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Written by NF Mendoza
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Saturday, 15 August 2009 19:39 |
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As Commissioner (and mayoral candidate) Abe Carver on NBC’s “Days of Our Lives,” James Reynolds has seen his share of weddings that work, and of course (this is the soap universe, after all), those that don’t.
 Fortunately for the Emmy and NAACP-nominated actor, he has had one of the former, a happy solid partnership far removed from the histrionical daytime drama world.
The busy Reynolds (since 1981, he’s logged in more TV hours than any other African-American actor) spoke exclusively to groomsonline.com about his wedded bliss, and offers tips to grooms who look forward to being loving husbands.
When Reynolds and his wife Lissa Layng met more than two decades ago, the former Marine had served in Vietnam and was also a veteran of divorce (as was Layng). The destined couple first met as casual acquaintances, through mutual friends and an affection for the in-door game poker, and the more rigorous outdoor one of softball. Although Layng would invite Reynolds to other poker games, he never took her up on it, but, “but we began to enjoy our conversations on the phone. Eventually, I asked her to go to several parties with me on New Year's Eve.”
The couple became inseparable. On a romantic trip to northern California, Layng surprised Reynolds “in one of those lovely San Francisco restaurants” when she suddenly proposed to him.” Stunned, he says, “I don't remember my answer! I guess it was ‘yes.’” Smiling, Reynolds adds, “Twenty-two years later, we’re still married.”
Ever the progressive man, Reynolds says of the actual wedding ceremony and reception, “I actually made all of the plans. It was a great simple wedding.” They kept the guest list small and invited only close friends and relatives. His then four-year-old son Jed (now an actor) served as Reynolds’ best man.
“Lissa bought her dress at a little shop in Paris,” Reynolds explains. And Reynolds’ reputation for being a good solid friend paid off: “A friend who owned a restaurant threw the reception for us. It was great.”
Reynolds gets to the point when reluctantly passing on groom-decorum advice. He’s also not without a sense of humor, proclaiming, “Have fun. Don't get drunk. Don't invite old girlfriends.”
These days, the southern California-based couple own and operate the Fremont Centre Theatre in South Pasadena where Reynolds last year directed son Jed as baseball legend Jackie Robinson in "National Pastime." The production was dubbed a “Critics Choice” by the Los Angeles Times, which added, "director James Reynolds exercises expert care." The popular progressive newspaper the L.A. Weekly marked the play “Recommended,” and noted Reynolds’ “assured direction.” That assured direction garnered Reynolds multiple ADA awards for several productions (including two for “National Pastime”).
Reynolds was lucky enough to find a relationship in which the couple can work together in an area in which they share a powerful passion. But at the root, it is their solid friendship that Reynolds returns to when examining their marital success.
He advises grooms, “Make sure you are marrying your friend. Laugh a lot. Share a lot. Discuss things without anger. Nobody is right or wrong in a discussion. Remember no two people share everything and no one (including yourself) is perfect.”
The bottom line, Reynolds stresses, “Marry your friend. Treat your wife like your best friend.”
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