Roxy Balsom

Roxy Balsom
One Life to Live character
Portrayed by Ilene Kristen
Duration 2001–12
First appearance November 7, 2001 (2001-11-07)
Last appearance January 13, 2012 (2012-01-13)
Created by
Introduced by Gary Tomlin
Classification Former, regular
Profile
Other names Roxy Lipschitz
Roxy Holden
Occupation

Roxy Balsom is a fictional character from ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live. The character was played by Ilene Kristen from November 7, 2001, through the finale episode aired on January 13, 2012.

The character is known for her constant malapropisms, which most other characters ignore and find amusing.

Storylines

2001–08

Roxy is introduced in 2001 as the wild, irresponsible mother of Natalie Buchanan and Rex Balsom. It is soon revealed that Natalie is the biological daughter of Viki Lord Banks and Clint Buchanan. It is initially believed that when Allison Perkins had kidnapped the Buchanan baby in 1987, another child was returned and grew up to be Jessica Buchanan. Jessica begins a tenuous relationship with Roxy, whom she believes to be her mother, and with Roxy's biological son Rex. But when a DNA test on Jessica proves that she is also Viki's daughter, the real story came out.

Viki's longtime enemy Mitch Laurence, who had masterminded the kidnapping, had secretly raped a drugged Viki around the same time she conceived a child with Clint. Viki unknowingly became pregnant with fraternal twins, one fathered by Clint (Natalie) and the other fathered by Mitch (Jessica). Dr. Walter Balsom, who had been one of religious leader Mitch's disciples, took Mitch's daughter during delivery, and Viki never knew she'd had more than one child. Mitch, however, wanted his daughter to grow up loved by Viki in the lap of luxury, and sent Allison to kidnap Clint's child. They replaced her with Mitch's daughter (who would become Jessica), and gave Clint's daughter (who would become Natalie) to Dr. Balsom and his wife Roxy. Walter later died, and Roxy turned out to be an irresponsible and absent mother for much of Natalie's childhood in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In 2002, money-hungry schemer Rex Balsom comes to Llanview to take advantage of the wealthy Buchanan family. Raised by his father's sister Corinne Balsom, Rex has an uneasy relationship with the wild, unreliable Roxy. Rex remains close to Natalie, the "sister" he grew up with. He has been involved with Jennifer Rappaport, her mother Lindsay Rappaport and Adriana Cramer. Rex is also friends with Police Commissioner Bo Buchanan, who is constantly frustrated by Rex's mischief and methods but cares about him like a son.

In 2008, his Aunt Corrine drops a bombshell: the man Rex believed to be his father, Walter Balsom, may not have been his biological father. New guy in town Charlie Banks, who is hiding his identity, glances idly at Roxy's business card and introduces himself as "Charlie Balsom". He is dismayed to learn that Rex's name is Balsom too, and Rex asks if he and Charlie are related. So to stop Rex from looking further, Roxy claims that Charlie is his father. She begs Charlie to go along with the story; he ultimately agrees and reluctantly lets an excited Rex start building a relationship with his "father". Next Rex is told that criminal mastermind Mitch Laurence is his father, but it is later revealed that Rex was switched at birth with Schuyler Joplin. Much later, Rex finds out the truth and ultimately learns that his biological parents are Clint Buchanan and Echo DiSavoy.

He is currently involved with his high-school sweetheart Gigi Morasco and has learned he fathered her son Shane before arriving in Llanview.

In Las Vegas, Roxy ends up running into her former lover, and Llanview resident, Max Holden, who was in Vegas and drinking heavily. Roxy is a hard partier and helps Max guzzle away his troubles. The next morning Max wakes up in bed with Roxy, and to his horror, sees matching wedding bands. Roxy has tricked him into a quickie marriage and prenup that are backed by a video. In the sober light of day, Max despises Roxy and goes out of his way to be cruel to her in hope she will divorce him. His and Al's various attacks on her spirit go nowhere, but suddenly luck is on Max's side when Roxy vanishes one day. She tries calling him, but he hangs up on her each time, feeling only slight pangs of remorse. A few days later, Max finds out that Roxy is being held hostage and was nearly killed by Allison Perkins, but he is more interested in keeping Roxy out of the way a bit longer to claim abandonment and win a fast divorce with his fortune intact. He showers love on his bride and tries to keep her away from the courthouse long enough to win his freedom. But Roxy shows up, exposing his lies, and Judge Fitzwater gives her the opportunity to dump Max and take everything he owns. To Fitzwater and Max's surprise, Roxy chooses Max over the cash. Although relieved, Max continues to shun Roxy, even making a deal with old enemy Asa Buchanan to help Asa escape his sham marriage to Rae if Asa would do the same with Roxy. Max tracks Roxy down to Philadelphia, assuming she is cheating with Asa. Instead, she is visiting her vile, hateful mother, who passed up no opportunity to make Roxy feel like garbage. Max stuns both himself and Roxy by barging into the room to defend her. Max realizes that he is falling in love with Roxy and calls the deal off with Asa. But Rae has already figured out the plan and manipulated Roxy on every level, even flinging herself on Max so Roxy would catch them in a compromising position. Roxy's heart is shattered, and she can no longer trust Max. In spite of his fervent pleas, Roxy divorces him and is awarded the millhouse, the Break Bar, all the bank accounts, and the marital assets. With that money, Roxy is able to buy her own hair salon, Foxy Roxy's Hair Haven.

In 2002, Roxy is diagnosed with diabetes.

2009–10

In March 2009, Roxy learns that her grandson Shane has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. Roxy goes to a facility where she takes the DNA of a mysterious man to see if he can donate stem cells to Shane. Roxy finds out that the man can donate stem cells to Shane to save his life. Gigi's estranged ex-stripper sister Stacy Morasco finds out about the man and blakckmails Roxy to make it look like she is the donor to get Rex for herself. Roxy and Stacy convinces the lab tech Kyle Lewis to make it look like Stacy is the donor. Kyle threatens Roxy to let him live in her hotel or he'll tell Rex who his father really is. Stacy blackmails her sister Gigi Morasco to break up with Rex or she will let Shane die. Gigi's later agrees to the deal and breaks up with Rex.

In early August 2009, Rex finds out that his biological father is Mitch Laurence. Mitch Laurence returns from the dead in November 2009. Roxy find out in February 2010 from Kyle Lewis that Rex isn't the father of Stacy's baby. In late March 2010 Allison Perkins reveals to Roxy that the night Rex was born she switched her baby with an abandoned one but her baby was sick. Later it turns out that her baby was found and given to her sister. Roxy tells Rex that he is not her son. Allison tells Roxy that her son is Schuyler Joplin who has been arrested for shooting Bo Buchanan. In October 2010 Echo DiSavoy returns to Llanview and needs a place to stay. With no money Echo takes pictures of Roxy in order to let her stay at the hotel. After finding out that Rex's biological parents are Echo and Clint, Roxy throws Echo out of her hotel.

2011–12

In February 2011, at Natalie, John, Jessica, and Brody wedding, Vimal Patel Clint's former employee reveals that Clint ordered him to change the paternity that shows that he is Rex's biological father.

In June 2011, Rex and Gigi plan to get married at the court but find out Gigi had been locked in a basement of an old house by Jack Manning and his friends with carbon monoxide leaking. Rex finds her and takes her to the hospital, but the doctors are too late; Gigi is declared brain dead. In late June–early July 2011, Rex gives Gigi's heart to Clint Buchanan after Clint turns everything he has to Rex. Rex and Shane move into the Buchanan Mansion. She urges Rex to re-hire Nigel after Rex tells her he fired him but to no avail. On September 9, 2011, former con artist Cutter Wentworth buys her beloved stuffed porcupine Morris when Roxy sells the porcupine at a flea market held outside in Angel Square. What Cutter does not know is that Roxy hid a gun that belonged to Rex. Echo told her to hide it there after Echo and Roxy thought that Rex murdered Victor Lord Jr.. Victor is exposed as an imposter of Todd Manning after the real Todd shows up in town. Victor's nephew is responsible for causing Gigi's death, and Victor had Jack not have any charges pressed on him for Gigi's death. Roxy tries to take back the v from Cutter, but Cutter refuses to give Morris back to her, even though Cutter had the gun still hidden inside the porcupine.

Towards the series end, the show-within-a-show Fraternity Row that was once run by the Buchanans is cancelled and Roxy is devastated. She desperately tries to revive the soap and get the network to change their minds and renew the show to no avail. Along with all this, Roxy helps Natalie and John admit their feelings to each other, especially after learning that Liam is actually John's son and not Brody's as originally thought. Roxy also tends to Nigel after Brody kidnaps Liam and knocks Nigel unconscious. While she helps Nigel recover, the two discuss their past relationship in 2003, but they give no clear reason as to why they broke up. Nigel is equally saddened when Fraternity Row is cancelled, another event that brings Nigel and Roxy closer together yet again.

Reception

For her portrayal of Roxy, Kristen garnered two consecutive Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2004 and 2005.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Roxy's maiden name "Lipschitz" is revealed on the January 29, 2008 episode and her maiden name is revealed on the June 4, 2010 episode.
  2. ↑ Roxanne Balsom - SoapCentral.com
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