Actress receives special award for lesbian storyline

ABC Daytime’s All My Children was honored for the third year by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) with the prestigious Outstanding Daytime Drama Award, and the show’s current Emmy and Cybby Award nominee, Eden Riegel (Bianca) received the organization’s inaugural “Favorite Out Image Award” at the 15th Annual GLAAD Media Awards held in New York City. Riegel was present at the ceremony to accept her award and on behalf of AMC.

 

The GLAAD Awards were created to honor individuals and projects in the media and entertainment industries for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives.

 

For the first time, GLAAD Media Awards has asked the public to choose a favorite “out image” from among the many openly gay characters and LGBT artists and performers in music, television, film and in the arts.  Voters chose Riegel’s character, Bianca Montgomery, from 91 nominated images from show’s including, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Sex and the City, Will & Grace, Queer as Folk and many more.

 

Riegel joined the cast of AMC in July 2000 and made television history as daytime’s first contracted lesbian character. In April 2003, groundbreaking storylines on All My Children led to another television first when Riegel’s character shared the first ever same sex on-screen kiss in daytime.  This event was voted by Soapdom’s visitors as the single most memorable moment is soaps in 2003.

 

Born and raised outside of Washington, DC, Riegel landed her first major acting role as a young Cosette in Les Miserables.  She then went on to tour with the show, traveling to 26 U.S. cities before being brought to Broadway, where she played Cosette for an additional two years.

 

While in NYC, Riegel made her mark as a working actress on and off-Broadway, including an appearance in the Will Rogers Follies.  Soon after her stint on Broadway, she began to branch out into television and film, and was cast in the recurring role of Meghan Cooper on New York Undercover, as well as guest-starring on Law & Order. Many may also remember her from the film, American Pie, in which she played Sarah, an innocent high school sophomore experiencing the loud and lewd antics of teenage boys.  Most recently, Riegel guest starred on American Dreams.

 

In addition to acting, education has always been a top priority for Riegel, who is currently on leave from Harvard University, studying political and social theory. Prior to All My Children, she had an opportunity to explore her political interests by serving as an intern at the White House. 

 

Soapdom congratulates Eden Riegel and All My Children for their GLAAD awards.

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