Beth Ehlers: Hello, "All My Children"!

For weeks, people have been buzzing that Beth Ehlers, who last airs on "Guiding Light" June 23 after playing Harley Cooper (on and off) for 21 years, will be coming to "All My Children." But neither the show nor the actress has confirmed the rumor. Until now.

"I can't wait to start working!" Beth told SOAPnet.com. "I haven't acted in a few weeks. I need to act!"

Who she won't be playing is Liza Colby, the bitch queen-turned-softie (and three-time Mrs. Adam Chandler) made famous by Marcy Walker. That was the goss, anyway. Beth will be playing an entirely new role: Taylor McBride, a soldier just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. She first airs July 24.

"Taylor is in town to give a Bronze Medal to Frankie [also a vet, played by Cornelius Smith, Jr.] She's biding her time until her next tour. She's lifetime military ... someone that likes rules and boundaries. [She looks at things as] This is right and this is wrong."

Multiple Emmy nominee Beth is psyched to be sinking her teeth into an entirely new role. "I started playing Harley when I was a little girl and now I'm a grown person. It's been a long time since I had a character I could start all the way from scratch with." Taylor's also a fresh breath for Pine Valley -- home of the glam girls who inhabit Fusion -- because Taylor is decidedly blue collar. It's a different color for the canvas that really attracted Beth to the part.

As Harley, Beth survived a teenage pregnancy, four marriages, a law enforcement career, panic attacks, and a brief stint as a superhero (yeah). Really, that's the tip of the iceberg. But through it all, Beth maintained Harley's down-to-earth sensibility and humor. It's one of the reasons she became so popular.

GOODBYE IS THE HARDEST THING

When asked if it was difficult to leave "Guiding Light," Beth admitted it was. "It was a decision that was about a year in the making," she said. "I backburnered it when the time came for the new way of shooting [a radical new production model, which is heavily remote-based] because that needed my focus." But as time went on, Beth found the new model difficult, especially as a working mom. "My kids are at an age [6 and 9] where I want to be home more ... . I just don't have the luxury of shooting in Peapack [NJ, where "GL" shoots most of its location footage a few times a week]. ABC is just 10 blocks away from my apartment!"

Ultimately, though, the decision for the change came because it was time to try something new. "I love my friends at 'Guiding Light.' I LOVE them. But a lot of them have left, too. Like Laura Wright [ex-Cassie, now Carly on 'General Hospital']. So that makes you look around and say, 'Maybe it's time for me to take a chance.'"

HELLO, OLD FRIEND

One of those friends -- among her best -- is Ricky Paull Goldin, who currently plays Jake on "AMC." As Gus Aitoro on "Guiding Light," Ricky was the other half of the ultra popular Gus/Harley pairing.

Beth's thrilled to be working with her friend again. And grateful. "Ricky called me and said 'Baby, I've got a machete and I'm hacking a path for you,'" she laughs. "I have my best friend there. So I don't have to be quite as brave."

Ricky helped Beth deal with her surreal realization that Pine Valley was her new home. "It's very strange to hear that," she laughed when we welcomed her to "AMC." "Whenever I talk to Ricky, I'd say 'your show.' But he just said to me, 'You're here too now, babe.'"

What about the possibility of Taylor and Jake becoming an item? We can tell you the two share her first scenes together, so expect their tangible chemistry to kick in right away.

THE NEW CREW

While Beth's excited to work with Ricky again, she's equally pumped about Taylor making the rounds of Pine Valley. She calls her new co-stars "powerhouses."

"David Canary [Adam/Stuart]. Are you kidding? Thank God I have a chance to work with him. I'm looking forward to working with Rebecca Budig [Greenlee], whom I've known for years." Rebecca played Michelle on "Guiding Light.'" "Would love to work with Thorsten [Kaye as Zach]. Darnell [Williams as Jesse, whom] I worked with on 'Guiding Light.' But he and Debbi Morgan? I love Angie and Jesse."

What about Pine Valley's resident lady in the big house, Erica [Susan Lucci]? "I want to work with Susan, but I don't know how we'd cross [since she's in prison]!" Weirder things have happened, Beth. Erica's prison is like Grand Central Station. I mean, even Warren Buffett showed up.

Beth couldn't speak highly enough of the "Guiding Light" and Gus/Harley fans. "Simply the best." She's excited for them to get to know Taylor and, she hopes, fall in love with the Jake/Taylor duo, just as they fell for Gus and Harley. Yeah, Taylor/Jake will hook up at some point, no doubt.

We can also tell you that Taylor's entrance story coincides with the brand new material from Chuck Pratt, the show's new head writer, starting to kick in. And he's got big things planned for Taylor and the rest of the crew. Very good things. We smell renaissance.

"I don't feel hesitant," she says, summing up her move. "It just feels right."

What do you think is in store for Beth's character, Taylor?