Gwen Norbeck

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As the World Turns character

Gwen Norbeck
Played by Jennifer Landon
Duration 2005-
Date of Birth 1988
Marital Status Married (Will Munson)
Occupation Student/Singer
Family Iris, Will, Carly, Sage, Parker, JJ

Gwen Norbeck Munson is a fictional character on the American soap opera As the World Turns. She was introduced in early 2005 and is played by Jennifer Landon. Originally shown to be a poor, emancipated minor, Gwen has risen to become a strong woman with a tough exterior, but when under pressure, the uncertainty of her life prevails.

Gwen first appeared on screen as a waitress at Al's, a popular restaurant in town. She was set up on a date with Will Munson, but at first the two did not attract to one another. Gwen showed more interest in Casey Hughes, Will's best friend. In order to get closer to Casey, Gwen befriended his girlfriend Celia Ortega. Casey and Gwen shared a secret and Casey preferred it if Gwen stayed away from his circle of friends, but nevertheless she became part of their group. It became clear that Gwen and Casey had previously slept together. While Casey wanted to leave the past behind them, Gwen had stunning news: she was pregnant!

Afraid to tell Casey the truth (for fear of upsetting Celia, with whom Gwen had become good friends), Gwen revealed the truth to Will. Will took charge of the situation and pretended to be the baby's father. He made sure Gwen, an emancipated minor living in a tiny apartment in town, made all of her doctor's appointments and kept her good condition for the baby. When Will's mother, Barbara Ryan, found out that Will was claiming to be the father of Gwen's baby, she insisted on a paternity test (that was never taken), thus beginning the feud Barbara and Gwen would have for months to come.

Gwen decided to give the baby up for adoption, to Rosanna Montgomery. She gave birth prematurely, thanks in part to the lack of care she received in her early pregnancy, and began to connect with the baby. When Rosanna fell into a coma after being ran off the road in her car, Gwen thought that she and Will (who she fell in love with) would be free to take custody of the baby, but a road block was thrown in in the form of Carly Snyder, Rosanna's half-sister. Before slipping into her coma, Rosanna told Carly to take care of the baby boy.

Gwen sought custody of the baby, but at the hearing, the judge wanted her to name the father of the child. Tearfully, she confessed that Casey was the father of her child, not Will. A paternity test was done and, shockingly, Casey was not a match to the child! The whole town turned against Gwen, as Casey's family had been the cornerstone of Oakdale for many, many years. Even Will turned against her.

While Carly had custody of the child, Gwen had visitation rights. Carly wanted to force Gwen out once and for all, resorting to dirty tricks to get her out of the picture. Gwen's life became even more complicated when her mother, Iris Dumbrowski, arrived in Oakdale. The judge granted Gwen temporary custody as long as she lived with Iris. Iris didn't like Will and schemed to have him arrested for poisoning her. Gwen and Will took the baby on the run with them to New York City. After Carly, Iris, and Carly's husband Jack followed them, Gwen learned that Carly was her half-sister; they shared the same father!

Iris went to jail for setting up Will and the baby went back to Carly and Jack. A surprising truth came out that shocked everyone: the baby was not Gwen's child! It was actually the son of Jennifer Munson, Will's sister. The babies were switched at birth by Craig Montgomery. Since Gwen's baby turned out to be Jennifer's, it was clear that Gwen's baby was the one believed to be Jennifer's: the one who had died shortly after birth.

Gwen and Casey mended their relationship and became friends. Gwen and Will fell deeper in love. Barbara was dead set against their love and schemed to break them up. She cut off Will's trust fund, leaving the two teenagers penniless, and she enlisted Hal to help get thm evicted from their apartment. After weeks of living life homeless, Gwen and Will ran away to Springfield to get married. They returned to town and moved in with Will's father, Hal Munson, under the condition that they both go back to school and graduate. Casey helped Gwen get a job at his grandmother's new teen music club, Crash, as Gwen had previously been a part of a band.

Gwen found out Jade Taylor helped Will cheat on a test. Gwen helped counsel Carly with her divorce from Jack. The Oakdale Slasher killed some of Gwen's classmates and attempted to kill Gwen. The Slasher was revealed to be Eve, Maddie's sister. Jade Taylor pretended to pregnant with Will's child and left Gwen contemplating a divorce of her own. When Gwen and Will found out that Jade was faking her pregnancy, they reunited. Will's brother Adam came to town on the heels of their father's death (Hal Munson). Adam agreed to produce a demo of Gwen's music.

Contents

[edit] Family & Relationships

[edit] Parents

  • Ray Tenney (Father, deceased)
  • Iris Dumbrowski (Mother)

[edit] Sibling(s)

[edit] Martial Status

[edit] Children

  • William "Billy" Norbeck (Son, with Casey Hughes, deceased) {Stillborn}

[edit] Other Relatives

[edit] Flings & Relationships

[edit] Medical Crises

(2005) Fell down park stairs/hit her head/ was left unable to bear children

(2006) Attacked by Oakdale Slasher, was strangled and had cuts/bruises

[edit] Occupation

  • Student at Oakdale University
  • Musical consultant for Crash, a teen music club
  • Student at Oakdale Latin High School (Class of 2006)
  • Former chambermaid at The Lakeview hotel. Was fired when Barbara caused Lakeview owner Lisa Grimaldi to falsesly believe that Gwen had stolen a diamond necklace from a hotel guest.
  • Former waitress at Al's Diner.
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