Mary Beth Evans
Soap Opera Weekly’s Outstanding Performer of the Week
For the Week of December 25, 2001
Mary Beth Evans became a daytime phenom as Days of Our Lives’ Kayla Brady, creating on screen magic with Stephen Nichols’ Patch. Then on General Hospital, Evans’ Katherine Bell steamed up Port Charles with Nichols’ Stefan Cassadine-which begged the question: Could Evans create a captivating character without Nichols? The answer: Absolutely!
Now portraying Sierra on As the World Turns, Evans arrived in Oakdale to surprise Lucinda for her birthday, and immediately created a rapport and unspoken history with every character she encountered. Despite the fact that Evans is a recast, she and Elizabeth Hubbard instantly conveyed their characters strong mother/daughter bond. With her Eva Peron hairstyle and traditional dress, one might think that Evans’ Sierra had gone bland and conservative. No chance. With just a few words, Evans bared Sierra’s soul when she came face to face with ex-hubby Craig. The tortured love she still feels for the father of her children was palpable as Evans struggled to make eye contact with Hunt Block’s Craig. But she quickly switched gears to ferocious mama bear when Sierra laid into Craig for scolding the jailed Bryant.
Interestingly, Evans’ most shining moment didn’t include any gut-wrenching revelations or hysterics. Once Sierra turned her attention to Bryant, Evans tenderly showcased a mother worried about her son. Not that she was timid about letting go, Sierra freaked as she agonized over whether she could have made differences in Bryant’s life had she fought harder to salvage her marriage. Thanks to her heartwarming performances in only a few key episodes, Evans successfully assumed this role, helping even longtime viewers forget that she did not create Sierra… no small feat on a 44 year old show.
-Kevin Ullman, Soap Opera Weekly 1/22/01
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