Talia Sahid (née Hesser) is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama One Life To Live. She has been played by BethAnn Bonner since December 21 2006.

Character history

She was formerly an officer with the New York City Police Department, and was on duty in Lower Manhattan on the day of the September 11 attacks. Talia Hesser Sahid is currently a member of the Llanview, Pennsylvania Police Department. Despite her beauty, Talia is an unpretentious, all-business police officer who internalizes her emotions and doesn't let personal issues interfere with her work.

Talia was first introduced as a beat cop investigating the arson of Vincent Jones' warehouse in late 2006. She begins working closely on the case with LPD detective Antonio Vega, who she forms an easy camaraderie and friendship with, opening up to him about her traumatic experience on 9/11. In late March 2007, Talia and Antonio, with help from Acting District Attorney Evangeline Williamson, figure out that the string of arsons around Llanview are being perpetrated by a white supremacist group known as "One Pure People". Talia also becomes a target of the group, due to her (thought by everyone) to be of Syrian heritage.

In May 2007, Talia, Antonio's brother Cristian Vega, Evangeline, and returning District Attorney Nora Hanen are gassed by "OPP" while inside Cristian's loft apartment. Talia, Cristian, and Nora survive the attack with few ill effects, but Evangeline is left comatose. Undaunted, Talia, Antonio, Nora, and LPD Police Commissioner Bo Buchanan continue their investigation, and eventually finger the ringleader behind "OPP": Celebrity baseball player Tate Harmon. After Harmon takes hostages on a city rooftop and attempts to murder Adriana Cramer, Rex Balsom, Vincent Jones, and Evangeline's sister Layla Williamson, Talia shoots to wound and arrests Tate herself, ending his reign of terror.

Talia's relationship with Antonio takes an awkward turn when he announces his divorce from Jessica Buchanan in the summer of 2007. After months of working side by side with him, Talia has developed a crush on Antonio, who happens to be her commanding officer, and become close to his family and his young daughter, Jamie. The reserved Talia is determined to not let on how she feels, believing that Antonio is reeling from the end of his marriage, and that any romantic tension would ruin their friendship as well as their professional relationship. To cover up her crush, and deflect Antonio's increasing curiosity about her own social life, Talia tells Antonio that she has a boyfriend named "George". Unfortunately, "George" does not exist. Eventually, Antonio wants to meet George himself, and in response, Talia's friend Layla gets the not so brilliant idea to have Shaun, Vincent's bodyguard, play the part of George. Shaun goes along with the white lie in a meeting with Antonio, but a social gaffe occurs when Antonio and Shaun are at the local gym at the same time. Shaun hits on the attractive gym manager, which leads Antonio to believe that "George" is cheating on Talia. Improvising wildly, Talia and Shaun/"George" staged a fake break-up in front of Antonio.

Not long after the "George" fiasco, Talia spends Thanksgiving 2007 with Antonio and his family, and shares a sensual dance with him in his mother's diner. At the end of the evening, an uncharacteristically impulsive Talia decides to take a risk, and plants a kiss on Antonio, then confesses her feelings for him. Antonio is taken aback by Talia's actions; he confesses that he has suspected she had feelings for him, and that it flattered him, but claims that he is unsure of how he feels so soon after his divorce. While it is apparent that Antonio's feelings are not entirely platonic, he informs Talia that he is not looking for a relationship right now. Talia is humiliated and disgusted to learn that he knew of her crush all along, and accuses him of indulging her feelings in order to satisfy his own ego. She leaves, and in the days ahead, Antonio and Talia's personal and professional relationship begins to disintegrate. After a few awkward exchanges at work, Talia decides to leave town, requesting a transfer to the quiet neighboring township of Cherryvale. Antonio and Talia argue over her transfer, but Bo reluctantly acquiesces to Talia's request.

A few days later, after being read the riot act by Cristian, Antonio realizes that he is only waffling about his feelings for Talia out of fear of being hurt each again, and decides he cannot pass up this opportunity for true love. On New Year's Eve, Antonio races to meet Talia at the bus station, takes her in his arms and passionately kisses her. After some discussion, Talia agrees to give Antonio a second chance at pursuing a tentative romantic relationship, and happily decides to stay in Llanview. Unfortunately, when the two officers return to work, they discover that life is more complicated than a "happy ending". Talia speaks to Bo in an attempt to rescind her transfer to Cherryvale, but Bo informs Talia that despite her change of heart, the work transfer is final and she is expected to report to Cherryvale immediately. A glum Talia meets Antonio's socially awkward new partner, bids a temporary farewell to Antonio, and heads for Cherryvale. She and Antonio resolve to continue their long-distance relationship as best they can on their "off-hours", but their work schedules are proving more and more incompatible.

After Talia is finally able to transfer back to Llanview, she and Antonio resume their romance. However, trouble looms in the form of the new police commissioner, renegade federal agent Lee Ramsey. In order to discover his agenda, Antonio and Talia fake a break up by pretending that Talia has slept with John, with John in on the scheme. Their ruse seems to work as Ramsey comes to trust Antonio and take him into his confidence, drawing him into his web of corruption. Antonio and Talia continue their romance in secret, trying to avoid being discovered by a nosy beat cop, Eddie. After Ramsey is murdered, Antonio and Talia can freely resume their romance again; however, a break-in at Talia's apartment spells trouble. Talia is compelled to lure roommate Sarah Roberts to their shared apartment where both are kidnapped by mystery man Jonas Chamberlain and spirited away to the overseas kingdom of Mendorra. With Sarah's mother Tina Lord, Antonio, and Cristian on their trail, Talia and Sarah are confined to an underground cell. On July 3, 2008 it is revealed that their captor is none other than mob boss Carlo Hesser, boyfriend Antonio's arch-enemy. Face to face for the first time in years, Talia finally confesses that he is her father! Carlo later confesses that his plan for his daughter is to marry Jonas Chamberlin, the true heir to the throne, so that she could become the queen of Mendorra.