Thursday, October 17, 2019

Recast Thursday


So, Karen and I were talking about recasts, most notably a certain recent one that almost got married, and it got me to thinking: What recast in GH history really "nailed" it. Now, it doesn't have to be my/our/your favorite. But rather it needs to be the one that "worked" and was done really well. Here are the ones Karen and I picked. There is no need to tell you who picked who. You ALL know who Karen picked!





I will always hold dear the performance of Sarah Brown as Carly. Probably one of the best scenes ever in GH history was the reveal of Caroline as Bobbie's daughter. When Karen went to Australia, I did an entire blog about that episode. Sarah Brown brought a vulnerability to the character, along with a vengeful streak. She never took no for an answer. She knew what she wanted and she went for it. At times, she was a manipulative bitch and she worked the character in her favor. 

Enter Laura Wright. Instead of working off her 3 predecessors, Laura made the character her own. The only thing she really had in common with Sarah Brown's portrayal is that when she wants what she wants, she goes out and gets it. She also doesn't take no for an answer. However, Laura brought less vindictiveness and she is more of a businesswoman first. She owns the Metro Court, has established actual friendships with other citizens of Port Charles and has become a well-wounded individual. She has made the role of Carly very believable and somewhat likable. She has so grown into the role that I am sure that some viewers forget there were 3 other Carlys. A very successful recast indeed.





Well, you can't replace Elizabeth Taylor right? I mean, she's an ICON. Turns out, you sure can!! Enter Constance Towers-- my favorite recast of all time. She came on to GH and made Helena her own. Ice in her veins, class in her words and a cunning that is unmatched. 


Whether she is loving too much on Stavros or hating too much on Stefan, shes is magnificent. Every time you thought she was gone, she'd pop up again to darken our screens with mayhem, blackmail and murder. Although the last time she was shown was in an flashback, I'm still not sure she is dead-dead.   


How about you? Your favorite recast of all time? It doesn't have to be on GH--pick any soap. I think the trick is that the actor embraces the character enough to keep their qualities but changes it to make it their own. We all know many, MANY disastrous recasts and it takes something special to get it just right. 

45 comments:

  1. Don't throw tomatoes Haha! But I'm going with Billy Miller, when he was cast as Jason. I myself thought nobody could replace SB, I was wrong. (My opinion)...I was a fan from day one.....

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  2. I also like Billy Miller as jason, he brought emotion to the character. And I liked tamara braun as carly. she had a softer side and chemistry with every male character she was paired with. loved her with alcazar. LW just screams lunatic in my opinion.

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  3. I love Maxie, and since she's been on for years, it is hard even to remember the young actress who played her first.

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    1. You're right, I totally forgot there was another....who was it?

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    2. There was a girl who took over when KS was out sick. Jen Lilly? She was superb!

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    3. I think her name was Robin Richards? Or something very similar, she played Maxie through (most of?) her school years.

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    4. Jen Lilly was the best maxie

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    5. Jen Lilly as Maxie!!! YES! I loved her as Maxie!!! She did a fantastic job!!! :)

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  4. I have always hated recasts. Sarah Brown was phenomenal - hated TB for her bad acting and gawkiness. LW is ok but nicknamed Snarly for a reason - really loud. Greg Vaughn was ok but rather miscast as Lucky. Can't think of one recast I would prefer over the original except Maxie worked out really well.
    LindaV

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    1. I'm not big on recast, I thought, NO WAY could SB be recast but boy was I wrong...same with Sarah Brown, it took a couple but Laura Wright is it for me! But yeh not everyone can be recast.

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  5. Constance is definitely my all time fav.

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  6. I was so used to the original Kristina, that I couldn't accept the recast in the role.The recast wasn't a bad actress,but she just didn't look like she could be the daughter of Alexis and Molly's sister. Just my opinion.

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  7. on GH--I thought Billy Warlock was a great AJ recast. However, I was always partial to AJ in general. His character was so complex and integral (at the time) to the Q lineage. I always felt AJ was maligned and scapegoated in favor of Sonny and Jason, and that bugged me. Anyway, both Billy and Sean K were awesome, IMO.

    HOWEVER! If we go outside of GH, my 2 fav recasts were on OLT: First--Trevor St John as Todd. He owned his own version of Todd's craziness. I was so pleased with the retcon that kept him on canvas when Roger came back.

    But the one who takes the cake was BLAIR on OLTL!!! XD If you watched the original actress, and the recast, you'll know why it was so hysterical!

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    1. I always preferred Sean K, I think because of SB, they were related by marriage or cousins or something...I forget now (age...old), anyway, they fit as brothers so well and I loved them together.

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    2. I'm with you on both. From RoHo to Trevor St. John and back again. And Blair...a lovely Asian woman changes to a lovely Caucasian woman. There was/is nothing like OLTL.
      OTT: Anyone read the rumor that Martin Gray may be Laura Collins' bro? Her birth father was Gordon Gray.

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    3. Yeh I forgot about Blair. That was a hard one. As for RoHo...I didn't think he was replaceable but I ended up loving Trevor St. John and was glad when they found him another role.

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    4. "CareyN says, But the one who takes the cake was BLAIR on OLTL!!! XD If you watched the original actress, and the recast, you'll know why it was so hysterical!"

      Hahahahhahaha! Especially when she looked in the mirror and had a confused look on her face! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

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  8. Can someone please recap today's episode? It would be very appreciated since I will miss it.

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    1. Sonya normally does it later in the day. 😊

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    2. Brad/Lucas...blah,blah,blah.
      Sonny/Julian...blah,blah,blah.
      Laura/Ava...let's be friends.
      Cam/Kim...let me have my Franco back please.
      Jason/bad guy...who's your boss?
      Preview...bad guy is Ryan's roomie(like a serial killer would have one)...bye, bye bad guy.
      Hope that helps.

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    3. "zazu says, Brad/Lucas...blah,blah,blah.
      Sonny/Julian...blah,blah,blah.
      Laura/Ava...let's be friends.
      Cam/Kim...let me have my Franco back please.
      Jason/bad guy...who's your boss?
      Preview...bad guy is Ryan's roomie(like a serial killer would have one)...bye, bye bad guy."

      ROFL! Yeah pretty much! :)

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  9. since Ryan is gonna kill Bryce, Sam will have to stay in jail. ISN'T IT ODD that Jordan ramroaded Sam and arrested her BUT when the FBI did it, she was all incensed? She is just a poor actress too.

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    1. I think she didn't want to arrest Sam in the first place but felt that she had to. So after she cleared her, she really doesn't want her to be arrested again.

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    2. I would think that if he's dead the main witness against her is gone. How can they hold her now?

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  10. Some things happen really fast on this soap. Kids age years overnight.You can be in New York one minute and in Port Chuck the next. But then we can have Alexis seemingly unaware that Sam has been arrested.News travels slowly here. Looks like Bryce is going to get a pen shoved in his eye and maybe Sam will get Harmony or Nelle as a roomy.

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    1. of all the pople he could have killed, why this nobody. I wanted Nelle gone, or Sam. lol

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  11. I agree about Laura Wright and abut Constance Towers. My husband even likes Laura Wright and he hates soaps

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  12. I usually don't like recast at all.

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  13. Jail visiting room:

    Jason and Hottie bad boy: Jason cleaning the phone because of germs! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

    Charlie's pub and restaurant:

    Ava, Sonny, and Julian: Oh come on!!! Sonny stop harassing Ava!!!! And stop harassing Julian! It's none of your business that Julian doesn't want to sell Charlie's to Olivia!!! Go away Sonny!!!!

    Brucas: Oh Brad you are digging yourself deeper in that hole you dug yourself. Once the truth comes out, your marriage will implode!!

    The hospital:

    Liz, Cam, and Scotty: Love it!!! Cam did a great job rehearsing!!!! :)

    Liz and Scotty: Scotty wins the line of the day.

    Scotty: When it comes down to dueling mommies, we are going to lose.

    ROFL!

    Cam and CarlyKim: Oh great scene!!! You tell her Cam!!!!! :) Will she listen? Probably not.

    Jail cell: Ryan writing a letter to his Goddess!!!! :)

    Ryan and hottie bad boy: Oh crap! I don't want hottie bad boy to die! :(

    Metrocourt restaurant: Oh that bartender is hot. :)

    KevLar: I have started to like the squish name hehe. Doc has to go talk to Drew Jr!

    Laura and Ava: That's a really nice scene. Oh Laura you should call the psychic! Ava don't talk to her anymore!

    Ferncliff: Oh is that Ferncliff? I forgot.

    Drew Jr and CarlyKim: This is so odd!!! She is crying over Drew's death, but is crying on Drew Jr's shoulder!!!! My head can't take anymore of this!!!

    Doc and Drew Jr: Awww Drew Jr is playing a puzzle!!! Is Doc getting through to you?

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    1. Good recap Sonya, thanks! Jason wiping the phone....I was rolling. He was having a Finn moment! Ava and Laura were fab, and who is spying on them? Wouldn't it be great if it was Nik?! I wanted to kick Sonny, Brad, Kim and Drew Jr. in the butt. Jack asses, all of them.

      Cam was awesome!

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  14. Some recasts work well and some don't. My best recast? Carly. The 2nd one and the 4th one..

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    1. Sonya, I agree. I wasn't a huge fan of LW's Carly initially because she didn't exude the vulnerable qualities that SB created with Carly; however, I guess I just grew into her in that role over time.

      Some of my other favorite recasts are Robin Mattson (Heather Webber), John Ingle (Edward Q), and Constance as Helena. Also, let's not forget that Monica Q and Rick Webber were both recasts too!

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  15. It makes no sense to me that Julian doesn't return Olivia's deposit, he HAS TO by law, it should have been in escrow, instead he said he used it to put down a deposit on the bar in NYC? Even it, for some reason, it wasn't held in escrow, he legally and morally owes it to her. Sonny says Olivia is "family," but Julian also shares a child with her, this makes no sense!

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  16. I kind of like the Laura/Ava friendship. That scene with the vodka was done well between two great actresses. Laura is right that they have some things in common. Dead child namely

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  17. Yup, so they give Ryan a pen AND a roommate. Please!!! Stupid writing

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  18. My favorite recast (after Connie's Helena) was John Ingle's Edward Quartermaine. Absolutely loved both actors, and they were each Edward in their on way. I still remember David Lewis fake dying and Tracy withholding his meds. What a scene!

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  19. I agree with Connie's Helena - just fabulous- and Eddie Q. Both actors were excellent.
    LindaV

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  20. I agree with the Carly and Helena being great recasts but you know which one I loved? Remember Dominique Baldwin? When Shell Danielson took over the role, it became one of my favorite storylines ever.

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  21. Yes, I liked the first Dominique with Mac. But I also liked the recast Dominique with Scotty

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