ALL: The Moment Recasts Claimed the Role

[Faulkner]

Obviously, accepting a recast isn’t like flipping a switch; it’s often a gradual, imperceptible process of getting used to someone.

However, do you remember a time or a storyline when a recast really came into their own in a role? Hell, it could be Day One if you didn’t particularly like the previous portrayal (or if the role wasn’t particularly fleshed out, like an adult actor assuming a role through SORAS). Or perhaps they just nailed it straight out of the gate.

But was there a story or a relationship or an interaction when, say, Hillary B. Smith felt like Margo on ATWT or you came to accept Karen Witter as Tina on OLTL, to cite examples of two successful recasts?

[DynamiteKiddo]

So when Marci Miller assumed the role of Abby on "Days," I always thought she was a good actress... but she didn't feel like Abby, for so many reasons, most of which I retrospectively realize had to do with Dena Higley's abysmal, lazy writing.  And she was written as just so insufferably pathetic.

But in one of (iirc) RC's first eppys, he had Chad & Abby having an EPIC fight in front of the Martin house (Abby was gonna leave town with Dario, who was blackmailing her) before throwing herself in front of car who was gunning for Chad thinking he was Dario.  Marci Miller nailed every second of it and I finally felt this insane, electric chemistry between her and Billy.  From that moment on, she was absolutely Abigail Deveraux.  When Kate Mansi came back, she more than reclaimed the role and felt like the definitive Abby... but when Marci returned again, I realized that both women owned this role.

[Maxim]

Bridget by Jennifer Finnigan will forever be BRIDGET for me.

[detroitpiston]

Gina Tognoni - When Phyllis confronted Jack about his relationship with Kelly in the Abbot living room, from that moment on she was officially Phyllis for me. I miss her every time I watch.

 

Laura Wright - When Carly and Robin first argued at the Metro Court and Robin slapped her. There was a certain nastiness to how Laura played it all that was so SJB coded in a way TB never touched for me, I was sold. I watched her State Of Mind with Maurice Bernard and she said JFP told her after a year to stop pulling so much from previous portrayals but there was a certain grit to her performances then that got lost afterward that I loved so much

 

 

 

 

[Lye-C]

Andrea Evans as Rebecca in her very first scene 

Heather Lindell as Jan, also her first scene 

Ditto Jay Johnson as Philip

I’ve never warmed up to a recast. I either like them right away or not at all (sorry Haiduk, Mansi, Madison, Pinson, DePaiva, etc).

[Liberty City]

• Krista Allen, Taylor, The Bold and the Beautiful: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Charles Bateman, ex-C.C., Santa Barbara: The first day he stepped into the role.
• Martha Byrne, ex-Lily, As the World Turns: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Eddie Cibrian, ex-Cole, Sunset Beach: The first day he stepped into the role.
• Carrington Garland, ex-Kelly, Santa Barbara: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Sarah Glendening, ex-Marissa, All My Children: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Natalie Hall, ex-Colby, All My Children: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Terry Lester, ex-Mason, Santa Barbara: The first day he stepped into the role. (x)
• Jen Lilley, ex-Maxie, General Hospital: The first day she stepped into the role. (x)
• Christina Bennet Lind, ex-Bianca, All My Children: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Martha Madison, ex-Belle, Days of Our Lives: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Eric Martsolf, Brady, Days of Our Lives: The first day he stepped into the role.
• Marci Miller, ex-Abigail, Days of Our Lives: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Robert Newman, ex-Ashland, The Young and the Restless; ex-Kirk, Santa Barbara: The first day he stepped into the roles.
• Julie Pinson, ex-Billie, Days of Our Lives: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Sal Stowers, ex-Cassandra, All My Children: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Gina Tognoni, ex-Phyllis, The Young and the Restless: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Heather Tom, Katie, The Bold and the Beautiful: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Cynthia Watros, Nina Reeves, General Hospital: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Maura West, ex-Diane, The Young and the Restless: Confronting Nikki as Gloworm. (x)
• Laura Wright, Carly, General Hospital: The first day she stepped into the role.
• Jacob Young, ex-JR, All My Children: The first day he stepped into the role.

[DaytimeFan]

Y&R

Jess Walton as Jill: 1989 when Philip dies and it's just Jill and Katherine in the hospital room and she looks at Katherine, with this look of sheer horror on her face, and says "It's your fault, it's always been your fault. First the father and now the son!" Jess captured 16 years of history in that scene and she was indisputably Jill from then on.

DAYS

Lauren Koslow as Kate: 1996 first day in the role...but there is another date, when Kate framed Sami for Franco's murder, in 1998, where the culmination of Sami vs Kate started to reach its fever pitch and nobody could dispute Lauren made the role her own.

[asafi]

so true! JW nailed that scene and claimed the role of JILL!

[AMCOLTLLover]

Justin Hartley as Adam! The second he was revealed as Adam he owned it!

[SheenaSoaper]

Gina Tognoni when she debuted as Dinah!!! She was never Philys!

Amelia Heinlie as the definitive Vicki Newman! When she got together with Billy!

[Khan]

I've come to accept Amelia Heinle as Victoria, but only because I'm at the point where I just don't care anymore.