Keeping daytime fun and interesting means adding new talent to the mix every year. Sometimes it’s an established pro from primetime, who’s eager to take a stab at a soap opera.
Top 10 Soap Opera Newcomers
Other times, a casting director makes a brilliant new discovery, who ends up taking off as a future star. Here’s a look at the top 10 soap newcomers of 2020.
1. Jeff Kober (Cyrus, General Hospital)
Former Sons of Anarchy star Jeff Kober (ex-Jacob Hale) debuted as lethal drug lord Cyrus Renault in February. Since being sprung from Pentonville, he’s emerged as Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) mob nemesis, eager to take over his turf and willing to kill anyone who gets in his way. Kober’s controlled depiction of the character has been deliciously evil.
2. Lindsay Arnold (Allie, Days of our Lives)
Not just anybody could fill the role for feisty Sami’s (Alison Sweeney) teenage daughter; particularly since Allie arrived in town pregnant as the result of a rape. Newcomer Lindsay Arnold has handled the assignment masterfully, infusing the character with the perfect blend of true grit and naive innocence.
3. Delon de Metz (Zende, The Bold and the Beautiful)
Bringing Zende back to the Forrester fold required a special type of actor. Not only would he have to look the fashion designer part, but also talk the talk. Delon de Metz, last seen as Sam Parker on CBS series Zoo, quickly proved he could excel in all aspects savvy and style; plus, hold his own as a promising leading man.
4. Johnny Wactor (Brando, General Hospital)
Johnny Wactor entered the PC scene as Brando with guns blazing – literally; arriving in the middle of a mob shootout. After saving Carly’s (Laura Wright) life, he bedded Molly (Hayley Pullos) and is now infiltrating Cyrus’s organization. So far, Wactor has risen to the occasion as the tough, but tender, enigmatic hero.
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5. Isabel Durant (Claire, Days of our Lives)
When Olivia Rose Keegan nabbed a role in Disney+’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, DAYS was tasked with recasting the troubled Claire. Enter Aussie actress Isabel Durant, who easily adapted to the soap opera role. She’s a tad older and presents a more mature version of Claire, but considering all the teen’s been through it makes sense.
6. Tanner Novlan (Finn, The Bold and the Beautiful)
After years of pining for Liam, Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) was finally ready to move on with hot doc, Finn. Tanner Novlan, who was cast in the part, embodies the perfect guy. He’s tall, dark, handsome, and has a medical license. Plus, his calm demeanor is perfect to handle all the drama in the Forrester clan.
7. Madison Thompson (Jordan, The Young and the Restless)
Former Ozark star Madison Thompson quickly made a splash as the trouble-making Jordan. She’s coy, edgy, and mysterious. Watching her manipulate young Faith (Alyvia Alyn Lind) down a bad path has been intriguing for viewers, but not so much for her parents, Nick (Joshua Morrow) and Sharon (Sharon Case).
8. Diamond White (Paris, The Bold and the Beautiful)
The latest member of the Buckinghams, Zoe’s (Kiara Barnes) sister, Paris, eased into the mix at BB. Diamond White’s take on the cool, marches-to-the-beat-of-her-own-drummer character, has been no-nonsense and direct, whether she’s gushing over Zende (Delon de Metz) or assessing Carter (Lawrence St. Victor).
9. Mike Manning (Charlie, Days of our Lives)
Quirky leading men are rare on daytime, but cast right can be pure gold. Such is the case with Mike Manning, who plays Charlie, the awkward intern stuck between dueling CEOs Philip (Jay Kenneth Johnson) and Xander (Paul Telfer). His portrayal is sweetly sensitive, yet nervously insecure, making him the perfect beau for the reformed Claire — except for his horrible secret — that he raped Allie!
10. Gregory Harrison (Gregory, General Hospital)
GH lured another primetime star to the fold in Gregory Harrison, who’s taken over the role of Gregory from James Read. Albeit limited in his appearances, his initial soap opera scenes with estranged son Finn (Michael Easton) were powerfully layered, while effortlessly warm and loving with favored son, Chase (Josh Swickard).
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