Venice: The Series
Encyclopedia
Venice: The Series is a web series co-produced by and starring American actress Crystal Chappell
, and is inspired in part by the Otalia storyline on the daytime drama Guiding Light
.
Venice is described by Chappell as "a show about families, and life, and all the simplicity of it, and the turmoil of it. We're going to be following a character named Gina who is a designer, and she is a gay woman."
is known for playing Olivia Spencer
on the long-running CBS daytime drama, Guiding Light
from 1999–2009, and for her role as Dr. Carly Manning
on Days of our Lives
from 1990–1993, a role she reprised in October 2009. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama for her work as Olivia in 2002 and was nominated again in the same category in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, she earned her first nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actress category and her second in 2010.
, and co-star Jessica Leccia
's character, Natalia Rivera Aitoro
, would end. The popularity of the couple, also known by the portmanteau Otalia prompted Chappell to create a web series so that fans could continue to watch the romance between the two play out, albeit with different character names and storylines. Although Chappell's character in the show is an openly gay woman, the show is not a "gay web series" but rather a show that "embodies all kinds of people, with all kinds of issues".
In August 2009, The New York Times
published an article about the Otalia storyline and fans' reaction to it, as well as information about Venice: The Series
, Gina Tognoni
as Sami and Jordan Clarke as The Colonel. Other Venice cast members include daytime actress Hillary B. Smith
of One Life to Live
as Guya, Nadia Bjorlin
as Lara, Galen Gering
as Owen - Gina's brother, Michelle Carter
as Michele, Lesli Kay
as Tracy, Michael Sabatino
, Chappell's husband, as Alan, and an old boyfriend of Gina Peter Reckell
as an old boyfriend Gina. Other cast members include Shaun Christian, Eric Martsoff, Molly Burnett
from Days of Our Lives.
Crystal Chappell
Crystal Chappell is an American actress. She played Carly Manning on Days of our Lives from 1990 to 1993, Maggie Carpenter on One Life to Live from 1995 to 1997 and Olivia Spencer on Guiding Light from 1999 to 2009. On October 2, 2009, she began reprising the role of Carly Manning...
, and is inspired in part by the Otalia storyline on the daytime drama Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
.
Venice is described by Chappell as "a show about families, and life, and all the simplicity of it, and the turmoil of it. We're going to be following a character named Gina who is a designer, and she is a gay woman."
Crystal Chappell
Crystal ChappellCrystal Chappell
Crystal Chappell is an American actress. She played Carly Manning on Days of our Lives from 1990 to 1993, Maggie Carpenter on One Life to Live from 1995 to 1997 and Olivia Spencer on Guiding Light from 1999 to 2009. On October 2, 2009, she began reprising the role of Carly Manning...
is known for playing Olivia Spencer
Olivia Spencer
Olivia Spencer is a fictional character on the popular CBS daytime soap opera, Guiding Light. The character was introduced to audiences in the summer of 1999 as the fiancée of the late Prince Richard Winslow. Crystal Chappell originated the role...
on the long-running CBS daytime drama, Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
from 1999–2009, and for her role as Dr. Carly Manning
Carly Manning
Dr. Carly Manning is a fictional character that appeared on the television soap opera Days of our Lives. Carly has been portrayed by Crystal Chappell from June 12, 1990 to October 18, 1993...
on Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
from 1990–1993, a role she reprised in October 2009. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama for her work as Olivia in 2002 and was nominated again in the same category in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, she earned her first nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actress category and her second in 2010.
The creation of Venice: The Series
Chappell, along with help from her writing partner and co-producer Kim Turrisi, decided to create Venice: The Series when, in 2009, it was announced that Guiding Light would finish after more than seven decades and, thus, the romance between Chappell's character, Olivia SpencerOlivia Spencer
Olivia Spencer is a fictional character on the popular CBS daytime soap opera, Guiding Light. The character was introduced to audiences in the summer of 1999 as the fiancée of the late Prince Richard Winslow. Crystal Chappell originated the role...
, and co-star Jessica Leccia
Jessica Leccia
Jessica Leccia is an American actress. She is known for her portrayals of Natalia Rivera on Guiding Light from 2007 to 2009 and of Inez Salinger on One Life to Live since 2010.-Career:...
's character, Natalia Rivera Aitoro
Natalia Rivera Aitoro
Natalia Aitoro is a fictional character on CBS's daytime drama Guiding Light. She was portrayed by Jessica Leccia from April 27, 2007 until September 18, 2009 .-Character's background:...
, would end. The popularity of the couple, also known by the portmanteau Otalia prompted Chappell to create a web series so that fans could continue to watch the romance between the two play out, albeit with different character names and storylines. Although Chappell's character in the show is an openly gay woman, the show is not a "gay web series" but rather a show that "embodies all kinds of people, with all kinds of issues".
In August 2009, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
published an article about the Otalia storyline and fans' reaction to it, as well as information about Venice: The Series
Ms. Chappell’s ability to mobilize her online fans will help the promotion of “Venice.” Since setting up a Twitter account in May 2009, she has amassed more than 30,000 followers, robust compared to her soap peers. Ms. Chappell’s online territory has no fewer than nine Web destinations, including the Twitter accounts of her former producing partners, Ms. Turrisi and Ms. Royaltey (both who left the show to pursue other creative endeavours); “Venice” Facebook and Twitter pages; Ms. Chappell’s Web site, crystal-chappell.com and Facebook pages; and her series site, venicetheseries.com.
Cast and characters
Venice: The Series stars Crystal Chappell as Gina, a designer and a gay woman, and Chappell's love interest from Guiding Light, Jessica Leccia, this time as Ani, Gina's love interest. Some of Chappell's and Leccia's former Guiding Light co-stars also appear in the series (now in its third season), including Tina SloanTina Sloan
Tina Sloan is an American actress.Sloan attended The Ursuline School and Manhattanville College. Sloan studied acting with Bob McAndrew and Warren Robertson...
, Gina Tognoni
Gina Tognoni
Gina Tognoni is an American actress.-Career:Tognoni has won Miss Rhode Island Teen USA in 1991 and Miss Rhode Island Teen All-American in 1993. In 1995, she was cast as Kelly Cramer on ABC's soap opera One Life to Live, a role she originated and portrayed to 2001...
as Sami and Jordan Clarke as The Colonel. Other Venice cast members include daytime actress Hillary B. Smith
Hillary B. Smith
Hillary Bailey Smith is an American actress.Born as Hillary Bailey, Smith attended Dana Hall School, Pine Manor College and Sarah Lawrence College....
of One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
as Guya, Nadia Bjorlin
Nadia Bjorlin
Nadia Alexandra Bjorlin born August 2, 1980, is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Björlin was born in Newport, Rhode Island but lived in Sweden until the age of 7. Her father was the Swedish composer and conductor Ulf Björlin .. Her mother, Fary, is a Persian interior decorator from...
as Lara, Galen Gering
Galen Gering
Galen Laius Gering is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald on the NBC daytime soap opera Passions...
as Owen - Gina's brother, Michelle Carter
Michelle Carter
Michelle Carter is the name of:*Michelle Carter , American shot putter who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing*Michelle Carter , a character in DC Comics some time referred to as "Goldstar"...
as Michele, Lesli Kay
Lesli Kay
Lesli Kay Coulouris previously Lesli Kay Sterling is an American actress, who is known primarily for her role on the CBS soap As the World Turns.-Career:...
as Tracy, Michael Sabatino
Michael Sabatino
Michael Sabatino is an American actor.-Private life:Sabatino attended the University of California, Irvine, where he set a school record for the pole vault of 17½ feet....
, Chappell's husband, as Alan, and an old boyfriend of Gina Peter Reckell
Peter Reckell
Peter Paul Reckell is an American actor. He is best known for playing Bo Brady, a role he originated in 1983 on the NBC drama Days of our Lives....
as an old boyfriend Gina. Other cast members include Shaun Christian, Eric Martsoff, Molly Burnett
Molly Burnett
Molly Kathleen Burnett is an American actress and occasional singer. She has portrayed Melanie Jonas on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives since July 31, 2008.-Personal life:Burnett was born on April 23, 1988 in Littleton, Colorado...
from Days of Our Lives.
Venice the Series Awards
In 2011, Venice the Series won the first Daytime Emmy winner for Outstanding Special Class Short Format.Setting
Venice: The Series is set in Venice Beach, California, USA and is often filmed outside to take advantage of the incomparable scenery, both natural and otherwise.How to Watch Venice
Chappell decided to use small subscription service to finance the filming of Venice, which is digitally filmed. To watch Venice, subscribers visit the venicetheseries.com website and sign up and pay for a subscription. DVDs of past seasons of the show are also available for sale online at the website.External links
- Venice: The Series
- Crystal Chappell.com
- Guiding Light
- Days of Our Lives
- Venice en Lesbicanarias Episode Recaps (Spanish)