Rex Balsom is a fictional character from the American daytime drama ''
One Life to Live
''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as ...
'', portrayed by
John-Paul Lavoisier from May 9, 2002, to the show's finale on January 12, 2012.
Casting and characterization
With the character named "Jamie" prior to production, then-Executive Producer
Gary Tomlin
Gary Tomlin is an American soap opera actor, writer, producer and director.
Career
Tomlin's career on daytime serials began in 1973 when he was cast on CBS's ''Search for Tomorrow'' as Bruce Carson. He also made a guest appearance on "The Nightwal ...
"toyed with the idea" of putting Rex in a gay storyline and Lavoisier stated in ''
Soap Opera Digest
''Soap Opera Digest'' was a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It featured onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional ...
'' in 2003: "I was asked by the higher powers at the show how I would feel about doing something like that. I said, 'Absolutely, any plot you want to give me, I'll take on strong.' And they said, 'Okay, we just wanted to check.'"
[Dawn, Randee. "Rex and the City."](_blank)
''Soap Opera Digest
''Soap Opera Digest'' was a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It featured onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional ...
'', April 1, 2003. However, this idea never realized, with the character repeatedly paired with women. Calling Rex a "heterosexual horndog," Lavoisier noted he "added a glint in
ex'seye he'd lifted from
Ryan Phillippe
Matthew Ryan Phillippe ( ; born September 10, 1974) is an American actor. After appearing as Billy Douglas (One Life to Live), Billy Douglas on the soap opera ''One Life to Live'' (1992–1993) and making his feature film debut in ''Crimson Tide ...
's ... ''
Cruel Intentions
''Cruel Intentions'' is a 1999 American teen romantic drama film written and directed by Roger Kumble, and starring Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film, set in New York City among rich high s ...
'' character of Sebastian. 'They said, "Sure, go with that. Start with that." And that was pretty much it.'"
Storylines
Believing
Roxy Balsom
Roxy Balsom is a fictional character from ABC's daytime drama ''One Life to Live''. The character was played by Ilene Kristen from November 7, 2001, through the final episode on January 13, 2012.
The character is known for her constant malapropis ...
to be her biological mother,
Jessica Buchanan
Jessica Eugenia Buchanan (also Santi, Vega, Brennan, Ford and Wentworth) is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live''. She is the daughter of Victoria Lord and Clint Buchanan. She is the fraternal twin sister of Natalie Bu ...
travels to Michigan in 2002 to meet Roxy's son, Rex. Rex soon comes to
Llanview
Llanview, Pennsylvania is the fictional setting for the long-running American soap opera ''One Life to Live''. The city exists in the same fictional universe as cities from other existing or defunct ABC daytime dramas, including Pine Valley, Pen ...
to take advantage of the fact that Jessica is a member of a wealthy family. Raised by his father's sister, Corinne Balsom,
["Rex and Gigi's Secret Past Revealed on ''OLTL''." ''Soap Opera Digest'', Vol. 32, No. 52, December 25, 2007, page 8. " ex and Gigiwere high school sweethearts in Michigan, when Rex used to live with his Aunt Corrine ... Rex just abruptly left town and left Gigi and never gave her an explanation ... She tried to get in touch with him for a very important reason and she never could get in touch with him."][Though the character's name has been repeatedly spelled "Corrine" at ABC.com, SoapCentral.com and in ''Soap Opera Digest'', Ann Hamilton was credited as "Corinne" onscreen on January 25, 2008.] Rex has an uneasy relationship with Roxy. It is ultimately revealed that Jessica and
Natalie
Natalie may refer to:
Places
* Natalie, Michigan, an unincorporated community
People
* Natalie (given name)
* Natalie (singer) (born 1979), Mexican-American R&B singer/songwriter
* (born 1999), better known as Natalie Zenn, Indonesian act ...
are actually
fraternal twin
Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of Twin Last Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two e ...
s and both the daughters of
Victoria Lord Davidson. Rex has remained close to Natalie, the sister he grew up with, and maintains a friendship with Jessica.
Rex becomes involved with
Jennifer Rappaport
This is a list of notable characters from the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'' that made their first appearance between 2000 and 2009.
Kimberly Andrews
Kimberly Andrews (born Aubrey Wentworth) is a fictional character on the American soap ...
. Torn between Rex and
Joey Buchanan
Joey Buchanan (born Joe Riley Jr.) is a fictional character from the American daytime serial ''One Life to Live''. The character is the son of original protagonists Victoria Lord and Joe Riley Sr.
Casting
The role of Joey Buchanan was originate ...
, Jen first elopes with Rex in the summer of 2003, but then quickly divorces in order to marry Joey in August. Jen has an affair with Rex, and when the truth comes out, Jen and Joey divorce. Rex is later devastated when Jen is murdered by
Daniel Colson and Rex discovers Jen's body.
Rex becomes a bit more respectable by taking over management of
R.J. Gannon
This is a list of characters from the American ABC Daytime soap opera, ''One Life to Live.''
Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe
Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe is a fictional character on the American soap opera ''One Life to Live''. Peter Bartlett played ...
's nightclub, Ultra Violet. Rex parlays his street smarts and shady connections into a sideline career as an amateur private investigator. In occasionally aiding the police, Rex develops a friendship with Police Commissioner
Bo Buchanan
Beaufort Oglethorpe "Bo" Buchanan is a fictional character from the American soap opera ''One Life to Live'', portrayed by Robert S. Woods.
Casting and awards
Robert S. Woods created the character of Bo in November 1979. Woods originally screen te ...
, who is constantly frustrated by Rex's mischief and methods, but cares about him like a son.
In 2006, Rex becomes romantically involved with
Adriana Cramer
Adriana Cramer is a fictional character from the American daytime drama ''One Life to Live''. Amanda Cortinas originated the character in 2003, and Melissa Fumero (credited by her maiden name "Melissa Gallo") subsequently played her from 2004 to 2 ...
, whose mother
Dorian Lord
Dorian Lord is a fictional character and matriarch of the Cramer family on the American daytime drama ''One Life to Live'', played most notably and for the list of longest-serving soap opera actors#United States, longest duration by actress Robin ...
disapproves of the match and goes to great lengths to keep them apart.
Jen's murder in 2005 had cemented Rex's closeness to Jen's best friend,
Marcie Walsh
Marcie Walsh McBain is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, ''One Life to Live''. The role was played by Kathy Brier from October 18, 2002 to June 17, 2009 and briefly on November 6, 12 and 13, 2009. Marcie and Michael returned on October ...
. While searching for
Todd Manning
Thomas Todd Manning is a fictional character from the American daytime drama ''One Life to Live'' (''OLTL''). Created by writers Michael Malone (author), Michael Malone and Josh Griffith, the role was originated in 1993 by actor Roger Howarth. T ...
's son, Rex discovers that the child is actually
Tommy
Tommy may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tommy (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army
* Tommy Giacomelli (born 1974), Brazilian fo ...
, the adopted son of Marcie and
Michael McBain
Michael McBain is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live''.
Casting
The role was originated by R. Brandon Johnson in November 2003. Nathaniel Marston stepped in on February 16, 2004, and ultimately left on November 29, ...
. Knowing that they would be devastated if he were taken away, Rex decides to keep the secret.
Spencer Truman
This is a list of notable characters from the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'' that made their first appearance between 2000 and 2009.
Kimberly Andrews
Kimberly Andrews (born Aubrey Wentworth) is a fictional character on the American soa ...
is soon murdered and Bo catches Rex holding the murder weapon. Rex is exonerated, but Bo suspects that he is keeping something from him. In the wake of Spencer's death, hints to the whereabouts of Todd's son begin to surface, prompting Todd to resume his search.
Miles Laurence
This is a list of notable characters from the American Broadcasting Company, ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'' that made their first appearance between 2000 and 2009.
Kimberly Andrews
Kimberly Andrews (born Aubrey Wentworth) is a fictional ...
gives Todd proof that Spencer had orchestrated the adoption of Todd's son by the McBains.
Todd is awarded custody of his son, but Marcie flees with Tommy. The search leads Rex to
Paris, Texas
Paris is a city and county seat of Lamar County, Texas, United States. Located in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods, the population of the city was 24,171 in 2020.
History
Present-day Lamar County was part of Red River ...
, where he runs into
Gigi Morasco
Gigi Morasco is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live''. She was portrayed by Farah Fath from October 24, 2007, through January 12, 2012.
Storylines
Gigi is introduced as a waitress at the Bon Jour Café in Paris, Texas. ...
, his high school girlfriend.
Rex apologizes for his sudden disappearance from her life in 2002 when he left for Llanview. Gigi lies about any knowledge of Marcie’s whereabouts. Agreeing with Rex that "it is a terrible thing for a father to not have the opportunity to watch his son grow up," Gigi says she has something to tell him. But she holds back as Rex mentions his plans to propose to Adriana. With Marcie anxious to raise cash to leave the country, Gigi sells Rex Marcie's engagement ring. Rex returns to Llanview and proposes to Adriana; she accepts, but Michael recognizes Marcie's ring. He rushes to Texas, bringing Todd and the authorities with him.
In early 2008, Rex and Adriana meet
Charlie Banks. Charlie, who is hiding his identity in order to conceal his relationship to his son,
Jared Banks
Jared Banks is a fictional character on the American daytime drama ''One Life to Live''. Originally slated to debut on August 17, 2007, the character, as portrayed by John Brotherton, first appeared a week earlier on August 10, 2007. Chris Bones p ...
, glances idly at Roxy's business card and introduces himself as "Charlie Balsom." Rex inquires as to whether he and Charlie are related, but Charlie insists they aren't. Rex remains curious about his lineage, first asking Roxy, then his Aunt Corinne, about Walter Balsom's side of the family. Both women are evasive and nervous, and Rex becomes convinced that they are hiding something. When Corinne visits Llanview to congratulate Rex on his engagement, she admits that she doubts that Walter Balsom was Rex's father.
To stop Rex from looking further, Roxy claims that Charlie Banks is his father. She begs Charlie to go along with the story. He agrees, and reluctantly lets Rex start building a relationship with him. The truth eventually comes out, and though Rex is hurt and furious, Roxy evades his questions about his real father. Rex and Natalie learn that not only is
Mitch Laurence
Mitch Laurence is a fictional character from the ABC daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live''. He was portrayed by Roscoe Born from 1985 to 1987 and again from 2002 to 2003. Born returned from November 9, 2009, to April 6, 2010. Born reappeared a ...
not Rex's father, but that Roxy isn't his mother. Allison Perkins switched Rex at birth with Roxy and Mitch's real son,
Schuyler Joplin
This is a list of notable characters from the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'' that made their first appearance between 2000 and 2009.
Kimberly Andrews
Kimberly Andrews (born Aubrey Wentworth) is a fictional character on the American soap ...
. Believing that Roxy's baby (Schuyler) was going to die, Allison took an infant abandoned at the hospital (Rex) and passed that baby off as Mitch's son. However, when Allison discovered that Mitch's child would be fine, she told her sister, Dr. Leah Joplin, that it was her baby, but that she didn't want it and allowed Dr. Joplin to raise the child as her own.
Meanwhile, Gigi has come to Llanview. Adriana discovers Shane's existence and suspects that he is Rex's son. Gigi confirms that Shane's father,
Brody Lovett
Brody Lovett is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'', portrayed by Mark Lawson from April 24, 2008, to January 13, 2012, when the series ended.
Storylines
Brody is a former Navy SEAL brought to Llanview by Adriana ...
, is a deceased
Navy SEAL
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main funct ...
. Gigi is troubled as Rex begins getting closer to Shane. With Gigi a constant presence and Rex getting closer to Shane, Adriana seeks to find some leverage against Gigi. She discovers that Brody is alive, and he confirms that Gigi had been pregnant when he met her. Adriana brings him to Llanview. Rex and Adriana marry, but soon separate when Rex discovers her machinations. When Gigi leaves town to follow Rex to Texas, Brody uses Rex's DNA from a toothbrush to fake a paternity test which "proves" Brody to be Shane's father. Gigi and Rex eventually return to Llanview together, with Rex knowing the truth about Shane's paternity. Brody suffers a
mental breakdown
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...
, kidnapping Shane and accidentally shooting Rex. Adriana returns and keeps Gigi from seeing Rex, who is in a coma. When Rex awakens, Adriana finally accepts his feelings for Gigi, and lets Rex go for good. With Brody suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a Psychological trauma, traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster ...
, Rex decides not to press charges. Initially resentful of Rex, Shane comes to appreciate his newly-found father.
Roxy finally admits to Rex that his father is dead, and that she killed him in self-defense. Roxy subsequently visits an unseen, comatose man in a hospital, whom she identifies as Rex's father. She vows to keep the secret forever and leaves. Shane is diagnosed with leukemia, and Roxy discovers that Rex's comatose father is a bone marrow match. Gigi's estranged sister,
Stacy Morasco
This is a list of notable characters from the American Broadcasting Company, ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'' that made their first appearance between 2000 and 2009.
Kimberly Andrews
Kimberly Andrews (born Aubrey Wentworth) is a fictional ...
, blackmails Roxy into helping her pretend to be the donor. Armed with a spare bag of his blood in case Shane needs it, Roxy pulls the plug on Rex's father; he survives and is spirited away by a nurse who tells Roxy that he is dead. Gigi is eventually able to prove that Stacy is not a bone marrow match, and Gigi and Rex secretly reunite. However, Stacy finds out that she is pregnant, having slept with Rex weeks earlier. She loses the baby, but gets pregnant again by
Oliver Fish
Oliver Fish (often referred to onscreen as Fish) is a fictional character on the ABC daytime drama ''One Life to Live''. He was portrayed by Scott Evans from January 15, 2008, through April 12, 2010. The June 2009 announcement that the characte ...
and passes it off as Rex's. Rex's Aunt Corinne gives him a copy of his birth certificate, revealing
Mitch Laurence
Mitch Laurence is a fictional character from the ABC daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live''. He was portrayed by Roscoe Born from 1985 to 1987 and again from 2002 to 2003. Born returned from November 9, 2009, to April 6, 2010. Born reappeared a ...
to be his father; Roxy confirms it. Rex discovers that Stacy's child is not his. Meanwhile, Gigi helps Stacy give birth to a baby girl she names
Sierra Rose. Stacy falls through the ice of a frozen lake and, despite Rex and Oliver's attempts to save her, she is presumed dead.
Viki hires Rex to investigate
Echo DiSavoy
Echo DiSavoy is a fictional character on the ABC daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live''. She was portrayed by Kim Zimmer from March to October 1983. After a twenty-seven-year absence, during which Zimmer went on to play the long-running characte ...
, who has returned to Llanview. Echo later confronts
Clint Buchanan
Clint Buchanan is a fictional character from the American soap opera ''One Life to Live''.
Casting
The role was originated on September 10, 1979, by actor Clint Ritchie, portraying the role nearly continuously through December 30, 1998. Ritchie ...
and declares that they are Rex's biological parents. Clint reveals that he has known about Rex for quite some time. Clint dislikes Rex, whom he considers a "gold-digging piece of trash", like Echo. Echo is wracked by guilt over abandoning Rex and she publicly reveals that she is Rex's mother. She names Charlie as the father in order to protect Rex from Clint's wrath. Rex allows Echo to begin spending more time with his family. At Jessica and Natalie's double wedding, Vimal Patel shocks everyone by revealing that Clint is Rex's father, and that Clint had paid him to tamper with the paternity test. Rex and Charlie are devastated.
Rex asks Gigi to marry him and she says yes. However, before they can marry, Gigi is left brain dead from carbon monoxide poisoning when she stumbled into a trap set by
Jack Manning. Rex agrees to give Gigi's heart to Clint, who had suffered a heart attack, in exchange for all of his assets. Rex also moves into the Buchanan Mansion, which he took ownership of as part of Clint's assets, along with Shane and Echo.
Rex later confides to Echo that he has been seeing Gigi as a ghost and believes that she may still be alive. Natalie hires psychic,
Madame Delphina
This is a list of characters from the American ABC Daytime soap opera, ''One Life to Live.''
Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe
Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe is a fictional character on the American soap opera ''One Life to Live''. Peter Bartlett played ...
, to help Rex contact Gigi's spirit. Madame Delphina gives Rex a cryptic clue, which leads him to a strip club in Kentucky. Rex and Natalie go to investigate. Rex hears an announcement for a stripper going by the name of "Gigi". It turns out that "Gigi" is the name being used by
Kimberly Andrews
This is a list of notable characters from the American Broadcasting Company, ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'' that made their first appearance between 2000 and 2009.
Kimberly Andrews
Kimberly Andrews (born Aubrey Wentworth) is a fictional ...
, who was a friend Stacy. Rex confronts Kim and asks her why she is using his late fiancée’s name. Kim says that she is paying respects to Stacy, who had used the name "Gigi" as a stripper in Las Vegas. Rex tells Kim that Gigi may still be alive, and that he is Clint's biological son, having extorted the entire Buchanan fortune away from Clint in exchange for Gigi's heart. Rex returns home with Natalie. After Rex leaves, Kim goes to the hospital to visit a mysterious comatose woman. Kim tells the woman that Rex visited her and that Rex is looking for Gigi. The woman is soon revealed to be Stacy.
Rex decides to return everything to Clint as a way of his moving on with his life. However, Clint officially acknowledges both Rex and Shane as his family and says that they have a right to live in the family home. Rex is visited by
Cutter Wentworth
This is a list of characters from the ABC Daytime– Prospect Park soap opera, ''One Life to Live'', that began their run between the beginning of 2010 and the final cancelation of the show.
Tomás Delgado
Tomás Delgado is a fictional charac ...
, who tells Rex that Gigi is still alive and he will return her to him in exchange for the Buchanan fortune. Rex and Shane visit Gigi's grave to pay their respects, where Stacy, who has had plastic surgery in order to look like Gigi, is hiding.
Rex later goes back to The Bon Jour Café where he meets "Stacy", unaware that she's really Gigi. Rex scolds "Stacy" for getting plastic surgery to look like Gigi. "Stacy" tells Rex that she is really Gigi, but that she doesn't remember anything about her old self, and is trying to get her memories back. Cutter tells Rex that "Stacy" is really Gigi, and that it was Stacy who had plastic surgery to look like Gigi. Professor Delbet Fina Jr. arrives at the diner to help Rex and "Stacy" with answers about the night of Gigi's death. It is revealed that "Stacy" is actually Gigi. It was Stacy who died from carbon monoxide poisoning, but was mistakenly identified as Gigi. Rex also tells Gigi that Stacy's heart was donated to Clint after his heart attack. Rex comes back home to Llanview to surprise Shane with his mother, explaining to him that Stacy, not Gigi, was the one who had died.
On New Year's Eve 2011, Rex and Gigi are married at Llanfair.
In January 2012, Gigi, Rex, and Shane decide to move to England so that Shane can attend an art school. They say good-bye to their friends and family before leaving Llanview to move to England.
Reception
In 2024, Charlie Mason from ''
Soaps She Knows
There are multiple media outlets which focus primarily on television soap operas and telenovela
A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") ...
'' called Natalie and Rex "screwed-up individuals", which he blamed on Roxy's parenting.
See also
*
Buchanan family
The Buchanan family is a long-running family of fictional characters on the American soap opera ''One Life to Live''. The ensemble was originally inspired by the Ewing family on the primetime soap opera ''Dallas'', and appeared from September 197 ...
References
External links
Rex Balsom profile – ABC.comRex Balsom profile – SoapCentral.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balsom, Rex
Television characters introduced in 2002
One Life to Live characters
Fictional businesspeople in soap operas
Fictional private investigators
Adoptee characters in soap operas
American male characters in soap operas
Buchanan family (One Life to Live)