Viewers of The Young and the Restless were thrilled when the CBS soap opera cast Marco Dapper in the role of Carmine Basco in 2012, but his time on the show was short-lived. Having made his debut as a sexy mob henchman with storyline potential, the powers that be quickly turned Carmine into a psycho stalker and whisked him off the canvas in 2014.
In a new interview with Soap Opera Digest, Dapper recalls how much fun he had on Y&R -- and the heart-sinking moment that he realized that his time as Carmine was being cut short.
"When I got on the soap opera, I thought I made it and those years of waiting tables and bartending were over. It was a great time in my life," he shares. "Looking back at playing Carmine, it was definitely a lot of fun. Of course, there was a learning curve, but once I got into it, it was great."
He continues, "I had a really good time with everyone there. I really enjoyed Carmine's romance with Abby [Emme Rylan/Melissa Ordway] but new writers came in and for whatever reason, they made my character psycho. I remember when they told me, 'Hey, we're going to take your character in a different direction,' and I knew they would be getting rid of me."
Unfortunately, Dapper hasn't had much luck in the acting world since departing Y&R in 2014. He's made a couple of guest appearances on shows like Criminal Minds and Dig, as well as starred in films like The Summoning, Deadly Sanctuary, and the 2020 Lifetime film Psycho Party Planner. But he has grown tired of the endless grind and shares that, following a dark period of destructive drinking, his focus has shifted.
"Acting has taken a little bit of a back burner," he reveals. "I wouldn't say I quit, because that's definitely not the case; I've just encountered some pitfalls and trials and tribulations that are associated with Hollywood. You can get burnt out. I've been here for almost 18 years and have gotten burned by the politics and it's-who-you-know. I get tired of it all and it just isn't that much fun anymore."
What is fun, Dapper shares, is spending time on his other passion: painting. "I started channelling all that sadness and insecurities into something I could control," he shares. "Before, I was kind of half-assed about my art and doing the 'why me' bs. I finally told myself, 'I'm an artist, so why am I drinking my woes away instead of expressing them?'"
Dapper is currently selling pieces of his artwork, like the recently sold piece seen below. If you're interested in seeing some of the other pieces that the actor has to offer, check out his Instagram page. And to see his full SOD interview, click here.
Were you upset when Y&R took Marco Dapper's Carmine off the canvas in 2014? What do you think of the actor's artwork and newfound career as a painter? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
