Happy at the Hospital

Berman, 22, currently stars as Lesley "Lulu" Spencer, the scandalous daughter of Luke and Laura on the daytime soap opera General Hospital.

Story by Jessamyn Cuneo
American Superstar Magazine,
June 2006

She's not sick, just twisted. Only when she's at work, though.

Julie Berman is a 22-year-old recent graduate from USC, who now spends so much time in her character, Lesley "Lulu" Spencer, the scandalous daughter of Luke and Laura on the daytime soap opera General Hospital, that sometimes Berman feels she's actually merging with Lulu.

"[My job is] professional pretending," says Berman, who landed the role last year. "I get to be someone else. I feel like [Lulu] is a part of my life now. She's not this little character that's written down on paper; she's a part of me."

Berman works on the set of General Hospital between 8-12 hours each day, five days a week, filming up to three episodes per day. So, it's pretty understandable that the lines between Berman's characters — on-screen and in reality — have become blurred.

"I've invested so much of myself in her, and I love that. It's like, I get to be a different person half the time, and then go back to my real life, and then go back to stealing snowmobiles and having pet monkeys," Berman says, then laughs. "You know, whatever they have written for me."

Though Berman's always lived in and loved California, her recent graduation has prompted some to ask if she's planning on relocating anytime soon. However, her four-year contract to star on General Hospital doesn't give her any reason to think about relocating from the sunny west coast.

"I honestly love going in to work," she says enthusiastically. "I have fun every single day."

Berman enjoys that there's always something different going on at the set. The soap opera format is reliant on fresh, (over)dramatic twists occurring at least every five to ten minutes of each scene. This constantly shifting arrangement helps keep Berman (as well as millions of viewers) interested. General Hospital celebrated its 43rd anniversary this past April, making it the "longest-running daytime drama produced on the west coast."

Berman was accepted into the USC School of Cinema and Television as a freshman, and went abroad to Florence, Italy to study art and history.

"[The show] never stays static," Berman explains. "It's enjoyable. It's not the same boring thing every day. It's a soap opera; it's got crazy story lines."

Her total enjoyment of working — as well as watching the show — comes as a surprise to Berman, as she had never seen the show before joining the cast.

"I was really on the outside when I started," she recalls. "I had no idea how [soap operas] worked or what went on."

Berman was no stranger to the entertainment industry, however. While growing up in Santa Monica, Berman's family was approached by several different talent agents who liked her look and sought to represent her. After signing with the Kellman-Arletta Agency at the age of three, Berman went on to book several national and international commercials.

Over the years, she has starred in over 200 commercials, as well as landed several recurring guest appearances on shows such as 7th Heaven, ER and Boston Public. Her long-term commitment to a future in acting makes her consider her contract with General Hospital as the true beginning of the road to limelight.