Exclusive Interview: Veteran Soap Star Vincent Irizarry On Life

He has been on just about every soap currently on the air and several that are no longer on and along the way, soap veteran Vincent Irizarry has thrilled fans with his various characters. Soap Hub chatted with the handsome star about life.

Vincent Irizarry Talks About Life

How have you held up during this strange year with the coronavirus pandemic?
Holding up well, considering. My family, extended and immediate, has been challenged by various illnesses, even the passing of loved ones during this time. Life continues on in all its challenges, despite the global crisis, obviously, so I’m staying as positive/hopeful as I can, as I tend to be.

What have you learned about yourself during this time?
I still don’t like to cook for myself. I’ll do it, but I’m always looking for shortcuts in preparation so as to be able to eat my meal as quickly as possible. Occasionally I’ll take the time to make something special, something that takes a lot more time to prepare, and it’s usually delicious, but I just don’t have the patience overall.

What TV show would fans be surprised you never miss?
I’ve been binging on so many shows during this period, as many others are, for sure. [One] is on Sundance Channel, from Sweden, called The Restaurant (in Sweden it’s called This Time is Ours). Currently, it’s three seasons, a period piece starting post-WW2 in Stockholm, going into the late 60s. It’s wonderful.

What other riveting television do you watch?
Ozark is by far one of the best series produced for TV out there. Fantastic cast, performances, writing, etc. I hold it up there with Breaking Bad as one of the best series written in the past 10 yrs.

Favorite TV show when you were a kid?
I Dream of Jeannie. I was a pre-teen with already a healthy libido, so was naturally crushing on Barbara Eden – yes, I’m blushing…

What movie do you never get tired of?
It’s a Wonderful Life. I’ve seen it probably 30 times throughout my life, and I literally cry during the same exact moments every time I watch it. I even watched it on a commercial flight on Christmas day, flying back to L.A. to return to work on YR [where he played David Chow] the next day during the writers’ strike, and I must have looked like a crazy person as I sat in my aisle seat bawling as people walked by… Good times, lol.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Throughout the years, the place I’ve traveled to most when going abroad has been Italy. Besides the obvious beauty of the country itself, the architecture, the wealth of art, cuisine, wine, etc., offers so much which for me is an overwhelming embarrassment of riches to enjoy, along with the people themselves. Truly a magical place to visit.

Is there any place you’ve always wanted to visit, but haven’t? 
I’ve never been to Greece, therefore I’d love to experience going there as well.

What is your favorite sport to play?
The only sport I play occasionally is golf. I find it peaceful unless I’m having a terrible round. If so, it feels like you’re trapped playing with others and you can’t escape soon enough.

You’ve posted several photos on social media, showing at least you’ve explored some great places outdoors. How important is it to you to get out there?
I do feel it to be therapeutic and uplifting to get outside whenever possible. I do understand how fortunate I am to live in a region of our country where there are plenty of outdoor opportunities, such as hiking trails, beaches, etc., where one can still practice necessary social distancing with the proper PPE (personal protective equipment) while exercising and strengthening our immune system naturally by being in the sun.

I also believe it’s best to do whatever one can to support our local businesses, restaurants, however way possible, all of whom have taken such an incalculable hit during this difficult time, impacting also those who were employed by them.

Again, this can all be done by abiding by the same social distance regulations with the proper PPE, therefore I’m happy to do what I can in the hopes that they’ll be able to survive as a business once this finally comes to an end. Our communities and the people in them will be better off with their presence still amongst us, for sure.