Q: I love the character of Abby on "Days of Our Lives." I really enjoyed that she was sweet and innocent. That seems to have changed in the past few months. How does the actress who plays her feel about that change? — Marsha in Boulder, Colo.

A: Abby went from sweet to temptress when she fell in love with Austin, who is married to Carrie. The actress realizes that it's not that easy to walk the fine line of being assertive but not being seen as evil.

Kate Mansi, who took over the role in March of 2011, admits: "Abigail is throwing me for a loop. It does make sense for her that family is so important because of the relationship she had with her father, Jack. Jack was always going in and out of her life. Abby would be stuck picking up the pieces. Her mother Jennifer had heart surgery right when her father disappeared. It was Abby who had to return from London and help deal with her mother's emotional and physical crisis."

Mansi goes on to say: "I hope viewers understand that she is coming from a place because she has lost so much, and she wants to gain control. Sometimes love or being obsessed with a person, the way she is with Austin, may make you do things you may not be proud of. I did a lot of research when I realized Abby was going to be changing. I watched several movies, including 'Fatal Attraction' and 'The Hand That Rocks the Cradle,' that deal with that issue. At times, people are so deeply in love, they aren't always rational."

Mansi promises there will be no boiled rabbits, a la "Fatal Attraction."

Mansi began her professional career as a ballet dancer. She realizes that people who saw the "Black Swan" were concerned by the backstage world portrayed in the film. Mansi, however, feels that doing ballet at a young age taught her a lot. "It makes a person disciplined. I suffered from ADD. Ballet helped me focus. It made me realize when to be still. It is very structured, and the smallest movements are precise. Sometimes I hated doing it. But I realized that ballet is what I need to do so that I could do jazz or lyrical dancing. I took three ballet lessons a week so that I could eventually do other types of dance."

Mansi is not just another pretty face. A talented actor and dancer, she believes in working with other who are less fortunate. She spent time with Orphan Outreach, helping orphans in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. One of her fondest memories is when Manuel, a very sweet child who would never respond in class, began raising his hand. He had never participated in the classroom. Mansi, who went there while she was a student at Pepperdine University, says that they were able to bring things to the teacher's plate that had never been done: "They had never done flashcards. They had never done play readings. He had so much fun that he started raising his hand because he understood and started feeling confident. His teacher was almost in tears because of all the burdens these children have had in their formative yearsl they have a very shaky foundation."

Mansi says she comes buy altruism from from her dad. Her participated in Wheels for the World. The charity provides wheelchairs for people all over the world. Mansi has been active in World Vision, an international organization that allowed Americans to give aid and friendship to children from underdeveloped countries.

"My sister and I would save our quarters every week and send them to the children of World Vision," she says. "We wrote letters every Sunday after church. We would exchange letters with the girls. They would tell us what our money added to their lives. It was an important lesson in learning not everyone has the things we take for granted."

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.