Surf's Up

Alicia Leigh Willis rides into one of GH's hottest new love stories.

By: Jeanne Galle

Photograph by: Russell Bzee

Soap starlets can languish in the shadows for years, waiting for that one, bright storyline that puts them in the spotlight. But in just one year, General Hospital's Alicia Leigh Willis has gone from a supporting player known mostly from her lack of resemblance to her on-screen brother, Sonny Corinthos, to a hot actress in a front-burner romance with one of show's top hunks, Jason Morgan.

Naturally, there were a few detours along the way, as her fresh-faced character, Courtney, married an alcoholic loser, became a stripper, shot her supposed stalker and got into three car accidents. Now, she's gotten mixed up --- heck, she's madly in love --- with a mobster, invoking the wrath of family and friends, as well as some very unforgiving views. But Willis isn't complaining about the bumpy ride.

"It has been an emotional roller coaster but it's been great," Willis marvels. "I bought a house, I have a steady job. Not having to audition every day is nice."

She also relishes her character's journey. "She started off being a dummy," Willis admits. "She was fooled for so long by AJ. Now she has cleared some things up but she still has a whole bunch of problems. She is growing up and becoming stronger."

Son don't expect Courtney to reconcile with her husband. "For her to go back to him would be taking a step back," she asserts. "Jason is finally someone that is taking care of her, instead of her taking care of everyone else; her mom, her dad and even AJ Everyone has flaked out and he's such a strong presence that she feels secure with him."

Of course, with the sudden rise in soap status also comes a little controversy. "I would rather stir up something than nothing," Willis shrugs about the legions of Liason (Liz and Jason) fans who would have her tarred and feathered and run out of town and AJ/Courtney supporters, who are campaigning --- if not quite as loudly --- the cause of the good girl falling in love with the dangerous guy. "Even if it's going to be people not liking me, I don't care. I know not everybody is going to like you."

Fortunately, Willis also has her own fan following, a group known as Journey (as in Jason and Courtney). While she enjoys stretching into lead romantic couple status, she points out that Courtney isn't your typical heroine. "If you mess with her she isn't going to be nice to you," she warns. "She comes from a rough part of town and she knows how to take care of herself. That's why she and Carly get along so well, because they're the same." Offscreen, Wilis shares a similar connection with Carly's portrayer, Tamara Braun. "She has been so great to me ever since I got here. She's been like a sister to me and has given me advice."

Not that she needed much coaching. Willis has played recurring character Corey Conway on 7th Heaven since 1996 (she last appeared February 2002) and cut her soap teeth as Another World's Alli Flower in 1999. "I played a 15-year-old; all I did was get mad at mom and try to break up her marriage," she recalls.

When she's not cooped up at the set, the California-raised beauty can be found at the beach --- her house is blocks from the water --- with her boyfriend of two and a half years, Mike Meechling. "He's my little surfer," she gushes. "When he comes up here for parties everyone's like, 'Oh you're the surfer'. He thinks it's so funny because where we live everyone's a surfer."

Willis was introduced to Meeching by her brother, they both work for a surfer clothing company. "I went to a trade show to visit my brother. Mike and I hit it off and we've been together ever since. He's great, he's my best friend. We ride our bikes to each other's houses; he's right down the street."

Yes Willis is definitely looking up. "Obviously I'm very happy here at GH," she affirms. But does she have any visions about her dream role? "It's silly... I love Gwen Stefani (lead singer of No Doubt). She's so great. That's how I grew up, listening to a lot of punk, and I used to go to her concerts. I always thought it would be so cool if they would do a movie about Gwen Stefani and I could play her. That sounds so cheesy --- I am going to get made fun of for that one." Does that mean the talented actress can sing as well? "In the shower," she laughs.

That's OK ---Willis has proved she knows how to ride the waves of popular opinion.