CHRISTINE TUCCI AND HER ROLE: ‘IT’S LIKE HAVING A BREAKDOWN’

“Since Amanda became paralyzed, I had been coming home depressed and almost a vegetable,� says Christine Tucci, who plays Amanda Harrison on “Another World.�

“In the past few weeks, I finally realized I’d be doing this for a while and would put myself into an early grave if I didn’t get out of this state of mind. Now, when I come home, I make an effort to do something fun for myself.�

It is not just playing a paraplegic that gets to Tucci. “It’s playing out Amanda’s state of mind.

“It’s like going to work every day and having a breakdown,� Tucci continues. “It’s a great challenge.�

For the role, Tucci has gone so far as immobilizing her feet. Until Amanda’s family persuaded her to go to a Cory Publishing board meeting, the character was seen in a bed for more than a month and a half.

“It’s odd,� she explains. “I get annoyed at the immobility. But if I were really paralyzed, it is these things that get on my nerves that bring out the reality of it. At least I can get out of bed when the scene ends.�

Even before this story line, Tucci considered herself far removed from her character.

“She’s mentally gullible, yet a conservative executive,� says Tucci, “and one thing I’m not is conservative. She’s the mother of an 8-year-old daughter. And she has no sense of humor. Not me! To this day I find her difficult to understand.�

The most fun Tucci has had on screen was a scene in which Amanda was tipsy.

“I tell people,� she quips, “that Amanda drunk is me sober. I’m a much happier person, a bit goofy, and far more hyper.�

Off camera, Tucci shares her life with co-star Paul Michael Valley, who plays Ryan Harrison on the show. They have been a couple since their first date, and after a year of having separate residences, they just moved to a huge apartment on New York’s Upper West Side with an incredible view of the Hudson River.

“It was time to take the next step,� she says. “But since we are both private people, we each have our own phone line. And we got this big apartment so that we could each have private space. We even have two televisions so that he can watch his sports without my losing out.�

Although the two do not work together often, Tucci admits to having a jealous streak and has difficulty watching him film love scenes.

“I tell myself it is the job,� she says, “but it is a fine line--especially if I’m feeling insecure on that particular day. It’s not so bad when he is working with Jensen Buchanan (who plays his long-time love interest Vicky Hudson). I love her. She’s a dear friend. She and Paul are like brother and sister. But when he’s with other actresses, it can be tough.�

Once she starts talking about her beau, she can’t stop: “He’s the romantic one. He always comes up with quite amazing things. He enjoys cooking far more than I do, and he often whips up something special. I get flowers, notes, cards. He does something special just about every day. It is obvious the bloom is not off the rose.�

When asked the inevitable question about marriage, she carefully states, “Yes, it is probably in the cards. Things are going well, but we are not engaged. We are happy. The rest we’ll take one day at a time.�

“Another World� airs at 1 p.m. weekdays on NBC.