ALL: Popular Actors playing Unpopular Characters

[Khan]

Yeah, as much as I adore CM as an actress, her Y&R work proved to me that even she had limits.  I think she's too centered as an actress and person to play someone who isn't.

[kalbir]

Not sure if this would apply but Maura West on Y&R as recast Diane.  Somehow I remember a Maura West interview from when she started on General Hospital where she did not speak positively of her time on Y&R so I think she knew that she was not well-received by Y&R viewers.

I think Diane was the wrong role for Maura West. I thought she could have worked as a Grace Turner recast.

[John]

Love MS & CW as Nina but Anne Heche would have rocked as Nina too

[Vee]

Nina as a character has never needed to exist and still doesn't need to be around. Watros is the only one who's made her appealing to me at times, and that's largely on the strength of her own personality. But I would still probably cut her (not immediately, but soon) if it was up to me. She had a moment where Drew and Nina could've gone the distance for me under Patrick Mulcahey, but that's gone.

Edited January 4 by Vee

[Contessa Donatella]

BTW just in case anyone doesn't know Pratt not only screwed over Beth Ehlers & way more importantly he offended & appalled Susan Lucci & MEK & a whole slew of AMC actors, basically telling them all to forget everything they knew about their characters, history, the whole town, adding that he was there to shake things up.

Now, back to this fun topic, Cameron Mathison as Ryan Lavery on AMC & Drew (various surnames) on GH. 

Technically not an actor at all but definitely acting in a cameo role & definitely unpopular, Brian Frons as God on Santa Barbara. (This can definitely be seen on WLS.net & maybe on YouTube as well.)

 

 

[titan1978]

The miracle that man worked on Nina should be studied by modern soap writers. The show had problems, but damn he made me want to watch Nina. I have never liked Nina, through both actors. Nothing against them, she’s just not a good character, surrounded by terrible stories.

[detroitpiston]

I was mad when Cynthia Watros left Y&R because she exited just as the writers were starting to pick up on the nuances she was adding with her performances to make Kelly more interesting. There was a scene with her and Stitch viciously trolling each other at Crimson Lights that was chefs kiss but then she was already leaving for that MTV show.

Cady McClain was horrible in the role and got continually smoked in her scenes sparring with Gina Tongnoni. Her last DOOL appearance as Jennifer made me appreciate Melissa Reeves again too.

Beth Ehlers should have been Liza on AMC but she dug her own grave with the audience by publicly and obnoxiously bashing Brot’s actor and being so pressed to be paired with Ricky Paul Goldin again when he clearly didn’t give a damn. I was glad they left Taylor in the CONfusion bathroom.

Sarah Joy Brown seemed purposely set up for failure with most of her post Carly roles. That B&B run was always a chop and I never got why ATWT brought her on as another random brunette named Julia to be a foil for CarJack and Lily and Holden when we had already had Annie Parisse’s character. Madison on Days showed promise initially but the Ian Buchanan stuff was a tad too dark and once Corday hit the panic button on the regime she came in with it was a wrap.

I’d argue Claudia was definitely popular on GH though, even after she pissed Guza off by openly disliking Claudia being responsible for getting Michael shot and the scripts began doing nothing but degrade the character onscreen.

I’ll add Eden Riegel on Y&R as Heather and Melissa Archer as that girl hiding the elephant on Days. Julie Pinson as Janet on ATWT too.

[Contessa Donatella]

Oh, I think I blocked that out. I love Pinson but OMG, Janet moved in & almost ATE her new show in mere months & of course she was VERY unpopular. Good catch.

[janea4old]

oh yeah that Serena Mason storyline sucked

[DRW50]

I suppose we can add Natalia Livingston as Taylor on DAYS. That seemed to get a disastrous fan response, and she was out fast. 

I had forgotten until now that Tamara Braun also played her. Clearly fans were happy to move on from that given she's been playing a whole other character off and on for years. What a mess. 

I do remember her having some fan support, helped by the longstanding antipathy many fans feel for the Sonny/Carly/Jason setup as well as it being the only other daytime role Sarah had that captured her intensity.

Edited January 5 by DRW50

[AMCOLTLLover]

Billy Warlock as AJ Quartermaine! He was just no AJ for me

[Taoboi]

I would think it counts since Maura West is very much a popular actress. But horribly miscast as Diane. And I remember that interview you mentioned as well. And she was not well received as Diane at all from what I remember though her and Nick did have fire. And lest we forget...the gif of Victor throwing her Diane out of the ambulance...a low point for Victor if I remember correctly.

 

I feel like quite a few people suggested she would have been better off as a Grace recast. And...I could see it.

That man worked miracles on quite a few people. And while I'm low key enjoying still, it is not the same. Back to 'these dozen can leave the show tomorrow' while he was doing what a good writer can do and making a case of 'show, don't tell' on why these former 'can leave tomorrow' characters can stay and effectively writing out characters who should have already left. 

A good one. NO ONE liked her Heather...a sign of how much Vail Bloom bought to that character. Jennifer London thankfully redeemed the character. It spoke volumes that when Heather finally returned that she was not even considered.

 

ETA: Yep. Right about AMC Taylor. 

Edited January 5 by Taoboi

[Liberty City]

Maura West has gone on record, multiple times, stating on how horrible her experience (especially once fired) was on that set, and how poorly the sets were in terms of their shape. If I recall, she mentioned the Athletic Club was "falling apart". Her casting, if I recall, was brought on by CBS/Sony wanting her to stay at CBS, and there were plans for a Diane recast, so they stepped in and put her into the role.

And while I loved her as Diane, it was obvious from day one: there was no plan for her to be long-term in the role. In January 2014, via Michael Fairman TV:

❝ This is a complete 180 from your last soap role as Diane Jenkins on The Young and the Restless.  And I can say, unfortunately, the writing of her was so bad.

MAURA:  I can say it, too.  Being on GH has absolutely been a breath of fresh air, and to have people who encourage you, that uplift you, it makes all the difference in the world.  How can you do a job where nobody is saying, “I see something.  Let’s mine that.”  That other thing, I don’t even remember that.  It’s not something I even think about, although when I tell my husband that, in fairness he will say, “Don’t you do that. You can call up any episode on that show, on You Tube, or anywhere, and you can be proud of what you did there.”  I understand that, but sometimes in life you block things out. (Laughs)  But to be here at GH, and have such a supportive producing team, and talented writers who understood Ava, and understood me, Maura, rather quickly, is a real gift.  It’s magic. ❞

In September 2013, she had this to say (and it speaks V O L U M E S), via Michael Fairman TV (originally via TV Guide's Michael Logan):

❝ Maura on how her stint on Y&R didn’t last so long as Diane Jenkins:  “Honestly, I was at Y&R so briefly that I don’t even think about it! (Laughs) I must have blocked it out! Sometimes I’ll see a magazine article where they’ll say Maura West and in parentheses they have “ex-Carly ATWT” and “ex-Diane Y&R” and I’ll go, “Huh?” I met some wonderful people at Y&R but that experience is not something my heart aches over, not something I miss at all.” ❞

[P.J.]

Lord knows she wasn't well-received on ATWT or B&B.

[BetterForgotten]

Honestly, I thought MW was so miscast as Diane that it gave me a renewed appreciation for SW in the role - you can debate who the better actress is overall, but SW has a better aura/presence in that role and better chemistry with her main costars than MW did as Diane. 

That said, MAB hated being forced to hire MW, and it showed. She should have given her a totally different character to begin with, but regardless, it wasn’t ever going to go well for MW on that show. 

Edited January 5 by BetterForgotten