Fooled Again: Susan Lucci Previews Genevieve’s Latest Love Catastrophe on ‘Devious Maids’

No one had more sex—or more husbands—than Susan Lucci during her 41-year run as All My Children’s Erica Kane. But the star’s current alter ego, self-medicating socialite Genevieve Delatour on Devious Maids, is quickly catching up. After six marriages and flings with her pool boy and tennis coach, Genevieve has allowed her latest lover, mama’s boy Christopher Neff (John O’Hurley), to move into her mansion. La Lucci previews the disaster to come.

Romances tend to end badly—and are often deadly—on Devious Maids. Is there any real hope for Genevieve and Dr. Neff?
Well, not after she finds out from his maid that he’s only pretending to be broke. What self-respecting Beverly Hills lady looking for husband No. 7 would be mad because she found a guy with money? Only Genevieve. She is not happy about being duped. What else doesn’t she know about him?

Plus, Christopher clashed with her longtime maid, Zoila (Judy Reyes), who now has to work elsewhere.
Genevieve is devastated by that! Even though she says horrible things to Zoila, like “Friends stick together through thick and thin. Obviously, you’re the thick and I’m the thin,” they are much more like sisters than maid and boss. With a little Lucy and Ethel thrown in.

We must discuss Genevieve’s sex tape, the one with the highly acrobatic position known as “The Blooming Orchid.”
When the cast got together to read that episode, I couldn’t make eye contact with anyone or I’d never have gotten through it. People at the studio will pass me in the hall and go, “Really? The Blooming Orchid?” I will never hear the end of it [Laughs].

Genevieve and Dr. Neff do some pretty loud lovemaking, which Zoila can hear through the wall. How was it recording all those hilarious moans and groans?
Quite the challenge. I thought it’d just be a few “oohs” and “aahs,” but our producer David Warren handed me three pages of sex sounds to record. [Laughs] I didn’t know there were that many!

John O’Hurley

What’s with you and O’Hurley costarring yet again?
We have the best time and the best laughs together. John played the hotshot Hollywood producer who showed up in the final days of All My Children and promised Erica a big career as a movie star, which meant things did not end happily for Erica and Jack. John and I also did a TV movie together years ago—so long ago neither of us can remember the name of it. So Devious Maids is our third time together. Funny thing is, we were both in New York working on soaps at ABC at the same time—he was doing Loving—but we never once crossed paths. How is that possible?

You’re being honored as a Disney Legend at the upcoming D23 Expo, along with George Lucas, composer Danny Elfman and Beauty and the Beast animator Andreas Deja. And you didn’t have to be nominated 19 times!
Exactly. This was soo much easier than winning the Emmy. All it took was a lovely note from [Disney chairman and CEO] Bob Iger asking if I would accept the honor. Trust me, there was no arm-twisting necessary.

Of course, you can’t ignore the irony that the people now honoring you as a legend are the same ones who ruthlessly gave All My Children the ax. Or can you?
Well, it’s no secret I was shocked and unhappy when All My Children was cancelled. But if I had to be kicked out of the nest, Devious Maids was a great new nest to land in. And it, too, is a Disney show so I’m still in the family. Genevieve is such a juicy part. I adore the cast and the crew so much. It’s just one big lovefest. I never thought I’d find another experience like All My Children. But here we are, and it’s fantastic!

Devious Maids, Mondays, 9/8c, Lifetime