 mary martha byrne (born december 23, 1969 in ridgewood, new jersey) is an american actress, singer and television writer. in 2008, she left cbs's as the world turns as the passionate role of lily walsh snyder. in 2009, she was featured on abc's general hospital as andrea floyd. she briefly served as a script writer for the cbs daytime soap opera the bold and the beautiful. ==career== ===featured roles=== byrne began acting at a young age when she joined the cast of the broadway musical annie, where she played the role of july. she was a featured actor on a number of prime time episodic television programs, including kate and allie, murder, she wrote, parker lewis can't lose, jake and the fatman, in the heat of the night, and hearts are wild. byrne also appeared in several television movies, with featured roles in when the cradle falls and pink lightning. byrne's best known film role would be the title character in the 1983 film anna to the infinite power, and in 2010 provided the commentary for the dvd release. ===daytime television=== byrne is best known for her role on the cbs daytime soap opera as the world turns, portraying lily walsh snyder. she initially assumed the role from lucy deakins in may 1985 and played lily until october 1989, when she left the show and heather rattray assumed the role of lily. byrne returned in april 1993. byrne became part of a "supercouple" when then-head writer douglas marland paired lily, a "poor little rich girl", with hard-luck farmhand holden snyder, played by jon hensley. in 1987, byrne was involved in controversy when she taped lily's first love scene months before her own 18th birthday. lily lost her virginity to the character of dusty donovan; to add to the controversy, actor brian bloom, who was playing dusty, was even younger than byrne. this provoked controversy (as teenage characters are generally portrayed by actors who are a few years older, and therefore of consenting age). from 2000 until 2003, byrne assumed a double role when she played lily's long-lost twin, rose d'angelo who was created by hogan sheffer. on february 29, 2008, tv guide reported that byrne will be 
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