Clippings

A Martinez with son, Dakota Lee

     "I've had a life filled with many, many blessings but the greatest one of all was finding the relationship I have with (my wife) Leslie.  Somehow, having the baby just legitimized everything.  It graduated it.  Beyond all the things we promised each other and all the things we share as a couple, having the baby tops it."  AM

A Martinez, Nicholas Coster, Robert Thaler, Robin Wright, Judith McConnell, Jed Allen, Marcy Walker, Nancy Grahn and Todd McKee were the Santa Barbara contingent to the Emmy's and hosted a party for the press the night before at The Beekman Towers.  12/86 Soap Set

SOAP'S BEST CRIERS, SOD, 9/22/87

    Cruz Castillo (A Martinez) Santa Barbara.....Watching Cruz is watching a strong man cry.  It gets you every time.  When he thought he'd lost Eden forever in a plane crash, Cruz's world collapsed as he struggled to continue without her.  He wept for many reasons: anger, frustration, despair, loneliness.  And we believed every tear.

Tvguide.com

News by Delaina Dixon

October 3, 2003

GH ALUM BACK ON SCREEN

A Martinez (ex-Roy, GH) is back on the small screen in the thriller Killer Instinct: From the Files of Agent Candice DeLong, premiering Oct. 6 (9 pm/ET, Lifetime). In the story based on the career of Candice DeLong, the first female profiler in the FBI, Martinez plays Bobby Mazariegos, DeLong's FBI partner and married lover. "He's in love with Candice but is not in a position to commit to her past his obligation of being a partner," says Martinez. "But he gets a little bent out of shape and throws caution to the wind when he realizes that she's in trouble."

Martinez had to turn on his own killer instinct to shoot the telefilm's climatic sequence. "We're on a river, shooting from sundown to sunrise under these giant lights," he explains. "The lights drew clouds of insects, which drew a multitude of birds that were swooping in out of the light to scoop them up in their beaks. It felt insanely violent on your face. It was real psychedelic."

Martinez got the chance to meet DeLong, who was determined to solve the mystery behind the A in Martinez's name. "She finally cornered me on that," he chuckles. "It stands for Adolfo. I'm the third. They called my dad 'AD,' and we needed something shorter than that, so I just became A."

    SoapTalk on the SoapNet channel interviewed A on Jan. 8, 2003...a wonderful interview in which A discussed, among other things, his work on For The People, his role in The Cherokee Kid (one of his favorites), and a very funny story about his "power struggle" with his horse in The Cowboys.  One of my favorite parts was when A dropped his trousers to show off the Spongebob Squarepants boxers given to him by his daughter! :)

Ordinary Sinner

    A's film project Ordinary Sinner was filmed in the summer of '00 in Vermont.  He plays an Episcopalian priest, a mentor of a young man, in this "coming of age" film, and said, "It's a beautiful piece.  I loved it."  TV Guide Q&A.  

  Ordinary Sinner depicts 3 college students, 2 guys and a girl, who encounter bigotry and violence in a small town and solve the murder of a gay friend.  Their priest, Father Ed (A) risks his career and reputation to fight against the hatred and violence directed against gays.  "Ordinary Sinner is a compelling tale of three young people on the brink of adulthood, struggling to find their place in a violent and profane world. It is a story of friendship, love and betrayal, as well as a look at the way religion in America both supports and condemns violence against gays. Shot on location in the beautiful Vermont countryside, this coming of age drama delivers a moral tale that rocks the lives of its complex characters."   The film won the "Best Picture" and "Best Director" award at the 2002 SlamDunk Film Festival in Park City, Utah.  More info about the film on A's site, and also click on this link to a film review.   (Thanks to Nan!)

"Great Scene"  (in Ordinary Sinner)

"An Episcopalian priest, who’s never been secretive about his homosexuality but hasn’t exactly been open with it either, begins a sermon on the current state of homophobia occurring in his sleepy Vermont college town.  The priest, known to all as “Father Ed" (played with thoughtful, warm compassion by A Martinez), gets into a heated debate over the intricacies of the Bible and its stance on homosexuality with a homophobic Bible-thumper (Jesse Tyler Ferguson).  It’s a sharp, delicate, and engaging moment that reveals just how complex using the Bible as a defense for or against an entire sexual orientation can be."

(from a review by David Cornelius on his website)

The following article is from the July 12 issue of Daily Variety.....

EDGY FARE
    Also bowing July 21 on Lifetime is the drama "For the People," starring Lea Thompson, Debbi Morgan, A Martinez, and Cecilia Suarez. The show's creator-exec producer Catherine LePart (7th Heaven) said Lifetime was "unflinching in the face of some issues" she plans to deal with that broadcast nets won't touch.

    "It's ironic that some of the biggest balls in television belong to Lifetime Television for Women," LePard said.

    Lifetime's sesh marked the first TCA appearance by Barbara Fisher as exec VP of entertainment for Lifetime Entertainment Services, a post she took on in May. While Lifetime continues to dominate the primetime cable ratings game, Fisher said, "We still have not scratched the surface of what we can do with this brand."

    This image is from the Officers and Members of Ladder Company 8, TriBeCa, New York City.  Of all the many comments and articles about 9/11 that I have read, A's is one of the most touching and well written.  Don't miss reading it under "A's Messages" on his website. 

      A won again!  For the THIRD year in a row, A was selected as the Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Soap Opera by the American Latino Media Awards (ALMA).  The ALMA awards show was broadcast June 1, 2002 on ABC.  Congratulations A!  Here's the part of A's speech that was shown....."I want to thank three colleagues that have helped me work on Roy Delucca this year.  Wonderful actors.  Jensen Buchanan who helped him explore the complicated issues of his heart.  The great Tony Geary has been doing Luke Spencer for 20 years -- treats every performance like its the last one of his life.  Maurice Benard plays Sonny.  General Hospital is a great show at its best and my daughters will tell you Maurice Benard is the soul of General Hospital."   

A accepts his award for Outstanding actor in a Daytime Series at the 2001 ALMA Awards.

 And this is a transcript of A's acceptance speech at the ALMA ceremony in 2001.....

   "Thank you! This is a wonderful night, a sense of family here. All this music that has inspired us, and that has inspired me. To everybody out there who has ever thought about wanting get up here and do something like this or tell a story or be an artist on any level, I say 'go for it!'....jump up here and join us. It will help you. It will make the world a better place. Thank you!"

    A and most of the other GH cast attended the General Hospital Fan Club luncheon in Hollywood on Sunday July 29, 2001.  One of the fans who attended said that the line at A's autograph table was very long.  During the Q&A session, A was asked, "What is it about Melissa that appeals to Roy?"  A answered, "Everything!"

    At the Super Soap Weekend at Walt Disney World in November, 2000, A sang a beautiful song, "Safely to Dawn", that he had written and performed for his "baby sister's" wedding the previous month.

TIME OUT

    In 1999, when superstar A Martinez joined the cast of General Hospital in the role of Roy, Bobbie's ex-lover "back from the dead", the interest in his return to soaps was overwhelming.  The show has given him major storyline and they are now working to accommodate him as he films a part in a movie, tentatively titled "Thief in the Night".  The filming schedule coincides with time off from his GH gig. 

Here's one "thief" who'd be fun to catch!

SoapOperaUpdate, 9/12/00

"Although A. ended up loving school, on the second day
of kindergarten, he said, "But I already went to
school, why do I have to go again?"
~Eva Martinez
(Latina Magazine, May 2000)

Date Night

    Even now, after 20 years of marriage, General Hospital's A Martinez is dating his wife Leslie.  "We try to have a babysitter every Saturday night, so we have a chance to have 'our' time," he relates.  "When we miss one of those, it's a lot to miss."

    In particular, the couple enjoys dancing on their "dates".  "We don't do it that much, especially now that we've got three other schedules to maintain," he says, referring to their children.  "But we sure do love to do that."

'Santa Cruz' is Coming to Town!

    A Martinez reports his 5-year-old son Cody was thrilled to meet Santa Claus -- not knowing the man in the red suit was really LLoyd Bridges!  Martinez brought Cody to the set where he was shooting the Christmas movie-of-the-week In the Nick of Time...and Cody spotted Seahunt star Lloyd, dressed in costume for his St. Nick role in the film.  The excited lad made a beeline for Santa and asked him:  "How do you make it to all those houses on your route?"  Fast-thinking Lloyd replied:  "We just plan ahead and stick to the schedule."  Cody piped up:  "How can you get down all those chimneys?  Aren't some too skinny for you?"  Without missing a beat, the veteran actor answered:  "Well, Cody, that's where Santa's magic comes in."  His explanation, Martinez added, completely satisfied his son's curiosity.

Is GH's A Martinez a sports fanatic?

Last summer, GH's A Martinez coached his son Dakota's baseball team.  While some parents can forget that baseball's "just" a game, Martinez points out that sports are also to be taken very seriously.  "I don't believe in screaming at a kid if he makes a mistake out on the field," Martinez states.  "But the idea that we're just out there to throw our gloves up in the air isn't right either.  We're all making demands on ourselves out there, and we're trying to do the best we can for ourselves and our teammates.  It's absurd when people get crazy about it.  Parents can experience events through their own memories of how they performed (or didn't) in sports.  You can see the potential for unhealthy dynamics to kick in; however, at the same time, playing sports is indeed a serious pursuit."

    A Martinez had his leg in plaster for several weeks after he injured it while competing in a relay race at a celebrity sporting event.  TV Week Nov 19, 1988

    A Martinez says age has helped him handle his fame.  "I'm thankful that I didn't get hot when I was young," he says honestly.  "I would have had a hard time dealing with it.  Timing has always been on my side."  

Outside the Box

    Despite his busy GH schedule, A Martinez had the chance to moonlight in the current feature film, What's Cooking?  In it the actor plays a teacher who puts a crimp in a family's holiday weekend when the estranged husband of a woman he is having an affair with shows up for dinner.  Martinez says the opportunity has given his creativity a boost.  "It's good for your work to not get stuck playing one character forever," he says.  "When I was doing Santa Barbara, I got to do six outside projects in five years.  They engage your instrument in a way that makes it less likely that you're going to turn in to a robot."  Next on Martinez's plate is the indie film, Thief in the Night (now renamed Ordinary Sinner), about three friends who encounter violence and bigotry in a small town.  "It was one of the best parts I've ever had in a movie," says the actor, who play s a priest.  "It made me feel high.  The effects of it didn't wear off for a long time."

Road Less Traveled

    In the Southern California coastal town that co-stars A Martinez and Jacklyn Zeman each call home, the term "rocky road" is more than just a flavor of ice cream.  The recent torrential rains that hit the Southwest had the streets leading from their homes to the GH studio -- nearly 40 miles away -- not only a mess, but a driving hazard.  While one road was detoured to go around a highway patrolman's car that had been hit by a falling boulder, others were flooded with water.  "I didn't even try to get through," says Martinez of the main artery from the coast to inland areas.  "Jackie is much braver than me."  Martinez says that just looking at the canyon from his home brings about thoughts of an even more serious disaster.  "You can see all the bad stuff that can happen.  I read an article in The L.A. Times a few years ago that said when the big one (earthquake) comes, our canyon will be just a big hole of rubble.  So I've always tried to avoid driving through it when the weather gets dicey."

Father Figure

    "My kids are getting older by the minute," laughs A Martinez as he talks about his three children.  "They're becoming more independent and volatile.  I've noticed a change this year in the way the house feels.  It's interesting and fun...but it's also a bit mind-blowing."  Daughter Devon has not only shown an interest in acting, but also a confidence that she can succeed in the business that made her father famous.  "Devon totally gets, 'I have a gift and it's my job to share it.'  She's great on stage.  She came to work with me one day and got to see the business part of it.  It's important to get a good sense of that because they know how many times a script comes or Dad disappear for two or three days to prepare."  Although a veteran of show biz, Martinez is surprised by his daughter's confidence, something that he's always wrestling with himself.  "With all the wonderful things that have gone on, I have doubts about the validity of my career," he concludes.  "There's a piece of me that doesn't believe that this all was supposed to happen.  I think I just got lucky." 

Best Friends, Roy and Luke, General Hospital

    You know, it says a lot for a friendship when the people involved don't let a little thing like death stand in their way.  But there was nary a blip when, late in 1999, into Port Chuck walked Luke's best friend, Roy, who Luke believed had been killed 20 years earlier.  Sure, Luke was squeamish upon learning that Roy had been an FBI informant all those years, but he understood Roy had been forced into it.  And it wasn't long before the dynamic duo were back where they belonged -  teetering between the right and wrong sides of the law.  But this isn't the Luke/Roy friendship of yore, and not just because A Martinez didn't originate the character of Roy.  Martinez and co-star Anthony Geary share a magic that makes everything they do together work (especially the funny stuff).  Luke becomes irate, Roy brings him down a notch...Luke gets into a jam, Roy is at the ready with disguises and fake passports.  It's reciprocal, rare and a helluva lot of fun.  Now, if only Roy would hide Luke's accordion...SOD

Focus On...A Martinez

    Daytime viewers loved A Martinez as that saint of a guy, Cruz Castillo, on Santa Barbara.  Now Martinez can be seen as a truly righteous character -- a priest -- in his new independent film, Ordinary Sinner.  

    The coming of age drama focuses on Peter, a college student/seminary dropout suffering a crisis of faith and struggling to find his place in a violent world.  Martinez plays the pivotal role of Father Eduardo Rey, Peter's mentor who advises him when a gay friend is murdered.

    "There's a lot of stuff going on in the community regarding persecution of gay people.  My character gives a sermon, a really beautifully written thing, that throws all that into low relief," explains Martinez.

    The actor says the film delivers an important message.  "You have to hold on to your faith," he insists.  "In the end you really lose if you abandon the concept that you can make a difference."

    Ordinary Sinner's inspiring tale was recently honored with the Audience Choice Award at the Greenwich Film Festival.  The film is screening at the Northampton Film Festival in Northampton, Mass Nov 1, and possibly, at a theater near you soon.  Joanne Gallo, 2001

   A appeared at the Flatiron Crossing Mall in Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday, March 24, 2001 and also appeared in Houston at the Willowbrook mall with Soapnet on April 7, 2001..

The Santa Barbara cast did a super job with their two-part special devoted to the Nativity.  Brandon (Justin Gocke) dreamt his SB family played roles in the Nativity.

Unknown Source

...A Martinez (Cruz), played out a booze binge that lasted nearly six weeks.  Flamed by the supposed death of his lady love, Eden (Marcy Walker), the never-ending Lost Weekend took a physical toll on the rugged actor.

    "I was getting by on less than four hours of sleep each night," recalls Martinez.  "I was exhausted.  I lost seven pounds.  I'm not young enough to do that without paying for it."  While he didn't need any artificial help from the studio makeup department -- his own road-map eyeballs and the bags under his eyes were far more convincing -- A did, in a roundabout way, benefit from the lack of shut-eye.  "It put my emotions right at the surface.  I was able to find all kinds of frayed edges in myself that I couldn't have if I'd been well-rested."  And there were other bonuses.  Not only did the crying and the breast-beating earn Martinez a Best Actor Emmy nomination, A used those sleepless nights to pound out a screenplay, which he hopes to produce as a vehicle for himself and Walker.

A Martinez Heads for Prime Time

    Just as SB is launching its new look, one of the show's cornerstone actors, A Martinez, reveals he's been wooed away from the soap to star in the long-running hit LA Law.  Martinez, whose intense portrayal of Detective Cruz has been one of SB's strongest drawing cards, will wrap up his work with SB in late July or early August.  He'll play a lawyer on the smash prime-time series.

    "I wish I could do both shows, but I can't," A confessed to Soap Opera Magazine, after his preliminary attempts to fit both in to his schedule, "We're working out the details of how Cruz will leave the show."

    SB publicist Debra Kelman said, "He's not going to be killed off."  The actor and his character Cruz are so popular, she said, that show execs want to make certain his exit storyline will permit A to come back to SB.

    "Maybe I'll go off on a secret assignment," Martinez said.  "That would leave the door open to return.  Meanwhile, I feel very torn about leaving SB.  I love it here.  But I've always loved watching LA Law and I'm looking forward to working on it."

    Added a high-level SB source:  "A has been with the show since the start, and looked at the SB cast and crew as his second family.  He truly cares about the show and everybody associated with it.  He's going to be missed."  Soap Opera Magazine, 5/26/92  

He Won't Leave His Family for One Life to Live!

    First things first:  A Martinez will not be joining One Life to Live any time soon!  The actor was offered a role by former SB boss Jill Farren Phelps, but he tells Update that he does not want to leave his family to work on the New York soap.  While he admits, " I wouldn't be surprised if Marcy Walker and I do something together again," he is adamant that he doesn't want to uproot his  children to join AMC either.    

    Martinez is enjoying coaching his son's baseball team, and his daughter is following in her dad's footsteps, winning lead roles in local theatrical productions!  "These are activities where kids have to pay their dues, and he's done his time in the outfield, she has carried spears....it would be unfair to move them now."  Still, he raves about good friend Farren Phelps and wouldn't rule out a return to daytime if he could work with someone as talented as she is.  Recently, he has done several TV movies...and even dyed his hair blond last fall for a part!  

A Martinez on L.A. Law

Cute, very cute.  Among A Martinez's (ex-Cruz Castillo, Santa Barbara) first lines during his L.A. Law debut as Daniel Morales:  "This is sure different from my private practice."  And where was that? one of his co-partners asked.  "In Santa Barbara."

"Captain Cruz", Soap Opera Magazine

    A Martinez has just landed a juicy role in an ABC-TV Movie of the Week, Looking for Larry (later renamed Criminal Behavior), co-starring Farrah Fawcett.  He'll play Police Capt. Pike Granada, while Farrah portrays public defender Jessie Lee Stubbs in the film that's based on a Ross MacDonald book.  A's excited about his role, but it's going to mean lots of overtime work for him and the SB cast.  The show will have to tape his parts in advance, so SB fans won't miss his month-long absence.

L.A.Law Star -- From Daytime to Primetime to (ugh!) Big Time

    What's the difference between being a daytime hunk and a primetime hunk?  "L.A. Law star A Martinez revealed to Regis and Kathie Lee that since he left the soap Santa Barbara everything has gotten bigger -- his house, his reputation and his house pests.

    While he was having a new house built, his family lived in a trailer.  The home was recently finished and they moved in.

    Martinez:  "We had mice in the trailer and rats in the house.  so the big change was that the rodents were bigger.  And some folks who didn't talk to me at the gym, now do."

Proud Parent, SID 6/27/00

      A's older daughter Devon, just had a successful run in a community play called Meet Me in St. Louis.  "Devon seems to be designed for it," says proud papa Martinez of his 10-year old daughter.  "She seems to be genetically programmed to go on stage."  

    A Martinez (Roy, GH) is probably the single most popular Latino actor to ever cut his teeth on a daytime soundstage.  And ABC wanted to add this sexy and talented leading man to the GH roster.  The casting department knew that Martinez would be a perfect addition to their family.  Besides having rugged good looks and being in an age range that could eventually see him paired with many of the soap's most popular leading ladies, he's not just a pretty face.  Back in 1990, Martinez won an Emmy Award for his work on Santa Barbara.  But the problem remained:  How was GH going to convince Martinez to step away from his red-hot career on primetime TV?

    In truth, Martinez started contemplating his return last May, when he was invited to appear on the stage at the Daytime Emmys during a tribute to past Emmy winners.  Later, a discussion with his father confirmed his thoughts:  "My dad reminded me of how well the medium treated me, and he said I should think about going back to it."

    Then GH came calling. Because it's taped on the West Coast, where Martinez and his family live, he knew that working on GH would enable him to be a "hands-on" dad to his three kids -- and as far as he was concerned, being home for supper is a good thing.  After talking with his wife, he decided the soap job was his best bet.  "My wife Leslie was very much in favor of it.  She has a lot of respect for GH and remembers when (headwriter) Bob (Guza) wrote for Cruz on SB.  Her energy was very much on the side of 'Go for it!  They want you?  Go for it!'"

    Did you know?  A stands for Adolfo, the name of Martinez's father and grandfather.  The actor changed his name to an unadorned vowel early in his career...and it stuck.

Racquetteer

    "I love playing racquet ball," says A Martinez (Cruz), "it's the cornerstone of my physical and mental health.  I play with my friend Carl.  He's an actor too.  Our skills are about the same, but we get real competitive.  It is a good way to keep in touch and also a good way to get out all of my aggressions.  We start out mean and competitive, but we always end up laughing.  It keeps me sane!"

Network Connection, SOD

    Throughout his time away from daytime, A Martinez admits that he kept close ties to the industry, especially his new home network, ABC.  "I have a connection with ABC that's sort of informal because I'm really close to Jill (Farren Phelps, One Life to Live's executive producer)," smiles the actor.  "So whenever I would hang out with Jill, she was always sort of hanging out with ABC people.  I've met a lot of other people through her.  Some of the other people I go back a ways with.  I've known Angela (Shapiro, president of ABC Daytime) for a lot of years, and I have a lot of respect for the way ABC does daytime.  It just seems like a much better fit for me than anything else."

     "We're trying to find a date for Christmas.   It's so hard, because my folks have six kids and some of us have grown up kids.   There are so many families involved that we have to schedule Christmas.  It's so weird.  It used to be that we'd do Christmas Eve as a family and then on Christmas Day we'd be with my wife Leslie's family, and most of my siblings would be with their spouses' families.  This year, both of those days are blown between all the different people.  Now we're thinking about doing Christmas the weekend before, which is kind of odd.  But the important thing is that we all get together, the whole big horde of us."  AM  SOD 1999

StarTalk/SID 5/00

Q:  Who would be the guests at your fantasy dinner party?

AM:  "Meryl Streep, Don Henley and my grandfather, Adolfo, whom I was named after.  He was a preacher.   He'd be listening in.  He passed on, but he made it to his 90s."

Latino Stars Honored

Soap Opera Digest, 6/6/00

    The Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California was the place to be as the 2000 Alma Awards honored stars from film, television and music videos.  In its fifth year, the American Latino Media Arts Awards recognize positive portrayals of Latino images in the various forms of entertainment.  A Martinez (Roy, GH) was selected as Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Soap Opera.

Alum News

    A Martinez (ex-Cruz, SB) is touring Germany, Finland, and Holland to promote the release of his album "Fragrance and Thorn", which is also now available in the U.S.

AMC wants A Martinez as Liza's Husband

    Sources say AMC is looking for a husband for Liza (Marcy Walker) from out of her past.  And this rumor has spawned an even juicier one - that ABC is talking with legendary leading man A Martinez (ex-Cruz, SB) about taking the role.

from Growing Pains, SOD, 8/27/85

   One thing Eden does know is that she wants Cruz Castillo.  And lucky for Santa Barbara that she does -- Marcy (Walker) and actor A Martinez, who portrays Castillo, have the kind of chemistry that could turn rocks into gold, and the two have become the hottest couple on the show.   "Working with Marcy is magic," rhapsodizes Martinez.  "People who have known me all my life and thought of me as a good actor, think that the work I'm doing with her is way beyond anything I've ever done before.  With her, I'm able to really, genuinely laugh in front of a camera and I've never been able to do that in my life.  It's because of the comfort, the trust, the security.  We run, we fly, we dance.  It's just so much fun."

Aiming High and Meeting His Goals

   His dynamic portrayal of Cruz Castillo on Santa Barbara has won A Martinez a Daytime Emmy nomination -- and the show's viewers all agree that he's one of the best reasons to watch this daytime drama.

    Throughout his career, A's motto has been to "aim high and remain willing to jump in over your head."  This brave attitude towards a tough business has served the actor well.   He has been involved with films and stars like John Wayne in The Cowboys, Michael Caine and Richard Gere in Beyond the Limit and Elvis Presley in Change of Habit.  This film work was a result of three years of study at UCLA in theater and fifteen student productions.

    A has guested on many television shows which still can be seen in reruns.  Among the series are Barney Miller, Baretta, Quincy, Police Story and Streets of San Francisco.  TV movies like Centennial, The Young Pioneers and Sharks have also featured A's charismatic presence.

    While he has been extremely in demand for his acting skills, A has maintained an interest in baseball, and playing and singing music.  He has remembered to this day how music became an integral part of his life:  "I remember attending church with my dad to hear my brother sing.  During the service we shared a hymnal and sang also.  I was blown away by the beautiful baritone harmony line my dad sang out so loud and true, right on my shoulder.  That memory will never leave me."  At the age of 12, A had won a YMCA talent contest at the Hollywood Bowl by singing the tune Kingston Market.

    A has remained close to his parents, brothers and sister, and loves to spend time with his wife Leslie and son Dakota Lee.  His baby boy has stolen the show at personal appearances like Santa Barbara fan club dinners.  It has been fun for the fans to see this family together -- especially since Cruz's personal life is so star-crossed!

Kiss and Break Up

    For four years, Marcy Walker and A Martinez have had a great run together as the Eden-Cruz couple on NBC's Santa Barbara.  But both know that pairing will eventually have to end.   Neither of them is looking forward to the inevitable.  "We try to think of this as only a job," Martinez says.  "You know, people come and go.   But we still have a horrible fear of that day ever coming because we have a great relationship.  As daytime actors we are asked to make out with each other all day and then pretend it doesn't matter.  Luckily we're able to express our affection for each other in this way and yet not have it threaten our normal lives.  What we have is true love - it's just different."

The News

    A Martinez (Cruz Castillo, SB) made a personal sacrifice to attend the Emmys.  He missed his children's talent show at school.  Daughter Devon was singing Aretha Franklin's Chain of Fools and daughter Farren was singing the theme from Mulan.  "They both gave me permission be here.   Besides, I already saw the dress rehearsal."  Martinez says both kids are quite talented, particularly Devon.  "She has her own three-piece band.   They practice and everything.  Devon's the lead singer and very good."   Y&R's Bill Bell, by the way, spotted Martinez at the preshow dinner, motioned to talk to him and said he'd like to talk to him sometime.  Hmmm...  SOW 1999.

The World's Greatest Lover?

    Hundreds of fans were on hand for the Starlight Foundation benefit hosted by publicist Dick McInnes and Diane Grusenski at The Days Inn in Manhattan.  The headliner for the event was Santa Barbara's A Martinez (Cruz), who flew in to New York especially for the gathering with his wife, Leslie, and baby boy, Cody.  Everyone had questions for the handsome star.  "Are you as good a lover as you are an actor?" asked one very daring young lady.   "Well, I don't think it would be fair for me to answer that question," responded A.  Another woman asked A what Marcy Walker (Eden) was really like.   "I can describe Marcy in one word - brave!" he said.  "She's a wonderful actress who can handle any scene.  I never worry when I'm working with her.   I know we can get through anything together."  1986 or 87.

Grand Avenue

    The stories of three Native American families are poignantly chronicled in a 1996 made-for-cable film.   Like HBO's 1993 production Laurel Avenue, this slice-of-life drama takes a realistic, uncompromising look at contemporary urban existence.  While Laurel focused on a black family, this Avenue leads viewers into the interconnected lives of Native Americans in a Santa Rosa, California neighborhood.  Among them:   a young widow (Sheila Tousey) striving to make a life for her family; and her former lover (A Martinez, pictured), who's struggling to deal with the consequences of a long-kept secret.  The film is not rated, but contains sexual situations, strong language and violence.  Anna:  Jenny Gago.  Reyna:  Irene Bedard.   Nellie:  Tantoo Cardinal  (3 hours)  TV Guide?

Grand Avenue Gets Robert Redford Off the Hook

    Robert Redford's latest project should get him back in the good graces of Hollywood's Native American activists.  Redford drew their anger in 1990 as producer of The Dark Wind, when he cast Lou Diamond Phillips (who is part Cherokee) as a Navajo cop instead of using a full-blooded Navajo.  That may be why the film went directly to video.

    Redford's Grand Avenue, which premiers tonight on HBO, is about three Pomo Indian families trying to cope with urban life in Santa Rosa, Calif.  Unlike The Dark Wind, it has not upset the activists, perhaps because so many actual Indians are in the cast -- most of them unknowns found in auditions across the U.S. and Canada.  They range in age from 9 to 90 and represent many tribes.

    The film's best-known star -- A (for Adolfo) Martinez, a Chicano actor formerly on TV's L.A.Law -- also escaped censure because he happens to be part Blackfoot.  At first, militant purists complained about Martinez to Greg Sarris, the writer-producer who developed Grand Avenue at Redfords' Sundance Institute.  "I told them the character he's playing is half-Mexican -- he has an Indian mother," explained Sarris, who is part Pomo and part Miwok Indian.

    As for the diverse Indian cast, Sarris noted:  "We're round and brown, and we're not all size 8s.  This is not 'Reservation 90210.'"

SB Alum Honored in Moscow

    A Martinez (ex-Cruz) was selected to be the guest of honor as part of a special tribute to Santa Barbara at the Russian TV Academy's first Academy Awards ceremony which was broadcast from the Moscow Arts Theatre.  A was especially moved by the history of the theatre which was built in the late 19th century by Stanislavsky, considered the grandfather of modern drama's acting techniques.   "It was a magical experience for me to stand on the stage where the most amazing work had taken place -- it was a goose-bump inducing experience," explained A.  "When I was a young actor my teacher was a man who came out of the New York acting milieu that was handed down from Stanislavsky so I really felt a connection."   A spent one week promoting his former soap which debuted on Russian prime-time television in 1990.  "The combination of having played Cruz, who's held in really high regard there, and being in the country as they were celebrating V-E day, when all work basically stopped and the streets were filled with people, made for a really very emotional experience." 1995

    A Martinez bought a piece of land in Malibu, and now, a friend of A's is designing a home for the whole Martinez clan - A, his wife, Leslie, and son, Cody.  The Martinez's previously resided in Los Feliz, CA.  "I was out jogging one morning, when I got awfully sick," says A.  "I started coughing and feeling terribly ill from all the smog in the air.  That's when I decided we had to get out of the city.  Leslie and I want to raise Cody in a nice, open environment."  What better place than Malibu!

    Q in soap mag:  Who will be the Next Star on Your Show and Why?  A Martinez answers, "Robert Thaler (Pearl on SB) because he is brilliant.  His work is incredibly inventive and fun to watch."

    Q in soap mag:  How has Cruz handled his feelings of guilt at not being able to protect Eden from being raped?   Martinez responds, "Since they function as equals, Cruz understands why Eden can look him in the eye and say it wasn't his fault.  She was raped, but it doesn't change the way he feels.  To him, it is implicit in a marriage that a husband will protect his wife from violence.  Sick as the rapist may be, he brutally attacked the woman Cruz loves and left her for dead - Cruz wants the man's blood."

    "In my imagination, one of two things will happen to Cruz.  He will either be settled down, very happily, to raise a family with Eden or he will be killed in the line of duty; his honor intact but his heart in pieces."  AM

    Leslie Martinez was studying to be a cinematographer when she met her husband, who portrays Cruz Castillo on Santa Barbara.  A had logged some thirteen years of acting in films and television, playing mostly heavies with a heart of gold, before his transition to the dashing leading man he now plays on SB.  "There's a change in the level of fan reaction," says Leslie.  "A crossover of fantasy and reality.  I don't think they realize it sometimes.  Before the fans would respectfully request an autograph from 'Mr. Martinez.'  Now they shout, 'It's Cruz...it's Cruz.'"

    Last summer, A attended a Santa Barbara fan club party at a hotel in Los Angeles.  Leslie arrived late, carrying their infant son Cody in her arms.  "The party was held in a huge ballroom," she says.  "When I walked in, everyone in the room turned around.  Instamatics began flashing and people were shouting, 'It's Cruz's baby!'"  Later, when Leslie was seated behind a potted palm in the ladies room nursing her baby, two women discovered her and one asked, "Is that the Martinez baby?"  The other woman topped this by asking, "Are you the mother?"   SOD 1987

   Re his GH character Roy..."Yeah, I think he's an interesting guy.  I'm still learning about him.  But I'm trying real hard to keep him as someone I'd like to know.  There are certain things he's done that I question, but I have to be careful not to cross that line.  God knows, talk about a guy who's had his consciousness raised.  He went from such a hard start through all kinds of altering experiences, many of which the audience isn't aware of yet.   I think he's a compelling guy."  SID 2/8/00

A and Daphne Ashbrook with their personal manager, Dolores Robinson.

    A Martinez says age has helped him handle his fame.  "I'm thankful that I didn't get hot when I was young," he says honestly.  "I would have had a hard time dealing with it.  Timing has always been on my side."

    While in Paris to serve as presenter at Sept D'Or (the French version of the American Emmy Awards), A Martinez and his family were treated like royalty.   And for good reason.  Santa Barbara is the #1 television program in France.   A even got to meet the mayor of Paris - Jacque Charac - and was presented with the Medal of Paris. (The Medal is the French version of America's key to the city.)  1988

    A Martinez received the Medal of Paris.  Seems SB is a big hit in France - airing in prime time and dubbed in French).  When Martinez received his medal, his two-year-old son grabbed it and scooted under a nearby couch.  Broke the solemnity of the ceremony but, hey, isn't that the American way?  1988

    An American in Paris

    You should have seen the reaction A Martinez got when he traveled to Paris recently with his wife, Leslie, and their 2-year-old son, Dakota Lee.   Santa Barbara, it seems, is a huge hit in France.  "I was warned", says Martinez.  "I heard the adulation might be intense."  That's an understatement.  "We had people waiting outside the hotel.  We were often mobbed.  We even had to leave the Louvre," he says.  "It just got a little too intense."  Once in Paris, Martinez also got to meet the actor responsible for dubbing his voice on the French version of SB.  "My heart goes out to the guy," says Martinez.  "I speak very, very rapidly.  I'm sure he needs a good sense of humor to keep up."

    Regarding the wedding of Eden & Cruz...."One thing comes to mind.  (My wife) Leslie and I chose to elope.   We did it to avoid a big show because we had very strong feelings about the privacy of the vows a man and woman make.  I understand the ritual involved in weddings, but we felt it would be more dignified to get married in private.  Now, after this incredible wedding, we might just feel a few twinges of regret at having missed out on a spectacle."  And how did Leslie feel about seeing her husband marry another woman?  "The bottom line is that acting is my job," A says.  " A great deal is always at stake in this demanding profession and you have to maintain a professional approach.  I come here every day with a serious attitude.  Marcy is a treasure, much more than a friend.  She and I make up one of the most important relationships I've ever had - but it's not comparable to what passes between husband and wife.  When I got married, I didn't consciously look for someone who would understand my profession.  I found someone I love who is also a very strong person, who doesn't need someone to lean on.  I knew that Leslie could be a partner with me without knocking me off my stride.  It took me a long time to find her." AM

    "Who's the most beautiful woman on the soaps?  I work with her (Marcy Walker).  During our wedding scene, the sun backlit her veil, which drove me crazy because I couldn't see her eyes.   Marcy knows the power of stillness.  I also admire Victoria Wyndham (Rachel, Another World).  She's strong and soulful."  AM

    ...A Martinez also has a black BMW.  Speaking of A, the actor and his beautiful wife, Leslie, recently treated themselves to four whirlwind days in New York.  They brought their year-old son, Cody, along, who took to the Big Apple like a native.  And Cody was a real natural when it came to flying.  "This was his third plane trip," A told us, "and Cody hardly fussed at all.  Even landings and take-offs didn't bother him.   I remember, though, the first time we got on a plane with Cody, nobody wanted to sit near us.  I'm sure they thought, 'Hey who wants to be stuck next to a screaming baby for six hours?'  Now he's so well-behaved, Cody makes friends with all the passengers."  1987

    Hear the Pitter Patter of Little Feet

   Fatherhood definitely agrees with A Martinez.  Last July 25th, a week after A flew to N.Y. for the daytime Emmys, Leslie gave birth to their first child, a son named Dakota Lee.  Cody, as the Martinez' like to call him, was 7 lbs, 8 oz. at birth.  Now he's a seasoned traveler, having already been to Denver, and New York.  Cody's a music fan too, thanks to dad.   1987

    "Are you sure this is how Arnold Schwarzenegger got started?" jokes A Martinez.  The Santa Barbara star has equipped a home gym in the basement of his house.  "I call it the torture chamber," laughs A. 

On becoming a Father For the First Time

    "My instincts toward fatherhood were very late blooming, even though it seemed obvious from the get-go that making babies is the most important thing people do...I've believed for a long time that the purpose of life is to give life.  I could see it everywhere I looked, but I couldn't see it in myself.  For a while, I wondered if I was just too fun-loving and spoiled to accept the responsibility.  But I realize now that I wasn't being lazy.   I was just waiting for the right partner."  AM

    Q in soap mag:   Who was the most romantic person of all time?  AM answers, "Justin Deas (Keith Timmons, Santa Barbara).  He pursued Margaret Colin when they were both on As the World Turns and never stopped.  If Justin has a three day weekend he'll fly to wherever she is to be with her for one day or night."

    A Martinez on why he and Marcy Walker were able to make their characters into a supercouple:   "Part of it was luck.  We happen to approach acting from very similar points of view.  But, more important, is the fact that we genuinely care for each other." 

    A, My Name is....

    "My dad's name is Adolph Larrue Martinez Jr.  I became Adolph III and was called 'Little A', 'Model A', and especially 'A Bone'.  My brother William is 'Pooh', Michael 'Lion', Gregory 'Keechee', Richard 'Tigger' and my sister Eva is 'Dandy'.  For me to end up with 'A' in this family is to have lived unscathed."

    Marcy Walker and A Martinez had a ball taping their segment of Daytime Lovers...A Soap Opera Special, the syndicated TV show that recently aired throughout the country.   During their on-camera interview, A and Marcy revealed that, at first, the writers and the network were leery of creating a Cruz/Eden love story.  "For the first six months, we practically had to write all the romance into our scenes ourselves," confides Marcy.  "They kept saying, 'You're a WASP, he's Mexican, it won't work.'  But the fans loved it and they kept writing in, 'We want Cruz and Eden!'   So finally we got our love story."

    "Cruz is the type of role that doesn't come along very often.  (Whatever role I take next) I want to make sure it's not just for the money.  What I do with my energy must be something I can feel good about."  AM  SOU 8/22/95

    Q in soap mag:  What's the nicest thing your mother ever did for you?  AM responds, "My mother taught me the value of kindness."

     "A Martinez was the star of the series (The Cowboys TV series)...it was the best time of my life.  One of the funniest things that happened on The Cowboys was when one of the crew killed a rattlesnake on location.  I asked for and got the snake's rattle.   I snuck up on A Martinez who was sleeping in the grass.  I dropped a stick on his stomach and shook the rattle near his head.  He nearly jumped out of his skin and turned completely white for a minute.  A didn't think it was funny at the time, but we've laughed about it since."  We checked with A Martinez to see if he thinks it was funny and he said, "When I heard that rattler, so close to my head, I said to myself...OK, this is it, you are a goner.  I was so relieved it was only a prank, I couldn't get mad at Mitch - I could only get even at a later date!"  Mitch ?

    "Marcy and I hit it off great.  We created a back story of what our history had been beyond what was written on the page.  I think the audience can really tell if you like each other.  It's in your eyes.  She's a great lady."  AM

    "A and I were given the scripts for the wedding and we decided that we wanted to rewrite the vows.   After four years, the audience had come to expect more from Cruz and Eden than your standard "to have and to hold" exchange, and A and I felt that the words should really come from the characters' hearts.  When we were actually saying the vows, they really took on a special meaning.  It was as if A and I were standing up in front of friends and affirming how lucky we were to work together.  Afterwards the studio was flooded with phone calls from viewers wanting to know where those vows were taken from."  Marcy Walker

A's Entrance to Prime Time

    Here's a sneak peek on how A Martinez will make his entrance on L.A. Law this fall:  Arriving in the boardroom toting five pieces of luggage and a baby, A's opening line is:   "Hi, I just came here from Santa Barbara and I'm your new attorney."   SOM  1992

A is A-OK

     What better time for a chat with A Martinez, one of my favorite actors, and at last an Emmy nominee for his sizzling portrayal of Cruz on SB?  Intense as he can be in front of a camera, the real A is friendly, funny and easy to talk to.  "I'm amazed by the Emmy nomination," he said right off the bat.  "I guess we've been led to believe that unless a show is super-popular, you don't have a shot.  And here we get fourteen nominations!  The only thing I can't understand is why Lane Davies (Mason) wasn't nominated.  He's consistently wonderful no matter what material he's doing."   SOD

SB Alum in Erotic Thriller

    A Martinez (ex-Cruz) has landed a starring role on the big screen in the erotic thriller "One Night Stand", opposite Ally Sheedy.  Ally plays Mickey Sanderson, a girl who seemingly has it all except a romantic relationship.  A plays Jack Gilman, a handsome stranger, who picks up Ally's character in a bar, and a steamy one-night stand sets the stage for an uncertain relationship and a suspenseful story.  "I may be an extremely bad guy," A told Soap Opera Magazine.  "I don't want to give it away.  The question of the film becomes, was that the best thing or the worst thing that ever happened to Mickey when I pick her up in the bar."  "Rocky" star Talia Shire directs the film which is slated for nationwide release in early October.  SOM 1995

A Martinez Bio

     A native of Los Angeles, he attended UCLA, where he appeared in numerous student productions.  A made his professional debut with Patty McCormack in the film Born Wild.  He followed that with numerous guest starring roles on prime time television.  A has a role in the soon-to-be-released Powwow Highway.  His other film credits include, The Cowboys, Once Upon a Scoundrel, and Beyond the Limit.  A counts songwriting as another of his creative pursuits, and one of his compositions has been performed on The Tonight Show.  He is married and the father of a young son.   1989

    A Martinez has a super set-up in his basement, which includes a mixer, an equalizer and various instruments.  A experiments with all types of sounds and he also writes his own music.  He's a big fan of the rock group Dire Straits.  soap mag

Cruz Castillo, Santa Barbara

    Before Santa Barbara introduced Cruz, Hispanics on daytime had been cast mainly as servants and thugs.   But Cruz appeared as a solid, forthright young man on the right side of the law.   A dedicated police officer, Cruz fights demons of various sorts, especially the ones that are after his true love, blue-blooded Eden.  He possesses the old values that Americans used to cherish.  Cruz doesn't need money to find the good things in life.  He's smart, sensitive, tender, honest, and he knows how to channel his fiery temper. Cruz demonstrated that you don't have to be a corporate-type or a rebel to become a show's leading man.  You can be a family man who respects his own heritage.   So far, no show has been able to duplicate him.

The Totally Surprising Bonanza Photo Quiz

    The fella above, bending over Little Joe (Michael Landon) in a 1970-71 episode, later appeared in The Cowboys (1974) as a character named Cimarron.  He was Benny Silva in Cassie & Co., a 1982 crime show, and he playing a cop in Whiz Kids (1983-84).   But he's probably best known to soap-opera fans for his role as hunky Cruz Castillo in Santa Barbara.  He also played semipro baseball.  What's his name?

A Martinez - Baby Makes a Racquet

    With the birth of his first baby less than a month away, A has been a bundle of nerves.  To relieve some of the tension, he's been playing a lot of racquetball.  "I enjoy the game.   It's the cornerstone of my physical and mental health," confides A.   "I play with a friend of mine whose skills are about the same.  We can't make kill shots for anything!"

    A Martinez was thrilled when his son Cody, who'll be one-year-old on July 25, said, "Hi, Daddy."   This precocious tyke is also singing at the piano with Daddy, who reports that Cody actually holds notes.  "I also taught him how to growl and now he does it all the time," laughs A.  "So we cannot take him to restaurants any more."

ABC Soaps in Depth 2000

Q:  If you could play any other character on your show, whom would you choose?

AM:  "Sonny, without even hesitating.  And, believe me, I don't pretend that I could do it as well as Maurice Benard.  Day after day after day, I think he's just delicious to watch.  If you're a guy, it's a hallmark that Bob Guza writes great parts for guys.  But Sonny has got to be the crowning achievement.  I mean, how bad is bad?  Where would you like to start talking about that character and not be thrilled to play him?  He's soulful and he's smart.  It's a brilliant performer and a great character."

SOD 1/24/89

    Q:  What is that unknown quality that makes a super couple like Cruz and Eden so popular?

    Marcy Walker's answer:  "I've never tried to analyze it because it's so special.  What bloomed between a and me in unexplainable.  It's sort of like love; if you don't search for it, it will fall in your lap.  Our professional relationship bloomed and gave both of us a chance to create and achieve something that we never expected."

    Q:  If you could switch roles with any other character on SB, who would you pick and why?  AM, "Keith Timmons, because he has more fun than everybody else on the show combined.   He gets to be mean, which is fun.  He gets to be crazy.  He gets to do it all."

   Q:  Which powerful women in your industry do you admire?

    AM:  A leader who can crack the whip sharply enough to keep all the parts running efficiently yet, spared often enough to keep the collective muse alive, is a leader to be cherished.   Such a person is the executive producer of Santa Barbara, Jill Farren Phelps.

    A Martinez was an award-winner at the annual Imagen Awards sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

    A Martinez is a songwriter.  One of his compositions, "Last Light of the Moon" was performed on The Tonight Show.

Martinez and Walker to Reunite?

    Ever since A Martinez left his role on L.A. Law, rumors have been spreading like wildfire that he's about to pull up stakes and relocate to the East Coast where he will join the cast of Guiding Light.  Fueling these rumors is the fact that GL executive producer Jill Farren Phelps is a business associate of Martinez and his former boss at Santa Barbara.   Also, Marcy Walker, who plays Tangie on GL, was Martinez's leading lady on SB and the two were one of the most popular couples in daytime.  So far, no official comment has been released on this latest rumor, but Soap Opera Magazine has learned that Martinez won't be taking a trip to Springfield anytime soon.  That's because he'll soon be playing real-life California bandit Tiburcio Vasquez in the Mark Taper Forum Production of Bandito.  The musical, which will also feature Martinez's never-before-exhibited singing talents, will run through July 24 in Los Angeles.

New CD is Grade 'A'

    Now that his long-awaited album is complete, A Martinez is no longer singing the blues.  Titled "Fragrance and Thorn," the album is a collection of original works written and performed by Martinez, with back-up vocals performed by his wife Les.  The couple's children also can be heard on the album, and they can be seen in the included lyric book.   Martinez's premiere effort is a personal one, he says, and it includes a dedication to his niece, who died at age 7.  ...Martinez recently starred in the NBC movie "She Led Two Lives."  Look for SOU's exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of A's album - plus a special contest - in an upcoming issue!

    Plans for a big Cruz and Eden wedding in February had to be scrapped (relax fans, it's only temporary), when A Martinez landed the starring role in the upcoming motion picture, PowWow Highway.   A had to take several weeks off from SB in January to start filming and even went on location to Puerta Vallarta.  The movie, which is being produced by George Harrison's production company, explores political issues of ethnic Indians.  Once A is back at work in the SB studios, plans will get underway to finally get Cruz and Eden to the altar.

    Did you know that A Martinez stopped eating meat fifteen years ago?  "I was working with Dennis Weaver, who's a vegetarian," says A.  "I was struck by how fit and vital he was for a man of his age.  And I had some other close friends who were vegetarians and benefiting, so as much as I loved cheeseburgers, I gave it up.  I ate so much fish that first year that I lost my taste for it, so now it's chicken almost every night."

Wedding of the Year

    A Martinez Shares His Thoughts About the Long-Awaited Wedding and Cruz and Eden's Future:

    "I went away to do a film.  I think had that not happened, we would have been married already.   (The producers) wanted to do it for February sweeps, but it just became impossible to pull everything together.  It seems to me that it was overdue.  I think it's dishonest, at a certain point in time, to keep characters apart who have proven repeatedly to be so well suited.  The last time they broke us up -- when Elena came in and knocked Eden upside the head -- that was the first time, emotionally, that the interruption of the wedding worked for me.  It provided me with a chance to miss her, which I loved.  I think (Marcy) also liked the chance to do that stuff.  We got a chance to work with other people -- she with Scott Jaeck (Cain) and me with Sherilyn Wolter (Elena) -- and those were wonderful things.  And when I think about the show and my place in it, I feel wonderful.   I know I wouldn't feel that good about it had I not had the opportunity that the last aborted wedding provided for us.  So, I had no beef.  But this time (the wedding) had to happen.

    "I think (the wedding) lived up to everyone's expectations.  I think Marcy was just transcendent when she did the vows.  It was as good as it gets, and with her that's real good.   I have my own little frustrations, but you can't be on a soap opera and not have frustrations at a certain point in time.  So maybe there were a couple of things I would have done differently, but certain things you just can't control.  I anticipate it will be really nice to be married.

    "I like the idea, in theory, of Cruz and Eden being involved in mystery (story lines) and working as a team.  Marcy and I have a gift of running that kind of high-energy bantering.   It's a style that has done so well for certain people in nighttime (television) -- like on Moonlighting.  It's harder for us (on soaps) because we don't have as much time to prepare.  And the writing changes from day to day in a way that makes it difficult to depend on a certain style showing up every day.  But I still think we can pull it off more often than not.  I like doing that a whole lot, I think it's fun.  And I like being romantic, too.  I like the things that happen on (shows like) Hill Street and L.A. Law, when you see people at the end of the show get in bed together and talk; relate to each other.  I love seeing that.   It's such a direct example to set.  So much of people's behavior these days is influenced by television.  It's so inevitable.  I'm watching it with my own son.   You can't avoid it.  So, you hope that there will be positive modes of behavior that will benefit people, that will just show them, or introduce the idea, that this is the way you can behave.  You can end your day talking to your partner, trying to make sense of what happened, and help each other get through a more peaceful night.   I would love it if we got in the habit of doing that -- and if the crises that we faced now were not the kind which estranged us from one another, but left us room to support each other...and to measure the strength of the relationship and help us to look out for each other.  I know it's more difficult to write that, but it's not impossible.  And, that's what I would like to see happen."

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