There are published reports that Michael Mealor may not be staying at The Young and the Restless as contract renegotiations are falling through. With Summer having already left town, it’d be logical for Kyle to see through Tara’s schemes, dump her, and join Summer in Italy.
But that’s just one option. The show could also always recast either sooner or later. It’s often best to give the character a rest so that a recast may not be jarring to viewers and giving the character a rest also provides more time for the original actor and the show to hammer out a new deal.
The Young and the Restless Top Five Recasts
Here are some examples of Y&R successfully recasting characters over the years.
1. Jess Walton (Jill): Y&R replaced Brenda Dickson (ex-Jill) with Walton back in 1987. Walton, fresh off a stint as the dynamic and troubled Kelly on Capitol, hit the ground-running as Katherine’s (the late Jeanne Cooper) long-running rival. Ironically, soon after Walton took over as Jill, she and Katherine actually had a common enemy – Nina (Tricia Cast), who was pregnant with Phillip’s (Thom Bierdz) son, the man now known as Chance (Donny Boaz). Walton has won two Daytime Emmys for her playing Jill.
2. Justin Gaston (Chance): Speaking of Chance, Boaz needed to take some time off from Y&R last year after the actor tested positive for COVID-19. This came around the time that Chance and Abby (Melissa Ordway) were headed to the altar. Who better to take over as the groom than Ordway’s real-life husband? The two actors were already being close off-camera so, sharing some on-screen intimacy wasn’t a problem!
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3. Peter Bergman (Jack): Terry Lester vacated the role of Jack back in 1989. The character left town and returned to Genoa City a few months later being played by Bergman, who had just wrapped up a 10-year run as nice-guy Dr. Cliff Warner on All My Children. Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) had learned that Bergman was on the market and thought he’d be great in the role. Bergman flew to Los Angeles, screen-tested for the part, and landed the gig. He’s won three Daytime Emmys for his role as Smilin’ Jack.
4. Sean Dominic (Nate): Y&R had aged Olivia (Tonya Lee Williams) and the late Nathan’s (Adam Lazarre-White) son twice before with actors Walter Fauntleroy (The Oval) in 2011 and Brooks Darnell (Shadowhunters) in 2018 before hiring Dominic to take over the part of the Genoa City physician.
5. Sharon Case (Sharon): It may be hard to believe but two different actors played the role of Sharon before Case was hired to take on the part of Nick’s (Joshua Morrow) teen love. Monica Potter (Parenthood) originated the role. Then, Heidi Mark (Rock Star) played it, briefly. The third time was clearly the charm. Case, who turned in poignant and powerful performances in Sharon’s cancer storyline, joined Y&R in 1994 and won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1999 for her work as Sharon.
The Young and the Restless (YR) airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Genoa City, check out all the latest that’s been posted on Y&R spoilers.
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