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Michael Damian Returns to Y&R as Danny Romalotti

Michael Damian is reprising his role as Danny on Y&R.

michael damian returns to young and the restless as daniel romalotti.Michael Damian.
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Get ready to rock on! Michael Damian, who plays fan favorite Danny Romalotti on Young and the Restless, is on his way back to Genoa City. This time, it’s not for a brief visit. A show spokesperson says that this time, the actor is set for “an extended stay.”

Michael Damian Is Coming Home

His return air date is set for Thursday, September 28. Damian first joined Y&R in 1980 as singer Danny Romalotti. He was paired on-screen with Patty Williams (Andrea Evans), Lauren Fenmore (Tracey Bregman), and Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland). After Traci became pregnant with her college professor’s child, Danny wed Traci in order to give the baby a name.

Later, Danny fell for Jabot model Cricket Blair (Lauralee Bell), who now goes by Christine. Danny performed many rock concerts in Genoa City over the years. After Cricket split from Phillip Chancellor III (Thom Bierdz), she and Danny were wed in Hawaii in 1990. Cricket earned her law degree, dropped her nickname, and began going professionally by “Christine.”

Phyllis Destroyed Danny and Chris’s Marriage

A few years after they were married, Danny moved to New York City to play the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Broadway. There, Danny was drugged by groupie Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford). Phyllis lied to Danny that he’d father her son, Daniel (Michael Graziadei). Danny broke up with Christine via overnight letter and married Phyllis to give his son a name.

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Danny and Phyllis came to Genoa City following the death of Danny’s dad, Rex Sterling (AKA Brian Romalotti), played by the late, great Quinn Redeker. Eventually, Phyllis’s lies began to unravel. Danny and Phyllis ended up in court, where she confessed to lying about Daniel’s parentage. Danny was awarded custody of Daniel, and they left town together.

Michael Damian: Chris & Danny’s Happy Ending?

Phyllis’s machinations were exposed — she and Danny never slept together. A Danny/Christine reunion would have been satisfying to viewers, but by this time, Chris and Paul (Doug Davidson) had wed. “You’re absolutely right,” Damian told Soap Hub at the beginning of the year about a Danny/Christine reunion would have set things right. “Danny and Cricket are star-crossed lovers. There were forces that pulled them apart. It wasn’t something that either of them wanted or planned. They were going to be together forever — just like Danny and Sandy going off in the car at the end of Grease.”

Y&R is setting the stage for a Chris/Danny reunion. Will it happen? Stay tuned. Additionally, Damian produced and directed the upcoming film Paris Christmas Waltz, which stars Jen Lilley (Theresa, Days of our Lives) and Matthew Morrison (ex-Adam, As the World Turns). Damian has another film with Lindsay Lohan (ex-Alli, Another World) titled Irish Wish, which also stars Ed Speleers (Paramount +’s Picard). It’s set to premiere on Netflix in early 2024.

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