John Oliver has revealed the worst acting moment from his two stints as this summer’s newest soap opera star.
In May, the late-night host offered his services to any soap opera this summer and eventually appeared on both General Hospital and Days of Our Lives.
Oliver, 49, asked for three conditions before he joined the cast of the country’s most popular soap operas: a “ridiculous” name, a “juicy storyline,” and a slap across the face.
On General Hospital, the HBO host had a three-episode arc which included “all his requirements and more,” as Oliver put it on this weekend’s episode of Last Week Tonight. For his role on the long-running soap, Oliver played “Z,” the director of a mysterious global spy agency. He was also slapped in the face by Carly Corinthos, played by Laura Wright, 55.
As a part of this storyline, Oliver’s character and Wright’s character engage in a heated exchange, during which the TV-host-turned-soap-actor had his “embarrassing moment.”
Toward the end of the tense back-and-forth, which Oliver played for his audience, the British anchor tells Wright in his version of an American accent: “Then let me put this in language that you will understand: That ain’t goin’ to happen.”
As Oliver’s audience burst into laughter at the clip, the anchor said, “Yes. Yes. That had everything: a slap, a dramatic close-up, and me doing a voice so wrong it is genuinely embarrassing!”
“That was my honest attempt at an American accent. I can’t tell you why it’s Southern. I can only tell you I was trying my hardest,” he explained.
Oliver’s self-proclaimed “embarrassing” moment did not deter the host from his overall experience as a soap star, saying he could have “died happy after that.”
His scene co-star, Wright, told Variety that she thought the host was “incredible” during his cameo. “I was so impressed with the writing that honored what he does well while also staying true to what we do, and how he showed up and delivered,” she said.
“He was perfect with his lines. We were in the middle of a very intense storyline that has been building for months, so it’s really funny that he stepped right in and didn’t miss a beat. You would think he’s been on the show!” she said.
Oliver professed his gratitude for both soaps for featuring him this summer. “So, a massive thank you to everyone at both General Hospital and Days of Our Lives for welcoming me into your worlds and making my soap opera dreams come true,” he said.
But he signed off with a dig at his own acting skills. “I wish I could say that being surrounded by so many talented professionals has made me a better actor, but I think deep down we all know that ain’t goin’ to happen.”
