Natalie Buchanan

Natalie Buchanan
One Life to Live character
Portrayed by Melissa Archer
Duration 2001–13
First appearance July 16, 2001 (July 16, 2001)
Last appearance August 19, 2013 (August 19, 2013)
Created by
Introduced by
Classification Former, regular
Profile
Other names Natalie Balsom
Natalie Buchanan Laurence
Natalie Buchanan Vega
Occupation
Residence Banks Apartment
Llanview, Pennsylvania

Natalie Buchanan is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. She is played by Melissa Archer, who made her first on-screen appearance on July 16, 2001 and has remained in the show until its final episode on its online revival on August 19, 2013.

Casting

Archer originally auditioned for the role of Jennifer Rappaport, which Jessica Morris went on to secure. Archer then auditioned for the role of Natalie. On the day of her audition, Archer over-slept and turned up late. The casting department failed to notice this due to the amount of people auditioning.[1] In 2005, it was reported that Archer had quit the role, but ABC announced that she had signed a new contract with the show.[2]

Character development

“ As fiery as her red hair, Natalie honed her scrappy sensibility raising herself in Atlantic City. Vulnerable and loving deep down, Natalie's softened with the discovery of her biological family. But when fighting for herself or her family, she is relentless. ”
— ABC on Natalie[3]

When Natalie arrives in Llanview she reveals that she is the biological daughter of Victoria "Viki" Lord (Erika Slezak).[4] Natalie's bad behavior on-screen transformed her into a "love-to-hate" character with viewers.[5] But some viewers told Archer that they wanted Natalie's boyfriend Seth Anderson (Brandon Routh) to leave her and form a relationship with her sister, Jessica.[5]

On July 16, 2003, One Life to Live celebrated thirty-five years of broadcasting on ABC. Natalie's relationship with Cristian Vega (David Fumero) played a central role in the anniversary celebrations. In the storyline the characters are shown deliberating over their wedding plans. While the characters "dream about what they want", a flashback sequence airs, consisting of weddings that previously featured in the series.[6]

Return

In January 2013, Jolie Lash from Access Hollywood reported that Archer had agreed to reprise the role for the online continuation of the show.[7] Archer told Lash that Natalie is now a single mother trying to make it on her own. She does have the love and support of her family but she is "very determined" to be independent. Archer said, "I think she's trying to look for a revamp for herself because of all that she's gone through in the past 10 years and then on top of [that], the recent things that have happened."[8] Eve Sullivan from the The Advocate revealed that Archer was filming scenes with her on-screen son and that Natalie would still manage to maintain her social life.[9]

Storylines

Natalie Balsom appears in Llanview on July 16, 2001,[10] immediately befriending Jessica Buchanan and becomes close to Clint Buchanan and Viki. She later claims to be Clint and Viki's daughter. They take a DNA test which reveals she is their daughter. The family come to the conclusion that in 1986, Allison Perkins kidnapped Natalie and replaced her with Jessica. Natalie wants to find her place in the family and instructs Seth to romance Jessica. Natalie then uses him to help her become accepted into the family. But Seth falls in love with Jessica. Natalie and Jessica form a sisterly-friendship, but when Natalie discovers that Jessica is in a relationship with Seth their feud resurfaces. A DNA test on Jessica later proves she is also Viki's daughter. Viki's enemy Mitch Laurence had raped a drugged Viki when she was pregnant with Natalie. Viki was unknowingly pregnant with fraternal twins. Dr. Walter Balsom, who had been one of religious leader Mitch's cult, had stolen Jessica during delivery. Viki thought she had one child. Mitch sent Allison to kidnap Clint's child and swap them.

After settling in town, Natalie meets Jessica's ex-boyfriend Cristian. Viki's alternate personality, Niki Smith, returns in 2002 and pushes Viki's husband, Ben Davidson, out of a window. He is left in a coma. Niki makes sure Natalie takes the blame. Cristian is the only person to believe Natalie's protestations of innocence. He takes it upon himself to find the real culprit. Cristian discovers Niki has returned. When Natalie is cleared, they begin a relationship. She and Cristian marry in 2003.

Cristian becomes involved in a legal investigation and is kidnapped and later presumed dead. Natalie becomes involved with FBI agent John McBain, but he feels guilt over Cristian's death. Cristian returns in 2004 with no memories and is believed to be an impostor. He kills mobster Tico Santi and his memories return. He makes John swear not to reveal his true identity to spare his family from watching him go to prison. In 2005, attorney Evangeline Williamson appeals his conviction, proving he had been fooled into killing Tico. Cristian is released. He reveals himself to his mother, Carlotta Vega. Furious over the deception, Natalie ends her relationship with John and asks Cristian for a divorce. Natalie later reunites with John after working together to solve a series of crimes.

John has a car accident that scars him and affects their relationship. When Natalie compromises evidence in the investigation into Spencer's murder to protect John, it ruins her relationship with him. When John is found innocent, Natalie ends their relationship despite still loving him. Natalie later meets Jared Banks and starts to fall for him. When Jared claims to be Asa's heir, Natalie decides to end things fearing being in love with a relative. But Jared reveals that he lied and they resume their romance. The duo hide the fact that David Vickers is the actual heir but Dorian Lord exposes the secret. This causes a fight which results in the death of Jessica's husband, Nash Brennan. Jessica, who at the time was currently her alter personality, Tess, decides to seek revenge and kidnaps Natalie and Jared, leaving them in a room with a bomb. Charlie Banks and Viki eventually manage to rescue them before it detonates. Natalie and Jared get engaged, but she soon becomes embroiled in Jessica's latest scheme of swapping a baby. To avoid the situation the duo marry in secret. Jared begins to enact his own revenge campaign against Jessica, including arranging for himself to be beaten up and hiring a stalker to target Jessica. However Natalie discovers that Mitch Laurence actually blackmailed Jared into the committing the crimes. Mitch shoots Jared and he dies in hospital leaving Natalie to grief. She is angered when Mitch manages to evade charges and stabs him. John sabotages the evidence of the attack making it appear as though Mitch stabbed himself.

Natalie and John become close again and kiss. But his girlfriend Marty Saybrooke discovers that she is pregnant and Natalie thinks she has lost John again. Marty miscarries after being pushed down some stairs and believes Natalie is responsible. Natalie is upset when John questions whether she is responsible. Natalie and Jessica's boyfriend Brody get drunk and sleep together. Natalie tries to leave Llanview but John chases her to the airport and begs her to stay. She gets back together with John and Brody agrees to keep their affair a secret. Natalie discovers that she is pregnant and Brody is the father. She decides to deceive John in fear of losing him. When Natalie tries to tell John the truth, she goes into labour and Liam Asa McBain is born. Jessica and Natalie plan a joint wedding with the respective partners John and Brody. But the day is ruined when the truth about the paternity tests is revealed. John leaves Natalie and she believes her relationship to be over after John drunkenly sleeps with Kelly Cramer. Natalie later begins a relationship with Brody in retaliation. Natalie discovers that Marty sabotaged the paternity tests and John is actually's Liam's biological father. To keep the truth concealed Marty pushes Natalie off a roof and kidnaps Liam, who is later found safe. The fall causes memory loss and Natalie continues her relationship with Brody. Natalie later realizes that Brody knows the truth and cancels their planned wedding. Natalie then tells John the truth but return home to discover that Brody has kidnapped Liam. They eventually convince Brody to release Liam.

Roxy informs Natalie that John still loves her. Natalie remains close to him as they investigate the murder of Victor Lord, Jr.. Mitch Laurence escapes from prison and kidnaps Natalie and Jessica. John arrives to rescue them and shoots Mitch. But he does not die and attacks John, Natalie shoots and kills Mitch in self-defense. The events result in Natalie and John deciding to give their relationship another chance.

While John crossed over to General Hospital in March 2012, Natalie and Liam's photos were shown to viewers, and was heard speaking to John on the phone several times, though she nor Liam never appeared on-screen.

In August 2012, Natalie receives an envelope from Todd Manning in Port Charles, New York, which contained a picture of John kissing Sam Morgan on the Fourth of July. John arrives at his and Natalie's home and finds that Natalie is not there. John calls Natalie, trying to explain what happened, but he becomes upset, saying Natalie can't take Liam and leave the country. He searches for his passport and finds that Natalie has taken it, preventing him from following her to London, England. Natalie then hangs up and an enraged John throws the phone at the wall. Weeks later, John finds out that Natalie has issued a restraining order against him to keep him away from Liam. In October 2012, Natalie sends John a letter, stating that she found someone else and if he really loves her and Liam, he will stay away and move on with his life.

During the 2013 revival, Natalie is now a single mother raising her son Liam all by herself in her own apartment in Llanview. Natalie leaves Liam with the nanny to attend the opening of Blair's new nightclub Shelter. She reconnects with Cutter Wentworth at the club and later share a seductive dance with Cutter before they're both interrupted is later seen back home to her apartment and sends the nanny home before she curls up on the couch to go to sleep. Nora offers Natalie, still depressed about John leaving her for Sam, that she needs a "do-over" to feel good about herself and suggests they go shopping together during the weekend, Natalie agrees to her offer. After Nora leaves, Clint stops by to suggest to her that she and Liam should both move back to Llanfair, but Natalie says no, and that she and Liam are both fine living in their apartment. Several weeks later Natalie comes back to Shelter and meets up with Cutter, who offers a drink that was named after him from a bartender (who he casually has sex with) named Nikki (Jenni "JWoww" Farley). She, along with Blair and Rama, are entertained and impressed by a singer that Cutter auditions at the club named Dusky (Jessie Malakouti), who Blair immediately hires.

The next day, Natalie runs a lab test to test from the liquor holder that Bo found from Todd's hotel room after Todd claimed that he was poisoned by his twin brother Victor Jr. (who returned to town after he was presumed dead after being shot by Todd, but was really kidnapped and had his death faked by Allison). At first, Natalie found no proof of any poisonous substance, but she later called Bo to tell him that she checked the tests again, and found arsenic in the liquor holder, confirming Todd's suspicions that Victor Jr. poisoned him after all. Later, Natalie finds a mysterious tattoo that was found from a dead body outside in the river, Tea recognizes that Victor Jr. has the same tattoo on his arm. After a DNA test on the dead body, Natalie came to Tea's house saying that the DNA found on the dead body matched Victor Jr., meaning that he killed the person found outside in the river. Natalie also strikes up a friendship Destiny Evans at Shelter.

After accepting a date from Cutter, Natalie receives a text message from John, who is currently on assignment in Quantico, to discuss the Dear John letter, she supposedly wrote to him. She learns that Clint orchestrated the letter, she decides to write Clint off, but ultimately forgives him. Natalie's relationship with Cutter ended while at the "Man of the Year" gala together when she learned that he had been sleeping with Nikki for months. As Natalie dealt with the admission, her father made a drunken scene at the gala and was taken to the hospital. When Natalie went to visit Clint, she found Allison Perkins standing over him with a syringe.

Reception

In 2003, Archer won "Outstanding Newcomer" at the Soap Opera Digest Awards.[11] She was later awarded "Favorite Triangle" storyline at the 2005 ceremony.[1] In April 2010, a reporter for Soapnet praised Archer's portrayal of Natalie. They said she made a "brilliant scene" in which Natalie launches into a tirade of abuse aimed at Marty Saybrooke (Susan Haskell), following her interference with her romantic relationship with John McBain (Michael Easton). The reporter empathised with Natalie because people often say "awful" things they will regret; but in their opinion, "Melissa brought it home".[12] Katherine Thurston from About.com opined, "Natalie has come from a life of lies and heartache, but since moving to Llanview has become a strong and independent women. She fights for everything she wants, especially when it comes to her family."[13] Randee Dawn from Soap Opera Digest branded Natalie as "terminally-insecure [and] often-nasty".[5] Chris Silk of the Naples Daily News said, "It didn't take long for Natalie to shake up one of Llanview's most prominent families."[14]

References

  1. 1 2 Amodeo-Pisano,, Christina. "Melissa Archer - Actress Profile and Biography". About.com. (The New York Times Company). Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Thurston, Katherine. "25 Facts on Actress Melissa Archer (OLTL's Natalie Buchanan)". About.com. (The New York Times Company). Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Natalie Banks played by Melissa Archer". One Life to Live. (American Broadcasting Company). Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "Melissa Archer". About.com. (The New York Times Company). Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Dawn, Randee (2002). "Interview with Melissa Archer". About.com. (The New York Times Company). Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  6. ↑ Havens, Candace (12 July 2003). "Slezak reflects on over three decades of 'Life'". The Rochester Sentinel. (The Sentinel Corporation). Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  7. ↑ Lash, Jolie (25 January 2013). "One Life To Live, All My Children – New Episodes On The Way This Spring Via Hulu, iTunes". Access Hollywood. (NBCUniversal Television Group). Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Lash, Jodie (April 17, 2013). "One Life To Live Q&A: Melissa Archer On The Return Of Natalie Buchanan". Access Hollywood. (NBCUniversal Television Group). Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  9. ↑ Sullivan, Eve (April 26, 2013). "Not your mama's drama: Stamford soaps will air online". The Advocate. (Hearst Corporation). Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  10. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (7/16/01)". ABC.com (Internet Archive). Archived from the original on March 26, 2008. Retrieved March 26, 2008.
  11. ↑ "SOAPnet Presents The Soap Opera Digest Award Show Winners". Atlanta Inquirer. (via Highbeam Research). April 26, 2003. Retrieved May 25, 2013.(subscription required)
  12. ↑ "One Life to Live: Week in Review for April 12, 2010". Soapnet. (The Walt Disney Company). 12 April 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  13. ↑ Thurston, Katherine. "Natalie Buchanan - OLTL Character Profile". About.com. (The New York Times Company). Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  14. ↑ Silk, Chris (October 22, 2012). "PR: Southwest Florida Soapfest announces celebrity lineup". Naples Daily News. (E. W. Scripps Company). Retrieved May 25, 2013.

External links

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