Grant Aleksander (born Grant Aleksander Kunkowski; August 6, 1960) He is the youngest of three sons. He attended McDonogh School, where he played football. He became interested in acting after a drama teacher encouraged him to try out for a school play. After high school, he enrolled at Washington and Lee University, where he starred in productions of The Owl and the Pussycat, The Glass Menagerie, The Crucible, and Hamlet. He also appeared on stage in Baltimore, starring in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He left Washington and Lee to study at New York University and the Circle in the Square Theatre. He eventually returned to Washington and Lee, earning his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre in 2012.
Career
After moving to New York, Aleksander worked as a waiter and tried modeling. He appeared in an ABC Afterschool Special, A Very Delicate Matter, in 1982.
He returned to Guiding Light as Phillip Spaulding in 1986 and stayed until early 1991. He decided to leave due to burn out from the show's fast paced schedule, as well as grief from the recent deaths of his parents. He stayed with AMC until 1996.
Aleksander returned to Guiding Light in 1996 and continued playing the role of Phillip until 2004, when he was abruptly dismissed from the show. Media reports speculated on a number of possible reasons, including his high salary, and allegations that Aleksander was temperamental or had been feuding with the actress who portrayed his love interest. Aleksander said the dismissal was storyline dictated.
After being killed off, it was revealed in May 2006 that Phillip Spaulding was still alive. However, the character didn't appear on camera again until Aleksander returned in February 2009. He stayed with Guiding Light until its final episodes in September 2009.
During his time away from Guiding Light, Aleksander directed episodes of As the World Turns. He also had a role in Fields of Freedom, a historical film about the battle of Gettysburg.
Aleksander joined the cast of the web series Tainted Dreams in 2013, playing Adam Clark. In late 2014, he returned to Washington and Lee University as a Guest Artist in the first "Dick Sessoms Honorary Production" of George Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession. Aleksander starred in Mary, Mary at Cape May Stage in 2015. He also appeared Off Broadway in Perfect Crime in May and June 2019.
Personal life
Aleksander met his wife, attorney Sherry Ramsey, when they were cast in a play together as students at Washington and Lee University.
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|1999
|Soap Opera Digest Award
|Favorite New Couple (Phillip and Harley)
|Guiding Light
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(Shared with Beth Ehlers)
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|2004
|Daytime Emmy Award
|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
|Guiding Light
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|2005
|Daytime Emmy Award
|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
|Guiding Light
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