'Pretty Broken' Interviews: Jillian Clare & Tyler Christopher Share Insights on Their New Indie Film

The new indie film Pretty Broken tells the story of Lindsey Lou (Indie Series Award winner Jillian Clare), an unemployed, college drop-out on the verge of divorce who finds herself couch surfing at her childhood home. while her family grieves the death of her father. As the family tries to put the past behind them, Lindsey fights to keep his memory alive before her Southern belle mother, Caroline (Stacy Edwards), replaces him with a younger man, Jerry Carlyle (Daytime Emmy winner Tyler Christopher).

The movie opens today at Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood, where Clare and a special guest or two will present for a Q&A immediately following the 7:20 p.m. showing every day through March 7. You can also catch it on Amazon, iTunes, DirecTV, Dish Network and multiple other VOD platforms starting today.  The film is distributed by Freestyle Digital Media.

We Love Soaps caught up with Clare and Christopher to find out more about their roles in the film.

Soap Opera Trivia: Clare played Abigail Deveraux on Days of our Lives as a kid in 2003-2004. Christopher joined Days in 2017 playing Stefan DiMera. Clare's former character, all grown up and played by Marci Miller, married Stefan in 2018.

WE LOVE SOAPS: You are earning rave reviews for your performance portrayal of Lindsey Lou. What was it about this character that drew you to the role?

JILLIAN CLARE: Lindsey Lou is a multi-layered character that I felt I hadn't seen portrayed in film before. Most films with young 20-something women have to do with college, or something extremely awful, and of course, rom-coms. This film is a slice of life. It follows a lost girl going through something that everyone goes through in their own life and that's why I fell in love with it. No craziness, no big explosions. Just reality.

'Pretty Broken' Acquired by Freestyle Digital Media for March Release

Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios, has acquired North American rights to the dramedy Pretty Broken. Pretty Broken debuts on VOD and will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet and satellite platforms through Freestyle Digital Media on March 1, 2019. Pretty Broken will also be released theatrically in Los Angeles on March 1st and will be available on DVD.

Pretty Broken tells the story of Lindsey Lou (Jillian Clare), an unemployed, college drop-out on the verge of divorce who finds herself couch surfing at her childhood home while her family grieves the death of her father. As the family tries to put the past behind them, Lindsey fights to keep his memory alive before her mother, Caroline Lou (Stacy Edwardse), replaces him with a younger man, Jerry Carlyle (Tyler Christophere).

'Pretty Broken' to Screen at Portland Film Festival on October 26

Pretty Broken, a heartfelt dramedy feature film for the entire family from Leonian Pictures and Resonance Productions, will screen at the Portland Film Festival on Friday, October 26th at 7:30 p.m. in Portland, Oregon.

The indie darling stars Portland native Jillian Clare (Alien Abduction, Days of our Lives, Victorious), Tyler Christopher (Days of our Lives, General Hospital, The Lying Game), Stacy Edwards (The Lying Game, In The Company of Men, Santa Barbara), Preston Bailey (Dexter, The Crazies), Peter Holden (The Social Network, The Dark Knight Rises) and Adam Chambers (The Kitchen, Girl Vs. Monster). Pretty Broken is directed by award winning director Brett Eichenberger from a script penned by Jill Remensnyder.

The story follows Lindsey Lou (Clare), an unemployed, college drop-out on the verge of divorce who finds herself couch surfing at her childhood home while her family grieves the death of her father. As the family tries to put the past behind them, Lindsey fights to keep his memory alive before her mother (Edwards) replaces him with a younger man (Christopher).

“We're excited and honored to screen Pretty Broken at our hometown Portland Film Festival” says director/producer Brett Eichenberger. “We can't wait to share Lindsey's story and introduce audiences to the Lou family.”

Tickets are now on sale for the October 26th screening here.

'To The Beat!' Interview with Eric Martsolf, Martha Madison, Lilly Melgar, Marie Wilson & Jillian Clare

Fans have been anxiously awaiting the release of teen/family movie To The Beat! since the trailer was first released in July. The movie releases across multiple platforms on March 13, and it is worth the wait. The script is lighthearted, with relevant lessons about family, friends and following your dreams. First-time director Jillian Clare deserves kudos for bringing a movie to life that delivers something for everyone - dance, drama and fun!

In To The Beat!, fourteen-year-old twins Mackie (Laura Krystine, Instructions Not Included) and Mia Castillo (Brisa Lalich) have been dancing since they were toddlers. They support each other's passion through competitions and rehearsals, even though they prefer different styles: Mia loves tap and Mackie loves jazz. When their favorite pop star (Chris Trousdale) launches an online contest to find the most unique dancers for his new music video, the twins each form their own team to compete. With the help of their family and friends, Pauly (Jaheem Toombs, 100 Things To Do Before High School) and Doug (Trevor Larcom, Fuller House), they campaign for the most votes on social media. Meanwhile, their arch-rival and neighbor Avery, (Jayden Bartels, Dance Moms, Musical.ly Star), uses her charm and resources to gain the upper hand in the competition.

In addition to being directed by Clare, who once played Abigail on Days of our Lives, the cast includes a number of other familiar faces to soap opera fans.

Marie Wilson (Camila), the soft-spoken, widowed mother of the twins, is perfect as the mom who keeps her family unit together. Indie Series Award winner Lilly Melgar (Ana Sophia) delivers an enchanting performance as the fashionista aunt of the twins. As Avery's (the rival) parents, Emmy winning Days of our Lives star Eric Martsolf (Michael) and Martha Madison (Clare) embrace their characters and deliver hysterical performances especially when Clare's obsession about Paula Abdul creeps into the conversation (and the dance contest)

We Love Soaps asked these current and former soap stars to share their thoughts on To The Beat! Check out our exclusive interview below.

Laura Krystine stars as Mackie in To The Beat!  Brisa Lalich,
tapping in the background, plays Mia Castillo.
Photo courtesy of Leonian Pictures.

WE LOVE SOAPS: What was your favorite scene in the film?
ERIC MARTSOLF: Having never had a daughter in real life, I truly enjoyed the one on one “parental discussion” with Jayden. It was an interesting glimpse into what fatherhood with a girl would have been!
MARTHA MADISON: I love the scene where you get to meet Michael and Clare for the first time. Eric is pitch perfect and getting to sing Paula Abdul songs loud (and very badly) was so fun. I laughed all day that day!
LILLY MELGAR: It has to be my kitchen scene with the girls. We had so much fun it's ridiculous! Jillian gave me a direction and I took the note and committed to it 100% and it was oh... sooo.... "too much"... that I completely startled the actress (Veronica St. Claire). It was the most amazing moment. I'm literally laughing out loud right now as I type.
MARIE WILSON: I loved watching the teens' characters interacting with each other....too many funny scenes between them.....and of course, the dance choreography was so well done!
JILLIAN CLARE: My favorite scene was probably the stand off between the two teams in the twins driveway. I loved watching all the girls fire back at each other. They’re all so talented and it was fun seeing these future stars all work together to create a fun scene.

WE LOVE SOAPS: Have you ever been in a "teen movie" before?
ERIC MARTSOLF: This would mark my first.
MARTHA MADISON: Nope. This is definitely a first, and I hope it won't be the last. It's so exciting to work with young, talented actors and actresses. This group of kids are incredible so it was a daily dose of inspiration for us old folks.

Jayden Bartels (right) plays Avery in To The Beat!  Also pictured
(left to right): Avery Hewitt, Martha Madison and Eric Martsolf.
Photo courtesy of Leonian Pictures.

LILLY MELGAR: No! I have not! I'm a child stuck in an adult's body so it was my very own personal Disneyland shoot. Again, ridiculous fun! When we weren't on camera shooting the film, we were shooting our own videos behind the scenes. Jaheem Toombs taught me the 'correct' way to do the Beyonce strut. LOL ... Can we please go back and do it all over again?
MARIE WILSON: This is my first teen movie so it was an entirely new experience for me.....learned a few things from them :)

WE LOVE SOAPS: Have you ever danced on camera before?
ERIC MARTSOLF: I dance around probably more than I casually walk in real life. I spent three years on the Joseph tour in a Pharaoh costume wiggling in front of thousands.
MARTHA MADISON: I have a really extensive dance background including decades of formal training and teaching, but I don't think I've ever done it on camera. I might be scared to do it at this stage in my life, but I'd always be open to trying! Can't promise success though! Ha!
LILLY MELGAR: Yes! Martha and I did an episode of Soap Box with Lilly & Martha where we had a "Celebrity Dance Off" with real Dancing with the Stars judges and a live audience. ... I also had a scene on General Hospital with Maurice Benard where our characters "Lily & Sonny" danced during a romantic date ... or two.... I had a salsa dancing scene recently on The Bay The Series Season 3 and lastly, my career began as a VJ on Univision so I danced around all the time when introducing new videos
MARIE WILSON: I did dance once but it shall remain nameless ;))

Days of our Lives stars Eric Martsolf and Martha Madison play
siblings on the small screen and a couple in To The Beat!
Photo courtesy of Leonian Pictures.

WE LOVE SOAPS: You've worked with Jillian Clare as an actor, but how was it working with her as your director?
ERIC MARTSOLF: She's just begun her directorial journey, and if her handling of future projects reflects this one, she will have stellar projects on the horizon.
MARTHA MADISON: Jillian is a natural! This business so clearly runs through her veins. It's ingrained in her DNA. I've always been so impressed with Jillian's deep knowledge of the industry, her grit, her fearlessness and her ability to communicate so clearly with any type of person. These are the traits that separate the talkers from the do-ers. She's going to have a very bright future!
LILLY MELGAR: Jillian's level of calm under extraordinary circumstances is awe inspiring! Truly a talent to be respected and admired. Her laser focus and calm inspired trust and set the foundation for a positive set experience. I am so proud of her and look forward to working with her again.
MARIE WILSON: I was so impressed that she took on such a project for her directorial debut since a dance film has so many challenges, but she did it with grace, ease and focus. I couldn't have done that at her age!

WE LOVE SOAPS: Martha and Eric, you play half siblings on Days of our Lives, and now you're playing husband and wife? How was that transition?
ERIC MARTSOLF: Completely awkward and I enjoyed every second!
MARTHA MADISON: Luckily, it's all G-rated! Ha! I do think we have great chemistry no matter what relation we are playing. I consider Eric a great friend and a terrific actor. I'd feel lucky to work with him any day, anywhere, under any circumstances.

Ladies of the Lake stars Marie Wilson and Lilly Melgar reunite
in To The Beat! Photo courtesy of Leonian Pictures.

WE LOVE SOAPS: Lilly and Marie, you played partners in crime on the Amazon series Ladies of the Lake, how was it being part of the same family in To The Beat!?
LILLY MELGAR: Working with Marie Wilson is seamless. Having that kind of connection with another actor is half the work. I get to just show up and be present and live it. ANYTHING with Marie Wilson .. ANY TIME ... ANY DAY.
MARIE WILSON: Having worked with Lilly before made it ideal to be playing family members.....it was just so easy and authentic.....I love Lilly!!

WE LOVE SOAPS: Jillian, what was your biggest challenge as a first-time director?
JILLIAN CLARE: I don't think I really encountered "challenges" per se. I always think of hiccups as a puzzle, and I love puzzles. I guess the most time-consuming and puzzling things to film were the dance scenes and the finale since there were so many dancers, actors, and background! Thankfully, my Director of Photography, Broderick Engelhard, and I had put in a ton of time thinking about the finale and shot-listing. We were able to get everything I had wanted and more!

Award-winning actress Jillian Clare stepped behind the camera
to direct To The Beat!  Photo courtesy of Leonian Pictures.

WE LOVE SOAPS: Did you ever think about acting in the movie too?
JILLIAN CLARE: I never thought about being in the film as well. I think to really excel in a craft you need to have 100% focus on it. I know there are a lot of successful directors who also star in the films they are directing, but many have been solely a director before. When you start in a film and direct it, a lot of the take-to-take stuff falls onto the 1st AD and DP to tell you that they think it's good. It's very time consuming to watch every single take right after it's been filmed. I wanted to fully dive into and indulge in the responsibilities of the director this time. Maybe one day in the future, when I feel I have reached the level I want to be at, I'll be able to star and direct a film!

WE LOVE SOAPS: What was it like to direct your co-stars from Acting Dead and Ladies of the Lake?
JILLIAN CLARE: It was so fun! I love them all very much and it was cool to be able to creatively work with them in a different way. They're all such stellar actors to begin with, and we had a blast being together again!

***

The story was created by Susan Bernhardt and Jillian Clare. The screenplay was written by Susan Bernhardt. The movie is produced by Ryan Armendariz, Susan Bernhardt and Jillian Clare.

You don't have to wait until the movie releases across multiple platforms on March 13! Pre-orders are now available on both iTunes and Amazon.

Soap Stars React to Indie Series Awards Nominations

The nominations for the 9th Annual Indie Series Awards were revealed on January 31st, and a number of familiar faces from the soap world were recognized.

The Bold and the Beautiful's Patrika Darbo (Shirley Spectra) is nominated three times for her work on in three different web series. She will be competing against herself in the best guest actress in a drama category for her work in both Ladies of the Lake and The Bay. She is also a nominee on the comedy side for her hilarious performance on Indoor Boys, which stars Alex Wyse (B&B's Saul).

gonna be a great evening. We're already winners. Grateful to be included in this group.

— Patrika Darbo (@patrikadarbo) February 4, 2018

Other nominees that made their mark in daytime include Arianne Zucker, Kyle Lowder, Wendy Riche, Karen Harris, Jennifer Bassey, Victoria Rowell, Jillian Clare, Ian Buchanan, Eric Nelsen, Anne Schoettle, Julie Poll and Maeve Quinlan, along with many more recognized as part of a nominated ensemble.

Check out more reactions from current and former soap stars below.

Award Winning 'Acting Dead' Hits Amazon Today!

Since first hitting the web, zombie comedy Acting Dead has won multiple Indie Series Awards, and nabbed a Primetime Emmy last fall for Patrika Darbo's hilarious performance. Starting today, the brilliantly funny Brian Beacock-penned series is available on Amazon Video, and free to view for all Amazon Prime customers.

Acting Dead tells the story of Tate Blodgett (Brian Beacock), a down on his luck, unemployed actor, who after being turned down for role after role, decides to take his career into his own hands, and becomes a Zombie, simply so he can finally get work in the many Zombie movies and television shows. Along the way, he meets Alex Carboneux (Jillian Clare), a former child star, who's temper has stalled her career, until she also decides to take matters in her own hands, which doesn't turn out so well either.

“We're so excited that audiences can now bite and binge the entire first season of Acting Dead," said Beacock. "It didn't take a lot of brains to realize that Amazon was a great home for our Emmy winning zombie comedy!” Producer Susan Bernhardt added “I'm positive the Amazon audience will get hooked on Acting Dead – we've always known we had something really special and are thrilled to bring our Emmy winning digital series to the Amazon lineup."

In addition to Beacock, Clare and Darbo, the zom-com boasts an impressive group of talent including Chris Galya, Paul Nygro and John Yelvington with Season One guest stars Debbie Gibson, Eric Martsolf, Carolyn Hennesy, Sean Kanan, John J. York, Cocoa Brown, Christine Lakin, Lori Alan, Erin Matthews, Gary and Larry Lane, Peter Allen Vogt, Sheila Sheila, Mitch Silpa and Jacee Jule.

'Pretty Broken' Releases Full-Length Trailer; Film Stars Jillian Clare, Tyler Christopher, Stacy Edwards

Pretty Broken, a heartfelt dramedy feature for the entire family, has released a trailer and launched a crowdfunding campaign to assist with the final stages of post production. The film is already receiving rave reviews in test markets as it gears up to take the festival circuit by storm in 2018.

The sure-to-be indie darling stars Jillian Clare (Alien Abduction, Days of our Lives), Tyler Christopher (General Hospital, The Lying Game), Stacy Edwards (In The Company of Men, Santa Barbara), Preston Bailey (Dexter, The Crazies), Peter Holden (The Social Network, The Dark Knight Rises) and Adam Chambers (The Kitchen, Girl Vs. Monster). The film is directed by Brett Eichenberger, from an award-winning script penned by Jill Remensynder and is produced by Leonian Pictures and Resonance Productions.

The story follows Lindsey Lou (Clare), an unemployed, college drop-out on the verge of divorce who finds herself couch surfing at her childhood home while her family grieves the death of her father. As the family tries to put the past behind them, Lindsey fights to keep his memory alive before her mother (Edwards) replaces him with a younger man (Christopher).



To contribute to the Kickstarter campaign and help take Pretty Broken across the finish line, visit helplindseylou.com.

'Ladies of the Lake' Now Streaming on Amazon

Ladies of the Lake, the much-anticipated digital four-part mini-series featuring an all-star soap opera cast, is now streaming on Amazon and Amazon Prime. The show tells the story of the glamorous residents of the Southern California community of Avalon, and the dark secrets they hide behind their perfect facades.

"It's pure glamour," says Indie Series Award winning Michael Caruso, who wrote the script and executive produces. "The novel is the kind of fun poolside read that people crave, and when Ken [Corday] permitted Kyle [Lowder] and I to adapt his novel we thought that the digital medium would be perfect for binge watching, which is why Amazon is the ideal home for Ladies of the Lake."

With a track record of hits that includes the popular dramas DeVanity and Winterthorne, Caruso's streak of successes will surely continue with the enchanting Ladies of the Lake.

The cast includes Martha Madison, Lilly Melgar, Jessica Morris, Marie Wilson, Jillian Clare, Kyle Lowder, Patrika Darbo, Arianne Zucker, Wally Kurth, Ian Buchanan, Gordon Thomson and John-Paul Lavoisier.

"Bringing Ken Corday’s story to life was one of the most exhilarating and rewarding experiences of my career," says Kyle Lowder, who executive produces and stars as Detective Shawn Daniels. "There's a little something for everyone. Mystery, romance, drama, and a visual feast that brings the over the top lifestyles of So Cal to life."

Watch the trailer below.

Mary Beth Evans, Lilly Melgar, Jillian Clare & Lauren B. Martin Among First Group of Indie Series Awards Presenters Revealed

Mary Beth Evans is nominated for her work on the hit web series The Bay.

The 8th Annual Indie Series Awards ceremony is less than three weeks away, and the evening's lineup of stars is starting to take shape. Among the names released in the first batch of presenters are current and former soap opera stars Mary Beth Evans (Kayla, Days of our Lives), Lilly Melgar (ex-Lily, General Hospital), Jillian Clare (ex-Abigail, Days of our Lives) and Lauren B. Martin (ex-Camille, As the World Turns). All four are nominated for ISAs this year for their work on some of the independently produced web series the event honors each year. The Indie Series Awards will be presented on Wednesday, April 5 at 8 p.m. PT at The Colony Theatre in Burbank, California.

The first presenters revealed are:

* Anthony Anderson (Anacostia)

* Kristos Andrews (The Bay)

* Mary Bonney (Break: The Musical)

* Andrew Burlinson (Grip and Electric)

* Jillian Clare (Fame Dogs)

* Mary Beth Evans (The Bay)

* Will Farrell (The Other Will Farrell)

* Jill Knox (Keith Broke His Leg)

* Lauren B. Martin (Pride The Series)

* Lilly Melgar (The Bay)

* Keith Powell (Keith Broke His Leg)

* Rob Raffety (Muck)

* Thandi Tolmay (#Adulting)

* Monica West (Best Thing You'll Ever Do)

In addition, all seven of the Best Original Song nominees will be performed during the ceremony.

Founded in 2009, the Indie Series Awards celebrate the best in independently produced scripted entertainment created for the Web.

Check out the complete list of nominees here.

Jillian Clare To Make Directorial Debut on 'To The Beat!' Film Cast Includes Marie Wilson, Lilly Melgar, Eric Martsolf

Jillian Clare played Abigail Deveraux on Days of  our Lives in 2003-2004.
Her career has since included much success in TV, film and the Web.
Photo Credit: Albert L. Ortega

Days of our Lives alum and Indie Series Award winning actress Jillian Clare is stepping behind the camera with her directorial debut of To The Beat! a fun, family feature film which begins filming next week in Los Angeles. The dramedy tells the story of 14-year-old twin sisters who enter a contest to be dancers in their favorite pop stars music video, which leads to a battle with their rival, across the street, the best dancer of all, who wants to win the contest as well.

Portraying Camila, the soft-spoken, widowed mother of the twins, is Marie Wilson (As the World Turns, Port Charles, Days of our Lives), who is joined by Emmy and Indie Series Award winning Lilly Melgar (The Bay, General Hospital) playing their fashionista Aunt, Ana Sophia – the sister of their deceased father. Also in the cast is Emmy winner Eric Martsolf (Days of our Lives, Passions), playing Michael Adams, the father of the spoiled neighbor (who she has tightly wrapped around her finger), and Martha Madison (Days of our Lives) as Clare, her very Southern mother, that's slightly obsessed with Paula Abdul.

“I'm so excited to be directing some of my favorite co-stars including Martha, Marie and Lilly, whom I worked with on Ladies of the Lake, and Eric, who I've known forever and worked with many years ago on Miss Behave," said Clare about her directorial debut “It's definitely these four soap veterans like you've never seen them before as they join about 25 teenagers in a fun, family dance movie.”

To The Beat! is being produced by Susan Bernhardt, and her company Leonian Pictures, alongside Clare's own production company, Whimsical Entertainment. Additional cast, including the announcement of all the teen stars, will happen early next week, just prior to cameras rolling. The film is slated for a summer 2017 release.

Nominees Melissa Archer, Tristan Rogers, Melissa Claire Egan & Carolyn Hennesy Added as Presenters for 7th Annual Indie Series Awards

Former One Life to Live and Days of our Lives star Melissa Archer is
nominated for her work on Viral.

The Indie Series Awards announced today the second slate of presenters for the upcoming 7th Annual ISAs ceremony, hosted by Jen Lilley and Eric Martsolf.

The presenters, including ISA winners and nominees, are:

Melissa Archer (Viral)
Daniel Betances (BLACK)
Jillian Clare (Acting Dead)
Claire Downs (These People)
Melissa Claire Egan (Misguided)
Mary Beth Evans (The Bay)
Jeremy Glazer (These People)
Ryan Gowland (F'd)
Carolyn Hennesy (These People)
Zac Hug (These People)
Sebastian La Cause (He's With Me, Life's a Drag)
Erika Robel (Fully Engaged)
Tristan Rogers (The Bay)
Marc Sinoway (Hunting Season)
Kit Williamson (EastSiders)
Colleen Zenk (Thurston)

These presenters join the previously announced group which includes Kristos Andrews (The Southside, The Bay), Ben Baur (Hunting Season, These People), Tia Dae (Anacostia), Crista Flanagan (Club 5150), Kathleen Gati (Winterthorne), Jill Knox (Keith Broke His Leg), Martha Madison (Winterthorne), Keith Powell (Keith Broke His Leg, These People), Darcie Siciliano (He's With Me), Karrueche Tran (The Bay), Kevin Spirtas (Winterthorne) and Ian Verdun (Life's a Drag).

See all the nominees here.

The 7th Annual Indie Series Awards will be held at the historic El Portal Theatre on Wednesday, April 6 at 8 p.m. PT.

7th Annual Indie Series Awards Nominees To Be Revealed On February 3

Jillian Clare

On Wednesday, February 3, the nominations for the 7th Annual Indie Series Awards (#ISA7) will be revealed on a special episode of Serial Scoop Now, airing at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. Former Days of our Lives actress Jillian Clare will host the reveal from the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles, once again home to the ISAs ceremony on April 6. Nominees will be revealed in 30 categories, including the newly added Best Original Song and Best Sound Design.

Clare has been nominated for five ISAs over the past five years, winning in 2014 for her work on the drama Clutch. She played young Abigail Deveraux on Days in 2003-2004.

Days of our Lives star Eric Martsolf (Brady Black) returns as host for the 7th Annual ISAs, joined this year by Jen Lilley (Theresa Donovan on Days).

'By God's Grace' Airs Tonight on TBN, Cast Includes Roark Critchlow, Jillian Clare & John J. York

By God's Grace, a faith-based holiday film featuring some familiar faces from the world of soaps, tells the story of a young man full of anger who is shown a new perspective on his empty life by his little sister. The movie airs tonight on TBN at 9:30 p.m. PT/12:30 a.m. ET.

From a meager beginning to owning a thriving air charter service, the Taylors devoted their lives to their children Chris (Cameron Deane Stewart) and Grace (Savannah McReynolds). Raising them with a solid foundation of faith, they taught them through example to love others and give to their community. Their passion was volunteering and financially supporting the local youth shelter. However when tragedy strikes, Chris turns his back on his faith and the shelter. His choices are leading to destruction unless he changes his ways. Will an unlikely visit save what is about to be lost?

The film also stars Roark Critchlow (ex-Mike Horton, Days of our Lives), Jillian Clare (ex-Abigail Deveraux, Days of our Lives), John J. York (Mac Scorpio, General Hospital), Kc Guyer, Angela DiMarco, Brennan Bailey and Preston Bailey.

Directed by Brett Eichenberger, By God's Grace was written by Debbie Preston and Jill Remensnyder. Debbie Preston and A.A. Coffman are executive producers, Robert Thomas Preston co-executive produces, along with producer Susan Bernhardt. Bernhardt is also one of the producers of the annual Indie Series Awards.

Indie Series Awards Presenters Will Include Jen Lilley, Minae Noji, Coleen Zenk, Jillian Clare

Days of our Lives and Youthful Daze star Jen Lilley.

This first presenters for the 6th Annual Indie Series Awards were announced on Monday, and all are nominated this year. The ISAs, hosted by Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Martsolf (Days of our Lives), will be held on Wednesday, April 1 at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood.

Presenters will include Anthony Anderson (Anacostia), Jillian Clare (Acting Dead), Ashli Dowling (We Are Angels), Andrea Evans (DeVanity), Lilly Melgar (The Bay), Mhairi Morrison (Feathers and Toast), Becky Kramer (Jewvangelist), Jen Lilley (Youthful Daze), Minae Noji (Love Midori), Alisha Spielmann (Producing Juliet), Jason Stuart (Mentor), Corsica Wilson (L.A. Macabre) and Colleen Zenk (Thurston).

Additional presenters will be revealed in the coming weeks.

The Indie Series Awards celebrate the best in independently produced, scripted entertainment created for the Web. Click here for a complete list of nominees.

'By God's Grace' Now Available on DVD, Film Stars Cameron Deane Stewart, Savannah McReynolds, Jillian Clare and Roark Critchlow and John J. York

The cast of By God's Grace includes Roark Critchlow, John J. York and Jillian Clare.

By God's Grace, a faith-based holiday movie, is now available on DVD just in time for the Christmas shopping season. Among the film's cast are soap veterans Jillian Clare (ex-Abigail Deveraux, Days of our Lives) and Roark Critchlow (ex-Mike Horton Days of our Lives), plus General Hospital star John J. York (Mac Scorpio).

The movie follows the story of Chris Taylor (Cameron Deane Stewart) along with his little sister Grace (Savannah McReynolds) who go on a journey together in the vein of A Christmas Carol.

Watch the trailer below:

Zombie Comedy 'Acting Dead' Premieres on JTS.TV

Following a star-studded premiere on Monday night, the much anticipated zombie comedy web series Acting Dead launched its pilot episode today on JTS.TV, the first of a ten week roll out schedule.

Acting Dead stars Brian Beacock (Mulholland Dr.) as Tate Blodgett, a down on his luck, unemployed actor, who after being turned down for role after role, decides to take his career into his own hands, and becomes a zombie, simply so he can finally get work in the many Zombie movies and television shows. Along the way, he meets Alex Carboneux portrayed by Jillian Clare (IFC's Alien Abduction, Days of our Lives), a former child star who's temper has stalled her career, until she also decides to take matters in her own hands, which doesn't turn out so well either.

5th Annual Indie Series Awards Red Carpet Show (Part 3): Cherish Lee, Kit Williamson, Brea Grant, Dane Ohlrogge, Kelsey Jorissen, Coco Fernandez, Jonathan Holbrook, Jillian Clare, Patrika Darbo, Brandon Goins, Colleen Zenk & Philip Cook

In Part 3 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV's 5th Annual Indie Series Awards Red Carpet Show, Michael Goldberg chats with Cherish Lee, who offers a sample of her latest single. Also featured are EastSiders nominees Kit Williamson and Brea Grant; Dane Ohlrogge, Kelsey Jorissen and Coco Fernandez from the nominated ensemble of The Dreamers; four-time nominee Jonathan Holbrook of STILL; Clutch star and nominee Jillian Clare, who won the award for Best Supporting Actress - Drama; Patrika Darbo, from the nominated Bloomers ensemble and the upcoming Acting Dead; Tainted Dreams actors Brandon Goins and Colleen Zenk, who was also nominated for her work in Thurston; and Philip Cook from Malice, who took home Best Special Effects award.

Watch Part 3 (Episode 5.28) below and stayed tuned for more Red Carpet interviews soon.



RELATED:
- 5th Annual Indie Series Awards Red Carpet Show (Part 1): Carolyn Hennesy, Sebastian La Cause, Christine Lakin, Eric Martsolf, Darin Brooks & Kelly Kruger
- 5th Annual Indie Series Awards Red Carpet Show (Part 2): Lisa Roumain, Darcie Siciliano, John Cramer, Jade Harlow, Vanessa Verduga, Michele Kanan, Sean Kanan, Brent Bailey, Joanna Sotomura, Jessica DiGiovanni, Brennan Caldwell & Josh Duboff

ZomCom ACTING DEAD Launches Website, Releases Trailer

Upcoming star-studded ZomCom ACTING DEAD has launched a new website, ActingDead.com, and released a trailer for the series which premieres online April 22.

ACTING DEAD stars Brian Beacock (Mulholland Drive) as Tate Blodgett, a down on his luck unemployed actor, who after being turned down for role after role, decides to take his career into his own hands, and becomes a Zombie, simply so he can finally get work in the many Zombie movies and television shows. Along the way, he meets Alex Carboneux (Jillian Clare, Alien Abduction), a former child star who's temper has stalled her career until she also decides to take matters in her own hands, which doesn't turn out so well either.

"We're very excited about ACTING DEAD's World Premiere on March 28th at LAweb Fest," showrunner and star Brian Beacock said in a press release. "It's an amazingly fun and important event and we're so proud to be a part of it. Plus today is the launch of the ACTING DEAD Official Website and the premiere of our Official Series Trailer! There's so much going on, it's got our brains on overdrive. Of course, that comes with the territory when working on a zombie comedy series."

Watch the newly released trailer below:

ISA5 Spotlight #1: Nominee Reaction - Carolyn Hennesy, Sebastian La Cause, Michael Caruso, Jillian Clare, Caitlynne Medrek, Armando Saldanamora, Kelsey Jorissen & Mike Donis

Nominees for the 5th Annual Indie Series Awards were revealed in a special episode of We Love Soaps TV on Wednesday. (You can find a complete list of nominees here.) The ISAs celebrate the best in independently produced, scripted entertainment created for the Web.

The 5th Annual ISAs will take place on April 2 at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, hosted by Carolyn Hennesy. Over the next two months, We Love Soaps will put the "Spotlight" on the nominated series, as well as the nominees in front of and behind the camera. Check out our first Spotlight feature below which includes reactions from Michael Caruso, Sebastian La Cause, Jillian Clare, Caitlynne Medrek, Armando Saldanamora, Kelsey Jorissen and Mike Donis.

ISA5 host and Single Siblings guest star Carolyn Hennesy:

The fact that my time on the Single Siblings set was one of the happiest work days in many moons for me is truly the cake. The nomination is the icing, the sprinkles and the delightful butter-cream rosettes all rolled into one. A sublime experience all around. So many thanks Meryl Hathaway, Chris Alvarado and my "hubs" Jim O'Heir! Excelsior!

Hustling producer/director/writer/actor Sebastian La Cause:

The support and recognition of Hustling by the ISAs is overwhelming and incredibly joyful. It's extremely motivating and will continue to inspire me well beyond the ceremony.

DeVanity producer/writer/actor Michael Caruso:

The cast and crew of DeVanity are so incredibly honored to be recognized alongside so many other series we love and respect. This is an exciting time for web series, and we are thrilled to be returning to the ISAs for the third year in a row.

Indie Comedy Launches Unique Crowd Funding Campaign

An impressive list of talent has lined up to join a new indie series by show runner and star Brian Beacock. The "semi-dark" comedy co-stars Jillian Clare (DAYS OF OUR LIVES, MISS BEHAVE). Rounding out the slate of series regulars are Chris Galya (Disney's JESSIE), Patrika Darbo (DAYS OF OUR LIVES), Paul Nygro (YOU AGAIN) and John Yelvington (HOW SWEET IT IS).

A partial list of Season One guest stars include soap vets Eric Martsolf (DAYS OF OUR LIVES) and John J. York (GENERAL HOSPITAL), comedienne Cocoa Brown, Gary and Larry Lane, Peter Allen Vogt, Sheila Sheila, Mitch Silpa and Christine Lakin.