Martha Byrne was on before Heather Rattray. It goes Lucy, Martha, Heather, Martha. Just sayin.

Juniorz I am not disagreeing with you./... In fact after I went back and read what I typed I realized I had typed it wrong and that MB did come after Lucy Deakins, because she was like 12 or 13 when she took over the role and won an Emmy when she was 16. That's what you get for trying to type in the forums on your lunch break...lol. I also this is not another case of what happened with RB and AMC. You know bring someone in for a few months and when the fans get used to them.....boom hype "The real Lily returns".

Edited March 8, 200817 yr by AmandainNC28655

I know my opinion matters none, but the role of "Lily" can only be played by one person....Martha.

She's literally grown into the role and made it her own. The exit of Martha Byrne will, no doubt, be the end of "Lily" as we know her.

People keep saying the character of "Lily" should take a break because of the horrible writing that's befallen her. But even after a break, do you all think the character's going to be any different? No. Same character, just a different actor that fans will never accept. The writing will still be the same and the poor writing will still continue. No amount of rest for any character is going to "revitalize" the character. None at all.

And whoever does step into the role, since it's obvious they're recasting (that's the reason MB quit..because they issued a breakdown for her replacement), is going to have a huge burden put on them and will either cave under pressure or become quickly dismissed by TPTB to avoid any more laughing.

And I know someone as talentless and young and naiive to the industry as Charity Rahmer was not suggested to replace the role of "Lily"..... Surely, they were kidding us all.

^ Yeah that. Personally I find it a bit insulting to Martha that people think Lily could or should be recast so easily. That's pretty much an FU to me. Like she was just some newbie who can be recast

^ Yeah that. Personally I find it a bit insulting to Martha that people think Lily could or should be recast so easily. That's pretty much an FU to me. Like she was just some newbie who can be recast

I totally agree. Having watched MB when she first started and somehow defying the odds of transitioning into an adult, I've enjoyed watching her. Some of the stories have really sucked -- but I'll admit I liked the Simon/Lily survivor S/L and the addition of Rose -- it allowed her to show a little more of her personality. My bet is that Lily goes off for a few months and they work out a new deal with MB. After all, she did state that she was willing to sign a multi-year contract even knowing that there is less money available. Regardless, I only wish her the best.

I think Paige Turco would be an excellent recast. She's a good actress, in the right age range (42 according to IMDB but looks younger), and has a prior working relationship with both P&G (when she played Dinah on GL back in the 80s) and Chris Goutman (when she played Melanie Cortlandt on AMC in the early 90s, when Goutman was one of the show's directors). I saw her on an older episode of Law & Order SVU last night, and it dawned on me that she would be great as Lily.

The fact that she's been in the role for 20 years tell you this role can't be recasted easily. How would fresh blood do the role good if the crap writing is still there for the character?

I dont think length of time means anything as long as theres a good actor in the role. Ive seen long time roles be recasted successfully. Jerry Von Dern on OLTL came and took the role over of Clint from Clint Ritchie (who was in the role for 20 years) and is universally loved

Teehee......well, I'm considered subversive in some circles. Was there a time when Lily was "all that"??? Yeah. I was one of the few who liked Rattray in the role, I thought it finally broke Lily out of the virginal-butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth persona. (One of her first acts was to disavow the adoption, I think, and Lily sending Em's letter to Hal breaking the news that Jen wasn't his biological daughter.) But after the David/babyswitch, back in '98-'99, everything that could happen to Lily officially happened to her. When Hogan backburnered her, it "killed" the character. I thought some of the Rose stuff was okay, but after about a year it got old, and by the time they killed her off, the strain of dual roles was beginning to show.

The IIC are too chicken to write anything that truly puts Lily in a bad light, and the hacks nowadays don't write much with depth anyway. They've attempted at various times to break up Lilden, but then they back off and wrap it in another lazy bow.

And, here's another subversive thought...she may have been willing to take a pay cut...but she also made demands. If she wanted storyline approval (which is the rumor I heard...) then I don't blame management for balking. NO ONE gets storyline approval. NO. ONE. Thinking that is a "reasonable, workable" demand is bullsh*t. And she KNEW it.

You know. Me & You never seem to agree on ATWT (with that entire you like carjack and i like katie/jack.. lol). But i agree with everything you said.

And, here's another subversive thought...she may have been willing to take a pay cut...but she also made demands. If she wanted storyline approval (which is the rumor I heard...) then I don't blame management for balking. NO ONE gets storyline approval. NO. ONE. Thinking that is a "reasonable, workable" demand is bullsh*t. And she KNEW it.

Can you blame her? Look at how ATWT is writing all their characters. Most of them come across as insufferable fools. Didn't Douglas Marland say that you should communicate with actors because they are the ones that know their character better than anyone else? Besides, I doubt she was asking for extraordinary demands in storyline approval. And didn't Colleen Zink Pinter ask for a "cancer storyline" and received it. Same thing with Victoria Rowell on Y&R with the "Foster Care" stuff. As long as the storyline demand (such a strong work) is reasonable then I don't quite see a problem with it. Sure, she might have been pulling a diva moment; but when you see your character going down in flames, then you really don't have much to lose.

Can you blame her? Look at how ATWT is writing all their characters. Most of them come across as insufferable fools. Didn't Douglas Marland say that you should communicate with actors because they are the ones that know their character better than anyone else? Besides, I doubt she was asking for extraordinary demands in storyline approval. And didn't Colleen Zink Pinter ask for a "cancer storyline" and received it. Same thing with Victoria Rowell on Y&R with the "Foster Care" stuff. As long as the storyline demand (such a strong work) is reasonable then I don't quite see a problem with it. Sure, she might have been pulling a diva moment; but when you see your character going down in flames, then you really don't have much to lose.

There is a huge diff in pitching a storyline and having storyline approval in your contract.