-Finola Rocks AMC, SOU 8/3/99
-Simply Devane!, TV Guide June 1999
-Is Alex Really Anna Devane, SOU 12/21/99
-She's Back! Fan Favorite Finola Hughes Returns to Daytime, SOD 7/27/99
-Is Alexandra Anna?, SID 8/10/99
-How I Spent My Summer Vacation, SOD 8/31/99
-Beautiful Women- Finola Hughes, SOD 9/28/99
-Up Close and Personal, SID 9/21/99
-AMC: Hughes that Girl? SOD, 7/20/99
-Vibrant Hughes, SOW 12/28/99
-Editor's Choice- the Count's Down, SOD 10/12/99
-Widow of Opportunity, SID 8/10/99
-Dimitri's Alive, SOD 9/14/99
-Will Edmund and Alexandra's Combined Efforts Be Enough to Save Dimitri's Life, SOU 9/28/99

Finola Rocks AMC- Hughes' first days on her new soap were filled with excitement and surprises!  by Sheila Steinbach, SOU 8/3/99

Simply Devane! by Michael Logan, TV Guide June 1999
"In a major coup, ABC's All My Children has signed Emmy-winning fan favorite Finola Hughes to a long-term contract.  The deal lays to rest months of incessant rumors that had the actress either returning to ABC's General Hospital- where she played kinky crime stopper Anna Devane from 1985-92 - or joining the cast of NBC's upcoming Passions.  Hughes, who makes her first appearance in late July, will play Alexandra Devane, a mysterious femme with a very fatale secret, who bears a striking resemblance to Anna.  'But she is not Anna,' insists Hughes, noting with a laugh that her former character, who was supposedly killed by GH psycho Faison (Anders Hove), would not be 'trying to hide out with the same look and the same last name.  That would be, like, sooo intelligent.  She'll probably turn out to be Anna's cousin or some other member of the family."  The Brit beauty, who starred in Aaron Spelling's 1997 Pacific Palisades, admits she did have a powwow with Passions but came way rather confused.  'I met with [the show's creator] Jim Reilly, and I guess I just didn't do it for him.  I don't really know what happened during that meeting.  It was very... uh... muddy.'  (Hughes wasn't the only biggie eighty-sixed by the pooh-bahs at Passions- they also rejected such daytime phenoms as Lane Davies, Kimberlin Brown, and Barbara Crampton, in favor of a virtually unknown cast.)  Though GH certainly could have used her star wattage, Hughes says the show 'never really made any strong or positive move to have me return.'  It was Angela Shapiro, the new, no-baloney president of ABC Daytime, who landed Hughes.   'Angela stepped up to the plate and said, "I want this deal to happen."  She was so decisive about it.  I'm very decisive too, so I love it when somebody says, 'Let's play ball!"

Is Alex Really Anna Devane- AMC's Finola Hughes says you won't believe what's coming up next! SOU 12/2/99
"As far as finding out the truth behind Alex's background, I have to say that right now, I really don't know what's going to happen. And as to whether or not she's Anna or related to Anna (Devane, Hughes' former General Hospital alter ego), I really don't know. It's all in discussion right now. We have to just wait and see. So far, I've really been enjoying the mystery of it, even though it's been grueling. I'd love it if she turned out to be a really bad character, but I think that overall, she's a good person.
     You have to believe that she was really in love with Dimitri, and when he died, it really, truly gutted her. She has genuine feelings for Gillian and a lot of the people she's met in Pine Valley, and there is a genuine side of her character. She may not be as stable in her judgement as she should be when it comes to making certain decisions, such as the way she handled the Dimitri mess. That wasn't a rational way to behave, especially for a doctor. As for the future, I'm just waiting to see what unfolds and having a great time."

NY State of Mind
Finola Hughes and her daytime alter ego Alex may not have much in common, but they can both commiserate on the difficulties associated with setting into a new area. While Alex slowly integrates herself in Pine Valley mix, Hughes and her husband Russell Young are having a ball exploring New York City. The couple, who formerly lived in California, has recently settled into an artsy Manhattan suburb... and they couldn't be happier. 'My husband is an artist, so he loves it here,' says Hughes. 'We are finding so many wonderful things the city has to offer, it's hard to go home at night.'"

She's Back! Fan Favorite Finola Hughes Returns to Daytime. by Elaine G. Flores, SOD 7/27/99
"When rumors started flying that Finola Hughes would be returning to daytime, many soap fans assumed that the star would be returning to the rold of Anna Devane, General Hospital's double agent-turned-police chief, which she played from 1985-92. Not quite- Hughes was actually in talks with ABC to join All My Children. The actress makes her Pine Valley debut as the mysterious Alexandra Devane this week.
     Hughes was living in L.A. with husband Russell Young when AMC approached her. 'I was very surprised, actually,' shares Hughes. 'I was just sitting at home and the phone rang and it was [President of ABC Daytime] Angela Shapiro. Her first words were, "What do you think of New York?" and I said, "I love New York. Why?" And she said, "How about coming on All My Children?" I said, "I'd love to." Then it just happened really quickly. It seemed fast for my husband and I because we had to pack up and move within a month-and-a-half.'
     So why did ABC woo Hughes back for AMC rather than GH? Dona Cooper, senior vice president of programming at ABC Daytime, explains: 'There were a couple of factors that led us there. One is simply her star power. She has a major following and when we began to see a storyline taking shape on All My Children, she just seemed like the actress what we all envisioned. The fact that she's coming to All My Children as a relative of Anna Devane can add a very interesting shadow to her character. If you are a GH fan, you have questions and curiosities. If you're not a GH fan, it will be a very strong and compelling story on its own. We thought that would be a good opportunity to use somebody's historical popularity and historical strength as an actress in a story that was really right for her.'
     Of course, the similarity between her GH and AMC characters' names was not lost on Hughes- in fact, it was a selling point. 'The reason [the role] sounded so attractive to me was because it was linked to Anna,' she smiles. 'And that just made perfect sense to me. It just makes the whole thing come together for me. I'm playing somebody that's related to her. I'm from the same family. It just seemed like a great idea.'
     Alexandra's entrance to Pine Valley on July 23 is linked to Dimitri. More than that, Hughes can't say. 'I have strict instructions,' reports the actress. 'I'm not allowed to tell you too much. I come into Pine Valley and I am linked immediately with a lot of the main characters, which is fantastic because I've been watching the show since I got the call. There's a whole big story that brings me in. A lot of people get the wrong impression of who I am. It's very dramatic and it's very mysterious and it's very gothic. When I was told the idea of how they were going to bring me on, I thought it was one of the best ideas I ever heard. It's really a great way of introducing a character.'
     Anyone expecting a diva clash between daytime royalty Hughes and soap icon Susan Lucci (Erica) will be disappointed. Not only have the two women worked together on two TV movies- Haunted By Her Past and The Bride Wore Black- but Hughes is looking forward to sharing scenes with Lucci. 'It's nice to have someone of that caliber to be working with on the show,' Hughes praises. 'She's really a woman to be admired.'
     Lucci won't be the only familiar face. 'I did a play with Jennifer Bassey [Marian] and that's when we met,' recalls Hughes. 'And then we were in acting class together, so we've known each other for quite a long time. She's hilarious. And I know Walt [Wiley, Jackson] from the circuit years ago when I used to do those public appearances for General Hospital. I met Walt several times. He's nuts! I like him a lot.'
     As for readjusting to the soap world, Hughes says, 'It's always tricky at the beginning because it's a bit like a rusty old bike you haven't used for a while. You never forget how to do it... I hope.'"

Pine Valley Primer
"When GH fans learned that Finola Hughes was returning to daytime, but not as their beloved Anna, they began sending emails to her web site. To help fans adjust to Alexandra Devane, the actress gave them a quick history lesson. She explains, 'We pasted a big All My Children story background thing on it so everybody could catch up with the story and know who everybody is.
     To check out Hughes' Website, go to http://www.friendsoffinola.simplenet.com

Could AMC's Alex Really Be GH's Anna?
General Hospital's diabolical Cesar Faison was obsessed with Anna for years, and in 1992, he kidnapped her. Naturally Anna's husband, Robert Scorpio, went off in search of her. Alas, word came back to Port Charles soon after that Robert had found his wife on a boat with Faison, but rather than give up the fight, Faison set off an explosion that killed all three. But there's plenty of reason to believe that Anna survived. The explosion took place off-screen and no bodies were ever found. More importantly, Faison recently resurfaced on GH- which means that Anna could easily do the same.

Finola Filmography
"Here's a look at some of Hughes's memorable moments on the silver and small screens.
-Staying Alive, 1983: Also starring John Travolta. Five years after Saturday Night Fever, Travolta is a professional dancer who falls for Hughes.
-Haunted By Her Past, 1987: Also starring Susan Lucci. While on holiday at an inn, Lucci becomes possessed by the spirit of temptress Hughes.
-The Bride in Black, 1990: Also starring Susan Lucci, David Soul. Brooklynite Lucci investigates the sudden death of her husband (Soul). Hughes is a seductive woman from his past.
-Soapdish, 1991: Starring Sally Field, Kevin Kline. In an uncredited role, Hughes plays an actress in the drama All My Trials in this send-up of the soap world.

Is Alexandra Anna? SID 8/10/99
"That's what fans have been asking themselves ever since it was announced that Finola Hughes was joining AMC as Alexandra Devane- a mysterious woman who bares a striking resemblance to, not to mention the same last name, as the actress' presumed-dead General Hospital alter ego, Anna Devane. Well, savvy viewers soon may think they've solved the riddle. But have they?
     The in depth story:  This week, Alexandra, who first appeared on July 23, makes a covert phone call to someone named Sean. Could it be Sean Donnelly, the GH spy John Reilly played opposite Hughes' Anna? And if so, could this be an indication that Alexandra really is Anna?
     Soaps in Depth recently spoke with Reilly, who admits that he hasn't been contacted by AMC. '[But] I'd love to work with Finola again. And I like AMC. They're a great group of people.'
     Hughes laughed when she read the Sean reference in the script. 'I think they slipped that in to see if I was paying attention,' she says. 'But it's not Sean Donnelly. This is a different Sean.'
     ABC prefers to keep viewers guessing- at least for now; 'Watch and find out,' says a network representative. Hughes points out, however, that Alexandra is very different from Anna. 'Alex is much softer,' she notes. 'And she has so much more dignity [than Anna]. Not to say that Anna was undignified, but she certainly was more down and dirty with the way she dealt with things.
     But even Hughes can't deny that Anna and Alexandra share a connection. 'I feel that there is a familial bond; there has to be,' she concedes. 'But we don't know what that is yet.'
     Hughes Moves In!  Finola Hughes may be on the edge of her seat when it comes to her current AMC storyline, but the suspense about another aspect of her new life in New York City finally is over. 'I found an apartment,' laughs the actress, who after weeks of searching finally has settled on a Manhatten pad. 'My husband [photographer Russell Young] is driving cross-country as we speak. He set off this morning with the dog.'"

How I Spent My Summer Vacation, Soap Digest August 31, 1999
Intrepid Traveler:  Finola Hughes (Alexandra)
Destination:  Italy
Companion:  Her husband, Russell Young
Here, There and Everywhere:  "My best friend in Los Angeles married an Italian, so he wanted to go to Italy for the wedding.  I went and saw the pope, which was great.  I went to Prada in Rome.  It's such a beautiful country.  The landscape is so stunning.  You'll never see anything more beautiful than Tuscany.  I was there about five days.  We stayed in a large, almost castle-like [place]."
Surprise, Surprise: "In Italy, everything is very breast-shaped.  The chocolates are breast-shaped- they're like these large breasts that point toward heaven.  I felt very much like it's a woman's country- the Italians worship women.  It's a very sexy country.  We would put on music every night and one night, this farmer came in.  He was just standing by the door, so I went over and invited him to dance.  Well, I have never danced the tango like that, ever!  We couldn't speak to each other because he could only speak Italian and I don't speak Italian.  And he swept me off my feet.  The most amazing tango dancer ever.  It was a great night."
Souvenirs, Anyone?: "I saw a lovely cup and saucer.  I really liked it, but I wasn't sure whether my husband would.  I could not find him; I didn't know where he was.  When I came back [from looking for him], Stephen said this lovely lady from Paris had come along and bought this cup and saucer.  It was the only one!  Cut to two weeks later.  Russell and I had gone to London after Italy to see my brother.  On our first day back, I get up in the morning and I go to make my cup of tea, and there's the cup and saucer waiting for me.  My husband had bought it for me.  Isn't that sweet?"

Beautiful Women- Finola Hughes, SOD 9/28/99
What are your best and worst physical features? "They're one and the same- my eyebrows. On the positive side, I think they're arched and interesting, or should I just be saying, 'Live long and prosper?'"
     Which famous women do you think are beautiful? "Charlotte Rampling, Isabella Rossellini, Katherine Hepburn, Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren and Rene Russo. I like women who are complicated and sexy. A lot of girls make themselves very accessible on film. Their m.o. is to be really nice and sweet. That's wonderful for a citizen, but it doesn't make for high art. I get bored watching them."
     What wouldn't you be caught dead wearing? "The spandle-y headhand I wore in Staying Alive, jeans tucked into white cowboy boots, a teddy bear T-shirt or one that says, 'I love New York'."
     Would you ever have plastic surgery? "Yeah, probably."
     What was your biggest blunder? "During General Hospital in the '80s [when she played Anna], I wore purple eye shadow, pink lipstick, and teased my hair so it was really big. One day, somebody said, 'You look like a country-western singer'."
     When do you feel most beautiful? "My husband makes me feel beautiful. I feel incredibly spoiled when I'm brought forward and there are five people spending their day to make me look beautiful, light me, do my makeup and hair, dress and photograph me."
     Which cosmetics do you swear by? "Elizabeth Arden Eight-hour Cream. You can't go wrong with anything from Clarins."
     What's your favorite shampoo and conditioner? "Anything from Aveda."
     Do you have a skin-care regimen? "Lots of washing. I use Helena Rubinstein cleanser."

Up Close and Person, SID 9/21/99
Easy Adjustment- Finola Hughes (Alexandra) is one busy woman these days. Ever since her mysterious character first appeared in Pine Valley at the end of July, she has been working nonstop. Amazingly, though, Hughes tells us she's been able to remain relatively mellow. "I've actually been very relaxed, considering," says the daytime veteran, who won an Emmy during her 1985-1991 stint as Anna on General Hospital. This time around, she attributes her easy adjustment to ultra-professional co-stars John Callahan (Edmund) and Michael Nader (Dimitri). "They have been extraordinary," she says. "And the material has been so well-written. It's much easier to tell a story that is well-written than to try to make something work that is more tenuous." All this said, don't expect her to time in and watch herself. "That," she concludes, "scares me!'" 
     "I guess I should see what my make-up looks like," says Hughes, who so far hasn't watched herself on AMC.

AMC:  Hughes that Girl? SOD, July 20, 1999
Easy Adjustment- Finola Hughes (Alexandra) is one busy woman these days. Ever since her mysterious character first appeared in Pine Valley at the end of July, she has been working nonstop. Amazingly, though, Hughes tells us she's been able to remain relatively mellow. "I've actually been very relaxed, considering," says the daytime veteran, who won an Emmy during her 1985-1991 stint as Anna on General Hospital. This time around, she attributes her easy adjustment to ultra-professional co-stars John Callahan (Edmund) and Michael Nader (Dimitri). "They have been extraordinary," she says. "And the material has been so well-written. It's much easier to tell a story that is well-written than to try to make something work that is more tenuous." All this said, don't expect her to time in and watch herself. "That," she concludes, "scares me!'" 
     "Finola Hughes (ex-Anna, General Hospital) makes her highly anticipated debut as Alexandra Devane on All My Children next week. The soap says that she's 'harboring a deadly secret' and has 'an astonishing connection to a core character.' What could it be?
     1. Alexandra is Anna Devane. Although presumed dead in a boat explosion with Robert Scorpio and the evil Faison, Faison turned up on GH, so it's very possible that Robert and Anna are alive, too. As a former secret agent, though, Anna would have probably come up with a better alias.
     2. Alexandra is in town to track down the son of Anna's former lover, mobster Duke Lavery. Since Ryan Lavery is nothing like the abusive drunks who raised him (or his creepy rapist brother, Braden), maybe Duke sent his little boy to live with relatives to protect him from his mob.
     3. Alexandra is Gillian's mom. The princess's mum is supposed to be dead, but Alexandra and Gillian are both Europeans with interesting accents and long, dark hair.
     4. Alexandra was Dimitri's secret mistress. She'd have been a stylish, sophisticated match for the count, and a relationship with a departing favorite would tie her to existing characters without tying her up.
     5. Alexandra is Maria. Although presumed dead in a plane crash, maybe Maria was just badly injured and got plastic surgery. 'Everyone is going to be shocked and surprised, and they'll have to watch to find out,' teases an ABC spokesperson."

Vibrant Hughes- Finola Hughes' true colors of grace and class shine through her celebrity mystique, by Robert Schork, SOW 12/28/99
"It takes nothing short of a celestial body to be visible amid a constellation of stars. When Finola Hughes sauntered into the Bear Ballroom of New York's Russian Tea Room for Soap Opera Weekly's 10th anniversary party last month, the illuminating All My Children actress turned heads, raced pulses, sweated palms and warmed hearts all in one fell swoop. By night's end, Hughes left a sea of charmed and delighted admirers in her wake- and gave the RTR's headline-grabbing $32 million face-lift a run for its money as the evening's prime distraction.
     One might assume that the allure of such rarified air would cause the celebity in question to keep everyone at arm's length- thereby perpetuating the franchise of her mystique. But Hughes fiercely refuses to stand on the ceremony of her own celebrity. Refreshingly, she breaks down the walls that often exist between actress and fan, actress and journalist, or even actress and John Q. Public with a vengence- as if she feared suffocation or claustrophobia from the alternative. Case in point: on her offical web site (www.friendsoffinola.simplenet.com), Hughes thoughtfully pens a monthly journal, in which she directly shares with her fans the day-to-day goings on in her life- from her recent surprise birthday party to a weekend jaunt with her husband to the Bershires to catch the fall foliage.
     Possessing a deliciously audacious savoire faire, Hughes never ceases to allow her true colors of grace and class to shine through. At the party, she took it upon herself to scout out and move extra chairs for guests (many of whom she barely knew) standing with hands full of glasses and plates, so that they could have a place to sit at her table, and enjoy their dinner sitting down.
     Similarly, during lunch for this interview at New York's Gramcery Tavern, Hughes insisted her interviewer sampler her choice oof entree- skate- and even wen so far as to give an animated demonstration of what a skate is to a reporter embarrassed by his own ignorance- replete with hand gestures and mouth expressions imitating the fish's life before it ended up on her plate. 'Perhaps I should be acting out my lunch,' Hughes says in her perfect British diction, before covering a hearty laugh and a wide smile with her hand.
     In a craft besmirching by the stereotype of its purveyors being long on ego and short on artistry, Hughes is refreshingly blessed with an absence of the former and an abundance of the latter. For this, she credits her upbringing on the other side of the pond. 'I think I was blessed with great parents, for the amount of time I had with them. And a great brother and a fabulous husband.' Hughes takes a beat. 'I like people. It's not a mystery to me. Just about all my father's side of the family are doctors, nurses, and my brother is a doctor. My mother was a nurse, though my father wasn't a doctor- he drove a cab in London.' Having so many relatives committed to a caring profession helped instill in Hughes a heaping dose of humanity, while her creative aspirations may have stemmed from her mother's other vocation. 'My mother taught opera, and instilled that. It was a great thing. We grew up in the city, my father was Irish. They are great storytellers, and they had this huge Irish band, and that has been the big thing in my life: Irish fun, craziness, storytelling and literature.' Hughes grew up in a part of London 'that actually is now famous- Notting Hill. It was pretty bubbly, public and crazy. I don't think anything about me is considered traditional, really, It was very Bohemian growing up. I missed a lot of education. I learned how to add, but I don't do very well in math, at all. I think any math helps you to problem solve, doesn't it? And I can't problem solve. I stare at these problems in front of me and I don't know how to get to the bottom of them. I had lunch with Kimberly (McCullough, ex-Robin Scorpio, General Hospital) about two weeks ago. And she is really good at calculus and geometry. She was trying to teach me some things, saying, "This is how you solve the problem. This is what it means." And it was going over my head. I literally don't get it. It's a lost cause,' she says with a laugh. While a math and science career might not have been in the cards for Hughes, one in the arts certainly was: Hughes' dedication to the study of ballet from the age of 10 through 17 paid off, as she made her first public appearance at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden at age 11. In 1980, all of her ballet training came to fruition when she originated, and portrayed for one year, the role of Victoria, the White Cat, in the London-based original company of Cats. Andrew Lloyd Webber interviewed each member of the original cast and incorporated bits of their personalities into their characters, thus leaving a bit of Hughes in every subsequent Victoria.
      Her work in Cats and other roles that followed caught the eye of Sylvester Stallone, who cast her in her first American movie, Stayin' Alive- opposite John Travolta, and directed by Stallone. The role was a turning point for Hughes, who had wanted to bring her blossoming acting career stateside. 'I was so excited when I came here to stay; that was when I decided I had to live here. As soon as I landed, I mean literally, I landed and I knew- I was driving through L.A. and I was like, "Oh, this is it. This is the place." It was almost as if I had been dreaming about it. Then it was just a question of going back to England and packing, it was that fast. I came to New York with a hat, three suitcases and about 400 pounds in my pocket. That was it. I figured for a year, that would do me,' she says with a laugh. 'I just thought it would be like being in a Starsky and Hutch episode.'
     The actress got her wish to put down professional and personal roots in America when she landed the role of GH's Anna Devane in 1985. When GH executive producer Gloria Monty first cast Hughes in the part of Robert Scorpio's cagey ex-wife, she had little familiarity with the American brand of soap. 'At the time in England, the soaps weren't on every day- just three times a week in the evening or late afternoon. So I had no idea that it was such a day-to-day industry. But when I first started watching GH, when I knew I was going to be on it, I saw how intimate it was- and exciting. To be able to get in there and get so involved as an actress in your character... and the audience gets equally involved with the character, as well.' Hughes admits she had no idea what she was getting herself into when she signed on the dotted line. 'Ignorance is a great leveler. It is really only in retrospect, that I'm able to look back and realize that I had no idea. I was just doing it. I would come in, get my makeup on and do the scene. We were working with Gloria, which was insane. She is an amazing producer. She really made up cut cake. She was tough. We were there all day, every day. So long.' But Hughes held her own and lived up to Monty's notoriously perfectionist standards, and, in doing so, quietly parlayed what could have very easily been a short-term supporting role into one of GH's- if not the genre's- most popular leading characters. To accommodate her rising popularity, the show morphed Anna from a villainous, ax-grinding ex ('I used to get terrible mail') into the show's romantically tortured action-adventure heroine.
     While many of her crime-busting GH co-stars came and went (and came back again), Hughes remained on GH for seven consecutive years, forming a tentpole around which a wildly popular nucleus of action-adventure characters was cultivated. Most notable among them was Anna's love interest, mobster Duke Lavery, played by Ian Buchanan. Though Buchanan left the show after a three-year run, that was enough time to cement a lasting best-friendship between him and Hughes, one that continues to this day (this past month, Buchanan flew to New York to be the surprise guest at Hughes' surprise birthday party, all arranged by her husband.)
     As Hughes led the charage, she and her co-stars played out the show's trademark cloak-and-dagger storylines with aplomb. '[The storylines] were so detailed, which was what made it fly,' Hughes recalls. 'Because when you have that many details, you can just fly with the story. And it was much looser. I don't ever remember sticking to the script; a lot of it was improvisation in those days. And if the scenes didn't work, Gloria would come on the set and change it. Tristan (Rogers, ex-Robert Scorpio) was great at that, and when they brought Kimberly in, her audition was all improvisation. She improvised with the two of us a lot.' One story that Hughes couldnt' just wing with improv was the alien storyline from 1990, which caped a decade of increasingly off-the-wall adventures from her character. But Hughes rose to the challenge, taking the potentially ridiculous and making it sublime. 'I have a very good friend who is an acting coach in L.A. and I do remember getting those scripts, and I went to him one evening. I threw the scripts down on the floor and I screamed, "What do I do? How do I make this work?" We sat up all night looking at this stuff and saying, "Ok, we are finding the humor and true life in all of it. What would you do if you were confronted with somebody who said they were an alien and they didn't know anything about sex? How do you talk about that?" For her efforts, Hughes was awarded both the Daytime Emmy and the Soap Opera Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1991.
      Unfortunately, she wasn't able to claim the gold in person. 'I had to fly back to London to stay in the country to get my green card. So I got my green card and my Emmy on the same day, only in different countries! It was a big day. Even if I wasn't there to get it, it was still wonderful, a wonderful moment. And it's what happens when you take risks with stories.'
      This past summer, Hughes signed on to take another big risk with ABC Daytime, when she agreed to play the mysterious Alexandra Devane on AMC. From the outset, the unknown connection between Alexandra and Anna Devane was a major selling point for the character- one ABC has taken full advantage of . For her part, Hughes has skillfully walked the Alex/Anna tightrope in her acting choices. 'What I have done is lay bread crumbs very, very gently. Like the relationship with Gillian. Because she is a girl that would be the same age as my own daughter,' says Hughes, speaking in character as Anna. 'And if I had been separated from my own daughter for that amount of time, I would naturally bond to a young woman who reminds me of my own daughter.'
     While Alex has settled into Pine Valley, Hughes and her husband Russell Young, have settled into a New York state of mind. 'I know the first couple of days when I got here, I said, "New York eat me, I didn't win." But that quickly turned around for the couple, who live in downtown Manhatten. 'New York is such an adult city. It's like "Get on with it." You have to figure everything out yourself. The subways and how to get everywhere.' After mastering the subways with Metrocard in hand, Hughes has fully embraced New York, and all it has to offer, including late-night parties, opera and other cultural fare, and shopping. 'That's freightening. Don't even talk to me about that! I'm always so close to taking my credit cards out of my purse. My brother got into so much trouble with his credit card, that he put it in a bowl of water, and put it in the ice box, so his credit card was literally frozen. I thought that was genius, I'm thinking of doing this!'
     Chatting him up at the anniversary party, it's easy to see why Young, as a down-to-earth multitalented creative type himself (photographer, artist and director), is such a perfect match for Hughes. The couple first met at a party he threw in L.A. Young was instantly attracted to Hughes, but his hopes were dashed when he saw her on Buchanan's arm- until someone informed him they were just pals.
     In the short time she's been back on daytime, Hughes has been simply divine- or is that Devane? Whether her character ultimately turns out to be Alex or Anna, Hughes is playing her for all she's worth, and is getting the utmost pleasure and satisfaction from doing so. 'From the get-go, the aim of the writers and producers was to create a very rounded character, regardless of her ultimate identity. And that was very important, or the story wouldn't be able to go anywhere. Everyone has been working very hard at this, from Agnes and her team to Jean (Burke, executive producer), to make Alex a viable character no matter who she is.' Asked if the network's reliance on the Anna angle might backfire if it turns out Alex isn't Anna, leaving viewers feeling cheated as a result, Hughes offers, '(Alex being Anna) is the best story you can have. And that is the best story for the viewer. And ultimately, that would be a great story to tell. Agnes Nixon is a smart lady. And she knows what she ultimately wants. And she also knows wha she wants her show to be. I think she will find a way to tell the best stories from her human aspect, because that is what AMC is basically about. When you look at GH, it is much darker, like the espionage or mob-stuff. So we are finding the best stories to tell. I think the viewers know it, so I hope we never do cheat them.'"

Editor's Choice:  The Count's Down  (SOD 10/12/99)
"The week opened with a bang. For very different reason, unlikely allies Edmund and David teamed up to examine Dimitri's corpse. Edmund wanted to prove foul play; David, as usual, wanted to play foul. They quickly discovered what All My Children fans had suspected: Dimitri's coffin was empty. But who could have guessed than an emotional roller coaster lay ahead?
     Certainly not Edmund, who pegged his evasive new sister-in-law, Alex, as a black widow. 'I gave her the benefit of the doubt against every single instinct I had,' he lamented. 'And don't forget the poison,' added David, like a serpent whispering in his ear.
     Cut to Alexandra, recalling the ill-fated plane ride in which Dimitri was struck down. Through flashbacks showcasing Finola Hughes (Alexandra) and Michael Nader's (Dimitri) remarkable chemistry, the cool, calculating Alex was now characterized as a jittery bride on her way to meet her hubby's family. We saw those moments through Alex's eyes, first with playful banter, then sudden tragedy as Dimitri fell ill.
     When Edmund caught up with Alex for a heated face-off, he accused her of murder. Cryptic Alex was finally forced to reveal her secret: Dimitri was alive! But the news wasn't all good. Alex explained that she was treating her severely ill husband at Seaview Hospital.
     AMC quickly explained details that might have distracted fans: The poison that Edmund found was part of Dimitri's experimental therapy. The last time he saw his brother at the hospital, he was in a coma, not dead. (At the time, Edmund remarked that Dimitri was still warm.) And though Alex's co-conspirator, Dr. Silbert, hasn't spelled out why he would risk his career by falsely signing a death certificate, at least the show adressed it by having Edmund confront the doc.
      Though brooding, Dimitri has always been a character with a sense of humor, so it was appropriate that AMC tossed a sliver of humor into the mix. When Dr. Silbert warned Edmund that Dimitri's responses 'may seem erratic... inappropriate,' Edmund cracked, 'That's find, doc. That's the Dimitri I know.'
     Ahhh, the Dimitri we know. The biggest shocker in this tale was Dimitri's devastating deterioration. John Callahan's (Edmund) grim face expressed how we felt when we got a gander at Dimitri. (A nod to the behind-the-scenes wizards who helped to effectively transform the rugged Nader into a heart-breaking shell of the count.) Then there was Nader's knock-out swan song in which proud Dimitri begged his wife to send Edmund away. The count gripped Alex and pleaded in a thick tongue, 'No, they can't see me like this!'
     So hard to believe this was the Dimitri we met in 1991. The dashing hero who rescued Natalie from the well. The romantic leading man who swept Erica around a Hungarian ballroom. The arrogant raider who stole Gloria right out from under fiance Tad's nose. The passionate, complex character who could steal his brother's child, yet tenderly care for his ex-wife's anorexic daughter. How could a forceful Dimitri be rendered impotent?
     Part of the beauty of this tale is that it sets the stage for many more intriguing storylines. Just what does David have against former colleague Alex? Is she as noble as she seems? Who is this Sean to whom she's placed emergency phone calls? How clever of AMC to not only tie David to Dimitri's saga, but to link it to Adam's paternity secret. With so many explosive possibilities, we're glued to our screens."

Widow of Opportunity  Alexandra's revelation puts Edmund in his place- and her in hers! (SID, August 10, 1999)
"This week, Pine Valley is rocked by the untimely demise of one of its most prominent citizens, Dimitri Marick. As the count's nearest and dearest gather to grieve, they are haunted by questions concerning his sudden death and the beautiful woman with whom he spent his last hours. Who is she, really, and what is her agenda?  An inquisitive Edmund is determined to find out.
     After bidding his half-brother a tender goodbye, a still-distraught Edmund vows to find out the truth about this latest tragedy that has befallen the Marick/Grey household.  But his attempts to get the hospital to perform an autopsy on his sibling are waylaid by the appearance of Alexandra Devane, who accompanied Dimitri back to Pine Valley.  The journalist and the others sitting vigil at the hospital are thrown when the lovely stranger announces that she is against the procedure and then makes an even more startling proclaimation: She's Dimitri's widow!  'It's a very mixed reaction [that she gets],' reveals Finola Hughes, the Daytime Emmy Award winner who plays Alexandra. 'There are people that just absolutely go for my throat- like Erica- and then there are people who sort of see through it.'
    Regardless of anyone's initial feelings, after Alexandra provides proof supporting her statement, Dimitri's friends and family have no choice but to give her the benefit of the doubt.  However, Edmund is rattled further when the newcomer fills in the details of Dimitri's last conscious moments.  After accusing her of being dishonest, he goes postal when she announces her plan to leave Pine Valley and take Dimitri's body with her! 'Their encounters are difficult, extremely difficult,' concedes Hughes. 'It's hard for Alex to know how to play it, because to a certain extent, she's trying to protect something, and Edmund, being the man that he is and an investigator of sorts, can see this.'
     Erica vs. Brooke  Although Alexandra successfully averts Erica's attempt to stop her from taking the corpse, her luck runs out when she is confronted by Edmund, Jack and Derek at the airport. Unfortunately for the men, the lady is no pushover.  When Jack informs her that Edmund is preparing to have her actions legally impeded, she reminds them that without official paperwork, they can do nothing to stop her from boarding the plane with the coffin.
     As Gillian, Brooke and Erica gather at Wildwind, Alexandra is the topic du jour.  While Brooke attempts to absorb and assimilate mthe ramifications of the bombshell that the stranger has dropped, Gillian and Erica remain on opposite sides of the fence- Gillian believes Alex's romantic story, but Erica thinks that she is a fraud.  Despite the sadness that has enveloped the estate, Brooke and Erica still manage to get into a row.
Edmund's Plea  Back at the airport, Edmund beseeches Alexandra to not whisk away his brother's body.  Touched, she relents and allows for the casket to be taken back to Wildwind.  Accompanying Edmund home, Alexandra comes face-to-face with Brooke and Erica, who already have begun planning Dimitri's funeral. 
     After Erica leaves in a huff, Brooke is moved by what she perceives as Alexandra's tenderness toward Dimitri and takes her to the hunting lodge, one of the dearly departed's favorite spots.  Alone, the women bond and Alexandra asks Brooke to assist her in assisting Edmund to accept Dimitri's death.
     Why?  'On the one hand, I would say that it was genuine concern because of what she is doing,' allows Hughes. 'It's almost like she has to do something, and [in the process] she is hurting people.  And because of what Dimitri told Alex about Edmund, he is the one person who she genuinely wants to help deal with the loss and the grief. It doesn't help her agenda in any way,' she adds, 'because she could just as easily say, "Screw you- this is what's going to happen," and get on with what she has to do.  But she does realize, on the human side, what she is doing, and she says that to Brooke.'
     Alexandra Breaks Down  Later, as the mystery surrounding Alexandra heats up, everyone's spirits plummet further down.  Left alone with Dimitri's remains, Edmund remembers his half-brother and ponders how he will break the news to his children that their beloved uncle has gone to heaven.
     At the same time, Alexandra receives a gift from her late husband- the delivery of which he'd arranged prior to his passing- and experiences an emotional meltdown of her own.  Afterward, she places a cryptic phone call. '[Due to her loyalty to Dimitri] she hust has to do this- she's kind of tied.' explains Hughes.  'But there was a scene we did just the other day, where I realized what I was doing to the family and became upset.  It wasnt' scripted, but it just became reality, because I do really tear up this family with decisions that I make, and that means that every relationship that I begin in town, with the exception possibly of Gillian and perhaps Brooke, even though she is a very, very intelligent woman and wary, is damaged instantly- the minute Alex sets foot in town.  So it'll be wonderful to see how that can be remedied.  I'm probably going to spend the next six month,' she adds, 'repairing the damage that I've done.'
     Dimitri Vanishes!  Across Pine Valley, as the news of Dimitri's death spreads, those who knew him continue to be affected.  At Myrtle's, Gillian collapses in Jake's arms.  Believing that the princess is shedding tears over her lost relationship with Ryan, Jake is thrown for a loop when she tells him about her cousin.
     And at Erica's home, David is equally shocked when she informs him that her last former husband is dead. Breaking down, Erica fondly recalls some of the happiest moments she ever spent with the count, with whom she walked down the aisle three times.
     Overwhelmed with sadness, Edmund is intent on opening Dimitri's coffin.  But before he can jimmy it, Alexandra walks in on him and begs him to leave Dimitri be. Although he agrees, he informs her that he plans to get to the bottom of what has happened.  Later, Edmund returns only to find both Alexandra and the casket are gone!
     Next week, the denizens of Pine Valley continue to react to the presence of Alexandra, who schemes to ensure that the count's funeral goes just as she wants it to."

Dimitri's Alive!  All My Children's Count Isn't Dead AFter All. But Don't Throw the Confetti Just Yet...  by Elaine G. Flores, SOD 9/14/99
"Investigative journalist Edmund Grey didn't win that Pultizer Prize for nothing. When his brother, Dimitri's sudden death came on the heels of a suprise marriage to a mysterious stranger, Edmund started sleuthing. This week on All My Children, Edmund learns the astonishing truth: the count is alive- but not well.
    Edmund's mounting suspicions about his new sister-in-law, Alexandra, drove him to enlist David to perform a secret autopsy. As the week opens, Edmund and David are shocked to find Dimitri's coffin empty. Edmund's first thought: 'What has that woman done?' cracks his portrayer, John Callahan. David, who has an ax to grind against Alex, speculates that she is a black widow, leading a rabid Edmund to confront her.
     The showdown comes at the Wildwind hunting lodge. Edmund accuses Alexandra of murdering his brother. 'She says, "I didn't murder your brother, he's not dead!"' previews Finola Hughes (Alexandra).
     'Stunned as he is, Edmund cannot believe that all these lies have led to something wonderful, and the wonder is that his brother is alive,' muses Executive Producer Jean Dadario Burke.
     'And then it explodes,' reveals Hughes. '[Edmund] wants to know what's happening and then Alex has to tell him that [Dimitri] was becoming debiliated and didn't want his family to suffer along with him. The disease that Dimitri has will tear him apart and make him a shadow of his former self.'
     As it turns out, Dimitri is at Seaview Hospital. 'He couldn't bear the agony of being found out by his family,' explains Hughes. 'And the burden to protect him falls on Alex. She's kept him hidden in a hospital and is treating him secretly.'
     Okay, Dimitri's furtiveness is understandable, but how on earth could Alexandra let the count's loved ones think he was dead? 'She didn't know what else to do because he was ill when they landed [in Pine Valley]. And the family wouldn't get out of her face,' argues Hughes. 'Alex wanted to turn the plane around and they wouldn't get out of her face. The last thing she promised him was that she wouldn't let anyone see him like this. It's the only thing Alex could think of.'
     Though Edmund has never trusted Alex, he quickly buys her latest story. 'It's a total shock to him, and yet, it isn't completely surprising. It only takes [Edmund] half a show to go from incredulity to [belief],' shares Callahan.
     Naturally, Edmund insists on seeing his brother right away. Alex tries to explain that Dimitri isn't the same man, but Edmund is determined to see for himself, so they head to Seaview. At the hospital, Dr. Silbert urges Edmund to hold off on visiting his brother, but Edmund won't back down.
     As Alex predicted, a weakened but proud Dimitri is aghast that Edmund has discovered his secret and pleads with his bride to get Edmund to leave. As Alex soothes Dimitri, Edmund finds his feelings toward her softening. 'The big surprise comes when he goes to visit his brother and sees how [Alex and Dimitri] feel about one another,' explains Burke. 'That's when he no longer blames her. He knows how insistent his brother is and that these are truly his brother's wishes. And really, all she is doing is trying to follow Dimitri's wishes, which is very difficult with an inquisitive reporter like Edmund around.'
     After the awkward reunion, Alex and Edmund have critical decisions to make. For starters, they can't let the family go on mourning, so they share the news with Eugenia and Gillian. The women slam Alex for toying with their emotions, but surprisingly, Edmund comes to her defense. 'She seems to obviously love his brother,' points out Callahan.
     The family then turns its attention to Dimitri's care. Alex proposes an experimental therapy that could prolong Dimitri's life without improving it. 'It brings up a whole issue about how you help people when they're terminal,' says Hughes. 'Alex and Edmund have extraordinary things to decide; there are huge issues.'
     Though Edmund believes in miracles, Alexandra, a neurologist, isn't so optimistic. 'You know the weaknesses in your own profession,' reasons Hughes. 'You know how much you can do for someone and you know what the end will be. With all that information, she is trying to make the right decision for her husband. It's like she has too much information. A family can say, "We can still hope. We can still hope." A physician says, "No", so it's a double-edged sword for her.'
     Notes Callahan: 'I think that we're touching on the quality of mercy versus the quality of life. And it's worth discussing. This is what I like about soaps; you can talk about [issues]. Two people can have opposing sides that are perfectly legitimate, with strong emotional reasons for supporting them. It's a great story.'
     At week's end, David suggests a treatment that could save Dimitri's life- and settle an old score. 'David sees and opportunity to use Dimitri to hurt another person on the canvas, as is his wont,' chuckles Burke. Hint: Look out, Adam."
     Thy Brother's Wife  "AMC viewers have expected Alexandra to become a love interest for Edmund. Now that she's his brother's wife and not a widow, just how will their relationship develop? 'What do you do with your brother's wife?' asks John Callahan rhetorically. 'Well, you leave her alone,' he quips, adding, 'If Edmund were to find someone to engage himself romantically, he wouldn't have to look very far.'
     A romance will have to be handled delicately, says Finola Hughes. 'Their relationship is very complex. On a day-to-day basis, they're just dealing with the problems at hand and are thrust together very closely. It will be complicated. To move forward, it's going to be interesting. The audience has been there with us and they're not going to accept any old [story]. They can't throw us together in a cave or something.'"

Will Edmund and Alexandra's Combined Efforts Be Enough to Save Dimitri's Life? (SOU 9/28/99) 
"Edmund is still reeling from the shock of finding that Dimitri is still alive and then seeing his brother. When Alexandra mentions the experimental treatment, Edmund wants to get started immediately. Alexandra wants him to think about it: the treatment could help prolong Dimitri's life, but may not improve it. Edmund and Alexandra decide it's okay for certain members of the family to know about Dimitri.
     Edmund is impatient as he wants to do the therapy, so he calls David and explains the situation. David sees a way not only to help Dimitri, but also to destroy Adam. David knows that a DNA test is necessary before treatment can be done. David suggests that Edmund ask Liza for permission to use Colby's stem cells to help save Dimitri. Liza is understanding, but tells them the decision is not hers alone to make: She has to check with Colby's biological father, Jake.
     Again, Edmund is impatient. He and David find Jake and explain the situation. Jake will talk to Liza and get back to them. Liza calls Jake just as Adam arrives and wants to know what's going on. Liza tells him that it has nothing to do with him. Later, Liza explains that Dimitri is alive and that Colby could help keep him that way. Adam isn't happy, as he realizes the secret he's been trying to keep hidden for so long is in jeopardy of coming out. Adam isn't getting anywhere with Liza- who reminds him that Jake is Colby's biological father- so Adam decides he must take things into his own hands (as only Adam can do!).
     Meanwhile, Alexandra is furious with Edmund for going ahead without telling her. He tries to get her to trust him when they're interrupted by a phone call. Things aren't going well for Dimitri, as his condition worsens by the minute.
     Adam tries to stop Liza and Jake from giving their permission, but it's useless. A DNA test must be performed before anything is done. Adam realizes that he only has one chance to save himself and he takes it, but he miscalculates things where David is concerned.
     Later, Alexandra is informed that Colby's cells are compatible with Dimitri's. Edmund begs her to go ahead with the treatment, so she does. Then the waiting begins. During the long night, Alexandra has disturbing nightmares about Dimitri and can't wait to go to the hospital the next morning to see him. In the morning, she and Edmund go to the hospital. There's good news about Dimitri. Dr. Silbert tells them that Dimitri wants to see Alexandra. When she goes to his room, she's shocked to find that his bed is empty and he's nowhere to be found!"