Diehard soap fans will remember William Christian from all his years playing good guy cop Derek Frye on ABC’s “All My Children.” From 1990 to 2007, Christian was the man the denizens of Pine Valley turned to when they needed crimes solved and stellar protection.
That soap opera reputation made the actor a little hesitant to take on the role of TR Coates, the Hollywood producer backing Johnny DiMera’s (Carson Boatman) movie about his grandmother Marlena’s (Deidre Hall) satanic possession, not knowing that Johnny himself is now possessed by the devil. This movie producer also happens to be the man Paulina ran from all those years ago while she was pregnant with his child.
“Who would want to play that?” Christian said to Soap Opera Digest when he described his reaction to being offered this juicy part (via Soaps.com). Thankfully, after discussing the role with those closest to him, he was convinced TR was a character he had to take on. “They said, ‘You should do this. It’s quintessential daytime.'”
In the end, Christian is glad he listened to that advice because he’s having a great time in the “Days of Our Lives” world. “It’s been an awesome experience,” he said. “I would do it in a heartbeat again and again.”
