'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

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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.

Bc Brad Bell would take rotate people on and off contract. Just recently he got rid of Jack Wagner and Lesley Anne Downes which I'm sure was bc of budget cuts. I don't even think anyone on the show gets paid that much outside of the core 4 and MAYBE Hunter Tylo.

Thanks for the answer.

ugh, so are B&B gonna move forward with Brooke/Bill like they teased a while back? I can't. >_<

CBS has been cutting B&B's licensing fee since the mid 2000s. RM, SF, JMc, KKL and HT the jewels in the crown. Brad doesn't know how to budget his show, and his inability to deliver scripts in a timely manner has a domino effect on all of production and creates unnecessary costs. There are only so many maneuvers that can be made until they finally had to go after the jewels.

Thanks! I wouldnt have Bill and Brooke in an affair but there would definetly be a strong attraction which both characters would acknowledge and at most kiss. Steffy would find out about the kiss and run to tell Ridge about it, confirming his suspicions and assuming the worst. He goes to confront Bill and thats when they fight and he dies. The death would be ruled as an accident and no one would know that they were fighting over Brooke but her and she'd keep that a secret. Since they reconciled, Stephanie would be by her side and sympathetic following Ridge's death but will feel betrayed and outraged when she learns that Ridge died fighting over her indiscretion.

Meanwhile Steffy realizes that it was her telling Ridge about the kiss which led to him fighting and ultimately dying and the guilt would eat her alive as she blames herself. She decides to channel her own self-guilt into rage, which is directed at Brooke whom she decides to blame for it all. In her mind, she justifies not blaming Bill bc Brooke took advantage of his vulnerability as he was grieving over Katie.

A full blown triangle will emerge between the three and Stephanie would be torn. She is initially trying her best to make Brooke and Bill pay for Ridge's death and she doesnt want them to have a happy ending over his grave but then she learns that Steffy has fallen back in love with Bill and she doesnt want her to end up with him either. Does she continue to try and end Bill and Brooke, knowing that frees him up for Steffy, or does she now push them together so that she can save her granddaughter from being with a man she hates?

Too bad the writing at B&B isnt complex bc it would complicate matters even more if they brought Ridge's shares into this by having Brooke inherit everything. Together with Bill, they'd own 32.5% which is nearly a third and the other Forresters, namely Thorne, Thomas and Eric would Brooke for Ridge's shares. Bill would however coach her and help her manage her newfound power

Your idea just gets better and better, Cheap!

I'm not sure how I feel about Brooke & Bill as a couple in of themselves, for me Steffy & Bill will always be the money couple in this hypothetical triangle. Despite their age difference, these two are very alike (maybe too alike), ambitious and determined to prove themselves, and it makes sense that they would be drawn together. With Brooke, I imagine Bill the eternal horndog would be drawn to her "sex symbol" persona, Brooke is drawn to a take-charge man, and both would need each other to consolidate power at FC as you point out so well. Maybe they are drawn together and have to work together but they never quite trust each other.

Your point about the shares is great -- if Brooke and Ridge were married. As they aren't (yet), this would set up a different umbrella SL where Bill decides to back Brooke's claim to FC, and this would pit him against Steffy who of course wants to run FC herself some day and keep it in her and Thomas's hands. And then there's Thorne, Felicia, Rick, Bridget and Hope.

Of course, the irony is that if only Stephanie, Brooke, Steffy and Hope could work together because they all have different strengths and those combined strengths would (in theory) support most aspects of the business. This really is a matriarchal show.

Sigh. B&B is really the only soap I could see myself attempting fanfic. I don't know why. Maybe it's the small, manageable canvas. Maybe it's all the wasted opportunity and potential this show has.

Edited August 13, 201213 yr by Cat

I like the idea of Bill & Brooke, though I'd love to see them re-visit Thorne & Brooke. Maybe Moss's departure means Winsor Harmon will get put back on contract?

It is quite strange to think of B&B without that horse galloping around with his dark dyed mane. I wonder how this will affect overseas popularity of the show.

LOL my grandmother said Ronn Moss looks like a mule!

Your point about the shares is great -- if Brooke and Ridge were married. As they aren't (yet), this would set up a different umbrella SL where Bill decides to back Brooke's claim to FC, and this would pit him against Steffy who of course wants to run FC herself some day and keep it in her and Thomas's hands. And then there's Thorne, Felicia, Rick, Bridget and Hope.

Actually Ridge and Brooke not being married could still work in her favor. At Ridge's will hearing, everyone would probably be waiting in anticipation of how he decided to divide up his shares, namely the Taytots are expectng to get an increase in power. However it would be fitting if Ridge left all 20% of his shares to RJ and his rational being that Thomas already has 30% and Steffy, 25%. Since RJ is not of legal age yet, Brooke as his mother gets total power over it until he turns 18. How's that for a twist? The Taytots definetly would not be happy about that

LOL my grandmother said Ronn Moss looks like a mule!

As in "somebody who has a stomach full of cocaine-stuffed condoms?"

Brad Bell's interview with Michael Logan regarding this firing:

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Bradley-Bell-Ronn-Moss-1051945.aspx

Sounds like Ridge is coming back no matter who is in the role. I give Brad props if he does recast.

He makes it sound like he''ll be writing this as if Ridge is still on the show, we just won't see him (until a recast or until Moss comes back).

If so, that's pretty stupid for a character that's been there since the beginning...

Edited August 14, 201213 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I think he's trying to make a point to RM that he's not the only one in the world who could play Ridge at this time, and that he (BB) is not afraid of recasting.

So happy someone pointed out that wretched triangle eating up the show and the unhealthy attachment the older adults have to it.

I bet Forrester International is in trouble and Ridge leaves to fix things overseas. In the meantime they can go through contract negotiations and if that fails, he dies in a plane crash on his way back. That would also buy them time in case they want to go the recast route

TV Guide Magazine: Man, you move fast! And you're confident the reason for Ridge's exit will make sense?

Bell: Perhaps some people will say, "Ridge would never do that!" But word is out and the fans know I'm in a bind. Hopefully, they'll cut me a little dramatic license.

Instead of hoping for that, how about writing an exit that makes sense? Soaps by their nature already max out fan goodwill.

I'm tired of writers and showrunners (daytime and primetime) who put stuff they know doesn't work on the screen then try and spin it in the press and blogs.