Diana Maria Riva (left) plays Vivy on the new Lifetime series "A Side Order of Life." Here she and her oh-so-perfect best friend (played by Marisa Coughlan) prepare to torch a bridesmaid's dress -- the one Vivy was to wear to her friend's wedding. The series teaser declares, "Someone's gotta save her from her picture perfect life." Apparently, Riva's the woman for the job.

by Diana Maria Riva, CCM '93, MFA (CCM '95)

This is the kind of stuff most people don't hear about when it comes to Hollywood. I was originally cast in a series-regular role in the Lifetime Channel's "Side Order of Life," and I was very happy with the part. 

After landing the role, my first meeting was for a table-read of the script. That is where the cast pretty much semi-performs the show while seated, our faces buried in our scripts in a sterile conference room filled with the producers and the heads of both the studio and the network.

This is almost like another audition, even though at this point the deal for the actor is sealed; contracts have been signed, and you have already had a costume fitting or two. Yet perhaps this is the worst audition of its kind, because although they loved you when they tested you, this is now about chemistry, about hearing the script out loud with all the characters coming to life.

You see, they could have loved the way you did the character by yourself in the audition room, but when you're opposite another character, it's different. Maybe it's not quite right now. Indeed, that was what happened this time.

Immediately after the read-through, the cast was dismissed. The powers-that-be stayed behind to go down their list of the cast's strengths and weaknesses with the show's creator and producers.

I answered it, and an assistant in a very formal tone told me that all four executive producers were on the line for me. My heart stopped.

All the annoying screaming witches, howling ghouls and maniacal theme songs were instantly drowned out. Mike stared at me from the checkout line with a panicked look on his face, having seen the lack of color in mine.

All I could think was, "These idiots are placing a conference call to fire me. Strength in numbers, I guess. Nobody wants to be the lone bad guy about to deliver the heartbreaking news."

Diana Maria Riva, CCM '91, MFA (CCM) '95

Before the party of four on the other end could get a word out, I said, "I just want you to know that I'm in the middle of Halloween hell. And if you called to fire me, I'm going to scare the daylights out of this crowded store with my reaction. Should I go outside?"

"Are you sitting down?" they asked. I couldn't believe it; they were really setting me up for the fall.

"No, I'm not sitting down," I replied in a slightly elevated voice. "I'm standing here with a basket of spider webs, Sofie on my hip and the theme to the 'Addams Family' playing obnoxiously loud!"

"Then we'll get right to it. We are not firing you. We are firing the second lead and want to move you up to that role."

Then they promptly started cheering and screaming, "Congratulations. Woo-hoo!!" Between them and speakers blaring, "They're creepy and they're kooky," I couldn't hear a thing. So I finally shouted, "Please stop woo-hooing!"

They finally stopped and calmly explained that after the table-read, they had all agreed that the way I had been playing my original character was the way they wanted the role of the best friend, Vivy, to be played. So they fired the other actress and replaced her with me.

Of course, the spectacle now became about me and Sofie jumping up and down in the aisle, setting off all the motion-sensored Halloween ghouls while Mike looked relieved and confused at the same time.

That's the back-story, a common example of how unpredictable and unglamorous this job can be with its ups and downs.  Fortunately, in this case, it's an "up" for me. Not so much for the fired actress.

Although I have been saying it for years, I'll say it again: "This business has been great to me. I've had steady work for 10 years." But this role is the one I have been waiting for. The one I trained for. The one I fought for. The one I have longed for. It has been absolutely fulfilling to dive into this character.

The new series "Side Order of Life" debuts Sunday, July 15, on the Lifetime Channel (8 p.m. eastern, 7 p.m. central, 8 p.m. Pacific). It's a one-hour "drama/comedy" about a women who gets a jolting wakeup call from the universe when her best friend — me — makes a pretty astounding announcement one week before she is to marry her fiancé, Jason Priestly.

So now I have one question: "Does anyone have, or know anyone who has, a Nielson Ratings box connected to their TV?"

LINKS

Watch trailer for "Side Order of Life" (Click on "Video Preview" when page loads.)

Watch Lifetime interview with Riva

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