Switching Soap Operas: Top 7 Actors Who Thrived in New Roles

Creating a sensation as one daytime character is hard enough, but a few talented performers have mastered the feat on more than one occasion. Here’s a list of soaps’ top quick change artists.

Billy Miller
After a glorious run as The Young and the Restless’ irrepressible Billy Abbott, Miller headed to General Hospital to resurrect Jason Morgan. His chemistry with leading ladies Kelly Monaco (Sam) and Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth) made the transition easy, and he’s infused the drab mobster with heart.

Eileen Davidson
As Y&R’s Ashley Abbott, Eileen Davidson was the epitome of honesty and decency. Who knew she’d thrive as Days of Our Lives meanie Kristen DiMera and handle the gig with such fabulous flair. The soap’s scribes were so impressed, they created four other characters for her: the crazy quirky Banks quads.

Thorsten Kaye
Ronn Moss’s exit as Ridge Forrester left The Bold and the Beautiful with a huge void. Enter All My Children and One Life to Live vet Thorsten Kaye, who didn’t try to recreate his predecessor’s version of Ridge. Instead, the classically-trained actor put his own spin on the fashion mogul, and, accent and all, it worked.

Maura West
It took a special actress to create ruthless mobster Ava Jerome, and GH hit pay dirt with As the World Turns and Y&R alum Maura West. She can switch gears from cold and calculating to down and disheartened, and never was it more prevalent than her emotional breakdown after Morgan’s death.

Gina Tognoni
Replacing Michelle Stafford as The Young and the Restless’ Phyllis was a major undertaking, but soap vet Gina Tognoni rose to the occasion. She quickly mastered the essence of Phyllis — a tough, sassy broad with insecurities — and won a 2017 Daytime Emmy in the process.

Eric Martsolf
Following a run as Ethan Crane on Passions, Eric Martsolf joined DAYS as Brady Black, John’s tough, but troubled son. He bravely wears Brady’s loser-at-love name tag without ever giving up on romance and has made fans forget anyone played the part before him.

Steve Burton
Talk about a major about-face! Steve Burton went from killer (GH’s Jason) to war hero when he joined Y&R as Dylan McAvoy. He quickly abandoned his “stone cold” past and embraced playing Nikki and Paul’s softhearted, soulful son.

Michelle Stafford
Creating General Hospital’s Nina, a woman who’d spent half her life in a coma, was a challenge former Y&R star Michelle Stafford met head-on. She’s mixed anger, immaturity, and vulnerability into her damaged alter ego, while Nina desperately searches to belong.

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