Soap Opera Comings and Goings: Amazing Comebacks and Shocking Recasts

Check out the latest comings and goings casting news from all four daytime dramas: The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless?

Casting For The Week of  August 12, 2024

Find out if any of your favorite actors and actresses from yesteryear are returning to the shows you watch, if any newcomers have been cast in contract, recurring, or day-player roles, or if any popular performers are about to make their exit.

Days of our Lives

After two years off the Days of our Lives canvas, Alison Sweeney is returning as Sami Brady. Sweeney, who originated the role of Sami as a teenager back in 1993, made her last appearance on the soap in 2022. She has already begun filming scenes for a storyline that reportedly caught her off guard but won’t begin airing until 2025. 

Meanwhile, Cady McClain will resurface as Jennifer Horton Devereaux on Friday, August 16. The character arrives in town to participate in the unraveling mystery surrounding “Abigail.” The actress has filled in as the popular character since Melissa Reeves’s exit from the soap. McClain made her last appearance in 2023. 

Finley Rose Slate pops back in as the precocious Rachel Black. The child airs on Thursday, August 15, when she visits Marlena (Deidre Hall) with her mother, Kristen (Stacy Haiduk).  

Tina Huang gets more air time as Melinda Trask. She shares scenes with Tamara Braun’s Ava on Friday, August 16.

On the exit front, Emily O’Brien has finished her run as Theresa Donovan. On August 8, the character was carted off to Statesville prison to serve a six-month sentence for tampering with Victor’s will. O’Brien began her Days career as Gwen Rizczech in 2020, but the character was written off the canvas in October 2023. In the very same episode, she took over the role of Theresa from Jen Lilley. 

The Bold and the Beautiful

It’s time for another CBS soap crossover. Lauralee Bell and Michael Damian, who play supercouple Christine Blair and Danny Romalotti on The Young and the Restless, are paying a visit to The Bold and the Beautiful this week. The pair airs on Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14.

The part of Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) and Thomas’ (Matthew Atkinson) mother, Dr. Taylor Hayes, has been recast again. Soap vet Rebecca Budig, remembered as Greenlee Smythe on All My Children and Hayden Barnes on General Hospital, debuted in the part last week. Hunter Tylo originated the character back in 1990 and portrayed her on and off through 2019. Krista Allen played the part from 2021 to 2023.

Alley Mills is finally back on the scene as Pam Douglas. She’ll appear in scenes with John McCook’s Eric, Thorsten Kaye’s Ridge, Katherine Kelly Lang’s Brooke and others on Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14.

Alexes Gaube pops in as Petra, the Forrester Creations model. She airs on Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14.

Dan Martin returns as Chief Deputy Baker. He appears on Monday, August 12.

General Hospital

In a stunning move General Hospital has finally decided to have Lulu Spencer Falconeri awaken from her coma, but Emme Rylan, the actress who last portrayed her, hasn’t been asked to resurrect the character. Instead, the show plans to recast Dante’s (Dominic Zamprogna) ex-wife. Rylan, who played Lulu from 2013 to 2020, admitted she was “very disappointed” by the turn of events on her Instagram Stories.

Jophielle Love is back as Violet Finn. The child shares scenes with Jane Elliot’s Tracy on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. 

The Young and the Restless

A new couple is coming home on The Young and the Restless. Beth Maitland arrives back in Genoa City as Traci Abbott, and she’ll be bringing her new beau, Christopher Cousins’ Dr. Alan Laurent, with her. The twosome share scenes with Peter Bergman’s Jack and Susan Walter’s Diane on Wednesday, August 14.

Judah Mackey gets more screen time as Connor Newman. On Thursday, August 15, and Friday, August 16, he’ll interact with his TV parents, Melissa Claire Egan’s Chelsea and Mark Grossman’s Adam.