This long-legged British actress/dancer got the chance of a lifetime during her first big American film, "Staying Alive" (1983) -- playing the diva dancer who bumps egos with John Travolta in the sequel to 1977's classic "Saturday Night Fever." But when the film failed to register at the box office, unlike its predecessor, Finola Hughes turned to daytime drama to make a living. From 1985 to 1992, the attractive, lithe actress with a mane of lustrous brown hair played the resourceful Anna Devane Scorpio Lavery on ABC's "General Hospital." A fan favorite, the London-born beauty earned a 1991 Daytime Emmy Award for her work and eventually made the transition to primetime TV.Originally trained as a dancer, Hughes began her career on the London stage, where she originated the role of Victoria, the White Cat, in the original company of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Cats." The following season, she was a featured dancer in the composer's "Song and Dance." Hughes made her screen debut as a dancer in the mish-mash musical, "The Apple" (1980), but her first role of substance came as a defecting Russian ballerina who crosses paths with Joan Collins in "Nutcracker" (1982).
After establishing herself as a daytime TV star on the most popular soap of all time, Hughes shot a feature film cameo as a soap actress who loses an award to Sally Field in the soap opera satire, "Soapdish" (1991). She also appeared on the big screen in "Aspen Extreme" (1993) as a woman toying with the affections of two guys on the slopes.
Always faring better on the small screen, Hughes returned to television, landing a co-starring role as a non-nonsense waitress on "Jack's Place" (ABC, 1992), alongside Hal Linden and John Dye, as well as the stepmother on 1994-95 season of "Blossom" (NBC). Noting her illustrious "GH" soap opera past, Aaron Spelling tapped her to play a troubled wife in the short-lived primetime soap "Pacific Palisades" (Fox, 1997), then arranged for her return to daytime in a guest role on the Spelling-produced "Sunset Beach" (NBC). Hughes made her way back to daytime TV, landing the role of Dr. Alexandra "Alex" Devane Marirck (1999-2001) on ABC's "All My Children."
In a major career shift, Hughes entered the reality TV world of makeover shows, starting with numerous shows on the Style Network, including the most popular, "How Do I Look?" (2004- ). Juggling her fashion fix shows, she tried her hand at primetime soaps yet again, guest appearing on the supernatural WB program, "Charmed" (1998-2006).
Profession(s):
Actor, dancer
Sometimes Credited As:
Soap Opera Digest Award Favorite Return "All My Children" 2000
Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Lead Actress: Daytime "General Hospital" 1991
Daytime Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series "General Hospital" 1990 - 1991
Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Heroine: Daytime "General Hospital" 1990
2006 Briefly returned to "General Hospital" (ABC) as part of a 'May Sweeps' period
2004 Appeared on the on The Style Network as the host of the makeover show, "How Do I Look?"
1999 - 2006 Was a frequent guest star on the series "Charmed," (WB) playing The Charmed Ones' mother, Patricia Halliwell
1999 - 2001 Returned to daytime television joining cast of "All My Children" playing Alexandra Devane and later the dual role of Anna Devane; eventually only portrayed Anna
1997 Co-starred in the Fox primetime soap "Pacific Palisades", produced by Aaron Spelling
1997 Joined cast of the Spelling-produced daytime soap, "Sunset Beach" (October)
1994 Was regular on the NBC sticom "Blossom"; played the title character's stepmother
1992 Had regular role on the primetime series "Jack's Place" (ABC)
1985 - 1991 Played Anna Devane on the ABC daytime drama "General Hospital"; won Daytime Emmy as Leading Actress in 1991; left in 1991, but returned briefly in 1995
1983 Co-starred opposite John Travolta in "Stayin' Alive"
1982 Played a Russian dancer in "Nutcracker", starring Joan Collins
1982 Was featured dancer in Lloyd Webber's "Song and Dance"
1981 Was in the original London production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Cats"
1980 Was dancer in film "The Apple"
1970 Began career as a dancer at age 10 (date approximate)
