Kassie DePaiva opened up about playing Blair Cramer on One Life to Live and Blair’s relationship with Todd Manning

DePaiva admitted that at the time, she didn’t “really get” why fans loved the couple

One Life to Live ended in 2012, and DePaiva called its cancellation "a gut punch"

One Life to Live fans loved Todd and Blair, but actress Kassie DePaiva's feelings were a lot more mixed.

DePaiva, 64, opened up to Remind Magazine in an article published July 15 about her time as Blair Cramer on One Life to Live. She joined the series in 1993, taking over the role from Mia Korf, who was Asian-American.

“I had no idea it was controversial until after I’d had a couple of callbacks,” she told Remind. “Someone said, ‘You know you’re replacing an Asian American actress.’ And I’m like, ‘What?’ I didn’t even think I would be considered, but three auditions later, I’m packing my bags and moving to New York and playing this character called Blair and it changed my life.”

Originally, Blair’s main love interest was Max Holden (played by James DePaiva, Kassie’s now-husband). But Blair’s romance with Todd Manning (played first by Roger Howarth and later by Trevor St. John) became the relationship that fans rooted for.

“Blair was addicted to Max and obsessed with him, but she fell in love with Todd,” DePaiva said. “And Todd understood her.”