ABC.com actor bio:

Jill Larson joined the cast of All My Children as wild, wacky and flamboyant Opal Gardner Purdy Cortlandt in 1989. Her performance earned her two daytime Emmy Award nominations (1991 and 1993) as Outstanding Supporting Actress.

Emmy Award-nominated stage, film and television actress Jill Larson grew up in Minnesota, with her three sisters, their aerospace engineer father and interior decorator mother; along with the ever-colorful and entertaining anecdotes of their grandfather who, among his many professions, was a carnival barker, volunteer fireman and horse wrangler.

Ms. Larson's passion for acting became apparent quite early in life. As a child, she performed in the living rooms and basements of friends, family and neighbors and was soon landing roles in summer stock theater productions. She then started to produce her own plays and began working professionally at the world-renowned Children's Theater Company, where she was one of only two children among its founding members. During her five years with the company, she recalls one of her fondest memories as being at an appearance on a talk show (promoting a play) where she met Tony Bennett and sat on his lap.

She enrolled at the University of Minnesota, and began singing in nightclubs with a group called Just Us. It wasn't long before Just Us was discovered and headed to New York City, where they recorded several soundtracks, including the one for the film, Rachel, Rachel, starring Joanne Woodward.

Ms. Larson, however, decided it was time to see the world. She and her sister traveled throughout Europe in a VW bus, before she settled in Paris as an au pair. She became a model, and was soon appearing in major fashion spreads in America's and Europe's top magazines, including Mademoiselle, Marie Claire, and Vingt Ans. While in Paris, she also landed her first film role (as a Swedish au pair) in Deadly Trap, starring Faye Dunaway and Frank Langella. Her next film role was as Jeanne Moreau's rival for her character's younger lover in the film, Chere Louise.

Her desire to pursue acting more consistently prompted her to move to New York City. At that time, she also decided to enroll at Hunter College, first majoring in economics and later switching to communications and theater.

After graduation, she joined Circle in the Square Professional Theater Workshop, where she worked with fellow students Ken Olin and Kevin Bacon, among others. Her acting résumé filled up with roles on and off-Broadway. Her Broadway credits include Death and the King's Horseman, written and directed by Nobel Prize laureate Wole Soyinka; Romantic Comedy and Dancing in the End Zone. Off-Broadway and at the nation's top regional theaters, she starred in Agnes of God, Gypsy, The Glass Menagerie, Private Lives and The Tempest, among others. Jill is also a founding member and President of GLM Productions, through which she produced the off-Broadway revue, Serious Business, and co-produced the student Academy Award-nominated documentary film, Gibbs Garden, a profile of a painter with AIDS.

Ms. Larson garnered more film and television roles, with her early forays generally as a sight gag; among them the memorable frenetic disco dancer alongside Joe Piscopo on Saturday Night Live; a tall skinny wife to a fat wrestler in Piscopo's film, Wise Guys; and a stint on David Letterman. Other television parts followed, including guest appearances on Kate and Allie, The Equalizer, and the ABC Afterschool Special, Over the Limit.

In 1986, Ms. Larson made her daytime television debut as bitchy TV columnist Judith Clayton on As the World Turns; and in 1988 she played psychotic kidnapper Ursula Blackwell on ABC's One Life to Live.

While playing Opal, Jill has also appeared in Dearly Departed at New York's Second Stage Theater, The Lost Dreams and Hidden Frustration of Every Woman in Brooklyn at the Soho Rep Theater, Hysterical Blindness, directed by Jared Harris, and Riders to the Sea, by John Millington Synge. Other film roles include White Squall, starring Jeff Bridges, and Vertical City.

A recent journey has led her to her greatest joy of all, the adoption of her beautiful daughter, Anni-Ming, whom she brought home from Shanghai in June 1996. Ms. Larson and Anni-Ming live in Manhattan and spend weekends at their country home in Pennsylvania. In addition to playing with Anni-Ming, she also enjoys anything relating to food, as well as home improvement-type projects. She also loves arts and crafts, which she most enjoys sharing with her many nieces, nephews, her godchild and, of course, with Anni-Ming.

Ms. Larson still finds time to volunteer at the 52nd Street Project, which helps inner-city youths get started in theater by encouraging their writing and performance talent..

ABC.com character bio:

Opal came to town in 1981 with her daughter Jenny after having tracked down the whereabouts of her son Tad. Long divorced from abusive Ray Gardner, Opal discovered that Tad had left Pine Valley for parts unknown. Opal settled in town, determined to get Jenny in show business and make a fortune. She pushed Jenny towards a modeling career while making her waitress at a sleazy bar, Foxy's. After briefly dating Paul Martin, Opal took a job as a maid for Phoebe Wallingford, and quickly seduced Phoebe's husband Langley. Opal wanted Langley to leave Phoebe and marry her, but Langley refused. Upset, Opal started blackmailing him. Eventually Opal's focus turned towards her new beauty salon, the Glamorama. Soon Opal fell in love with handsome Ralph Purdy and accepted his marriage proposal. The two left for Europe where they were married.

Opal returned to Pine Valley in 1989 at the behest of Palmer Cortlandt, who wanted her help in breaking up his niece Dixie and her son Tad. Opal had divorced Ralph, and was happy to return to Pine Valley. She immediately warmed up to Palmer, declaring that she was going to be the next Mrs. Palmer Cortlandt. Palmer, however, was irritated by her and paid Sean Cudahay to date her. Annoyed by Opal himself, Sean broke up with her and Opal took up with Palmer's former cellmate Stan, all the while sparring with Palmer. Eventually Palmer began to see Opal in a different light and the two fell in love. They were soon married.

Someone began poisoning Palmer, who suspected Opal might be the culprit. The guilty party turned out to be Stan, jealous that Palmer had taken away Opal from him. Opal was so upset that Palmer suspected her that she separated from him. Daisy, Palmer's ex-wife, made it seem as if she was interested in Palmer, sparking Opal's jealousy. Opal realized she truly loved Palmer and they reunited. She got pregnant and gave birth to Peter ("Petey") Cortlandt, Palmer's son.

Due to some financial setbacks, Palmer lost control of Cortlandt Electronics. Opal suggested he open a fast food establishment, with her fried chicken recipe as the centerpiece. Palmer agreed and he and Opal opened the Cluck Cluck Chicken Shack, which became a huge success. Spawning a franchise, it gave Palmer enough money to get Cortlandt Electronics back.

When Opal found out that, after a fight with her, Palmer had slept with Janet Green, she was furious and left him. She allowed herself to be briefly courted by Dixie Martin's father, Seabone Hunkle, but eventually realized her heart belonged with her "love bug" Palmer.

Opal and Palmer took in gay teenager Kevin Sheffield. Opal cared for Kevin, but agreed with young Kelsey Jefferson that Kevin might be "confused" and should try a relationship with a woman. Opal realized that she was wrong in this belief and continued to welcome Kevin into her home.

Opal discovered that Palmer was hiding stolen World War II artwork at Cortlandt Manor. Knowing that government agents Mike Roy and Adrian Sword were in town to find the paintings, Opal told Palmer to turn them over. Palmer refused and Opal told the authorities herself. A furious Palmer faked his own death and took the paintings. Opal was shocked when she discovered that Adrian Sword was really the son that she had given up long ago. During a temporary escape from the abusive Ray, Opal had begun an affair with African American Frank Dawson and bore his son, Adrian. When Ray found Opal, she knew that he would hurt Adrian if he discovered Opal had bore an interracial baby, so she left Adrian. This revelation did not help things with Palmer once he resurfaced, as he saw Opal as siding with her son over him. The strain on their marriage hit its breaking point and the two divorced. Adrian managed to get Palmer to sign over 51% of his assets to Opal, who tried to get Palmer ousted as CEO of Cortlandt Electronics. That plot failed, but Opal took over Cortlandt Manor and turned it into an updated version of the Glamorama.

Opal was suspicious of Palmer's new wife Vanessa, and took every opportunity she could to voice that. After Gillian Lavery was killed, Gillian's ghost inhabited Opal's body for a time to communicate with Ryan. Opal also briefly dated singer Hank Pelham, but he left Pine Valley to tour.

Opal remains a colorful presence in Pine Valley today, always ready to dispel her own homespun wisdom to her family and her best girlfriend Erica Kane.