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2021’s most shocking exits, firings, and deaths of The Young and the Restless
Every year, Y&R introduces several new characters to spice up the storylines. Unfortunately, at the same time, Y&R also breaks the audience’s hearts often by withdrawing their favorite stars from the show. As it happens, 2021 saw some of the most shocking exits and firings that sent the fans into a frenzy. Meanwhile, Y&R also suffered the loss of some veterans which shook the fans to the core. Here are six such times when Y&R fans got the shockers in 2021.
Sasha Calle left Y&R for a DCEU project
DCEU announced in February 2021 that Sasha Calle had been picked to play the role of Supergirl for the upcoming movie, The Flash. In his interview with Deadline, director Andy Muschietti revealed that Calle had been chosen from over 400 actresses who had auditioned for the role.
As soon as this news came out, Y&R viewers speculated that Calle’s screentime on the soap as Lola Rosales would be lesser if not entirely cut from the show. She indeed left Y&R to join her new project which is being filmed at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, and on location around the UK.
As for her character Lola, she left for Florida to join a lucrative job there. There are chances that she may return to GC in the future but there aren’t any updates as of late.
Lola’s departure shrunk the Rosales family even more which had already grown smaller since Arturo and Mia’s departure in 2019. Mia actress Noemi Gonzalez appeared in a Netflix series, Selena: The Series, in 2020 portraying the role of Selena Quintanilla’s sister Suzette Quintanilla. Meanwhile, Arturo actor Jason Canela recently landed a thrilling role in a theater play called On Your Feet. You can get more details about his new project in our video below.
Alyvia Alyn Lind left Y&R for a new SyFy series
Alyvia was one of the youngest cast members of The Young and the Restless until she left the show for other career opportunities in April last year.
She joined Y&R in 2011 when the role of Faith Newman was SORASed into a toddler. Since then she made recurring appearances for ten years while appearing on various television series and movies in between.
In March 2021, it was announced that Lind was departing from Y&R. The news came on the heels of Lind landing a new acting project, SyFy’s thriller series, Chucky.
Her final Y&R episode aired on April 7, 2021. That same month, Reylynn Caster was recast as the new Faith Newman.
Hunter King left Y&R over a contract dispute
After Alyvia’s unexpected departure, fans got another shocker when Hunter King confirmed her exit too.
The chatters about her exit started after her character left Genoa City to pursue her dream job in Italy in late June. Rumors stated that she had left the show over contract negotiation issues. However, she did not confirm anything for the next several weeks before finally breaking her silence in August.
During a podcast episode of Soap Opera Digest, King confirmed that contact negotiation was indeed the reason she had left the show. “When these things (contract negotiations) happen, there’s a variety of reasons why they happen but I do hope to always have Summer in my life in some capacity,” she told.
Contract negotiations are never easy and when you’ve worked on the show for such a long time, it’s even harder. “It’s such an odd process when you are doing that but also feeling like it’s your family. So it’s definitely weird,” she added.
Since leaving in June, King appeared on the Y&R canvas a couple of times, including the time when her aunt Victoria got married to her businessman boyfriend, Ashland Locke, in Italy. As per the latest reports. Y&R has sent out a casting call for Summer Newman. If everything goes right, we may see a new Summer by the end of 2022.
Michael Mealor followed in his co-star’s footsteps
Ever since Summer Newman jetted out of GC, fans were curious to find out what would happen to her fiancé, Kyle Abbott. Fans speculated that he would eventually reunite with Summer. And yes, they reunited and even got married but not in GC. Kyle decided to settle with his wife in Milan, where she had joined her dream job recently.
Kyle actor Michael Mealor confirmed his exit on Instagram writing, “My time as we know it on The Young and the Restless is coming to a close. The last three and a half years have been a truly humbling and life-changing experience. I wouldn’t have been here this long without your love!”
Like his co-star, Mealor has appeared on Y&R here and there for a few major events but there aren’t any reports on when these actors would make a permanent return to the show. And yes, Michael too left after failing to cut a deal with the showrunners.
Donny Boaz was abruptly fired from Y&R
Well, some actors leave because they decide to do so. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes, actors are also forced out of the show. And the same thing happened with Donny Boz last year.
After eight years of missing in action, Chance Chancellor was once again brought to life on Y&R in 2019 with actor/model Donny Boaz taking on the part.
He made his debut on November 8, 2019, and as per the initial reports, he was there for only a short time. Interestingly, in October 2020, Boaz revealed in a Zoom session that he had been offered a three-year contract at the show, which he was very happy to accept.
In a shocking turn of events, Boaz announced his departure within three months of announcing his contract extension. He announced his exit on Instagram on January 31st, 2021, and made his final appearance on February 1st.
Boaz made it clear that his character was “not being replaced or killed off” but contrary to what he said earlier, Y&R recast the role of Chance with a new actor last November. Now Connor Floyd plays the role of Chance Chancellor on Y&R. Donny Boaz may never return to Y&R but fans can still catch up with him on other TV shows and movies. However, there’s one actor who we will never see again.
Read More: The real reason why Jason Canela (Arturo Rosales) left The Young and the Restless
Jerry Douglas passed away at the age of 88
Last year, on November 10, the soap world lost one of its brightest stars as Y&R alum Jerry Douglas passed away. Jerry was just three days shy of his 89th birthday when he died.
Jerry landed the role of John Abbott on Y&R in 1982 when he was in his 50s. For twenty-five years, he appeared as a series regular on Y&R before being killed off in 2006. Nevertheless, he continued to appear as a spirit and appeared in visions of his children. He made his final appearance in 2016.
Jerry had been married twice in his lifetime. He is survived by his ex-wife Martel, wife Kym, sons Jod and Hunter, daughter Avra, and two grandchildren.
Last year, the soap world lost several other veterans besides Douglas. Here’s a video remembering soap icons that we lost in 2021.