I to introduce Jewish traditions to soaps
1 viewers. On `Days,' we were able to
air Shabbat candle-lightings, and we
had the first sukkah on daytime TV
Asked why there aren't more Jewish
characters on soaps, Laiman replies,
We are a minority in this country.
Living in New York and in big-city
Jewish communities, we lose sight of
that. But in truth, your basic soap
opera writer and viewer is not Jewish.
Soaps want simple romances that
cover the mass population. That does-
n't include us."
Laiman, who has written steamy
scenes for ABC, NBC and CBS, is an
Orthodox Jew, although she stresses
she is not a "complete Sabbath observ-
er" like her parents, who now live in
Toronto.
It's difficult to be Orthodox and a
writer working in television, Laiman
concedes. "Frequently, work is required
on Saturdays, and unless you have a
flexible producer, it can be very hard."
She praises her "wonderful produc-
ers who respect my beliefs
and understand that there
is real life beyond soap
operas."
-
Laiman has worked hard

to become a respected writer in the
industry. Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, she
immigrated to Hamilton, Ontario, with
her parents when she was a year old.
"I was the only Orthodox Jew my
age growing up in Hamilton," recalls
Laiman, the daughter of a diamond-
dealer father and teacher/homemaker
mother.
When it was time for college,
Laiman attended Stern College in New
York City. She majored in English lit-
erature, then earned a master's degree
in theater from Hunter College.
Following a brief detour to Israel,
Laiman returned to Manhattan.
Her big break came when she land-
ed the associate head writer position at
"General Hospital." Ironically, her
first assignment turned out to be the
most watched episode in the history
of daytime television — Luke and
Laura's wedding.
After three years at "General
Hospital," Laiman landed the head
writer position at "Days of Our

cial Jewish mourning peri-
od [for my grandmother]."
Reflecting on her loss,
Sterling spoke of the impor-
tance of Judaism in her life.
Born and raised in
Charleston, W Va.,
Sterling, whose maiden
name is Pushkin, was part of
a small Jewish community
"Still, I had Jewish
Lesli Kay Sterling as Molly Conlan: Seeing a Jewish
friends and went to Hebrew wedding on a soap is a pretty unlikely occurrence.
school for six years [until
my bat mitzvah]," she says. Her family
cool, and therefore it was cool to be
belonged to a synagogue that was
Jewish."
• "Conservative leaning toward
When Sterling graduated from high
• Orthodox."
school, she went to a small college in
During her junior year in high
Pittsburgh. Then she transferred to
school, Sterling spent four months in
Colorado State, where she earned a
Israel. "That was my third trip to
degree in theater and speech commu-
Israel," she reports. "I was there at age
nications. As soon as she graduated,
8 and age 10, and my father, an
Sterling moved to New York to see if
orthopedic surgeon, [served] as a chief
she could make it in show business.
surgeon from the United States during
"In high school and college I per-
\__ the Yom Kippur War.
formed in school plays and felt at
/--) "I am proud of my Judaism and
home on stage," she says. "I had
never felt any anti-Semitism" while
thought about being a doctor, but
growing up, she says. 'Although I
really wanted to act. My father told
knew there were certain country clubs
me to go for it."
that wouldn't admit us as members
Sterling landed extra work and
because we were Jews, my non-Jewish
small parts on soap operas, including
friends didn't care what religion I was.
"Ryan's Hope," "One Life to Live" and
"Maybe it was because I was popu-
"Loving." She appeared in a string of
lar and kids at school thought I was
regional theater productions, including

Lives," where she continued to make a
writers and directors called the
name for herself.
Motion Picture Professional.
On her way to ending up as head
With plenty of new trials and
writer for "Another World," she also
tribulations planned for 1999, Laiman
served as head writer at "The Guiding
reveals some upcoming story lines:
Light," co-head writer at "One Life to
In his search to connect with his
Live" and head writer at As the
past, Jordan finds himself drawn to
World Turns." She's been nominated
Rachel and especially Amanda.
for five Emmy Awards and four
Marley's demented scheme to reclaim
Writers Guild Awards.
Jake's love sends her out on a limb and
Laiman says creating new characters
her duplicity is finally revealed. A
and writing stories are the best parts of
defeated Lila admits she is miserable
her work. But with new shows five
in a loveless marriage.
days a week, 52 weeks a year, the job
"I love what I do," says Laiman.
of a soap writer is relentless.
"I am constantly thinking of ideas,"
"Another World" airs at 2 p.m.
says Laiman, who develops plots and
weekdays
on NBC.
passes on the outlines to dialogue
writers.
As for subjects she won't tack-
le as a writer, Laiman doesn't
have to think hard for an answer.
"I don't want to deal with
Jewish actors and their
abortion, and I wouldn't do a
soap opera roles:
rape story," she replies.
When Laiman is not churning
• "All My Children"
out plots, she is busy with her
Sara Michelle Geller/ex-Kendall
11-year-old daughter, Danielle,
• "General Hospital"
who attends an Orthodox day
school, and husband, Ralph
Stuart Damon/Alan Quartermaine
Toperoff, who runs a school for
Sean Kanan/A.J. Quartermaine
Rena Sofer/ex-Lois Cercullo
Sara 13rown/Carly Roberts
Grease and Romeo and Juliet.
• "One Life to Live"
Then, relocating to California,
Robin Strasser/Dorian Lord Hayes
she landed roles on prime-time
Marilyn Chris/Wanda Wolek
televisions shows, including
Stephen Macht/Elliot Durbin
"Hunter" and "Nowhere Man."
Sterling views getting the role
• "Young & the Restless"
of Molly on "As the World
Don Diamont/Brad Carlton
Turns" as her big break.
Kate Linder/Esther Valentine
"I love playing Molly — there
• "As the World Turns"
is never a dull moment," she says
with great enthusiasm. "She does
Lesli Kay Sterling/Molly Conlan
these hysterical things but lets
this vulnerability come out even
Jewish characters and the
during times of stress."
actors who play them:
While trying to make it in a
• "Guiding Light"
show biz world where scrawny
Drew Jacobs/Tamn-ii Blanchard
means beautiful, Sterling developed

Guess Who's Jewish

an eating disorder. In actuality, her
• "One Life to Live"
fight against anorexia and bulimia
Nora 13uchanan/Hillary B. Smith
began when she was only 13.
"I was anorexic for five years
before I learned how to throw up,
couple recently bought a home just
and then I became bulimic," says the
outside New York City.
5-foot-6-inch actress, who says she
And she is quick to say, she is grate-
once weighed as little as 88 pounds.
ful for having her job.
"I am grateful that I am recovered,
You can be fired tomorrow and I
and I try to counsel people with eating
know that," Sterling says. "In this
disorders. Fans write me and I suggest
crazy business, anything that is steady
healthy ways for them to diet and how
is considered a good gig." II
to get help."
For now, Sterling, age 33, does not
"As the World Turns" airs at
take anything for granted, including
2 p.m. weekdays on CBS.
her husband Mark Sterling, a tennis
pro who owns a T-shirt business. The

\`.

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1/8

1999

Detroit Jewish News

75