| A powerful combination of strength, drive and energy, plus a terrific sense of humor and the ability to appreciate her mistakes, on screen and off, GL's Kim Zimmer is the epitome of the woman who has it all...and has the stories to prove it! Reva, the tempestuous temptress from Tulsa, turned up in town in 1983...and Springfield hasn't been the same since! From the moment she set foot inside city limits, Reva wreaked havoc and broke several hearts. "In the beginning, Reva was not someone who was put up on a pedestal and adored by everyone who met her," recalls Zimmer. "She was a fighter. People didn't like her, particularly." That's an understatement. Several attempts were made on her life (remember Josh's schizophrenic bride Sonni/Solita?). The bluebloods didn't like Reva's blue collar roots mixing with their own. Not even being deemed the "Slut of Springfield" stopped Reva from getting what she wanted --- her beloved "Bud," a.k.a. Joshua Lewis. In 1989, six years and several husbands later, Reva got her man and married Josh. A year later, Reva had a severe case of post-partum depression and drove off a bridge, and was presumed dead. When Zimmer left GL in 1990, she had earned three Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress. With a niche carved out in the upper echelons of the acting community, making her one of the most recognizable and sought-after performers in the medium, she went to L.A. to see if she could survive the treacherous world of primetime and film. Zimmer did more than survive --- she flourished! One of her first jobs was a guest appearance on Designing Women. In the episode "The Rowdy Girls," Zimmer portrayed Mavis, Charlene's cousin who was a victim of spousal abuse. "It was nominated for the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy that year and that was the show they submitted," notes Zimmer. The versatile actress got roles on Santa Barbara (Jodie) and Models Inc., as well as a memorable guest spot on Seinfeld. "The estate lawyer I played was a little stern," jokes the blonde beauty. In 1995, Zimmer decided to return to GL. Over the next five years, Reva overcame a bout of amnesia, another one of Josh's crazy wives (Annie) trying to kill her and being cloned. However, this time around, Reva was no longer the outcast. She was now a pillar of the community. Virtually everyone, with a few exceptions, loved Reva. She was put upon a pedestal and has remained there ever since. "Now Reva's got the pedestal stuck up her butt. She can't get down," Zimmer declares emphatically. "I've been saying for years that Reva's made mistakes. Please let's let her make more mistakes --- maybe in dealing with her children. She hasn't been that big a part of their lives." That may be the biggest area where the actress and her alter ego differ. Unlike the six husbands, four children (only two of them have the same parents) and one grandchild that Reva has, Zimmer has been a loving wife to her hubby, A.C. Weary, and a devoted mom to their three children, Rachel, Jacob and Max. In fact, this fall, Rachel begins college away from home. "She's off to her freshman year. It's scary," reveals the hands-on mom. "It's a big adjustment, but I don't think it's really hit me yet. This house is going to be full of boys! Even the dog is a boy!" laughs Zimmer. If she needs a quick little girl fix, she won't have that far to go. "They're all over the place," she says. "I can go to Michael O'Leary's (Rick) and play with his two girls. And then there's little Isabella, Liz Keifer's (Blake) little daughter, too." Plus, her new leading man, Mark Dobies (Noah), has two girls of his own. "Mark just couldn't get Olivia to quiet down. So I said, 'Give me that kid!' and I did the 'Mommy rock.' And his other daughter Francesca is so beautiful, such a little lady. They're just both so cute. I miss that," she admits wistfully. With new headwriter Claire Labine at the helm, Zimmer may get her chance to deal with kids again. "Hopefully, Claire will acknowledge the fact that Susan is my granddaughter and that I have some stuff with my daughter Marah and son Shayne, who are teenagers. I don't know how they're going to do this, but I know Claire wants to find out what my relationship is with all my kids. I told her Reva has kids out there, like Dylan and Jonathan. They really should explore the Jonathan thing; at least have Reva visit him. That should be an issue," according to Zimmer. What about Reva's romance with Noah? Is she falling in love with the good doctor? "Oddly enough, it's a little reminiscent of Reva and H.B., even though Noah is a lot younger," she opines. "There's nothing attached to it. He's with her just because he's with her. Noah gives Reva freedom, and it's all the pluses of a relationship without any negatives. That's what it really is with them." Does this mean Reva will outlast another romance only to be reunited with Josh? "Somebody once said that Reva and Josh are better off apart. In a way, they are," analyzes the soap star. "They get along so much better when they're trying to get back together. Josh and Reva talk more when they're apart. They have to engage in conversation to find out what's going on. Those moments become more important. We definitely need to get back to the family thing. Whether Josh and Reva do it together or apart is what's going to be interesting." No matter what the future holds for this much-loved character, there's no doubt that Zimmer will come through it with flying colors! |