'The Bold and the Beautiful': Original cast member Ronn Moss exiting after 25 years -- EXCLUSIVE

by Tanner Stransky

Tags: Daytime Soaps, EW Exclusive, Scoop, Television, The Bold and the Beautiful, TV Biz, TV Scoop, News

Comments 3Add comment

Image Credit: CLIFF LIPSON

After more than two decades on The Bold and the Beautiful, Ronn Moss is leaving the CBS soap where he’s played fashion magnate Ridge Forrester since the show’s 1987 inception, EW has learned exclusively.

An insider tells EW that CBS imposed cuts on the show’s production company, Bell Phillip Television, which were passed on to actors via salary cuts just as Moss’ contract was up for renewal. The actor decided the reduced pay was unacceptable and left on his own accord. Moss could not be reached for comment.

Production company Bell Phillip Television confirmed the exit. “Ronn has spent an amazing 25 years with B&B,” a rep for Bell Phillip said in a statement. “We will always consider him family, and we wish him only the best in all of his future endeavors.”

Moss was one of the so-called “core four” on Bold, referring to the foursome of original actors still on the show, including Susan Flannery as Stephanie Forrester, John McCook as Eric Forrester, and Katherine Kelly Lang as Brooke Logan.

Ronn gave a very long interview, and I'm sure it will be posted soon, but he felt a pay cut would be a step back. Time to move forward. He gets major points for that!

Ronn gave a very long interview, and I'm sure it will be posted soon, but he felt a pay cut would be a step back. Time to move forward. He gets major points for that!

I agree. I am sure folks will come out and chastize him for not recognizing his value has dropped and soaps aren't what they were and he should be a team player, blah blah blah. But at least he's being honest and recognizing that perhaps its time to move on. I feel that way about Peter Reckell too and I've read a lot of folks beat up on him for leaving too. Frankly I'm sure Moss and Reckall have not been spendthrifts and have saved their money so that they can live comfortably and perhaps move onto new things. Not everyone has to live in a multimillion dollar Malibu home to be happy.

Here's Ronn Moss's interview with Entertainment Weekly:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/23/ronn-moss-bold-and-the-beautiful-exit-interview/

An episode or two? He must be slowing down in his old age.

I agree. I am sure folks will come out and chastize him for not recognizing his value has dropped and soaps aren't what they were and he should be a team player, blah blah blah. But at least he's being honest and recognizing that perhaps its time to move on. I feel that way about Peter Reckell too and I've read a lot of folks beat up on him for leaving too. Frankly I'm sure Moss and Reckall have not been spendthrifts and have saved their money so that they can live comfortably and perhaps move onto new things. Not everyone has to live in a multimillion dollar Malibu home to be happy.

Unfortunately, the audience feels the actors/performers are supposed to care about them more than do what they feel is best for themselves. It's not up to any actor to keep a show afloat. That is TIIC's job. One person leaving should not have a major effect on an entire show, but nowadays, people are watching for the actors/performers and not necessarily the stories. There is not much to hang onto but the people in front of the camera. They keep us watching.

Unfortunately, the audience feels the actors/performers are supposed to care about them more than do what they feel is best for themselves. It's not up to any actor to keep a show afloat. That is TIIC's job. One person leaving should not have a major effect on an entire show, but nowadays, people are watching for the actors/performers and not necessarily the stories. There is not much to hang onto but the people in front of the camera. They keep us watching.

I don't think most of the audience watches for specific actors. Online noise seems to lead folks to believe that but I don't buy it.It's been proven when actors have left and come back and ratings don't go down or up when that's happened. The Brenda return and Laura's subsequent returns on GH seems to reinforce that. I think there are very few actors that wield that kind of power in soaps. Eric Braeden might be the only one. Stephanie on B&B was that a few years back but I don't think Stephanie as a character is that integral to stories anymore where Victor still is.

Edited August 23, 201213 yr by JaneAusten

I don't blame Reckell or Moss for leaving. And frankly, it seems as though Susan Flannery has been just doing us and Brad Bell a favor by sticking around at B&B for this long.