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Danica Stewart (Jessica Bennett)

Sick of Spike’s emotional abuse, Jessica fled Harmony with Paloma and Simone. Unfortunately, she got caught up in an equally dangerous situation in Rome. Danica Stewart gave us the lowdown on Jessica’s penchant for peril – with some animated input from her real life pals Cathy Jeneén Doe (Simone) and Silvana Arias (Paloma).

The murdered johns is still a mystery... do you think it ties into Vendetta?
I don’t know, I’m so in the dark! It’s definitely open-ended right now. At this point, Jessica’s with the girls in Rome, and she wants to be good.

Why does that silly Jessica keep going back to Spike?
(Laughs) I know, it’s bad. She has a drug problem that Spike feeds into. She’s obviously very low on herself – she was cutting. Spike tells her everything she wants to hear. She’s looking for comfort and love. Right now her dad is consumed with Ivy – everybody has something else going on. She feels alone and Spike is there every time saying, “Come with me.” She’s very easily influenced by other people. She doesn’t know how to go about getting out of the situation.

Jessica left Spike and took off for Rome. Do you think she’ll go back to him?
It’s hard to tell because you never know. It was definitely a good move to leave! But there’s a lot of unresolved story with Spike, with the murdered johns… so it’s hard to say. And Spike is tied to Alistair, and as long as Alistair wants to keep punishing the Bennetts, he’ll be hanging around.

In Rome, Jessica’s street smarts have come in handy. Do you enjoy playing that new facet of her?
I have enjoyed Jessica a lot since going to Rome. Before she took on the storyline of being a hooker, she was very passive and not very strong. But now she’s discovering a lot more of who she is. In Rome, you can tell she’s growing up and maturing. I like that a lot. She went through a lot of bad stuff, but you can tell she’s now using it to her advantage and learning from it.

Do you miss playing Jessica as the good girl?
I think she’s always been good, but she’s been pressured to do bad stuff. She’s always had a good heart, and she knows what’s right, she just doesn’t always choose the right things. I like playing both. Playing the hooker was a good challenge and good to explore. I’d like her to get a boyfriend.

Who should be her boyfriend?
Hmm... [She turns to Cathy Jeneén Doe (Simone) and Silvana Arias (Paloma) and a debate ensues.]
Cathy: Of the people who are here?
Danica: Yeah.
Cathy: I think you need a new Latin lover!
Silvana: Maybe Roberto!
Danica: Maybe Miguel!
Everyone gasps.
Silvana: That would be interesting!
Danica: If I went after Miguel, Kay and I would get into it. Although I don’t know because they’ve already done the sisters thing with Simone and Whitney and Chad.
Cathy: (Playfully pouts) Yeah, but I never HAD him. But I’m not bitter.
Danica: Miguel has the mermaid now. Who else?
Cathy: You’re related to the rest of them.
Danica: We need some new hot guys.
Silvana: You need an Italian guy in Rome!
Cathy: What about the guy Simone dated in high school? John Hastings?
Danica: Jessica thinks that’s her brother. What if I went after Fox?!
Cathy: Or Chad.
Silvana: Or Julian!