The Return of Eden Riegel

From the second
Erica Kane’s daughter Bianca came out on All My
Children, actress Eden Riegel secured herself a
gay following for life. Perhaps it’s the eloquence
with which she handled the story line. Maybe
it’s because Riegel’s sister is gay, and
the subsequent TV interviews put a personal spin on a TV
plot. Or maybe the answer is even more basic, because
really – who wouldn’t want to play the
daughter of Erica Kane.

Riegel has played
the role of Bianca off and on since 2000, during which
time gays both embraced the character and bombarded
ABC/Disney with complaints for not letting Bianca fall
in love and have a stable -- albeit, as they are all
in daytime, doomed -- relationship like everyone else.

Well, for anyone
who ever complained, wish granted. Riegel returns to the
role today, and she brings with her a wife and a secret. The
27-year-old actress sat down with Advocate.com to talk
about what’s in store for Bianca, her first day
back on the set, and what it was like to finally play
a bitch—Imaginary Bitch, that is.

Advocate.com:First things first -- congratulations on your return
to the show.Eden Riegel: Thank you. Thank you very much.

In the interest of full disclosure, I feel I should
tell you that sitting to my left is a mint condition
Erica Kane Barbie doll that a friend gave me for
my birthday. [Laughs] Oh, that’s excellent. I
wouldn’t have it any other way.

So, unlike the last few times you returned to AMC,
I understand that this time you’re sticking
around for quite a while. Yes, you’ll see a couple of things you
haven’t seen in a while. You’ll see me
sticking around, and then you’ll see Bianca in a
full-fledged, committed relationship with another
woman, played by an incredibly powerhouse actress that
the fans already know and love (General Hospital Emmy
nominee Tamara Braun) and who does just amazing work.
So it’s a really exciting time for All My Children.

Do you think that will make a difference, Bianca’s
partner being a full-time character? Because I know in
the past the show has been criticized for not
giving Bianca a full-fledged relationship, but now
they’ve brought on this recognized name and
they’re already together? I think there has to be a difference. I
don’t know if the criticism is entirely
warranted. I know I was glad that the show’s priority
was in giving me good stories, and I thought that they
did go further than anyone else had ever gone, so I
always thought that they should be commended. But I
know that it left the fans and myself unsatisfied in the
end because Bianca was so busy mourning the loss of her
child and getting over her rape and also falling in
love with a woman who was bisexual, maybe straight.
She never really got to have the kind of relationship
that she deserved. Just the fact that they’re
bringing on Tamara Braun — she’s
incredible, they’re going to use her. They
aren’t going to waste her talent. I know that
we’re going to have a lot of amazing scenes to
play, and there’s no more truthful actress on the
planet.