Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 10:30 PM ET by Scotty Gore
Photo: Yolanda Perez/ABC
(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Tuc Watkins will soon be spending less time in Llanview and more time on Wisteria Lane as the actor has been upgraded to a series regular on “Desperate Housewives.”Â
Watkins, who has been portraying gay lawyer Bob Hunter (alongside Kevin Rahm who plays his partner Lee McDermott) on the primetime sudser on a recurring basis since October 2007, will become a contract member of the cast when the show begins its seventh season this fall on ABC.Â
The actor tells Access Hollywood that the “the timing works out perfectly,” and that “I’m doing the play [White Lies] for eight weeks and then when ‘Desperate Housewives’ starts up again in mid-July, I go back to do that on a hopefully more [regular basis].”
But what does this mean with regards to his latest stint on “One Life to Live?”  Watkins recently signed a short-term contract with the sudser to reprise his role of David Vickers. However, news of Watkins becoming a regular on “DH” broke the same day that “OLTL” persona returnted to Llanview. He is expected to remain with “One Life” until the middle of next month, when taping is scheduled to resume on “Desperate Housewives.”Â
“I played David Vickers on ‘One Life To Live’ for a year the way he was written, which was a cool, mysterious con man and I was unremarkable at doing that and then one day I accidentally fell down the stairs while trying to be cool and mysterious and everybody laughed at me. That’s when I realized, he’s not a cool mysterious character, he thinks he’s a cool mysterious character. And that’s when the David Vickers that we know today was really born,” Watkins comments to Access Hollywood. “That was [a breakthrough moment]. I’d have to call that an Oprah, ‘Ah ha!’ moment. And it informed the way I take on other roles.”
In addition to “One Life to Live” and “Desperate Housewives,” Watkins is currently appearing on stage in New York City as Joe White in the play “White Lies.” The character is described as ” a roguish divorce lawyer and lady-killer whose mother’s dying wish is to see her son produce a grandchild.”Â
Tuc Watkins originated the role of David Vickers on “One Life to Live” in 1994, and has portrayed the comedic conman off an on ever since. From 1996-97 he played the recurring role of Dr. Pierce Dorman on “General Hospital.” Other television credits include “Beggars and Choosers,” “Sisters,” “Melrose Place,” and “Six Feet Under,” as well as the film “The Mummy.”
“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Weeknights on SOAPnet. Anytime on ABC.com and SOAPnet.com. Check local listings.