The Holmes Student Center’s Diversions Lounge was jam-packed Tuesday afternoon with women of all ages, waiting as long as necessary to receive an

autograph, a picture and if lucky, a hug from a daytime hunk.

Cameron Mathison, who plays Ryan Lavery on the popular afternoon soap opera “All My Children,” spoke to a crowd of more than 300 people and then signed autographs for about two hours.

Maria Morrison, a Campus Activities Board graduate student, said the turnout was phenomenal.

“This event turned out to be very successful,” Morrison said. “We had limited time for autograph signings at the end and had to turn people back.”

Morrison was amazed that about 325 people showed up during the noon to 2 p.m time frame.

“It’s understandable if you’re a big fan of Mathison’s,” Morrison added. “After the speech, there was a mad rush toward Mathison that had to be controlled.”

Mathison started acting about six years ago, appearing in various television commercials and movies. Most notably, Mathison appeared in “Studio 54” alongside famous actors like Mike Myers and Ryan Phillipe.

“I am very lucky to be a cast member on ‘All My Children’ for so long,” he said. “The work is no different than any other 9 to 5 job. I’ll work five times a week for eight hours or depending how long it takes to complete the screenings. I’m just working like anyone else would.”

With the large number of cast members acting daily on the set, Mathison said he became close friends with a few.

“I have many close friends on the show, but none more than Jillian (my lover), Matteo and Leo from the cast,” Mathison added. “I would consider David Canary (Adam and Stewart) as a great role model for young and upcoming soap opera stars to look up to. Harrison Ford, though, is the man that I look up to the most.”

Mathison said his job as a daytime actor is far from demanding and is actually quite enjoyable.

“The lifestyle that I have right now is wonderful,” Mathison said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”

Mathison hopes his future will be just about the same as the present. He plans on sticking with “All My Children” and possibly looking into movies.

“I would like to stay with the cast of ‘All My Children’ as long as possible,” Mathison said. “But a goal of mine is to succeed in the movie industry as well.”

Many women, young and old, waited anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to get their “once in a lifetime chance” to meet Mathison, who many of the adoring fans referred to as “hot.”

“It was so exhilarating,” sophomore business major Melissa Trela said. “Cameron was such a doll the entire time.”

Sophomore design major Maria Martinez encouraged CAB and the university to hold these kinds of events more often.

“NIU should have more soap opera celebrities like Cameron come to the campus,” Martinez said. “The girls love this kind of stuff.”