Conner Floyd stepped into Salem as Chad this week on Days of our Lives, and the timing still feels a bit surreal if you followed how it all came together. Billy Flynn left the role after more than a decade, moved over to The Young and the Restless, and somehow ended up sharing scenes with the very actor who would take his place. Not just passing the torch, either. More like handing it over mid-scene while the script subtly acknowledged how strange that was. Flynn recently revealed how it was a spectacularly peculiar moment.
Key Takeaways
- Billy Flynn knew Chad would be recast before leaving DAYS.
- He met Conner Floyd while filming their first shared Y&R scenes.
- He called the on-screen death scene “very meta” and “very romantic.”
- Flynn supported the casting choice and saw it as a natural fit.
When the Handoff Happened in Real Time on Two Shows
Flynn spoke to Soap Opera Digest and did not pretend the situation was anything other than unusual. “I knew before our first scene together,” he said. “The day that I met him was when we shot our first scenes together, and I was basically like, ‘I hear congratulations are in order!’”
He also described the scene where Floyd’s character died in his arms as “very romantic,” then added, “It was very meta…now this person just died in my arms, but he’s gonna be reborn as the old me.” He didn’t over dramatize it and acknowledged getting a kick out of it.
He also made it clear he liked working with Floyd. He said he wished they had more time together, described him as almost like a little brother, and joked that Floyd was a taller, better-looking version of him. Underneath that, there was a simple point: He thinks Floyd will do well in the role.
Why Flynn Was Never Worried About Chad’s Future ,
He knew the role was getting recast before he even walked out, so there wasn’t much suspense left in that part of it. “The day that I met him was when we shot our first scenes together, and I was basically like, ‘I hear congratulations are in order!’” he stated.
Flynn also praised Floyd while acknowledging the surreal nature of the scene. “He’s such a wonderful person, but it was very meta.” He revealed that he knew before leaving DAYS that Chad was going to be recast. At the time, casting director Marnie Saitta told him they found a possible replacement.
She told him, “I met this guy, but he almost reminds me too much of you.” But Flynn was on board with the pick, hilariously stating that it sounded, “Pretty wonderful, if I may say so myself.” Flynn didn’t treat it like flattery or a comparison to win. He took it at face value. If the role was going to someone who felt familiar, then the transition probably was going to be smooth. And that’s exactly how it played out.
