Soaps are filled with real-life married couples — Melissa and Scott Reeves come to mind as one example of a General Hospital and Days of Our Lives couple. But, did you know General Hospital’s Matt Cohen also has a mate who has appeared on DAYS! In late 2004 and into 2005, Mandy Musgrave (aka Mrs. Matt Cohen) originated the role of teen Chelsea Benson, Bo and Billie’s teenage daughter.
The Second Coming of Sami
The character was introduced to the Salem scene as a troublemaker, who urged her “friend” Abby to rebel and lusted after an unsuspecting Patrick. When a fellow teen told a manipulative Chelsea that she was just like Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney), Chelsea scoffed, “Who’s that?”
Alas, Musgrave’s time in Salem was cut short. She was on the show on a recurring basis and left to take a regular role on the series South Of Nowhere, which aired on The N network (now known as TeenNick) from 2005 to 2008. (Ironically, Rachel Melvin, who had previously appeared on DAYS as a false Chelsea lead, took over the role after Musgrave’s departure.)
A Love Match
It was on South of Nowhere where Cohen, also a cast member, and his then-future mate first met. The actor, who was raised by his single dad, was also blessed with two surrogate moms in South of Nowhere creator Nancylee Myatt and her partner, writer Paige Bernhardt. “Nancy and Paige are more or less my ‘adoptive’ mothers.”
The actor credits Musgrave for helping him get over some dark times in his 20s. “My wife really helped heal me,” says Cohen.”She’s such an amazing actress. She’s unintentionally honest. She’s just like, ‘Hey, this is me.'”
The couple is proud parents of son, Macklin, 16 months.
“[They’re] everything, my wife and him. There are no words [to convey] what they mean to me. It’s my happy place.”
For now, Cohen says that Musgrave is focused on being a full-time mom during their son’s vital formative years. However, she could be lured back to soaps if the right role came along.
Will Soaps and DAYS Call Again?
“It’ll be two years in April,” the actor says, noting his son’s upcoming birthday. “Then, she’ll go back [to work]. She got her body back real fast. She’d love to be back on daytime. She had a great time when she was on DAYS. We’ll see what happens.”
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