"The
count is back and AMC fans couldn't be happier. For heartthrob Michael Nader,
the time that he spent away from the soap turned out to be an enlightening
experience... especially when it came to his legion of fans.Michael
Nader Uncensored (by
Sheila Steinbach, SOU 8/29/2000)
His departure as
Dimitri prompted a fan outcry. Now, Michael Nader has made a triumphant
AMC return!
"The
count is back and AMC fans couldn't be happier. For heartthrob Michael Nader,
the time that he spent away from the soap turned out to be an enlightening
experience... especially when it came to his legion of fans.
When it was announced that Dimitri was being written off the show last year, Nader's fans were more than upset, and they set about letting the show, the network and anyone who would listen, know it! Nader admits that he was taken by surprise when he heard about the fans' reactions and by the subsequent call from ABC asking him to return to the show.
'First of all, there are people who do websites, talk to their fans all the time, but I never did that. I always felt an obligation to sign a picture. If they wrote the note, they deserved the picture. So when this whole thing happened with the people called The Loyalists, the expanse and impact were quite astounding to me,' he explains. 'In my years of doing this, I never experienced this kind of support. Maybe there are characters who have been terminated and gotten the support, but I had not heard of it.'
Nader's agency was overloaded with calls, and his friends called to ask him if he knew what was happening. 'The impact of the message to me became very apparent, and I do think that helped to some degree to sort of bend the ABC honchos back in my direction. I don't think that is the total thing for winning support. What helped also, with me being off, was that part of the energy of the show was gone. So I think it was a combination of both.'
The experience made Nader more aware of his fans... and he's looking into having his own website. 'The website would be a game. There would be a drawing, and the winner would then come to New York and do a scene with my character. Then they would go home and have that tape forever. This would all have to be structured correctly, so that fans understand the intention of this is to give back to them. Fans could also get things, like a tie with me in a tuxedo on it, cufflinks, stuff like that. I would make it so that whoever got into the game and didn't win the full package, would still get something. That's my intention. I've been studying the marketability of it, but setting it up and trying it out is another thing, especially with my busy schedule on the show. It will take a little time, but it's something I'd like to do,' he explains.
During the eight months that he was away from AMC, Nader moved back to California and got on with his life. He was in the midst of developing several projects and also got to spend quality time with his 15-year old daughter Lindsay. 'My daughter was in Los Angeles at the same time,' he offers. 'so we had some great months together, which was a treat, because I've been almost bicoastal for the last few years.'
A star of primetime, films and daytime, Nader laughs when we ask him if he thinks daytime executives should try to get more actors of his stature to come to daytime. 'Why would they want to do this? The only reason they got me is that there was an actors' strike for a year. I came back here to do this for a year and fell in love with New York. I didn't fall in love with daytime. Daytime has more pitfalls than anything I've ever run into. It's like the streets of New York, depending on who the mayor is,' says the sexy star, who has a smile that could melt anyone's heart.
Nader may have come to daytime for a year, but he wound up staying for eight and was involved in many major storylines. With his return to AMC, the characters of Dimitri, Alex and Edmund found themselves involved in a mystery/adventure story. Nader has his own opinion on what should happen next.
'I have to compliment the writers on the way they brought Finola (Hughes, Alex) in and exited me. I thought it was wonderful- especially the concept of everything being replayed in our minds that happened six months before. This new thing... I think they're moving it along a little hastily. It would be nice to have a transition that's not so pushed, where the movement of it is slower. Right now I'm sort of being the martyr in allowing Alex and Edmund to have a happy life. Of course, I think I'm dying, but the fact of the matter is that it's a pretty sort of soapy noble stance to take, and we're all living by that decision to a degree,' he explains.
What makes Nader happy to be back? 'The best things for me being back are the crew, producers and fellow actors. Working and laughing with them is my enjoyment.' With the addition of cable networks like SoapNet, fans can see their favorite daytime and primetime stars 24 hours a day. 'Just add Dynasty [on which the ruggedly handsome star played Dex Dexter to much primetime acclaim] and throw in a couple of beach movies and you've got me from 16 through 55,' the charming actor says with a laugh!'"