Nancy Lee Grahn isn't afraid to reveal the facts when it comes to what's on her mind. A 17-year veteran of the daytime industry, Grahn has witnessed it all, from pioneering new soap territory in Santa Barbara's early years to enduring the show's cancellation in 1993. She picked up an Outstanding Supporting Actress Emmy along the way for her brilliant portrayal of Julia Wainwright. She then bundled up her experiences and brought them to General Hospital. After playing headstrong lawyer Alexis Davis's tough exterior for six years, Grahn is overjoyed to showcase Alexis's more vulnerable side via an unexpected relationship with resident mobster Sonny Corinthos. But it's quickly evident that the brightest joy for Grahn is her four-year-old daughter, Kate, who reminds her daily of just how perfect life can be.

Much like her GH persona, Grahn is outspoken, witty and often quite comical. In a lively telephone interview, she dished with TV Guide Online on everything from her start in the business to Clinton's new job prospects. Read on for an intimate look at this engaging actress. — Delaina Dixon

How did you get started in this business?
I started acting professionally when I was 17. It was a New York test, so I got a very good start. I just took it as a sign that this is what I was supposed to be doing. I used to watch GH; I was an ABC fan. In high school, everybody was talking about it, so I always thought, "That would be kind of fun." I went to acting school and got into theater, which I really liked the best. The only thing is that I didn't sing and dance — you need that to be on Broadway. And I think I was interested in a little bit more money; I was a bit of a capitalist. I went to Los Angeles, mostly because I was lonely in New York. There were too many people around and too much cement, and that made me feel very isolated. I felt like I was in jail. I appreciated the stimulation of New York, but I was lacking the calm to my spiritual side. In L.A., I started getting guest starring roles. Then Santa Barbara came up. I was not interested in doing a soap, especially not that one. It was its first year, and it was really awful. (Chuckles) I thought I'd try it for a year. Then the writing began to kick ass with Patrick Mulcahy. The part became so good, and I thought the only way I'm going to play a part better than this is to play Murphy Brown. It was the unsoap. It was funny and irreverent, and it was really good.

Obviously. You won an Emmy. Where do you keep it now?
Well, you get lucky. I keep it on my piano.

What happened next?
I bought a house, and to pay for it, you have to have a steady job. When the show went off the air and I left, it was good because the character was done. I worked on a Steven Bochco show and did a lot of guest roles. I tested for a couple of pilots, and they were all bad. People are under the impression that nighttime is better than daytime, and that's true, if you get a David E. Kelley show or one of the three great sitcoms. At that period of time, whatever I was reading for I didn't think was all that great. Plus, I wanted a baby. I was at an age where that needed to happen. I said to myself, 'Time to go back on daytime.' You're a gambler to become an actor. With the ageism in Hollywood and everywhere, when you are over 35, you are kind of screwed unless you hit the mark already. So I was happy when GH came up. The part came up through Richard Culliton [currently AMC's headwriter], [current GH scribe] Michele Val Jean and Mulcahy. That's where I ended up. I had the baby, and my life's been perfect.

What's the first adjective that comes to your mind to describe Alexis and why?
There are so many... complicated. In this past year, they've fleshed her out a bit, and I'm happy about that.

What has been some of your favorite storylines involving Alexis?
I had some of the stuff I've liked the most over the past six months. They had some difficulty in the telling of it, but the intent I liked. They worked with me, and they were completely flexible. I don't watch the show, because I don't have an hour a day. But I do watch the takes [we film] of Maurice Benard (Sonny) and me. I am very sensitive about the audience when I watch these things, in what they are seeing; I want it to make sense to them. I'm sort of the actress, producer and audience at the same time. I like the storyline between Alexis and Sonny. It seems human and relatable to me. Prior to that, I can't honestly say I related to too much of anything. I ran out of a wedding — I don't even know why. Well, I know why in my head, but the audience didn't know. The character wasn't fleshed out. Alexis was your standard happy B-character and storyline. Now I think it's clear she doesn't want the easy road. She wants someone who understands her, and I think that Sonny does.

Speaking of the Sonny/Alexis storyline, what did you think when you heard they were being put together?
I didn't hear that, and that's what was so interesting. There was no plan. I think there was a writing stall, and they put us in some scenes together, and the fans started to like it. They put us in some more, and Maurice and I saw a little flirtation going on between the characters. That got noticed. I truly believe the fans started writing in saying, "This is what we want," and we steered it that way. Maurice and I kept putting the brakes on it, because our show was steering Sonny and Alexis's relationship too quickly. We wanted it to happen organically — to take its time. I was kind of fighting Alexis saying that she was in love with Sonny because she would never admit that. It was written so that it slipped out accidentally. That worked. When we got together, [the scene] was originally more about A.J.'s hit and Courtney. I said that they had to make the scene about Sonny and Alexis and our attraction, and they did that beautifully. I really like those scenes. The best plans are unplanned.

You and Maurice must have a great relationship offscreen.
I called Maurice after a hard day at work. My character had done something I didn't think she would do, and I was struggling. It sort of mattered how Maurice looked in the scene as well. All he was concerned about was making the scene easier for me. So I called him that night and told him, "You are my favorite acting partner I've ever had." He's so unselfish.

What do you think creates the attraction between Sonny and Alexis?
I think because Alexis is more of a mature women, a working woman, he's now relating to that kind of woman, which makes him different. In real life, you want to meet a Ned, but on TV — who's the guy who's really not right for Alexis who will complicate her life: Sonny. So you throw him in her face. You do what causes a reaction. Alexis is an ethical lawyer and Sonny takes hits out on people. He's used to ordering people around and she won't have that. He's chauvinistic and she's a feminist. They are complete opposites. The things they have in common are they are both smart, they're control freaks, they're abused children. If this were a novel or play, these would be compelling characters because of their background. I like it. I don't know if the writing team is going to support it, but I like it. This can never be a run-off-and-get-married couple — that would be untrue. I like these two because their relationship seems a little human. Many women have been involved with a guy that they shouldn't be. It's relatable in that way.

And why has the audience responded to the pairing?
I think the ratings went up when we got together. The one thing that made me happy about that is I'm not a midriff-baring 30-year-old. If that's whom they are catering to, this spoke well for the mature woman. You don't need a midriff-baring 20- or 30-year-old to get the audience interested. What you need are interesting characters and an interesting story.

Speaking of getting together, you and Maurice shot a pretty explicit love scene.
I think the two of us were uncomfortable [in that scene]. Not with each other, but I think he was a little nervous, and I was a little intimidated to go all out. I watched it, and I thought, "Oh my, that was the most horrible love scene!" We didn't know how to kiss each other. So I challenged Maurice to a love-off. I told him, "Next time, I'm going to talk to your wife, then I'm just going to go for it, and so are you."

GH has a new writing team. Where would you like to see them take this story?
[Bob] Guza and [Charles] Pratt wrote for me on Santa Barbara, so I have no doubt that they'll write well for me. They're hip, smart and they've been around. I just hope they find interesting what I find interesting. Writers have very subjective tastes. I don't know what they like or dislike about Sonny and Alexis, but I'll find out.

What do you think are the biggest challenges that the new headwriting team faces?
These writers are good. Everyone just needs to expand on the 20 stories that have been told in daytime over and over again. We need to bring the world to daytime. I think there needs to be a think tank in daytime now, because it's time for a change. Certainly, our new GH writing team is smart and capable, but [in daytime] we do things the same way all the time. Maybe we need to bring in a lawyer who would just write law cases once or twice a week. Put in a little bit of The Practice and a little bit of ER; elements that are going on on a daily basis that aren't part of the plot, while the main stories are being told. I'd like to see Alexis get involved in work, kind of have a little mini-practice going on there. They could hire another DA, bring back Dara, put Scotty in there, and add a menacing head guy. You'd see Alexis working; she'd have cases on a daily basis.

Would you like to see the return of the Cassadines?
In terms of working with Stephen [Nichols (ex-Stefan)] and Connie [Towers (Helena)], who is one of my dearest friends, of course. But do I like the Cassadine story? No, I never did. I felt like Marilyn in the Munster house. That's fun if you're in a movie of the week — it's very gothic and weird. But to do that as an ongoing thing, where you're brought into people's lives and you're part of an extended family — no, you can't watch the Cassadines.

How did you react when you learned Alexis had a long-lost sister?
It's just one of the soap things where you go, "Ok, how do I make this work?" The whole backstory of watching my mother's throat get slit and [how] I hid my sister in the barn — it's a little farfetched, but I'm very happy to have Jamie Ray Newman (Kristina) on the show. It's always nice to have some family. Jamie's really cool and she's completely hysterical with me.

You're a working woman and a single mom. How do you balance the two?
When I got on GH, I pretty much got pregnant right away, so motherhood has been the focus and my purpose in life right now. And my joy. Having this child is the most significant thing in my life and nothing will ever top that. My daughter and I have a very big social life; it's with her, not separate from her. She just turned four, and it's dinner at my house, and everyone comes over. I never have help on the weekends. I worked, and then I would be with her. She's gotten a pretty good deal of me. It doesn't matter how busy you are, as long as you're happy. There were times that I thought I would lose my mind — being single, having to handle the things with the house and every decision that had to be made and work and Kate. But you completely multitask. I put on my answering machine at some point, "Thank you so much for calling, but I probably will not ever be able to answer your phone call, so could you call back in six months?"

Have you discovered the secret to being a single mom?
I think it's fabulous! There is no secret. It worked out perfectly for me. I would highly recommend it. (Chuckles) Unless you have the perfect partner, the perfect match — which I've seen people have and I think it's fabulous — that's a great choice, but if you can financially handle it, it's a great choice to be a single mom. There's something nice about not having to negotiate — for me anyway. I wasn't good at sharing as a child. I don't look at this and think it's a booby prize, or look to see if doing it a different way would be better.

You are very politically active. What did you think of the story of former president Bill Clinton starring in his own talk show?
I think that's a rumor. That's the media, hearing something and running with it to bring up ratings. But it is possible. I've met him three times. Stand next to him, and let him talk to you for five minutes — I've never met anyone with that kind of charisma. He could have been president of the Bank of America; he just oozes it. You can tell he likes people. When he talks to you, you feel like you are the only person in the room. Everyone has said that. Clinton is smart — he's a brainy guy with a sexy personality. Working on the Gore campaign, I was deeply involved in the party. Gore is a brainy guy, but just doesn't have that charismatic personality. That seems to be important in this country when it comes to our leaders. They make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

You just celebrated a birthday in April.
I had a wonderful birthday. I went away to the Biltmore at the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara, which I love. I just walked on the beach and got my head cleared out a little bit. I had a martini at the bar, read the paper, made my wish list, which I love to do, and got a massage in my room. I went to sleep at 9:30 and slept until 7:30. Then my ex-boyfriend, Chris, brought up Kate and her babysitter. We went to dinner and watched A Harvest Moon, which was extraordinary. Then Sunday we played all day and went home. My best friend from home, Lisa Hesser [Passions's executive producer], had a gorgeous dinner for me at her home. We got home at midnight. It was a perfect weekend.