Greg Rikaart
		Dark Shadows Greg Rikaart loves his role as Genoa City’s shadiest citizen, Kevin

	Life has been looking pretty grim for Kevin Fisher. His much-anticipated Valentine’s Day date with Lauren turned out to be nothing more than a frame-up — a disappointment so intense that he threatened suicide! Half of Genoa City’s population wants to see him pay for seducing Lily, while the other half and the police believe he is the one responsible for electrocuting and scarring Brittany. Poor Kevin — there are some days where it just doesn’t pay for him to get out of bed! Yet ask his portrayer, Greg Rikaart, about the problems swirling around his dark character, and he can’t help but grin. "I love it! I really love it!" he enthuses. "There’s something fascinating about playing the bad guy. Kevin is such a departure from who I am and what I’ve played before… it’s such great escapism." Straddling That Fence Of course, as most soap fans know, there is an inherent risk to stepping into the town creep’s shoes; that often means a one-way ticket to either jail or the loony bin. Yet Rikaart says the trick to longevity is to create sympathy in an unsympathetic character. "I accepted the role and went into it thinking that Kevin comes from a background with a lot of pain," explains the actor. "I don’t want to play this person who is really evil only for the sake of being evil. He’s really a tortured soul." So far, it’s worked. Ever since he began on the sudser, Rikaart has been simmering steadily in one frontburner storyline after the next. Yet his favorite remains the first plot twist, in which Kevin lured Lily off the Internet and played on her insecurities in order to seduce her. "It was entertaining, but it was so much more," he shares. "People watch the show for fun, but that storyline also delivered an important message. It’s a timely issue regarding the Internet and what can happen, especially to teenagers. I was proud to be involved in something like that." Hollywood’s Calling Rikaart has come a long way since growing up on Staten Island, NY, where acting was something he only dreamed quietly about. "I’ve always enjoyed performing, and as I got older, I learned more about acting just by watching movies," he reveals. "It wasn’t really tangible. It was more like having good actors and great performances inspire me." Still, while attending Pennsylvania’s Villanova University, Rikaart began to think more seriously about the profession. After taking some film classes, he eschewed the bright lights of Broadway in favor of the glitz of Tinsel Town. "Initially, my father was a little concerned because he had just spent $100,000 on my college education and I was moving to Los Angeles to be a waiter!" he jokes. His father needn’t have worried, since his role as a waiter was short-lived. The talented performer quickly began landing acting gigs — from a recurring role on DAWNSON’S CREEK to a small part in X-Men 2 — before snagging a 10-episode stint on Y&R. It didn’t take long before that morphed into a contract role, with Kevin’s world expanding to include brother Michael (Christian Jules Le Blanc) and soon-to-be-seen mother Gloria (played by showbiz vet Joan Van Ark). "I’m happy to have a family," Rikaart asserts. "I think it’s really increased my time on the show. Kevin isn’t just some character floating out on the periphery, doing bad things. Suddenly, he has a history and roots." And as far as his own real-life family is concerned, Rikaart says they couldn’t be happier over his career choice. "My parents are very supportive and very happy about my success," he confides, noting they don’t even mind that he’s playing a snake! "My mother is really proud because she knows me and knows I couldn’t be further away from Kevin. I think it makes her proud to know what I’m capable of as an actor." — Julie McElwain