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Eve Russell

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Eve Russell
240px
Passions character
Portrayed by
Duration 1999–2008
First appearance July 5, 1999
Last appearance August 7, 2008
Created by James E. Reilly
Book appearances Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox
Profile
Occupation Doctor

Eve Russell is a fictional character on the American soap opera Passions, which aired on NBC from 1999 to 2007 and on DirecTV in 2007–08. Passions followed romantic and supernatural adventures in the fictional New England coastal town of Harmony. Created by the soap's head writer, James E. Reilly, Eve was played by Tracey Ross for the series' entire run. In 2003, Amanda Maiden and Kimberly Kevon Williams played Eve in flashbacks.[1]

Eve, part of Passions' Russell family, is introduced as the perfect wife of T. C. Russell (Rodney Van Johnson) and mother of Whitney (Brook Kerr) and Simone. Eve's desperation to conceal all evidence of her past relationship—and child—with Julian Crane (Ben Masters) leads to the breakup of her marriage and family, especially when her adoptive sister Liz Sanbourne (Amelia Marshall) arrives in Harmony and ruins Eve's life for abandoning her first family. Later storylines focus on her on-again, off-again relationship with Julian and her search for their son, who is revealed as Vincent Clarkson (Phillip Jeanmarie) despite long speculation by the show's characters and media outlets that he was Chad Harris-Crane.

Ross and Johnson made cameo appearances as Eve and T.C. in the series finale of the NBC primetime drama Providence. The character of Eve further received further media attention after Ross' participation in public service announcements commemorating Black History Month. At the end of the show, several props and costumes related to Eve were sold in an auction, along with other items from the show.

Ross's performance was praised by fans and critics, while the character's later storylines were negatively received by the cast. Eve and Julian, known by fans as "Evian", were called "the Odd Couple of Passions" by Soap Opera Weekly and the actors' chemistry was positively received by critics. Ross received eight nominations for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, winning at the 38th NAACP Image Awards. She has cited Eve as expanding the TV representation of African-Americans and interracial relationships.

Development

Casting and creation

Ross was originally hesitant to audition for another soap opera after her stint on Ryan’s Hope as Diana Douglas from 1985 to 1987, which she compared to "working in a morgue" because the show was constantly threatened with cancellation. Although NBC repeatedly contacted the actress about the character of Eve Russell over several months before her agent convinced her to audition for the role, she described Passions as "my kind of show" because of the supernatural and fantasy elements in the first week's scripts.[2] According to Ross, she did not realize that Passions was supposed to be "wacky" until the character Grace Bennett floated out her bedroom window.[3]

Sheraton Kalouria, senior vice president of NBC’s daytime programming,[4] said that the show’s racially diverse ensemble is represented by "the African American Russells and the Hispanic Lopez-Fitzgeralds ... It’s truly color-blind storytelling".[5] According to Ross, Eve was not defined by African-American identity during her creation and casting: "If they wanted to make my character any other ethnicity they wouldn't have to change a thing about her. I don't know what else I could ask for. She's just a person."[6] The actress cited the show's racial diversity as a primary reason for her attraction to the role. Ross "felt tremendous support from NBC and Passions that the black characters and/or Hispanic characters are all essential parts of the story".[7]

According to Ross, Eve's relationship with Julian Crane was an authentic representation of an interracial couple. Eve is not a "walking, living philosophical statement" about race relations, but a fully realized person with her own story. Ross credited "the people who laid the groundwork for me" and allowed characters to be played other than "in a minstrel-like way" (similar to Ellen DeGeneres paving the way for Will & Grace) for allowing a character like Eve to be created,[8] and equated playing Julian and Eve's love story to "playing Romeo and Juliet".[3] Passions was Ross' first singing role; the show primarily used "My Baby's Gone" to symbolize Eve's relationship with Julian.[9]

Characterization

Joanne Woodward: a young woman with short, blonde hair
Ross' performance as Eve was inspired by Joanne Woodward's (pictured in the 1960s) role in The Three Faces of Eve (1957).

Ross characterized Eve as "a contradiction inside an enigma".[10] She initially saw the character as easy to play ("everyone's best friend, and the town doctor, and a great mother"). The actress had a more difficult time when Eve began behaving in morally questionable ways to protect secrets about her past.[11] She described that playing Eve was "as if somebody came and told you that your closest friend is doing abominable things".[12] However, Ross appreciated Eve's characterization as a human being who "is neither all good nor all bad, [who] has strengths and weaknesses".[13]

Early in the show, the actress based her understanding of Eve on the character's relationships with Grace and Ivy Winthrop (Kim Johnston Ulrich). Ross described Eve's love for Grace as "my rock in the sea" when the "difficult to play" Eve took extreme, illegal measures to hide her past.[12] Following Ulrich's interpretation of Ivy as valuing Eve as a confidant, Ross characterized Eve as respecting Ivy's "ability to take charge" instead of "always tiptoeing around and walking on eggshells".[14] She viewed Ivy's schemes to blackmail Eve as an attempt at a deeper connection; as "the closest thing to a friend that Ivy had", Eve interpreted their relationship as a desire for friendship.[8]

In an interview with The Atlas Society, Ross discussed that her approach to Eve was inspired by Ayn Rand's objectivism and called Eve's willingness to "take any sacrifices you might be willing to make" a good example of Rand's ideology. She compared Eve to Catherine Halsey in Rand's 1943 novel, The Fountainhead, with Eve most resembling Catherine "at the midpoint of the novel, before she was completely destroyed".[15] Ross said that her portrayal of Eve was also influenced by Eve White, a character with dissociative identity disorder played by Joanne Woodward in the 1957 film The Three Faces of Eve. According to Ross, she researched books on sociopaths and psychopaths to better understand Eve's desire to hide her past at any cost.[12]

Storylines

The 2001 novel Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox identifies Eve Russell as the only child of "too-busy Harvard history Professor Warren Johnson and journalist Tanya Lincoln Johnson."[16] The series changed Eve's family, identifying her parents as Warren Johnson and Ruby Lincoln (a poor couple from the American South) and introducing Mr. Sanbourne as her stepfather and Liz Sanbourne as her adoptive sister. Despite the book's billing as canonical when it was published, the show contradicts much of its information.

As a teenager, Eve runs away to Boston to pursue a career as a jazz singer; she becomes involved with she is involved with alcohol, drugs and prostitution. In Boston, Eve meets Julian Crane, who introduced her to alcohol and drugs, and she becomes close friends with fellow jazz singer Crystal Harris. During this time, she accidentally hits future husband T. C. Russell while driving under the influence, ruining his tennis career. T.C., unaware that Eve is responsible for the accident, believes that Julian was driving. Eve and Julian separate after she learns that she is pregnant; Julian's marriage to the daughter of former Governor Harrison Winthrop, Ivy, is arranged by his father Alistair. Crystal, the only person Eve tells about her pregnancy, helps deliver her son.

Although Eve initially believes that her baby died, she learns that he survived when she discovers Vincent Clarkson in 2007. Hidden Passions identifies Vincent as born on Christmas.[17] The book states Alistair arranged for Vincent's death, but the hitman Jack placed the baby into social services without Alistair's knowledge.[18] The series changed Alistair's involvement in Vincent's life; Alistair abuses and manipulates Vincent as a tool for his plans to maintain power over Harmony. For most of the series, Eve and Julian's child is believed to be Chad Harris-Crane, who is later shown to be Liz's child from her rape by Alistair. After the apparent death of her child, Eve leaves Boston and gives up music to attend medical school. Alistair sends her money (which she uses to pay her tuition) to keep quiet about her relationship—and child—with Julian. Eve eventually moves to Harmony and becomes a respected physician at Harmony Hospital. She marries T.C. and has two children, Whitney and Simone.

Eve's early storylines focus on her attempt to keep her past hidden from her family and her neighbors in Harmony. Ivy Winthrop unearths proof of Eve's relationship with Julian to blackmail her into breaking up Grace Bennett's marriage to Sam Bennett (James Hyde). In 2003, Liz arrives Harmony to seek revenge on her sister, who left her in an abusive household, but Eve keeps Liz's identity as her adoptive sister a secret from her family and the town.[19] In a 2002–2004 storyline, Eve relies more on Julian as Liz attempted to expose her and seduce her husband. Eve works with Julian to find their child. Overwhelmed by Liz's desire for vengeance and the search for her child, Eve is unaware of Whitney's relationship with Chad. The storyline culminates in July 2004, when Liz brings Eve's aunt Irma Johnson (Marla Gibbs) to tell T.C. the truth about her relationship with Julian and their child. Whitney turns against her mother, incorrectly assuming that her child with Julian is Chad (making her relationship with him incestuous).[20] T.C. divorces Eve, unable to forgive her lies about her past with Julian and her pregnancy, and begins a romantic relationship with Liz.[21] Eve and Julian renew their relationship, despite his wife Rebecca Hotchkiss' (Andrea Evans) refusal to grant him a divorce.

In 2005, Liz drinks poisoned punch which Rebecca had intended for Eve. Liz accuses Eve of deliberately giving her the punch, and Eve is arrested for attempted murder. During the arrest and trial, Eve and Julian grow closer together and T.C. ends his relationship with Liz to reconcile with his ex-wife. Julian makes a deal with Rebecca that he would give her anything she wants in exchange for her testimony that she saw Liz with the vial of poison; the judge declares a mistrial.[22] The plot then focuses on Eve's love triangle with T.C. and Julian as she is torn between taking care of T.C. after his stroke and accepting Julian's proposal of marriage. Eve discovers Julian's affair with Valerie Davis (Daphnée Duplaix), an employee of Crane Industries, leading to her decision to nurse T.C. back to health and renew their relationship to reunite their family. Julian later explains Eve that he was paying Valerie to search for their son; Eve forgives Valerie, and she and Julian continue their search.

In 2007, Eve and Julian discover that Vincent Clarkson (a blackmailer who raped and murdered several people) is their son, and try to support him despite his criminal past. However, Eve cannot accept her son's criminality and incestuous, adulterous affair with Chad Harris-Crane (Vincent's uncle, adoptive cousin and brother-in-law) and begins abusing drugs and alcohol. Her career and reputation suffer, and she has a breakdown after Vincent's apparent death on August 30, 2007.[23] In the show's final NBC episode on September 7, 2007, Vincent is revealed as intersex; he separates his identity into Vincent and Valerie, an indication of dissociative identity disorder.[24]

After the show's transition from NBC to DirecTV, Eve's storylines emphasize her romance with Julian and difficult relationship with Vincent. Believed dead, Vincent reveals himself, his gender identity and his pregnancy to Eve after seducing Julian (his father) and threatens to kill her if she tells anyone. In late 2007, he begins tormenting Eve out of revenge for her failure to prevent his abduction when he was born. Julian checks Eve into rehab after she relapses, abusing drugs and alcohol to cope with Vincent's frequent appearances. Vincent arranges for Eve's release from rehab to help him prepare for the impending birth. Vincent's psychopathic accomplice, Viki Chatsworth, later repeatedly stabs Julian in the groin and severs his penis. Vincent plies Eve with drugs and alcohol so she botches her attempt to surgically reattach Julian's penis; she reattaches it upside-down, and an erection might kill him.[25]

In May 2008, Eve and Julian assist Vincent with the birth of his son on the Russells' kitchen table, when Eve explains everything about Vincent and Valerie to Julian.[26] Eve plans to form a relationship again with Vincent (believing that motherhood has mellowed him), and convinces Julian not to turn him in to the police. During the rehearsal for the joint weddings of Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald and Fancy Crane, Noah Bennett and Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald, Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald and Kay Bennett, and Edna Wallace and Norma Bates, Eve assures Julian that they love each other emotionally and intellectually; Julian vows that the Crane family will take more responsibility for their actions now that Alistair is dead. At the rehearsal dinner, Eve and the other dinner guests eat Vincent and Vicki's poisoned mushroom sauce. She dies, but is resurrected when witch Tabitha Lenox renounces magic and becomes a born-again Christian. In the series finale, Kay uses her magic to heal Julian's penis. Since T.C., Whitney, and Simone moved to New Orleans in 2007, Eve and Vincent are the only two Russells in the final episode.[27]

Other appearances

Tracey Ross and Rodney Van Johnson made cameo appearances as Eve and T.C. Russell in the series finale of the NBC primetime drama, Providence, one of the first daytime-primetime crossovers.[28] Ross and the other members of the Russell family recorded public service announcements celebrating the achievements of African Americans such as Sidney Poitier, Marian Anderson, Alex Haley, Thurgood Marshall, Condoleezza Rice and Bill Cosby to commemorate Black History Month. The PSAs, which ran on NBC stations during February, were called "another example of Passions' commitment to diversity and inclusion" (along with its racially diverse cast) by NBC vice president Sheraton Kalouria.[29]

After DirecTV's decision to cancel the show, Passions joined Premiere Props in a public, two-day estate sale of props and costumes from the series. The auction gave fans "an opportunity to own a piece of their favorite show".[30] Several Eve-related items were offered for sale, including a medical coat splattered with blood from her botched surgery on Julian[31] and a framed copy of her medical degree.[32]

Reception

Cast response

Eve's character and storylines received a mixed response from Passions' cast members. Johnson praised the show for its use of its African-American characters like Eve. He appreciated the show’s representation of "a full African-American family" on daytime television with serious storylines, not "just a flash in the pan". According to Johnson, the Russell family received an impressive response from African-American viewers.[5] Johnson said the chance to work with Tracey Ross, who he called the it girl for the African-American community following her appearance on Star Search, influenced his acceptance of the role.[33]

Cast members were more critical of Eve's laster appearances on the show. Ross reacted negatively to Eve's involvement in Vincent's storylines. She said that Vincent giving birth to his father's child made her "physically nauseous" and she could only complete the birth scenes after the show's acting coach, Maria O'Brien, convinced her of "[their] comedic possibilities".[34] Eve's incorrect reattachment of Julian's penis was criticized by co-star McKenzie Westmore ("This has got to be the worst storyline ever done, what are they doing?"), who cited it as a reason for the show's cancellation.[35]

Critical response

Critics praised Ross' performances as Eve for broadening the representation of African-American characters on television. An article in Jet described each member of the Russells (including Eve) as being an "integral part of the show" rather than token characters.[5] Ross's portrayal of the character was also warmly received by viewers, who frequently rated her their favorite Passions actress in Soap Opera Digest polls.[15]

Eve and Julian's relationship was seen positively by fans, who referred to the couple as "Evian."[36] TV Guide listed Eve and Julian as one of the best soap-opera supercouples, praising the chemistry between Ross and Masters.[37] Soap Opera Weekly referred to the pairing as "the Odd Couple of Passions".[38]

For the role of Eve, Ross received eight nominations for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series and won at the 38th NAACP Image Awards.[39] Despite Passions' focus on African-American female characters like Eve, Lynette Rice of Entertainment Weekly wrote that the show failed to attract the "hard-to-reach audience [of] African-American women"; according to Kalouria, "Quite frankly, many of them aren't aware Passions is even on."[40]

See also

References

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  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

  • Lenox, Tabitha. Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox. HarperCollins: 2001. ISBN. 978-0-061-07605-3

External links

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