Woman On A Mission Approaching her 25th anniversary in Port Charles, Leslie Charleson brings herself and Monica Quartermaine into the 21st century. "Whatever Monica latches onto, she latches onto tenaciously. She's a woman of her own mind, her own goals, her own desires, but she doesn't lose sight of what's important. She is passionate in everything she does. And that has never changed. In fact, I'm protective of that. It has allowed her to go to uncharted places in her life…and to have a terrific excuse for doing so." -Leslie Charleson Sometimes it's difficult to see where Monica Quartermaine ends and her portrayer, Leslie Charleson, begins. Both are driven women, full of chutzpa and humor, courage and perseverance. Both can dish out a spontaneous one-liner, yet be moved by the slightest sign of devotion. And now, thanks to the actress, the character is getting a contemporary boost, not only in her look, but in her attitude as well. Here's Lookin' At You "So many fans say, 'You look so much better in person!" reveals the veteran daytimer, who played Alice Whipple on AS THE WORLD TURNS in 1966. "That can go on just so long until you finally say, 'Do I look that bad on television?' So you either go blow up the lighting department or have a chat with the people on the show. "I'm very pleased," she adds, "that with the blessing of [executive producer] Wendy Riche, Monica is going to be much more contemporary with her look." As part of Monica's makeover, she will be wearing fewer suits and more sweater sets; plus, grays and tans no longer will be her signature colors. And while these alterations are subtle, they have boosted Charleson's enthusiasm, thereby giving the lady doc a slap of energy, too. "In theater, they pay attention to wardrobe, which is paying attention to character," she observes. "I am very glad the changes have been made because the compliments I've been getting do affect the acting." Laughing All The Way To The Quartermaine Mansion That said, Charleson's performances always have been sublime. Just look at her GH record: Since she replaced Patsy rahn in 1977, she's earned three Emmy nominations, each for showing off a vastly different aptitude. Her first was for her work as a romantic lead. Her second was for her comic prowess. And her third, for plumbing the dephts of despair. Believe it or not, going for laughs is Charleson's biggest challenge. "It has been important for them to keep the Quartermaines' integrity among the silliness," she notes. "But there's something about rich people doing silly things. It has been said, 'Dying is easy. Comedy is hard.' It's very true. We could do something in rehearsel that is drop-dead funny. Then to recapture it isn't funny because everybody is trying to be funny. It's all about timing. You can't revisit that moment." What's Next What would Charleson like to tackle next as Monica? "It's important that the adventures continue," she says. "There has to be something more for her. She's the type who would seek something fulfilling in her life. She would not be happy just sitting, telling Edward to shut up as she worries about her wayward children. She's proactive with her life. "Fans throughout the years have been supportive of this woman who stands up and says, 'I'm not going to take this anymore.' I don't want to see anything but that for Monica. That has been the fun and the joy of playing her for all these years." By Rosemary Rossi, Soaps in Depht, April 4, 2000