Brian Gaskill first made a name for himself in the soap opera arena when he played Linda Gray’s son on the primetime soap, Models, Inc. From there, he launched a career in daytime first starring as Bobby Warner on All My Children, then going on to star on the General Hospital spin-off Port Charles as Rafe from 2001-2003, The Bold and the Beautiful‘s Oscar from 2003-2004, As The World Turns‘ B.J. in 2005, Guiding Light‘s Dylan Lewis from 2006-2007 and he made a return to the genre in 2024 portraying Seth on The Young and the Restless. He is now going to be taking part in Chain Theatre’s Winter One-Act Festival in New York City this February.
Key Takeaways
- Gaskill has appeared on the soaps Models Inc., All My Children, Port Charles, The Bold and the Beautiful, As The World Turns, Guiding Light, and The Young and the Restless.
- The actor will be starring onstage in the one-act play Ray.
- Gaskill reunited with his former co-worker Jennifer Pepperman, who wrote the play.
MORE: Find out about Gaskill’s film.
Play Time
Ray was written by former As the World Turns Emmy-winning director Jennifer Pepperman, marking a meaningful reunion for Gaskill, who previously worked with her on the long-running soap.
In the play, Gaskill portrays a man “sitting on a bench in Prospect Park, Brooklyn with his guitar,” who forms an unexpected connection with a teenage girl he sees every day as she gets off the train. What begins as a casual conversation slowly turns into something deeper. “They’re two lonely souls who end up opening up to each other a little bit,” the actor explained. “They’re both going through a lot, and it’s just an innocent moment of connection.”
For Gaskill, the role was immediately compelling. “When I read the script, it instantly connected with me as something I knew I had to do,” he shared. “There’s this aching vulnerability mixed with some humor.”
The story also tapped into what first drew him to acting. “It’s the same thing that made me want to be an actor in the first place—sharing human moments with another actor and an audience,” he said. “Moments that help us understand life a little better and remind us we’re not alone.”
Reuniting with Pepperman only deepened the experience. “She always had such kind energy, and I was really happy to reconnect with her,” Gaskill said. “She wrote a great play that I truly wanted to be part of, so I’m grateful she asked me.”
He also had high praise for his co-star, Delaney O’Neill. “She just graduated from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU,” he noted. “It’s been amazing working with a new acting partner and experiencing that generational difference on stage. She’s fresh from school, ready to go, and that energy is really inspiring.”
Returning to the stage has been especially meaningful for Gaskill, bringing him back to his roots. “Theater is where I started,” he said, recalling time spent backstage as a child while his mother performed in community theater, including playing Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady when he was just two years old.
That foundation continued through performing arts high school and later at the SUNY Purchase acting conservatory. “If I didn’t have all that stage experience, I never would’ve survived how hard this career has been,” he reflected. “Theater makes you stronger. It forces you to accept the truth of how resilient you can be—if you want to be.”
Soap Spotlight
In his early soap days, Gaskill was a fan-favorite heartthrob, front and center in teen and young adult storylines. But he also left a lasting impression playing the unsettling and deranged B.J. Green, proving his range early on.
Looking back, the actor says Rafe remains the character he felt most connected to. “Rafe was learning how to live again on Earth, and in many ways, I was going through the same thing,” he shared. “I’ll always lean on him as my favorite because he inspired me to try to be a better person in the face of a world I didn’t always like. I mean, just life on Earth for all of us—it’s hard sometimes.”
For Gaskill, the role carried a deeper meaning. “That was the perfect role, metaphorically speaking. There’s nothing better than a second chance,” he said with a laugh. “Although some of us are hoping for third and fourth and fifth. But it’s nice to be reminded that chances exist if you believe in them.”
When he later returned to daytime as Seth, the pace of production became the biggest adjustment. “Technically, everything was moving so fast,” he explained. “By the time I was done, I was just starting to get comfortable and ready to really dig in.”
Though his run lasted just 11 episodes, the experience was still fulfilling. “I think I made a nice mark and had a solid little story arc, but it all had to happen so fast,” he said. “It went well, and I was happy with the result, but it was over before I knew it. I was definitely a little sad—it felt like a huge tease. But that’s okay. It was still a great time.”
Gaskill closed with a heartfelt message for longtime fans. “I’m always grateful for the support,” he said. “People have always made me feel like what I do matters to them. I know I’m not changing the world, but if my work has any effect on someone’s life, that makes it all worth it.”
For Jennifer Pepperman, Ray is deeply personal.
The former ATWT Emmy-winning director was inspired to write the play after watching her daughter navigate bullying during middle school and early high school. “As a parent, I was outraged,” Pepperman shared. “There was this pack of mean girls who seemed to determine everything—who was cool, who wasn’t.”
The experience sparked a story with a clear message: high school does not define your life. “Only you get to decide who you are,” she said. Today, Pepperman notes proudly, her daughter is 24 and thriving—“an extremely successful, strong, smart, and beautiful woman.”
Beyond its origins, Ray explores the power of unexpected connection. Pepperman was drawn to the idea of two strangers opening up to one another in a way that can sometimes feel easier than talking to people you know. “There’s something freeing about that no-judgment space,” she explained, especially for a 16-year-old facing the reality of being on her own in the world.
The project began life as a short film before evolving into a one-act play. When Pepperman realized the story belonged on stage, one actor immediately came to mind. “I loved working with Brian on ATWT,” she said. “He’s incredibly talented and right for this part.” After sending him the script, the connection was instant—and the play moved forward quickly.
Pepperman also intentionally wanted the character of Jake to be a father in real life, a role Brian naturally embodies. “I’m so lucky he was free and able to do this,” she said. Casting the title role was equally important, and she couldn’t be more excited about Delaney O’Neill. “She is so talented and is going to have a wonderful career.”
Collaborating on Ray has been a refreshing shift from the fast pace of soaps. “This process is more playful and collaborative,” Pepperman said. “We’re having a lot of fun—and we can’t wait for people to see this play.”
Ray runs on February 5 at 8 pm, February 12th at 6:30 pm, and February 14th at 5 pm. Purchase tickets here.
