smythe | |||||||||||||||
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| All My Children character | |||||||||||||||
| File:Budigsmythe.jpg Rebecca Budig as Greenlee Smythe (2008) | |||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Rebecca Budig (#1) (1999-2005; 2008-) Sabine Singh (#2) (2007-2008) | ||||||||||||||
| First appearance | August 11 1999 | ||||||||||||||
| Created by | Agnes Nixon | ||||||||||||||
| File:My PicturesAMC-5-23-07-03 - (07.07.19).jpg Sabine Singh as Greenlee Smythe in 2007 | |||||||||||||||
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Greenlee Smythe (previously duPres and Lavery) is a fictional character from the daytime drama All My Children. She was originally portrayed by actress Rebecca Budig from August 11 1999 to November 30 2005 and was portrayed by actress Sabine Singh from April 20 2007 to January 15 2008. In December 2007, it was announced that Budig accepted the offer to reprise the role, and would continue her portrayal of the three-dimensional character. Episodes with Budig began airing again January 16 2008. The return was one of the most widely reported in the genre's history, with newspapers such as the Associated Press and New York Daily News featuring the story.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
For years, the character has been one of television's top bad girls. She is noted as the last major daytime character created by show creator Agnes Nixon.[8]
Background
Casting and character creation
When the show All My Children was looking for a new resident villainess to wreak havoc in the fictional town of Pine Valley, they created character Greenlee Smythe. Executives at ABC already had their sights set on actress Rebecca Budig for the role.[9] Budig, who felt that becoming the character was a great opportunity to expand her range as an actress, sent the show her video reel.[9] On August 11 1999, Greenlee Smythe made her debut. After the role was officially hers, Budig gave further explanation about her interest in the part and her early portrayal: "This was a recurring role," she stated. "I didn't have to go in and test — the process proceeded swiftly. Judy [ Blye Wilson, AMC casting director ] told me that Greenlee was a bad girl who comes to Pine Valley and causes trouble. It was the summer; I figured there wasn't going to be anything going on in L.A. — why not go back to New York?" Budig added, "Plus, I never get to play the bad girl and delve into the dark side. I'm always playing the good girl. It's been exciting because the role has really come to fruition these past three months. Her dad's a drunk, her mother pays no attention to her, she lives with her grandmother — she's pathetically desperate, kind of like me. I'm kidding. I love her name; it's so debutante. I think she's going to continue to be a spoiler."[9]
The character later went from recurring status to being a main character. Budig immediately accepted the commitment of being a contract player, saying that she was very happy at All My Children. "I don't even know how to describe it; it's just been a really nice experience for me. I'm friendly with everyone," she cited. "I have to tell you, I am in love with Judy Blye Wilson and Jean Dadario Burke [AMC's executive producer]. Jean is like my mother, and Judy is like my best friend. It's been really nice to be around people like that. I love Jennifer Bassey (Marian). She's taken me under her wing a little bit. She's teaching me all sorts of things. I just look at the people on the show and I'm so amazed. There are so many people to learn from there."[9]
Wilson's take on bringing in Budig for the role of Greenlee is that it was a no-brainer. Wilson had been trying to get Budig at All My Children for years. "She went on to Guiding Light about two weeks before I was going to bring her in to read for the part," Wilson relayed. "Since then I'd spoken to her several times and tried to encourage her to come here, and this time we got lucky. I think she's a terrific young lady and a wonderful actress, and I'm really happy that we have her here at ABC."[9]
Wilson felt that Budig brought a special mix of qualities to the table, detailing that "she has this unique way of playing the bad girl, if you will, but making her very likable". Wilson elaborated on Budig's way of showing vulnerability: "You love to watch this bad girl, and that's not an easy thing to make people do. As a person, Rebecca has this wonderful kind of spunky, upbeat quality that is endearing. I've always liked this girl, and enjoyed spending time with her. She's just a lot of fun."[9]
When describing the feeling of portraying the vixen, Budig also used the word fun, citing her kinship with the character and how it differs from her role on Guiding Light. "Michelle was young and naive," Budig specified. "I'm sure I'm still a little naive, but it's hard for an actor who's older to play younger. You have to go back to being somewhat innocent, and it's hard once you're not to go back to being that way. Greenlee's worldly and naughty, and I can relate more to her — not that I'm a naughty girl," she added with a grin.[9]
Recast and return of original
In early 2007, nearly two years after Budig left the role in 2005, the show went through with recasting Greenlee Smythe. Actress Sabine Singh was selected to step into the role of the villainess after Budig turned down the offer to return. Viewers, at first, had a difficult time warming up to a new actress portraying their favorite bad girl. There was sentiment that the new Greenlee was too whiny and too self-defeatist to be the strong, independent Greenlee they had come to know and love. Singh, however, did manage to win over her share of fans, as she spun the character to become somewhat recognizable to viewers again.
New head writers of the show, James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten, in their interview with TV Guide, stated that they helped Singh take over the part by writing specifically for the new actor. "We saw some little things in Sabine Singh (Greenlee), so we wrote for her accordingly, but you get into real trouble when you completely change the character for a recast. Luckily, Jim and I don’t have any trouble separating the actor from a character because the latter is really paramount in our eyes," stated Esensten.[10]
Still, with recasts becoming more frequent on the canvas, the audience longed for more familiarity, often citing old favorites and their portrayals of beloved or hated characters.
In late 2007, All My Children again sought out to bring back Budig as Greenlee. This time, their offer was accepted, and on December 12 2007, it was announced that Budig would be returning to the role.[11] The announcement was prominently featured in major news outlets.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Controversy
When viewers received word that Budig would be returning to the role, fans were ecstatic. They had been against the network's decision to recast Greenlee and slow to embrace Singh as the character.[11]
"Fans were quite vocal," stated All My Children spokesman Michael Cohen. "They wanted Rebecca back as Greenlee. ... When the timing is right, as it was now, Rebecca was available so we brought her back."[3]
The news of Budig's return, however, was largely overshadowed with information of what went on behind the scenes in releasing one Greenlee for another. "Sabine was fired!" said a note on a MySpace page claiming affiliation with Singh's fan club:[11]
She was given a week to leave quietly and told that Rebecca was coming back. Supposedly [Brian] Frons had been in talks with [Budig] since before Thanksgiving, this is why [Singh] was invited to SSW, then had her invitation taken from her. The cast just found out yesterday and they are all in shock. Sabine herself didn't even see it coming, for months [show execs] kept telling her how amazing she was and she should look forward to another contract after her four years were up, and then BAM![11]
Fans were outraged and conflicted at the news.[12] Viewers happy for Budig's return, now felt emotions that ranged from guilt to bitterness, citing their overjoyed state at the knowledge that Original Greenlee would be returning, but that it was difficult to truly relish in. Viewers who had come to accept Singh as the bad girl were naturally disheartened, and both sides felt that the way Singh was treated was unfair.[12] The issue worsened when ABC began running advertisements touting Budig's return as "the real Greenlee is back".[11] A move seen by viewers as disrespectful to Singh's portrayal, especially considering she was still filming. Voices expressing that the network could have had more tact in letting Singh go and that it did not have to unfold the way it did, all in order to get Budig back, were heard.
Of her return, Budig stated that the reason she decided to take the offer was because of timing. She stated that her life is in Los Angeles, and that ABC did a lot to make the transition easier for her.[11][2][3][4] It was not Budig's fault, viewers were quick to point out, since she had been approached by Frons himself and could not have known how Singh would be treated. When asked of Singh, Budig praised her work. She seemed aware of how the writers had altered Greenlee's character, however, and the audience's dissatisfaction with the change, hinting that this would not be the case with her return:
I think [Sabine] brought in a different perspective on the character. Obviously, I played this character for six years and I have a different take on Greenlee.[5][11]
Oddly, Singh's take on the character was somewhat due to the show's executives who encouraged her not to watch old scenes involving Greenlee because they wanted her to put her own spin on the character.[11] This reality gave irony to the network's feeling that Singh was not playing "true Greenlee".
When Singh's message regarding her departure was made available in the subsequent issue of Soap Opera Digest, documented was Singh stating to not knowing who the person claiming affiliation with her fan club was, but that the information provided was mostly accurate. She later detailed her feelings in full, saddened but positive:
It has been a difficult week and a shocking, most unexpected turn of events. My fellow cast and crew members held me up through my last week of work, where I shot scenes and said lines that were no longer mine. This was difficult news to receive the week before Christmas, which made it even harder to tell my family. I am so sad to have lost a job I loved so much, and I am sad at how much this hurts my amazingly supportive family. Ultimately, I would like to thank All My Children for the opportunities they provided me, but most especially, I want to thank them because I was able to meet and work with such remarkable, extraordinary people.[12]
Singh further relayed that there was "one thing" that kept her clearheaded and strong throughout the matter — her friends, on and off set. Singh stated "the amazing AMC fans, [who] have been nothing short of supportive, loving and giving on my behalf". Co-star Cameron Mathison (Ryan Lavery) praised her work: "She made a lot of sacrifices for the show and did a great job. We'll miss her around here."[12]
Viewers have remained bitter about the matter of what took place with Singh's departure, but also eager for Budig to once again spark the Greenlee they knew years before.
Storyline
Greenlee Smythe, named after her mother's maiden name, is a rich debutante from one of Pine Valley's most prominent families. She has an affair with Scott Chandler at college, and wants to resume it when they return home to Pine Valley. Scott, however, has eyes for a woman named Becca Tyree, but that does not stop Greenlee from trying to take her competition out of the picture. She makes snide comments and insinuations about Becca, and makes sure that she sees an incriminating videotape of her and Scott having sex. The tape is made at college without Scott's knowledge, and Greenlee mixes it in with tapes from work that were at Scott's apartment, so that it looks like he made it and likes to view it. Becca breaks off ties with Scott, but his father convinces her to go see him at the Chandler cabin. Greenlee gets there first, and talks Scott into sex. Once the thrill of seducing Scott subsides, Greenlee moves on to her next male conquest.
Ryan Lavery infatuation and true love Leo
Greenlee is crazy for Ryan Lavery almost from the first moment she lays eyes upon him. Greenlee buddies up to Ryan with a claim that she can help him find his new calling in life — an Internet venture. Greenlee has her grandfather set up an elaborate cover so that he can fund Ryan's fledgling Internet company. Greenlee hopes that this will endear herself to Ryan, but Ryan has eyes for only one woman — Gillian Andrassy.
Ryan and Greenlee are intimate on many occasions, but Ryan insists that they are only having sex and not making love. As it becomes more apparent that Ryan is not going to fall for Greenlee, Greenlee develops a relationship with Leo du Pres. The two fool around, but neither one put much thought into the fact that they can have a relationship with each other. The pair even team up on a bet as to whether or not Leo can seduce Becca into giving her virginity to him.
Greenlee covers for Ryan when he "borrows" $3,000,000 from his Internet company's tills. She becomes involved with a sleazy loan shark with ties to the underworld named Wade Randall. Wade loans Greenlee the money to cover Ryan's debt (so that Ryan will not be arrested for embezzlement), but Wade immediately takes Greenlee to task by demanding that she introduces him to her grandfather. Greenlee fears that Wade will kill her grandfather. She is bought some extra time to honor Wade's deadline by an unlucky turn of events — Woodruff Greenlee suffers a mild heart attack. During this time, Greenlee learns that Ryan borrowed the money to run off with Gillian and rescue Jake Martin in war-torn Chechnya. Greenlee goes to the police and tells them of Ryan dipping into his company's money. In the process, she clears herself of any possible connection. When Ryan returns to the U.S., he is promptly arrested. This ordeal seems to help Greenlee get Ryan out of her system for good.
Leo takes Greenlee to the tropics to toast to their new relationship. When she loses him due to a misunderstanding, she remains persistent and determined to win him back. In the process, she accidentally learns that Bianca Montgomery is harboring a deep secret — she is gay. Greenlee promptly nicknames the young woman LesBianca.[13]
Greenlee's 2001 is filled with more lows than highs. She lands a job at Enchantment, but she does not know that Erica Kane (Bianca's mother) has hired her only to get her out of Pine Valley. Erica's plot is to avenge Greenlee's poor treatment of Bianca. Greenlee, however, proves she is quite valuable and is subsequently fired and rehired several times. Greenlee is determined to win back Leo, who has agreed to marry a dying Laura English. Laura lives and Leo finds himself trapped in a loveless marriage. Greenlee is tossed in jail after violating a restraining order to steer clear of the married couple. During Leo's married days, Greenlee becomes very close to Jake Martin, but in her heart she knows that she really loves Leo. After Leo refuses to renew his wedding vows to Laura, he frees himself to return to Greenlee. Greenlee goes to bat for Erica during Erica's trial for Mary Frances "Frankie" Stone; she helps keep things running, though she does offend the Lacey's chairman. As the year comes to a close, Greenlee is desperately trying to rid Leo of another troublemaking woman in his life, his mother, Vanessa Bennett (then known as Vanessa Cortlandt).
Greenlee becomes torn between Jake and Leo. And neither man wants to be "the other man." Leo proposes to Greenlee and she accepts, but the engagement is later broken when Greenlee admits to having romantic feelings for Jake. Greenlee ends up trapped on an island with Jake after she is drugged and left for dead on a sinking boat by Vanessa. Greenlee and an also-drugged Jake escape their near-watery grave, but Greenlee's unwillingness to commit to Jake results in Jake walking away.
Not long after a Revlon deal, Greenlee's father dies. Greenlee's pain is intensified when she overhears her grandfather telling her mother, Mary Smythe, who has recently come back into her life claiming to want a reconciliation, that he knows she is only interested in Greenlee because she wants to be put back into his will.
Greenlee's dependency on Leo is magnified and they go off on a brief honeymoon. The happiness is not to last. Vanessa, who had been pretending to be a kinder, gentler person, kidnaps her before she and Leo plan to leave the country. Leo obeys Vanessa's demands to find her diamonds in order to free Greenlee, but realizes Vanessa has no plans to leave her longtime enemy alive. Greenlee struggles for control of the gun, is knocked aside, and as she begins to fall off the cliffside, Vanessa shoots a few rounds at her. Mother and son struggle for control of the gun and both fall into the raging river. Trey manages to pull Greenlee to safety, but she is beyond despondent when she realizes her beloved Leo is gone forever. The only silver lining is that she and her mother managed to mend fences, or at least made the attempt.
Struggle to go on and family drama
While mourning, Greenlee decides to form a new cosmetics company to rival Enchantment. Enlisting the partnership of Simone Torres, Kendall Hart, Liza Colby, and Mia Saunders, she creates FUSION cosmetics. As she tries to get the company off the ground, her behavior, which has always been abrasive and hostile at best, becomes downright abusive and cruel. Greenlee realizes that she is close to being all alone for the rest of her life, and enters therapy in an attempt to bring closure to her many demons. While Greenlee works through her pain and grief, her friends try to push her back into romance. Although Trey Kenyon is interested and kisses her, she does not share those feelings. Only when Greenlee begins receiving anonymous poems through her e-mail account, does she start to open up. Fusion's quiet, hunky handyman, Carlos Reyes, declares his passion for her. At first put off by his lowly job status, Greenlee warms to him when she learns he sent her the e-mails. His tenderness and gentle manner helps her move beyond Leo. Soon after, on a night of romance, he confesses that he did not send the e-mails, that his sister had put the words together for him. Although Greenlee is furious, she has grown to care about Carlos for himself, not the poetry, and she welcomes his attempts to show her more about his life and what makes him who he is. Greenlee's romance with Carlos goes sour when she uses his relationship with Diane Lacey, owner of Lacey's department store, to score Fusion points for herself. She manipulates Diane and makes her think that Carlos has spilled her secret to Greenlee. Soon after their break up, Carlos quits working at Fusion and goes to work for Stuart Chandler at his art gallery.
Greenlee befriends, Juan Pablo, a handsome, wealthy man who comes to Pine Valley looking to invest in Fusion. She is not sure if she can trust him because he seems to be wiggling his way into all of the Fusion girl's lives.
Greenlee becomes suspicious when her mother starts sneaking back into her life and tries to become close to Jackson Montgomery. When Jackson is hospitalized for a heart condition, Mary rushes herself and Greenlee to the hospital to donate blood. Fortunately, Jackson finds a donor and his life is saved, but not from the hands and obsession of Mary. She makes it very clear to Jackson's fiancée, Erica, that she wants him for herself. She asks Greenlee to deliver a special note to Jackson because Erica would not let her get near him. Greenlee takes the note to Jackson the day before the wedding, but his friends tell him not to read it. Jackson gives the note back to her. She decides to read it for herself and gets the shock of her life.
The note is dated to Jackson before she was even born. The note reveals that Jackson is her real father, not Roger. Greenlee cannot believe her mother has lied to her again and let her grow up with a man who despised her. She takes the crumpled note and flees to her mother's room at The Valley Inn only hours before the wedding. Mary admits that Jackson is Greenlee's father and that she lied because he was poor, and Roger was rich. Greenlee notices the stationary the note was written on and discovers it was the same as The Valley Inn. Knowing she is caught, Mary says she did forge the note, but the words are true. She shows Greenlee a journal entry written exactly nine months before she was conceived and the last time she and Jackson made love. Mary tells her that Greenlee's blood type matches Jackson's and she is the one who saved his life. Realizing her mother's twisted lies are true, Greenlee decides she never wants to speak to her mother again.
Greenlee finds comfort in the arms of smooth and wealthy Juan Pablo Ruiz de Vasquez, Carlos's brother and a newcomer to Pine Valley. Juan Pablo supports Greenlee in further manipulations by her mother, as well as Michael Cambias's hostile takeover of Fusion. Greenlee finds herself falling in love with Pablo, but is shocked and hurt when Juan Pablo begins to treat her cruelly. What Greenlee does not know is that Pablo is trying to alienate her in an effort to keep her away from the Calatravas, an Argentinean gang that is trying to kill Pablo and his brother. Pablo hopes that by driving Greenlee away, the Calatravas will not target her. After parting with Pablo, Greenlee, who has been unwilling to accept that Kendall had married a rapist, clashes with Kendall. Greenlee feels that Kendall is mistreating Ryan. Coupled with Greenlee's distrust of Kendall and anger over what she feels is deplorable favoritism of Kendall (despite the latter's horrific actions of marrying a rapist), Greenlee sets out to prove that Kendall is not pregnant with Michael's child as the latter claims. She exposes Kendall in court (ripping off her dress), proving Kendall's pregnancy a lie. Ostracized by the town, Greenlee discovers that Kendall's duplicitous actions were all to protect Bianca. Guilt ridden, Greenlee falls down a mineshaft. Ryan finds her near death and nurses her back to health. Greenlee vows to repair the damaged relationships in her life, all the meanwhile growing closer to Ryan.
Eventually, Greenlee and Bianca become closer, due to their shared connection with Leo. Later, whilst Bianca is mourning her daughter, Miranda, whom she thinks is dead, Greenlee comforts her former rival, and surprises her with a necklace that Leo had given to her. Bianca never takes it off, and wears it when she is preparing to move to Paris.
Back to Ryan, from infatuation to love
Greenlee's friendship with Ryan continues to be a source of conflict in Ryan's relationship with Kendall. Not wanting Greenlee to have any part of Fusion (now a Cambias owned company), Kendall reveals at a Cambias board meeting that she had her sister Bianca (at the time, the head of Cambias Industries) insert a specific clause barring Greenlee from working at any Cambias owned company, namely Fusion. Furious with Kendall for her latest manipulation, Ryan breaks up with her and asks Greenlee to marry him. Ryan (then head of Cambias Industries) explains that as his wife, Greenlee, will be able to work at Fusion because she will be co-owner. Touched by Ryan's gesture of friendship, Greenlee agrees. Greenlee begins to develop romantic feelings for Ryan, but does not want to jeopardize their friendship by revealing them, for fear Ryan does not feel the same. After a last minute scheme of Kendall's to stop the union is thwarted, Ryan and Greenlee are wed.
Ryan develops deep romantic feelings for Greenlee, and the two profess their love for each other. Kendall tries to interfere with their love life more than once, but is unsuccessful.
Greenlee begins experiencing blurry vision, states of catatonia and lack of impulse control. Her behavior increasingly erratic, Greenlee seeks medical treatment but nothing can be determined. Ryan stands by her and vows to find the cause of her problems. Greenlee's condition worsens, culminating in a near nosedive off the Fusion roof as part of an imagined trapeze act. Kendall saves Greenlee, who experiences a total break from reality. Ryan is forced to commit Greenlee, and it is revealed she had an excess of anti-psychotic drugs in her system. Ryan realizes that his wife had been poisoned and vows to find the person responsible. Ryan manages to bring Greenlee out of her psychotic state and she quickly recovers. Ryan suspects that Kendall, with her history of unstable behavior, may be the party responsible for Greenlee's condition. Greenlee recalls Kendall saving her on the Fusion roof, and vouches for Kendall's innocence. Kendall and Greenlee slowly begin to repair their damaged friendship.
Greenlee suspects that Ryan's brother, Jonathan, is responsible for poisoning her. Jonathan reveals that the eldest Lavery brother, Braden, is responsible for poisoning Greenlee, as well as shooting Ryan and murdering Edmund Grey. Ryan swears to find Braden and bring him to the authorities, so that he can never hurt Greenlee or anyone else. Despite her fear that Ryan could be killed by Braden, Greenlee promises to support him in his quest to find his brother. Jonathan kidnapped Greenlee, Kendall and Lily Montgomery and reveals himself as the true party behind Edmund's death, Ryan's shooting and Greenlee's poisoning. Before Jonathan can kill the women in a twisted attempt to "save" Ryan, Ryan is forced to shoot his brother.
Ryan is devastated after killing his own brother, and his behavior grows more volatile. Greenlee believes that a baby might give Ryan hope and revitalize him, so she suggested getting pregnant. Ryan adamantly refuses, telling Greenlee that his family stock is littered with rage-filled abusers: Ryan's own angry behavior and capability of shooting his brother proves that he has that within him. He will not risk hurting a child. Greenlee refuses to believe Ryan could hurt her or their child, and remains determined to get pregnant. Ryan has a vasectomy to ensure that never happens, and when Greenlee finds out, she is furious.
Greenlee learns that Ryan made a sperm donation years earlier to a local fertility clinic. She attempts to get Ryan's sperm from the owner, Dr. Greg Madden. Her attempts fail, so she enlists Simone's help to break into the clinic and steal the sperm. Greenlee learns that Ryan has been participating in fight clubs at night to release his aggression, which only convinces her more that a baby is the key to making Ryan realize what a good person he is. After stealing the sperm from the clinic, Greenlee is inseminated by Dr. David Hayward. Tests soon confirm that she is pregnant.
Greenlee is confident that Ryan will feel differently about being a parent once he learns about the baby, and drops any notion that he is tainted or dangerous. She breaks the news, and Ryan goes on a rampage. He nearly hits Greenlee and once again rages about how he will be a parent that can potentially hurt his child. A furious Ryan speeds on his motorcycle and goes careening off of a cliff. His body is never recovered, and Greenlee is told that her husband is dead.
Devastated, Greenlee holds onto her unborn child as the link she still shares with Ryan. Soon after, she miscarries. Greenlee asks Dr. Madden to use Ryan's remaining sperm so that she can try again. Dr. Madden informs her that she can conceive, but will never be able to carry a child to term. Greenlee sinks into depression.
Kendall, hurting for her friend and upset at Greenlee's loss, offers to act as a surrogate to Ryan and Greenlee's fertilized egg. Touched by Kendall's gesture and hopeful for the future, Greenlee agrees. The two decide to keep the surrogacy a secret from their family, particularly Jack, who feels that Greenlee needs to move on from any reminders of Ryan. Greenlee remains unaware that Ryan faked his death, as he is convinced that he is saving his wife from a dangerous man by walking away.
Kendall is implanted and soon discovers that she is pregnant. Greenlee is ecstatic at the thought of bringing Ryan's baby into the world. She holds a memorial service for Ryan, and is shocked when he showed up to it, very much alive. Ryan explains to Greenlee how he faked his death in order to protect her, but that he realized what a mistake it was. Greenlee, devastated and furious that the man she loved would let her mourn him, walks out. Kendall urges Greenlee to try to work out her problems with Ryan, but Greenlee is too hurt. She plans to keep the surrogacy from him in order to get Ryan out of town, convinced that he will have no reason to remain in Pine Valley if she gives them no hope of a future.
Ryan and Greenlee slowly make inroads with each other, but any progress is thwarted when she learns that Jonathan is really alive, and that Ryan has been caring for him. Hurt at yet another lie, let alone Ryan continuing to protect the man that nearly killed her, Greenlee continues to keep quiet about Kendall's surrogacy. The truth finally comes out when Kendall and Greenlee nearly die in a fire at the Roadside bar. Shortly after, Greenlee learns the shocking truth that the baby Kendall is carrying is not Greenlee and Ryan's, but rather Kendall and Ryan's.
Return and the subsequent trouble
She washes her hands of both of them and leaves Pine Valley. It is not until two years later, in 2007, that Greenlee would decide to return to Pine Valley. During her early return, she hopes to get back together with Ryan, but finds that everyone has moved on. She reclaims Babe Carey's Fusion shares (which she had given her to cause problems for Kendall) and berates her continuously to punish her for siding with Kendall. Kendall, Di Henry and Annie Lavery (Ryan's new wife) defend Babe and laud her achievements, but Greenlee continues to belittle Babe to the point that Babe quits Fusion. At this time, a music deal Babe secured for the company from her friendship with Zarf is in imminent danger of falling through without her, so Greenlee is forced to hire Babe back, much to the delight of Kendall, Annie, and Di. Greenlee continues to be a partner in Fusion with former stepsister (and enemy) Kendall Hart Slater. She also works with her ex-husband's wife, Annie, Babe, and Amanda Dillon. She supports Ava Benton as "the face of Fusion" despite objections from Amanda and Babe. Since Greenlee's return, profits for Fusion have skyrocketed. After learning that Zach, Kendall's husband was behind the blackout that destroyed her fertilized eggs, Greenlee tells Ryan and Kendall to prepare for the custody fight of their son, Spike.
Greenlee sets out to kidnap Ryan and Kendall's little boy, feeling that the child should have been hers in the first place. She has a change of heart when she realizes that she cannot, in good conscience, take him away from Kendall; she is in a car accident immediately following this decision, which appears to leave the child deaf.[14] Greenlee is left with a collapsed lung and a few broken ribs. Ryan tells her to stay away from his family. Meanwhile, when Zach hires Aidan Devane to keep his eye on Greenlee, Aidan starts to have romantic feelings for her and the two enter into a romantic relationship. During this time, Kendall schemes revenge against Greenlee. At the same time, trying to help his wife, Zach sets up a plot with J.R. Chandler to make Greenlee think that her embryos may not have been destroyed, only with an intention to finally get rid of Greenlee. Greenlee, however, helps the Laverys out when Ryan and Aidan are arrested for attempted murder of Annie's brother, Richie Novak. Both Annie and Ryan praise her help, but things get complicated when Erica enters into the mix to dump Greenlee far away from Kendall and her family, which ruins Erica's relationship with Jack.
Greenlee's blossoming relationship with Aidan, as well as a conversation with Ryan Lavery, helps Greenlee realize that she needs to stop living in the past. She tells J.R. she is not interested in reclaiming her lost embryos, and states she is going to use what happened to her in the past to inform her decisions in the future. Rather than impulsively making bad decisions, it appears that Greenlee is now taking advice from new boyfriend Aidan, as well as her father Jackson.
Although her name is still mud in Pine Valley due to the incident with Spike, Greenlee is beginning to repair her damaged relationships. Ex-husband Ryan tells Greenlee he does not hate her and wishes her well, Annie thanks Greenlee for her help with her deranged brother, Richie, and Jackson continues to defend Greenlee to Erica. Right now, Greenlee is trying to move past the accident with Spike, fix her relationship with former best friend Kendall, and be the center of Aidan's universe. The two are in a loving and romantic relationship. Both realize that they have fallen in love with each other.
During Kendall's revenge plot, she sets up Greenlee to make it appear as though Greenlee kidnapped Spike. She plots for months to frame Greenlee, wanting Greenlee behind bars for causing Spike to go deaf. Kendall writes diary entries on Greenlee's computer documenting Greenlee's feelings towards Spike and her intentions to take Spike again, making it appear as though Greenlee wants Spike with her. Kendall pretends to befriend Greenlee to make her think that their relationship can be reconciled. She calls and meets with her at places secretly. Kendall tells Greenlee to meet her at the boathouse. She leaves Spike in Greenlee's care after a supposed emergency call from the hospital that Zach has been in an accident. Kendall calls the police and reports that Greenlee kidnapped Spike yet again. Kendall then chloroforms herself. After the police come and arrest Greenlee, she realizes that Kendall framed her and pretended to be her friend, only to get her arrested. Greenlee is arrested for assault and kidnapping charges, and, tired of her feud with Kendall, plans to plead guilty at her arraignment.
Aidan Devane helps Greenlee escape during her arraignment, just before she pleads guilty. The two go on the run to the Canadian border. On the run, both Aidan and Greenlee proclaim their love for one another and promise each other that they will have the life they have dreamt of. While on the run, Greenlee stumbles into an injured Zach, who got ran over by Richie. They accidentally fall into a bomb shelter. Greenlee says that if they make it out, she will get Zach to safety and continue her run from the law until Aidan and Jack can prove she is innocent. During this time, they come to appreciate one another. They realize that the other person is not as bad as they had originally thought. Greenlee helps stitch Zach's open wound, and Zach helps Greenlee get the poison out when she is bitten by a poisonous snake.
Unaware of what has happened to Zach and Greenlee, the two missing for hours, Aidan and Kendall become worried. After searching for them everywhere, weeks upon weeks, they become dismal and believe their lovers to be dead. In their grief, they have sex. Afterwards, Kendall finds a map of a bomb shelter on the floor next to her and Aidan. She believes it will lead to Zach and Greenlee, and the two rush to the destination. Once there, they discover their lovers unconscious and try to revive them. Zach and Greenlee both very dehydrated, it is a matter of saving their lives.
After being brought to the hospital, an awake Zach is determined by the medical staff to be in decent condition, but Greenlee soon flatlines. As the doctors work on her, Aidan pleads for her to live. The doctors are able to revive her, and there is belief that she will now survive. This hope is shattered when she flatlines again and the doctors are ready to pronounce her dead after failing to revive her a second time. Aidan rushes in and begs once more for her to live. Her family and friends watch as Aidan holds his love in his arms and sobs, willing her to come back with his declarations of her meaning everything to him. One or two minutes pass and everything seems bleak...until the monitor shows activity; Greenlee is somehow back to the living. Her loved ones rejoice, as it is a Christmas miracle.
During her hospital stay, both Zach and Kendall visit her and both apologize for their wrong deeds and the pain and suffering they put her through. Greenlee accepts their apologies and is very happy to finally put behind the anger and bitterness over the past months. Having become good friends and formed a bond, due to their five weeks in the bomb shelter together, Zach vows to protect Greenlee and hopes she gets well soon.
Fresh start
Greenlee is given a fresh start when Kendall reveals to her that she was not responsible for Spike being deaf after all; he would have gone deaf either way, information relayed to them by Dr. Joe Martin. Greenlee is shocked, and Kendall cries, apologizing to Greenlee for her revenge plot against her. Greenlee is reduced to tears as well. When the police still want to send Greenlee to jail for kidnapping Spike, Kendall confesses to a judge that (unlike the first time) she set Greenlee up to look as though a kidnapper.
During her hospital stay, Aidan brings in her stuffed tiger "Alfonso". Aidan wants to make sure that Greenlee is reminded of their strong love and so she will have company during her hospital stay. After a few days of recovery at Pine Valley Hospital, Greenlee is discharged. Under Dr. Joe Martin's strict orders, Greenlee must take it easy. She is thrilled to leave the hospital and to finally start the life she had dreamed of with her love Aidan. Both Greenlee and Aidan are more in love than they have ever been and Aidan vows to always be there for Greenlee. She tells Aidan how she can finally love and trust another man again, especially during the time when Aidan was there for her when she kidnapped Spike and during Kendall's revenge plot, and credits him for being her hero for saving her life in the bomb shelter. However, he secretly feels guilty for his grief sex with Kendall. Since her return from the hospital, she has been having frequent dizzy spells, which alarms Dr. Joe Martin that her health is still being compromised. Greenlee starts to display the same symptoms as Quentin, better known as Frankie Hubbard, and is rushed to the hospital. She has several seizures and goes into a coma. Dr. Angie Hubbard, a previous Pine Valley resident and an infectious diseases physician, is called in to treat both Greenlee and her son Frankie. Their disease comes from the root water that Greenlee had in the bomb shelter. After her brush with death yet again, Greenlee miraculously awakes from her coma and is in good health.
Greenelee and Aidan's relationship continues, and grows stronger. Aidan proposes to her on the beach, which she initially turns down. Then, realizing she wants to marry Aidan, finds him to win him back. The two become engaged and plan their wedding. After Aidan is sent on a dangerous rescue mission to Darfur by Zach, he has to rescue a volunteer doctor. It turns out to be Jake Martin. After Aidan safely and successfully saves Jake, the two return back to Pine Valley from what was a war zone. Greenlee then realizes how much she does not want to waste another day and decides to move the wedding date up to June. However, Greenlee realizes that she does not want to have kids, ever, only because she believes she would make a bad mother. She tells Aidan, which upsets him. Aidan believes that she does not love him enough to have kids with him, but was more than willing to have kids with Ryan. Aidan finally comes to terms with living without children, and tells Greenlee that he wants to marry her still.
During Jesse Hubbard and Angie Baxter's wedding, Greenlee finds out from her father about Aidan and Kendall's one-night stand. She silently keeps quiet until deciding the perfect moment to reveal to Aidan and Kendall that she knows. She refuses to accept the platitudes and false explanations. Hurt and reeling from yet another betrayal from Kendall and the man of her life, Greenlee goes on a rampage, swearing revenge by trying to seduce Kendall's husband Zach. After some time, Greenlee attempts to mend things with Aidan; however, only as friends. Aidan initially resists just being her friend, but realizes he would rather be her friend and still be a part of her life, than not at all. However, it is obvious to the both of them that they are more than just friends. After Richie Novak's death, Aidan knows that Greenlee is shaken up by the turn of events and he offers to sleep at her door through the night. Greenlee is deeply touched by Aidan's protectiveness of her, which shows her how much he still cares for her. Aidan shows up again at her penthouse, this time using flashcards to convey his love for Greenlee. His romantic and sincere gesture gets Greenlee to think more about her relationship with Aidan and their love for one another. The following morning, she asks Aidan to come over to her place and she tells him she forgives him through flashcards. Greenlee is willing to give their love and relationship one more chance. The two are happy, and Greenlee asks Aidan to take their relationship slow so she can build back that trust with Aidan again. Aidan tells her to take all the time she needs because all he cares about is to be with her and love her. Not long after, Greenlee has a sailboating accident when the sail hits her head. Ryan witnesses Greenlee getting hit and rescues her. Her accident makes her realize how much she wants her relationship with Aidan and she and Aidan resume their romance up to where it was before and make love. When Ryan rescues Greenlee from her sailboat accident, the last four years of his life, as he was suffering from amnesia, come rushing back to him. He fights his reawakened feelings of being in love with Greenlee as he watches how happy she and Aidan are together.
See also
References
- ^ a b Mitovich, Matt Webb. "Soaps News: Budig's Back on AMC! Plus, an Angie/Jesse Reunion?!". TV Guide. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c "Rebecca Budig returns to 'All My Children'". People.com. 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
- ^ a b c d "Rebecca Budig returns as Greenlee on 'All My Children'". texarkanagazette.com. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
- ^ a b c Hirsch, Lynda. "Rebecca Budig Bringing Greenlee Back to "All My Children"". National Ledger. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c "Rebecca Budig's Comeback Q&A". Abc.com. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
- ^ a b Hirsch, Lynda (2008-01-16). "Rebecca Budig Returns to All My Children". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b Hinsey, Carolyn. "Soap Dish: Rebecca Budig is returning to 'All My Children'". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Nixon returned from 1999-2001, co-writing for All My Children, which was her last stint on any soap opera.
- ^ a b c d e f g O'Neill, Jerry. "ABC: That Girl". Soap Opera Weekly. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Branco, Nelson. "The plot to save 'All My Children': New headwriters Barbara Esensten and James Harmon Brown dish on recasting Babe, Dixie's death, and creating a diverse canvas". TV Guide. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h "Budig Returns to Role of Greenlee". soapcentral.com. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
- ^ a b c d "Soap Opera Digest, Sabine Singh interview". Soap Opera Digest.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Who's Who in Pine Valley: Bianca Montgomery". soapcentral.com. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ^ "AMC: The Scoop and Spoilers". soapcentral.com. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
External links