Hide your husbands! Lock up your sons! Former Melrose Place and Savannah siren Jamie Luner hits All My Children April 17 as the new Liza Colby. “She’s coming to Pine Valley with a big bang – literally — a great surprise entrance that’s unexpected and pretty delicious,” says exec producer Julie Hanan Carruthers. Previously played by the great Marcy Walker, who is now a children’s ministry director at a North Carolina church, Liza was always one of daytime’s best baddies and has wedded or bedded most of the top men in town – Adam, Tad, Jake, Ryan. That has Luner salivating.

“I love things sexy – I certainly see myself that way – and I love playing women who are out to get what they want at any cost,” says the actress. Last seen in 2005, Liza has since become an attorney and returns to town intent on destroying her ex-hubby Adam in court. “She’s still a battered soul and she still has her wicked ways, only now Liza has the power of the law behind her.” Luner says. “It’s a juicy set-up.”

Luner was brought to AMC by the soap’s head writer Chuck Pratt, who wrote and produced several seasons of Melrose. “Back then, Jamie’s nickname on the set was ‘Turbo’ because she’s such a ball of energy and you can throw anything at her,” says Pratt. “I warned her that joining AMC would be daunting and crazy. What with 30 actors and all the behind-the-scenes stuff, it’s like high school. But they’re the ones who have to watch out. Jamie’s not an ass kisser. She’s very straightforward. She’s going to shake up the cast in a very good way.”

Carruthers is well aware that legions of Marcy Walker loyalists don’t like this news one bit. “I understand how they’re feeling because I’m one of Marcy’s fans, too,” Carruthers says. “But the truth is she’s not acting anymore and we need to move on. If we take Liza forward in a way that’s honest and dynamic, the audience will be accepting of Jamie.”

Luner has chosen not to look at Walker’s performance. “I’m going to make the role fully my own,” she says. “Julie and Chuck hired me for who I am, not to emulate anyone else. I will make them proud.” Is she nervous? You betcha. “But being scared is healthy,” Luner observes. ”Fear is a really wonderful thing for the soul. It’s a rush. It makes me feel alive!”

Pratt says he’s not going to commit to any romantic entanglements right away but he does want to see how Luner sparks with Thorsten Kaye. Says the scribe: “His character Zach is at a desperate, dark place in his life when Liza returns — he’s at the lowest point he’s ever been — so that could be a very exciting match for the audience,” Pratt says. “But we’ll play it by ear. We’re going to put Jamie with a lot of guys and see what kind of hell she can raise. After all, that’s what she does best.”