With Brytni Sarpy

(Valerie, GH)

■ That surprise kiss between Valerie and Kristina got fans talking. What was your reaction to it? “I mean, it’s about damn time, right? I think it’s cool. We’ve played with that storyline, or the idea of that storyline, for a year now, so it’s nice that Lexi [Ainsworth, Kristina] is finally back and we are able to figure out what is going on with that, and explore that a little bit. I think it’s exciting. I honestly don’t know how I feel about how Valerie feels about it yet, which is how I want to keep it. I kind of want her to be a little confused ... because she is! This is her first dose of exploring her sexuality and, of course, she’s not very open to it. It’s scary! But she was part of that kiss. She wasn’t kissed; it was a 50/50 kiss. What she doesn’t know yet is what that means.” On New Year’s Eve, she was pretty distant from Kristina. “I think she is just pure confusion right now. It’s just a really awkward situation for her, especially because Kristina has already explored her sexuality and knows where she stands. Valerie was not looking to explore that or know that she was going to be confronted with those feelings and dealing with how she felt about these issues, you know — is she bisexual? Is she a lesbian? She’s never confronted any of that. I think she thinks if she avoids

Kristina, she won’t have to deal with any of that.”

I’ve also noticed some talk on Twitter about a possible Valerie/chase pairing. “I noticed that, too! I didn’t think anybody cared! When Valerie talked about Chase with Kristina, I think the dialogue suggested that there is something there. Kristina was talking about how hot he is and Valerie said, ‘Well, look, the bottom line is, he’s obviously into this other girl [Willow], regardless of whether I have feelings for him or not.’ She never flatly says, ‘No, I don’t like him.’ I think that would be fun to explore.”

What do you, Brytni, think of Josh Swickard (Chase)? “Oh, I love Josh. He is a Soulcycle instructor and I’ve taken his classes. He’s into his faith. He’s just a cool guy. I think he’s great.”

And what do you think of your new boss, Briana Nicole Henry (Jordan)? “Love her! Briana, Josh and I actually get along really well and I’ve had a lot of scenes with them lately, which is great. As much as I loved Vinessa [Antoine, ex-jordan], I love Briana just as much. She adds a different energy to the role and it’s cool. It’s a great new dynamic to work with.” What did you make of Valerie attending Jordan’s wedding to Curtis, who is Val’s ex? “It was interesting. I actually had lines about it that got cut, about how it was awkward that she was going to her ex’s wedding. Even though they got cut, I carried that sentiment throughout. But I think it’s good growth to bridge the gap that’s been there between Valerie and Jordan.”