‘General Hospital’ Star Laura Wright Reveals How Kelly Ripa Helped Her Adjust to the Soap Opera World
Laura Wright has been on General Hospital since 2005 and is well-known among soap opera fans. She has made many friends in the entertainment industry as well, including TV personality Kelly Ripa.
In fact, Ripa was an important person in Wright’s life when Wright first embarked on her acting career in soap operas.
Laura Wright began her soap opera career in the 1990s
Wright grew up in the Washington D.C. suburbs and auditioned for the soap opera Loving in the 1990s. After she got the role as Ally Rescott Bowman, she moved to New York City and made her television debut in 1991.
After Loving ended in 1995, Wright moved on to star in its continuation series The City from 1995 to 1997.
Then, Wright moved on to the soap opera Guiding Light, which she starred on as Cassie Layne Winslow from 1997 to 2005.
After Wright left the show, she joined the cast of General Hospital as Carly Corinthos. She has been on the show for 16 years as of 2021, making this her longest-held role yet.
How Kelly Ripa helped Laura Wright adjust to the soap opera world
At the time when Wright joined the cast of Loving, Ripa was playing Hayley Vaughan on All My Children. Loving and All My Children aired on the same network (ABC), so Wright got the opportunity to meet Ripa, whom she was a fan of.
“The first night after I worked, Rena Sofer called. She saw me wandering the hallway, and she goes, ‘Do you know where you are or what’s happened to your life?’” Wright recalled on the Dishing With Digest podcast. “I’m like, ‘No,’ and she goes, ‘Was there anyone you wanted to meet?’”
Wright shared that she wanted to meet “Hayley from All My Children,” and Sofer introduced Wright to Ripa. Sofer and Ripa, then, took Wright out to eat, and the three ladies also hung out at Sofer’s place that evening.
Afterward, Wright shared, Ripa began inviting her to different places. She explained, “Kelly started taking me to events… because I didn’t have any friends. I didn’t know anyone. She would call me and say, ‘You know there’s an event happening, and everyone from the shows are going?” And I’m like, ‘No,’ and she’s like, ‘I’ll pick you up in a taxi. Be ready.’”
Ripa also helped her understand how to live the lifestyle of soap opera stars in NYC. For example, they would go shopping together, and Ripa gave Wright suggestions on items to buy. “Kelly kind of taught me how to live in New York,” Wright said with a laugh.
Wright also noted that Ripa “came from a similar background,” which explains why the two of them bonded well.
Laura Wright admits she had many moments of being alone
Despite having supportive people like Ripa around, Wright told Dishing With Digest that she still had many difficult moments as she tried to navigate her new life.
“It was a rough time,” Wright said. “I sat alone a lot in my apartment and was sad a lot because I left this life that I knew. And I guess that would have been like when anyone goes to college, right?” Like when people move away from what they know.”
However, most people do eventually adjust to change. Wright is now celebrating her 30th year as a soap opera actor, and there’s no doubt she is now rather comfortable in this environment.
