Soap stars are irreplaceable. It’s an opinion held by many diehard fans. However, when push comes to shove, more often then not, that assertion is proven false. Not only can soap stars be replaced, but they are sometimes replaced on multiple occasions.
Which Soap Star Was It?
All of these actors are either currently starring in, or are an alum of, one of the four remaining soaps – The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless – and all of them have (at one point or another) been replaced in the role that they had huge success in. But only one of them can say that they had a hand in choosing their successor.
But who can that actor be? Was it Ronn Moss (ex-Ridge Forrester, BB), Kate Mansi (ex-Abigail Deveraux DiMera, DAYS), Vinessa Antoine (ex-Jordan Ashford, GH), or Eileen Davidson (Ashley Abbott, YR)?
Ronn Moss
When contract negotiations broke down, Moss chose to exit BB, his home of 25 years, and the role of Ridge Forrester. Producers subsequently hired soap veteran Thorsten Kaye (an alum of One Life to Live, Port Charles, and Ally My Children) to assume the part, but Moss had no say in the decision.
Kate Mansi
It took five years and one Daytime Emmy Award win, but Mansi finally decided that she was ready to say goodbye to her role as DAYS’ Abigail Deveraux DiMera. When she exited, Marci Miller entered the fray and continued to steer Abby through life’s trials and tribulations.
But when Miller decided to leave the fictional world of Salem behind, Mansi was there to re-assume the part. And now that she has decided to once again move on, Miller is set to fill the void. But though the actresses are on friendly terms, Mansi wasn’t responsible for Miller’s hiring.
Vinessa Antoine
Just prior to leaving her dressing room for the final time, Antoine paused and penned a note to Briana Nicole Henry – the actress hired to take over the role of Jordan. The message was a passing of the torch…and it had a positive effect on the admittedly nervous Henry. But Antoine played no role in choosing her successor.
Eileen Davidson
When Davidson chose to exit her YR role in 1988, she strongly recommended that producers consider replacing her with a budding thespian named Brenda Epperson. Epperson was a caterer whose acquaintance Davidson had made at a party and, thanks to the strong resemblance between the two, coupled with Epperson’s innate skill, she was indeed hired.
So, if you guessed that the soap star in question was Eileen Davidson – who did reprise the Ashely Abbot character, years after Epperson had left the soap – then you were absolutely correct!
