If you are a fan of verticals, chances are you have seen actor Kevin O’Sullivan. He recently starred with General Hospital alum Robert Palmer Watkins in Bite Me, My Mafia Daddy. O’Sullivan also appeared in the pilot episode of Beverly Hills 90210 and on Days of Our Lives.
Key Takeaways
- O’Sullivan appeared in the pilot episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, and was up for the part of Brandon during auditions.
- The actor was made to feel at home on the set of Days of Our Lives by long-time cast member Drake Hogestyn,
- O’Sullivan co-starred with General Hospital alum Robert Palmer Watkins in Bite Me, My Mafia Daddy.
- O’Sullivan won the Best Supporting Actor award at the 2024 Egyptian American Film Festival for The Deal.
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O’Sullivan became a memorable presence in the Beverly Hills, 90210 pilot after originally auditioning for Brandon Walsh, the role that ultimately went to Jason Priestley. During casting, he found himself sitting beside future co-star Luke Perry. “I was in the casting director’s office, and who’s sitting next to me but the great Luke Perry!” O’Sullivan recalls. The moment wasn’t their first run-in—both actors had previously auditioned for the now-defunct soap Loving, where Perry would later be cast as Ned Bates.
About a month later, O’Sullivan was called in to read for executive producer Aaron Spelling. While he didn’t land Brandon, Spelling instead cast him as “Lunch Boy,” placing him in one of the very first scenes of the series alongside Brandon and Brenda (Shannen Doherty). The role also gave him early screen time with stars Ian Ziering and Brian Austin Green, including the scene where David secretly drives a drunk Steve. O’Sullivan says the cast was welcoming, though he never crossed paths with Perry during filming, as Dylan hadn’t yet been cast when those pilot scenes were shot.
DAYS Legend
O’Sullivan went on to appear in several episodes of DAYS, but it was his experience working alongside the late Drake Hogestyn (John) that left the deepest impression. After auditioning for the soap over the years, casting director Doras Sabbagh ultimately found a role that fit him. “She kind of took a shining to me,” O’Sullivan recalls. “I had auditioned for her, and then she was finally able to find a good role for me.”
While he shared scenes with Melissa Reeves (Jennifer) and Matthew Ashford (Jack), O’Sullivan says Hogestyn went out of his way to make him feel welcome. “He was so awesome to me on set and in hair and makeup,” he says. Facing the pressure of 19 pages of dialogue with little time to memorize, O’Sullivan admits he was nervous, but Hogestyn noticed immediately. “He made me feel at home,” O’Sullivan adds, explaining that Hogestyn pulled him aside, offered encouragement, and shared advice that helped calm his nerves and elevate his performance.
Sizzling With Robert Palmer Watkins
One of the actor’s latest projects saw O’Sullivan working with GH alum Robert Palmer Watkins (Dillon). They starred together in the vertical drama Bite Me, My Mafia Daddy. As a matter of fact, O’Sullivan was a victim of Watkins’ character of Adam. “I play a character who kills [Adam’s] mother, who is a mafia king.” The actor spent much of his time on set tied up, awaiting his character’s demise. “He and his henchmen have me tied to steel rafters, and he wants to hear my final words before he sizzles me up!” O’Sullivan recounts.
Filming the scenes led to discomfort for O’Sullivan, but Watkins jumped into action to help his co-star – “Robert saw me complain a little bit about my feet are killing me, and that’s when he got me the apple cart [to rest my feet on in between takes]. Kevin was already familiar with Watkins from his years on GH. “I watched him on the show, and I talked to him about that a little bit, and it was great to work with him.” Take a look at their scene below!
Vertically Challenged
The actor has appeared in over 25 verticals, which are very similar to soap operas. A vertical refers to a recurring type of story that runs episode to episode, even as plots change. O’Sullivan has a number of projects coming out this year, including the film Choleric, in which he was challenged to play a disturbed character in a horror-based film. “The film is a psychological horror thriller film, and it took a lot out of me because it’s totally opposite of who I am.”
His performance in The Deal earned him the Best Supporting Actor award at the 2024 Egyptian American Film Festival, held in New York City, for which O’Sullivan is very grateful: “I thank them very much and am humbled.”
To learn more about Kevin, visit his website and his Instagram page.
