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Top 13 Most Memorable Soap Opera Recasts (YR, BB, DOOL, GH)
Soap opera recasts are always a big deal because it’s hard when you’ve watched your favorite actor play a role for a while and then have someone else replace them. Sometimes it’s quite the opposite and we come to love the new actor and even the character that we didn’t really like when the previous actor played them. You might be shocked to know that some of the most popular soap actors are in fact a recast.
Here are our picks for the Top 13 most memorable soap opera recasts.
Peter Bergman
It’s hard to believe that Peter Bergman wasn’t always Jack Abbott on the Young and the Restless. Before him the iconic role was portrayed by Terry Lester.
After taking over the role on November 27, 1989, Bergman went on to win three Daytime Emmy Awards for Lead Actor for his performance.
Laura Wright
Before she came to General Hospital, Laura Wright was Cassie on Guiding Light. On November 5, 2005, the actress replaced Jennifer Bransford as Carly Corinthos on the soap opera.
After she took over the role, Carly went from being a housewife to a powerful business woman. In 2011, the role brought Laura her first Emmy nomination.
Tamara Braun
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Tamara Braun also received an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Carly Corinthos. She replaced Sarah Joy Brown on May 2, 2001, and played Carly until 2005.
After leaving as Carly, Tamara returned to Port Charles as Dr. Kim Nero but the character was written out soon after.
Brandon Barash
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Fans may have been skeptical of Brandon when he first took over the popular role of Stefan O. DiMera on Days of Our Lives back in March 2019.
The character was being portrayed by Tyler Christopher who, like Brandon, came from General Hospital. But Brandon quickly became a fan favorite and has made the role his own.
Amelia Heinle
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Can you guess who portrayed the iconic Victoria Newman on the Young and the Restless before Amelia Heinle?
We’ve seen Amelia in the role for over 15 years now but it was B&B’s Heather Tom who originally played the character. Amelia’s powerful performances have been awarded with two Daytime Emmy Awards for supporting actress.
Jason Thompson
We might be a little biased here but Jason Thompson is a better Billy Abbott than Patrick Drake. He has been playing the role for almost 5 years now and his onscreen chemistry with Amelia Heinle remains unmatched. No wonder he has been nominated for five Daytime Emmys. And we can’t forget Billy Miller who played the black sheep of the Abbott family for six years. (Honorable Mention:)
Billy Flynn
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Billy Flynn debuted as Chad DiMera on Days of Our Lives on September 2, 2014, replacing Casey Deidrick.
Flynn played Chad opposite Kate Mansi as well as Marci Miller. But it was his onscreen chemistry with Miller that garnered a ton of love from soap fans.
Marci Miller
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Miller first appeared as Abigail Deveraux on November 10, 2016 but she unexpectedly vacated the role two years later, with Kate Mansi returning as Abigail.
Earlier this year, there were talks of Miller stepping back into the role and in mid June, DAYS actor Lamon Archey and Billy Flynn confirmed the news.
Gina Tognoni
Fans were devastated to hear that Michelle Stafford would be vacating the role of Phyllis Summers in 2014. After Gina Tognoni stepped into the iconic role, it was as if she was meant to play Phyllis, even winning a Daytime Emmy in 2017. However, in a shocking casting shake-up, Gina was let go from Y&R, which paved the way for Michelle’s return to the soap.
While Gina Tognoni certainly earned her place, some Stafford fans believe that she should have never been cast on the show. Earlier this year, there was a lot of drama on Twitter among fans and even Y&R star Eric Braeden tweeted that letting Michelle go was a big mistake.
MICHELLE originated that part ! She should never have been let go , PERIOD! Gina is a great actress, loved working with her , but MICHELLE should NEVER have left the show ! That’s the mistake some cocky new EPs make!! It’s annoying as hell!!
— Eric Braeden (@EBraeden) January 28, 2020
Mark Grossman
We’re huge Mark Grossman fans on this channel so this list wouldn’t have been complete without him. Mark is the fourth actor to play Adam Newman and in our opinion, by far the best.
We’ve had Mark on the canvas since 2019 after he replaced This is Us actor Justin Hartley and he has given an impressive performance every time he’s on the screen. He went on to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2020.
If we take a look back at Adam’s history on Y&R, we can see that he has been involved in some bizarre storylines in the past which has led to his exit in some spectacular fashion. Thankfully Mark Grossman has already scored a multi-year contract with Y&R and has at least got one or two more years left on the show.
Annika Noelle
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Over on the Bold and the Beautiful, when talking about recasts, you can’t miss Annika Noelle, who replaced the beloved Kim Matula as Hope Logan. She has been playing the role since 2018.
As Hope, Annika delivered an emotional performance in the recent baby swap storyline, which got her nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the 2020 Daytime Emmys.
Robert Scott Wilson
The handsome Robert Scott Wilson is best known as Ben Carson on Days of Our Lives.
But he isn’t the only actor to have played the role. Before Wilson joined the soap in 2014, the role was portrayed by actor Justin Gaston, yes, the husband of Y&R actress Melissa Ordway.
His amazing chemistry with Victoria Konefal who plays Ciara on the show has garnered a lot of love from soap fans. Wilson was a popular recast, however he left the show in December 2015. After a brief absence, he returned and played the role until June 2016. He returned once again in 2017.
Greg Vaughan
Fans already loved him as Lucky Spencer on General Hospital and Greg became even more popular as Eric Brady on Days of our Lives. He debuted as the character on November 13, 2012 and has been on the show since, winning a Daytime Emmy for Supporting Actor in 2018.
Did we miss any iconic soap recasts? If you have someone in mind, do let us know in the comments below! While you’re here, check out our YouTube video where we list the real life couple of the Bold and the Beautiful.