Soap Opera Comings and Goings: Vets Back, Couples Exit and A Guest

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 19, 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.

General Hospital

Rick Hearst returns to General Hospital as Ric Lansing this week. The character resurfaces in Port Charles to support his daughter, Molly (Kristen Vaganos). Hearst was originally cast as Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) half-brother in 2002 and stayed with the soap until 2009. His last run was from 2014 to 2016.  

The Deception crew – Jane Elliot’s Tracy, Lynn Herring’s Lucy, Kirsten Storms’ Maxie, and Eva LaRue’s Natalia  — is visiting Home & Heart. That likely means that Morgan Fairchild is back as Haven de Havilland, hostess of the shopping channel’s show, A Little Bit of Haven. Fairchild last aired as Haven in April.

Jacqueline Grace Lopez wrapped up her run as Blaze. The singer left town and her girlfriend, Kristina (Kate Mansi), to be the opening act for a major music star’s world tour. Lopez joined the cast back in 2022.

Philip Cass has been playing Clement, the pharmacist Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) hired to underdose Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) bipolar medication. 

Days of our Lives

Kyle Lowder is back on the Days of our Lives set filming scenes as Rex Brady, Kate (Lauren Koslow) and Roman’s (Josh Taylor) son. Lowder debuted as Rex in 2018, and last appeared in the role in 2023. He originally joined Days as Brady Black in 2000, a character now played by Eric Martsolf. Fans can expect to see Lowder on screen in 2025.

Tina Huang gets more screen time as Melinda Trask. Salem’s former DA shares scenes with Julie Dove’s Connie on Monday, August 19.  

Matthew Ashford and Cady McClain wrap up their latest visit as Jack and Jennifer Horton Deveraux. On Monday, August 19, the couple will decide to leave Salem and head back to Boston. 

The Bold and the Beautiful

Rebecca Budig, who first appeared via a phone call on August 5 and again on last Friday’s episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, begins her full-time tenure as the new Dr. Taylor Hayes this week. The actress shares her initial scenes with Jacqueline MacInnes Wood’s Steffy and Tanner Novlan’s Finn on Monday, August 19. She also airs on Wednesday, August 21 and Thursday, August 22. Budig is a daytime vet who played Greenlee Smythe on All My Children and Hayden Barnes on GH. Hunter Tylo and Krista Allen previously portrayed Taylor.

Lauralee Bell and Michael Damian wrapped up their crossover visit as Christine Blair and Danny Romalott, the characters they play on The Young and the Restless. The pair left Los Angeles, so Danny could resume his rock tour.

The Young and the Restless

Linden Ashby makes another appearance on The Young and the Restless. Thanks to Sharon’s (Sharon Case) hallucinations, the late Cameron Kirsten returns to taunt her on Friday, August 23.

Lily Brooks O’Briant gets more airtime as Danny (Michael Graziadei) and Heather’s (Vail Bloom) daughter, Lily Romalotti. Look for the troubled teenager to share some touching scenes with Melody Thomas Scott’s Nikki on Tuesday, August 20 and Wednesday, August 21.