Guest Author - Pameline Halstead

Erika Slezak

Erika Slezak was born on August 5, 1946 in Hollywood, California. Her father, Walter Slezak, was an award winning actor. Her grandfather, Leo Slezak was a famous tenor who sang at New York?s Metropolitan Opera. Erika is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, admitted to the prestigious school at seventeen.

She portrays Victoria ?Viki? Lord on One Life To Live. A role she has had since 1971.Slezak has won six Daytime Emmys in the category of ?Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series? in 1984, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 2005. She won a Soap Opera Digest Award with Mark Derwin in 2000 for Favorite Couple.

Her character has experienced many tragedies. Viki suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder known as DID. Her character has gone through many divorces, she was once a Riley, Burke, Riley, Buchanan, Buchanan, Carpenter and Davidson. She has survived breast cancer, stroke and a heart transplant. Viki has weathered the tribulations of her children, Megan, Kevin, Joey, Jessica and Natalie.

Erika and her husband, actor Brian Davies, have two children. They make their home in a suburb of New York.