paul anthony stewart

 mob hit

 soap opera digest (march 23, 1999)

"I think that my entry into acting probably began like most everybody else's—a desperate need for attention," muses Paul Anthony Stewart (Danny, GUIDING LIGHT), contemplating whether or not to tell one of his mother's favorite tales. He goes for it.

"She loves to tell this story," he continues, "My brother, Bill, was born with cerebral palsy. My family would put him on a table and move his arms and legs and talk to him to stimulate him so that he would develop as well as he could. When this activity was done, I would usually jump up on the table and tap dance and sing. 'Hey everybody, pay attention to ME now!' Of course my mother is going to read this and say 'What are you talking about? I never gave you attention?'"

In high school, Stewart turned lots of heads while playing Mercutio in a production of Romeo and Juliet. "My drama teacher pulled me aside afterwards and said 'You could do this for a living.'" he grins. "From that point on, I really couldn't imagine doing anything else."

After graduating from Princeton University, Stewart headed to New York and quickly landed roles in several plays including Cyrano on Broadway. "I didn't struggle that long. I was very lucky," he says. In 1992, he entered daytime as LOVING'S Casey "this bohemian photographer, a white knight in shining armor who grappled with a drug addiction," he laughs. "It was kind of overwhelming to have these dreams materialize so early in life," the actor confesses. "I think that it can be really easy to get swept up by so much activity. I know I did for a while. Suddenly, people wanted to carry my luggage, which I was perfectly able to carry myself the week before I got the job on LOVING. I think the danger is when one starts believing, 'Why shouldn't they carry my luggage?' That's the trap. It was my trap. I don't think that I actually went that far, but I started to feel the pull. It isn't reality. It's not me. That's why I needed to take five and get squared with who I was again, reinforce my gratitude for everything."

So Stewart vacated his role on LOVING in 1995. In between theater gigs, he traveled extensively. "I just had a life," he shrugs."It was exactly what I needed because it's my life that I use to draw on for my work." Stewart also used his break from daytime to find himself again. One trip in particular put everything in perspective. "New Mexico was a life changing experience for me," he relates. "I was so blown away by the land and every element of nature. It helped me open myself up again to the realm of possibility. I really believe that I don't always know what the best course of action is for me in my life. I like not knowing where I'm supposed to be next."

This new attitude lead Stewart back to New York and to the then recurring role of mobster Danny. Stewart provided such a jolt to the "young" storyline that GL made him a contract player. "I really love my character," he says. "You can't put Danny into a box. He's human and has some good hearted qualities. And then he's got some qualities that are... questionable. It sounds so boring for somebody to say that they're happy and having a great time, but I am. I think that it also has something to do with my attitude. I really tried to change it over the past few years. I'm enjoying and reveling in the moment."

"The moment" for Stewart does not include getting married, like his character, though he does hope to have a kid "within the next ten years." He adds, "I'm not too crazy about the institution of marriage. I believe in souls coming together to learn from each other. I don't believe in getting married just to have a tax break and to get a house together. I don't feel like I need that to have a child, either. What's really important is that I am the best parent that I can be. I want to reach that point where I can be completely selfless—and I'm not there yet."

But he's getting there. Gone are the days of partying all night in the New York clubs. "I feel like I've done all that," he says. "On the weekends, I opt for getting together with a few friends, having a nice dinner, going to the movies, reading." A sign of maturity, perhaps? "Old age," he quips. "I was living with my little brother Geoff in California for the past year, and he would roll his eyes when I said that I needed to go to bed at midnight. We has a great time, but he couldn't tolerate my 'Cinderella' schedule!" It's a good thing that Stewart came back to daytime well rested because these days, he's carrying his own luggage. "And I clip coupons," he adds with a laugh. "I do what I have to do to stay true to myself. I mean, we all have our slips—I've certainly had mine—but it's a process. We're continually evolving and I hope to continue that process on a daily basis until the day I die."