User:Livelikemusic/Santana Andrade

Santana Andrade is a fictional character from Santa Barbara, an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created and introduced by series creators Bridget and Jerome Dobson, and co-executive producer Jeffrey Hayden, the role was originated by actress Ava Lazar. Lazar left the role in December 1984, and the role was subsequently written out of the series. Santana returned in April 1985, with Margaret Michaels cast in the role; Michaels quit the role a short time later, and was immediately replaced with Gina Gallego. Gallego portrayed the role of Santana from October 1985 to March 1987; she made a multi-episode guest return in November 1989. In 1991, the character of Santana returned once again, this time under the portrayal of Wanda de Jesus. de Jesus vacated the role of Santana in May 1992, one-year prior to the series finale.

Casting and creation
Actress Ava Lazar was cast as Santana and debuted in the premier episode on July 30, 1984. Lazar remained in the role until her exit on December 5, 1984, and received her final credit on December 27, 1984. At the time, reasons for Lazar's exit were not made known; in interviews with Santa Barbara fan sites, Lazar attributes her exit to both the new regime of producers and the hectic work schedule. In 1985, the role was recast with actress Margaret Michaels, who made her first appearance as Santana on Friday, April 26, 1986. Later that year, Michaels quit the role and it was recast with Rituals actress Gina Gallego; Michaels last appeared during the final moments of the October 2, 1985, episode, while Gallego made her first appearance on October 3, 1985. In 1986, Anne Howard Bailey and Charles Pratt, Jr. were appointed head writers of Santa Barbara, replacing creators Bridget and Jerome Dobson; during this time, the character of Santana was written out, resulting in the dismissal of Gallego from the role. She last appeared on March 27, 1987. In an August 2011 interview with Santa Barbara Online, Gallego detailed her exit, stating she was told that she was "simply told that Santana's storyline on the show had been played out."

In November 1989, Gallego returned at the request of executive producer Jill Farren Phelps for a short-term return.

Storyline
Santana is introduced as the one-time lover of the late Channing Capwell Jr., but their love was forbidden by his father C.C. Santana found out that she was pregnant and she was forced to give up the child, who was later adopted by Stockman DeMott and his wife Gina. The same son would later reappear with Gina in Santa Barbara. Santana found out that Brandon was her son and she tried to get him, but ended up leaving town in late 1984, right after she declined a proposal of marriage from Mason and after the fact that he was going to tell Gina everything about Santana being Brandon's mother.

Santana returns to Santa Barbara in April 1986, insisting her visit is purely to see Brandon, and that she would leave within a few days. However, she is soon trapped in the secret tunnel beneath the Capwell estate, and admits to Cruz that she intended to stay in Santa Barbara. She was keen on getting her son and she even got help from Augusta Lockridge to kidnap her son, but things didn't work out the way Santana wanted. Gina was determined to keep Brandon for herself. Santana was then helped out by Cruz Castillo, a man who recently broke up with Eden Capwell. They married in hopes that Santana might gain custody of her son. Gina then schemed to make Santana a pill addict, so Santana was eventually forced to enter a rehab center. At the time, Santana was also involved with Keith Timmons.

Santana returned in 1989 with yet another try to kidnap Brandon, but was immediately caught and put into an asylum. She then returned in 1991, as a patient in the asylum of Dr. Grant Jameson, a malefactor. Santana escaped from his asylum and was then run over by Jameson. She later went to trial to condemn Jameson and although it seemed like she would lose, she ended up beating Jameson, putting him behind bars. Santana then fell in love with C.C. Capwell, a man who once stole her son, and although her mother Rosa warned her to leave him, Santana was keen on finally being happy in love and having Brandon once again. She got pregnant but later lost the child and then after that, she and Brandon finally had a strong mother-son relationship. She left town in May 1992.