Soap Alum Paul Wesley Lands New Gig

Paul Wesley, who starred as Max on Guiding Light, has been tapped to play the lead in a new six-part limited series, Unspoken, about the war in Ukraine.

Now and Then

Amid the chaos of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the series Unspoken tells the gripping story of Paul (Wesley), a former soldier now working as a taxi driver in Poland. When his wife in Kyiv calls him in desperation on the day the invasion begins, Paul embarks on a race against time to help his family escape to safety. Navigating across borders and through unimaginable danger, he provides critical guidance over the phone, directing them through a harrowing journey marked by fear and violence.

The series captures the urgency and raw emotions of survival against overwhelming adversity. Inspired by real events on the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the series portrays Paul’s journey through a war-ravaged landscape while confronting his own struggles for redemption and resilience. Polish writer Filip Syczyński is the creator of the series, and It will be shot primarily in English with some Ukrainian and Polish included. As of now, there is no word on when the series will air, but production is set to begin in Eastern Europe in the winter of 2025-26

Wesley, originally named Paweł Tomasz Wasilewski, is of Polish descent. His parents emigrated from Poland, and he grew up speaking Polish, spending several months each year in Poland until the age of 16. This cultural background is a significant part of his identity.

Wesley played Max Nixerson on GL from 1999-2001 and Sean McKinnon on Another World in 1999. He was also a series co-lead on The Vampire Diaries, playing Stefan from 2009-2017. He went on to star on Tell Me A Story with fellow soap alum Billy Magnussen (Casey, As The World Turns). The actor currently stars on the Paramount+ show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.