Jessica Leccia: Less Second Fiddle, More Harmony
August 16, 2009 by admin
Filed under Entertainment, TV
I have been thinking about the last month of the OTALIA storyline and Jessica Leccia’s welcomed return next week. Maybe it’s the thin air or perhaps one of my rare moments of cynic-less personal clarity, but I have been pondering that through no fault of her own, Jessica has at times become an afterthought…a sidekick of sorts, relegated to the background behind the shiny, attention-getting lead. But when you think about it, what would Lucy be without Ethel, Diana Ross without the supreme Mary Wilson, and yes, John Adams without Abigail? A soliloquy.
Anyone watching Guiding Light over the past month can attest that without Leccia in her role as Natalia, the storyline became frustratingly disjointed. As I asked before in referring to her maternity leave, how do you solve a problem like Leccia? You don’t. It’s like craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and you are out of peanut butter. A jelly sandwich is ok, but without the foundation, it’s just sweet filler with no substance.
Without Leccia there is No-talia. Jessica’s portrayal of Olivia’s same-sex better half brings a personality that compliments the diva dynamic and brings out what is paramount in the personified word.
Otalia’s chemistry is more than a simple equation that can be balanced by moving one element or the other, but a sympathetic understanding of the elements that compose the whole. Without Natalia, it just doesn’t seem to matter, and chemistry without matter is undefined.
I am anxious to see Jessica back to work so that Natalia can finally identify the essential qualities of this relationship. Having been forcibly infected with a sickly and situational IDK-itis and then impregnated with platitude, it is my desire that time (and maternity leave) is the cure for what ails.
Jessica, I have missed you. And though Natalia’s blank stares have provided copious fodder for a myriad of recaps, I am anxiously awaiting her new found lucidity. Otalia without Nat just left me with O, as in Oh my god this is painful. No second fiddle has ever left such a void in the composition. I welcome your return to Springfield and the complex harmonic motion resulting in your reappearance.
Thank you for writing this. I agree with every word you said. I feel Jessica is often treated as second fiddle in the Otalia couple. She doesnt have as many years or as much experience as Crystal, but she stands on her own against her. Jessica doesnt do big acting, she isnt showy. She is subtle and low key, and because of that she is often overlooked. I agree that the past few weeks have been hard to watch. There was just something missing..Jessica Leccia. Im so happy she is coming back, I wish it was to a better no pregnant storyline, but Im just happy she will be back on my screen. Thanks for the blog..and now I want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. damn.
Hi this was wonderful and I share every one of your sentiments. Thank you
OMG, I’m so happy you are returning to GL! I’ve missed you and your character so much. Welcome Back!!
Thank you for saying this! Yes, Crystal is the Goddess but Jessica is Dimples and it has been a sad state of affairs without the other half of Otalia. We love BOTH of our ladies and are hoping for the return of Strong Natalia!
Oh,I’m so happy Jessica is Back,you are right know second fiddle have ever left a hole empty in our hearts like jessica when she on leave.It was like Freddy Stair without Ginger Rogers!!Love your article…
Ditto – is it Monday yet? Oh wait in Scotland it is – but then in Springfield’s world Scotland is ahead of the space time…
Bring on the return I have missed her ying to Olivia’s yang.
The drama and love is coming thanks to the return of Jessica
Great piece
I couldn’t agree more about Jessica. She doesn’t get the recognition she deserves for her portrayal of Natalia. Without Jessica’s subtle portrayal of Nat the Otalia storyline wouldn’t work.
I do like them together, but, I will admit, I would follow Olivia (CC) forever, anywhere… Natalia (JL) – maybe…
Jessica does not get enough praise for her stellar performances!! CC and JL are both amazing and they are Otalia, one without the other just don’t work! Cheers to a the return of Nat 2.0; stronger, confident and willing to smack the living daylights out of Frank, Rafe and Father Eyebrows.
My sentiments exactly!
i always thought otalia worked for me because of chappell. i mean, let’s face it, she is an acting tour de force. but in the last month with leccia absent, i found olivia to be flat, muted, dare i say….boring. i will watch GL today with bated breathe for the first time since natalia’s departure. she gives depth and color not only to otalia but to the character of olivia. and the mutual admiration so clearly shared between her and chappell can only make the next 5 weeks that much better.
thanks for posting this!
Well, I have to disagree on one of your fundamental arguments here: that JL is in any way an after thought or a second fiddle in anything. Her performances have always been nothing short than stellar and she has always been in equal amounts a highlight of the Otalia sl as CC/Olivia. She’s a newcomer and yet one of the most talked about rising stars, as can be attested by most polls and top whatever lists where she’s normally toe to toe with CC and the great veterans of the genre (DC, SOD, etc.). Nothing short of amazing!
But I fully agree with the sentiment that without Jessica Leccia, there is no Otalia…it makes no sense. It’s the combination of these two amazing actresses that everything comes to life…as the ratings also prove. During her absence, vids on utube with Liv would barely reach 6-8thousand views…the 7 second preview with JL/Nat’s return on Monday is 23,000 and climbing, LOL….The power of Otalia is the combined power of JL and CC…there are no second fiddles, it’s a power duo of equal parts.
Great article! Jessica is a dynamic part of the equation of Otalia. She and Crystal play so well off each other and the chemistry is electrifying. I think she has held her own against the celebrated actress and has used this experience and exposure to truly improve her game. She is exceptional!
I usually agree with a lot that you say in your blogs, but I have got to say this one I found to be off base in the way you describe Jessica being a sidekick or relegated to the background. I’ve never considered either women or character to be the ‘principal’ or the ‘secondary’. I’ve always seen it as the portrayal of two different, individual journeys (Natalia’s coming into her own and her faith issues; and Olivia’s redemption) and the joint journey of love between them. I think it’s rather one-sided and a narrow and innacurate picture to say that one is the limelight and the other the second fiddle. It has neither been portrayed as such, since their separate struggles have been given equal air time and attention, and as far as performances, I’ve always found them both to be exceptional actresses. They have completely different acting styles which complement each other, but in no way do I find one better than the other. That ‘blank stares’ comment is absurd. I’ve see very few actresses that can express more with a look and a subtle change in her face as Leccia does. Her performance is so brilliantly nuanced and layered, and thankfully histrionic-free.
While I understand that some old CC fans tend to want to make it seem as though this is the ”Olivia” story or something, most new fans and even old GL fans such as myself usually see as it is presented: a story of two. I’m quite surprised to see such a deprecating perspective on her (esp. first paragraph) here. I hope she doesn’t read these blogs. Great way to appreciate the monumental effort of almost giving birth on set and acting her heart out to be called an afterthought..not cool!
Catherine –
In the writing Natalia has been pushed into the secondary role. The journey and on-air realization was entirely Olivia’s to have. The last month (due to circumstances of course) was off camera for Natalia. This story has never been written as balanced or we would have had some clue as viewers, that wasn’t pure subtext, as to what Natalia was feeling after the kiss and before the wedding.
If you were selecting actors for lead and supporting actor for the Emmy’s Crystal would go into lead and Jessica into supporting. It’s the nature of the writing of this story to this point.
I found Schmootz, stating rather well, that the arc is about to shift and we are going to have to finally see Natalia in the lead role considering the way Natalia bolted.
In no way did I read this as a jab at Jessica but at the way the writing has been to this point in the story.
They are my Ricky and Lucy. One does not feel right without the other. They balance each other out beautifully on screen I for one am so happy to hear JL finally say “Olivia I’m home.” Although I hate the pregnancy s/l No-talia was to painful to watch. I’m overjoyed to have these two back on screen together. JL you were missed.
Exactly! Thank you!
During the drought – well, I guess it wasn’t exactly dry for Liv, but anyway – I was watching a lot of old clips, and damn if JL wasn’t knocking it out of the park in exactly the understated way the sl called for every time. We needed to be unsure about her, because if we weren’t we’d all think Liv was blind and even the Goddess herself wouldn’t have been able to stop us from howling. (Look back at the “Let’s move in together scene.” Genius. Cluelessly giddy about the prospect. The guilt about leaving on New Year’s Eve? And finally, the slow, post Two Mommies withdrawal into IDK mode. It was exactly right.) No, I think the true upshot of JL’s leave was the fanbase’s collective realization of her greatness. I mean, we’re talking about an actress who holds her own in every scene with Crystal M-F’in Chappell! Girl’s got game, baby.
In my opinion crystal chappell has been carrying this story along since the beginning,with her fantastic acting.I found jessiaca leccias acting just so so.There is many scenes where jessica just can’t keep up with crystal.