With the collapse of the USSR, television shows of foreign production began to be shown more and more on blue screens. At first it was “Slave Izaura” and other television products from various countries of South America. Soon, however, American television series began to show viewers. And the first of these was Santa Barbara. Mason Capwell, Cruz Castillo, Julia Wainwright and many others have become almost native people for viewers for many years.
What is Santa Barbara?
"Santa Barbara" is the so-called "daytime" American soap opera. It differs from the traditional television series in the number of episodes. So, the standard season for any television series is a maximum of 25 episodes. Soap opera has a lot more. And “Santa Barbara” has an average of 250 per year.
Although in the homeland this series started in 1984 and lasted for nine years, it only appeared in Russia at the beginning of 1992 and lasted ten years. For unknown reasons, they began to show it from the end of the first season (from the 217th episode).
The main plot of the television series and the main characters
The series tells about the life of the city of Santa Barbara. The main characters are a family of rich Capwells, who gathered a lot of skeletons in a closet. All other heroes, regardless of social status, one way or another, are connected with the omnipotent Capwells.
At the head of the family is CC Capwell. He is a wealthy tycoon, loving his family and able to do a lot for her. He was married several times and has many children. At the time the series began, five of them were known: Chaning, Mason, Ted, Eden and Kelly. Later, as the plot develops, their number changes. Despite the many love affairs, the head of the family still returns to his wife named Sofia.
CC Capwell was also married to Gina - the main negative heroine who dreams of getting rich by any means. In the first few seasons, it was she who was the source of most problems not only of the Capwells, but of the whole city. But later other negative characters appeared.
The main love story of the television series from the very beginning was the story of Eden Capwell and detective Cruise Castillo. They quarreled, reconciled, got divorced, got married, got lost and were. In the end, due to the departure of the actress from the project, her character was sent to Europe and disappeared from the television series.
Sister Eden - Kelly Capwell, constantly getting into all kinds of trouble, could be called the record holder for the number of love relationships. Unfortunately, in most cases, her passions were unworthy of the girl’s love.
But the special love of the audience was enjoyed by Mason Capwell performed by Lane Davis. Despite the restless character and a large number of women, he had the most beautiful love stories in the television series.
Who is Mason Capwell? Character Biography
Mason is the oldest son of CC Capwell. His mother - Pamella Pepperidge was the first wife of CC, but they did not part in the best way. Moreover, the young Mason was forbidden to communicate with his mother, because of this he developed rather tense relations with his father.
Despite the problems in the family, the guy graduated from Harvard and received the profession of a lawyer. He was predicted a career as a politician, but he deliberately refused, which greatly angered his father. Pretty soon, he established himself as an excellent lawyer and during the series not only worked in private companies, but also managed to visit the district attorney of Santa Barbara.
Over the entire project, this hero managed to endure a lot: he was tortured, kidnapped, he had a split personality and memory lapses, moreover, his beloved woman died in his arms. Despite this, he continued to cope with all the problems.
Character character
Unlike the other Capwells, Mason is the most controversial. Anything can be expected from him, since he is capable of doing both good and bad deeds. In many ways, he looks like his father, but at the same time more sensual, noble and secretive. Throughout the series has problems with alcohol. However, later he manages to cope with this addiction.
Also striking features of this character is that he is inventive, witty, very smart, unlike many of his relatives. He often quotes classics and is rather caustic, but successfully jokes.
Mason's novels
Being an interesting man, Mason Capwell is popular among women, but he does not always manage to be with his beloved. He was once in love with Santana. But the girl did not answer his feelings, choosing his brother. After some time, these feelings pass without a trace.
Starting a fleeting romance with either the secretary or others, Mason suddenly begins to like Gina, the mercantile wife of her father. She is very risky, but can not resist the charms of a young lawyer. Not used to a serious relationship, Mason Capwell changes when he meets a nun named Mary.
At first, the man just likes her, but soon he sincerely falls in love with her. The girl reciprocates and leaves for the sake of him from the monastery. But lovers are not destined to be together. First, Mary marries another, and then, deciding to return to Mason, she becomes a victim of an accident. This is one of the most tragic moments of the television series.
Heavily experiencing the loss of his beloved, Mason drinks, travels, searches for himself and even becomes a member of a religious community. Time passes and Mason Capwell becomes himself again.
Mason's Wives
Returning to his usual life, Mason soon receives an offer from his pretty work colleague Julia Wainwright to become the father of her child. Despite the rather difficult relationship in the past, Mason agrees, and this marks the beginning of a new and wonderful relationship. Meeting and spending time with each other, lawyers fall in love, and soon Julia is pregnant.
However, they were not destined to marry, since the misfortune loomed over the happiness of Mason's sister Eden. Due to unsuccessful circumstances, the former passion of Eden's lover - Victoria Lane - is expecting a child from him. To save the relationship of her sister and her beloved, Mason concludes a contract with Victoria. He marries her and recognizes her child as his own, in return she should not reveal to anyone the truth about the real father of the baby.
Marrying Victoria, Mason Capwell continues to love Julia. Their relationship is becoming strong, despite all the barriers. For the entire series, Mason manages to marry her twice.
During Mason's mental problems, he was also married to his father’s ex-wife, Gina, who thus dreamed of getting to family money. However, over time, Mason came to his senses and divorced.
Mason's children
In a marriage with Victoria, Mason soon had a son named Chip (Channing Capwell III). As agreed, the man recognized him as his own and for a long time helped to raise him.
At the same time, Julia Wainwright is pregnant from Mason, but she hides it from him for a long time. Already married to Victoria, the man finds out the truth, and although he cannot get a divorce, he still helps Julia take care of their daughter Samantha Eden. Later, marrying Julia, he adopts the baby.
After a series of ups and downs, alcoholism, mental problems and marriage with ex-stepmother Gina Mason finally reunites with Julia, and together they adopt another child. And later, Julia is again pregnant. However, at the time of the end of the series it is not known who will be born to them.
It is worth noting that Mason's beloved Mary was also expecting a baby, and, in all likelihood, it was Mason who was the father of the baby. However, the girl tragically died with the unborn baby.
Lane Davis - actor who played Mason Capwell
Throughout the nine years of this character, four actors played: Lane Davis, Terry Lester, Gordon Thomson and young Leonardo DiCaprio (Mason Capwell as a child). However, the first performer of this role - Lane Davis, who is primarily a theater actor, remained the most popular and beloved by the audience. From childhood, he was associated with the theater, as his mother often played in it. You could say that the guy grew up behind the scenes. Growing up, he decided to follow in her footsteps and became an actor.
Educated at the University of Tennessee, Lane began to play in amateur productions and musicals. Thanks to his pleasant voice and bright appearance, he was soon noticed and began to be shot in films. So, in 1977, he played a pilot in an episode of Star Wars, and after that he took part in several more films.
In the early eighties he was invited to play in the legendary soap opera Days of Our Life. However, he worked there only a year, after which he left for a new series - “Santa Barbara”, where he was given the role of one of the central characters named Mason Capwell. The actor did an excellent job by creating an incredibly complex and multifaceted image on the screen.
Playing in "Santa Barbara", Lane continued to act in films, and also did not leave the theater. Every year he took a two-month vacation and went to play in his productions of Shakespeare's plays he adored. In order to somehow hide the absence of one of the main characters, the writers were constantly forced to come up with various tricks with abductions, imaginary death and other things.
After working for five years in the Santa Barbara project, Lane got tired of him and left. They did not dare to remove his hero, so instead of Davis they took another actor, but neither he nor the next performer, who was lured from the "Dynasty", could fully replace Lane. After "Santa Barbara," the actor starred a lot and played in the theater. He also married and became the father of two wonderful children. Mason reluctantly recalls his role, as he does not consider this a serious achievement. Moreover, in an interview, Davis complained that he had to learn several dozen pages of text for each series, as his character was very talkative.
DiCaprio as Mason Capwell in his youth
Along with adult actors, Mason also played a child. He was the world-famous Leonardo DiCaprio. Having made his debut on television quite early, Leonardo flashed, and he was often invited to various roles. This was facilitated, first of all, by the angelic appearance of the boy.
The third big role of the actor was the hero of the series "Santa Barbara" - Mason Capwell (in childhood). The game of young talent, the audience happened to watch in as many as five episodes of the television series (in the period from 1429 to 1596 series). It is worth noting that the young Mason Capwell liked the audience very much, which could not but have a positive effect on the future career of Leonardo. So, after filming in "Santa Barbara", DiCaprio finally made his way into the world of serious cinema.
At first, these were small roles. But soon the boy’s talent was appreciated. Before the famous "Titanic" Leonardo managed to play several pretty serious roles. This is a young French writer Arthur Rimbaud, and cowboy-lover Sharon Stone in the film The Quick And The Dead, and, of course, the light-eyed Romeo in a modern production of Romeo + Juliet.
And then the Titanic struck, after which Leonardo was invited only to the main roles, which brought him all the most prestigious awards in the world of cinema. It is interesting that DiCaprio, along with Oscar, Golden Globe and other awards that any actor desires, is also the holder of Golden Raspberry for his role in the film Iron Mask.
In his spare time, this handsome man actively participates in public life, in particular, fights for a clean environment, for which he was nominated for the Crystal Award.
As for his personal life, then, unlike Mason Capwell, Leonardo has never been married yet, although he had several serious novels.
The television series "Santa Barbara" has become a cult for television viewers of the CIS. Moreover, the name of this show from its own name has become a household name.
However, it is worth noting that, despite a whole galaxy of wonderful actors who starred in this soap opera, the main merit of this is the excellent acting work of Lane Davis, who played Mason Capwell. It was after his departure that the series gradually began to lose popularity and was soon closed. And although the actor himself is skeptical about his character, in the hearts of millions of viewers Mason Capwell will remain the way he was played by Lane Davis.