Salem International: Casting Notes: Arrivals & Departures

[methodwriter85]

5 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Ron clearly gets off on the whole doubles thing. We've seen more of them all at once during his tenure than ever before:

Abigail/Gabby/Laura and Gabi

Adrienne/Bonnie

Hattie/Marlena

Hope/Princess Gina

The many masks of Kristen (Nicole, Sarah, etc)

Susan/Kirsten

Stefan/Jake

Shane/his lookalike

Tony/Andre

It's been beaten to death....

I'm honestly surprised he hasn't decided to just have Lindsay Arnold play Sydney Dimera.

[peachmangosteen]

5 hours ago, RedElf said:

Well, in his first scene as Alex he's almost naked, so we know why Ron brought him back.

Is his first scene somewhere online?

[CanaryFan98]

17 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Eww.

I'm beyond grossed out that they keep making him out to be some super stud. He just.....isn't. No offense, but I've never seen it from RSW. He postures and that's it.

And they're totally going to make Victor's exit storyline about him, aren't they? 😡

Christ, now he's been positioned as the new Victor.

*insert more throw up gifs*

I like EOB better than RSW. I like guy who plays Jake better than RSW. I even think I liked SS better than RSW!

Please, PLEASE stop rearranging this universe for him. I can't watch it.

I was referring to Alex's characterization not necessarily RSW. I mean he's conventionally attractive but that only goes so far. I like that Alex is more like Justin pre-Adrienne however as I said in another post he should be older than mid 30s. Then again this is the same show that de-aged Sarah Horton so I shouldn't be surprised by this.

I also agree with @Pearson80 that Alex should've been brought on when Adrienne and Anjelica were around at the same time. I hope this arrival means we'll see them again. I was hoping Anjelica would stick around as she was fond of Jack and I think she could've bonded with JJ(back when he was here).

[Frozendiva]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

Is his first scene somewhere online?

I found this link on another site.

[RedElf]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

Is his first scene somewhere online?

It was, but I can't find it now.  It'll be next week, though.

[RedElf]

Greg Rikaart is on contract,  I wonder what they're planning on doing with him. Is he still on Y&R?

[Jaded]

Judi Evans has a few seconds long clip of Rob with no music. It's just him shirtless (no surprise there) in a scene with Bonnie and Sonny then I guess Justin walks in. IG doesn't embed here anymore so you'll have to click the link. Maybe someone kind find it on Twitter? It's not on Judi's account there.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgNLt-CjSlK

[Frozendiva]

24 minutes ago, RedElf said:

It was, but I can't find it now.  It'll be next week, though.

It is part of the interview link.

[Artsda]

27 minutes ago, RedElf said:

Greg Rikaart is on contract,  I wonder what they're planning on doing with him. Is he still on Y&R?

He's on Y&R but random scenes. They weren't using him. 

[methodwriter85]

7 hours ago, Pearson80 said:

True but those talented young actors obviously do not have the  connections to get in for an audition.  RSW has a champion in Ron who is the headwriter and Deidre Hall who allegedly went to bat for him to get his job back as Ben after the serial killer story had ended..

It's that but I also think RSW just has a good rep in general. You're more likely to get hired if people like working with you.

Can they please add in a backstory that Alex attended university in Massachusetts to explain RSW's accent? 

Edited July 21, 2022 by methodwriter85

[SouthernChick]

Rumor has it that Tamara Braun is out. If so, I won’t miss her.

[Retired at last]

And if Jake comes back as Stefan, he will just be joined with Gabi. They really haven't had any idea what to do with her, since they tried to make her nice and that didn't take. To me, that's the same as Chloe. She serves no purpose and is boring and they have no idea what to do with her.

[rcc]

1 minute ago, rcc said:

He's back!!! Last scene today is why RSW is so important on this show. Ron loves looking at him. Lol

Edited July 26, 2022 by rcc

[SouthernChick]

14 minutes ago, rcc said:

RSW is definitely Ron’s favorite eye candy.

[CanaryFan98]

2 hours ago, SouthernChick said:

Rumor has it that Tamara Braun is out. If so, I won’t miss her.

I'm wondering what would happen between now and when her exit airs that they couldn't just write her off with Jake(not that I want them together or anything but when she was Taylor that's how they wrote off her and Quinn who was Vivian's long lost son that nobody mentions anymore). Anyways I'm glad to see her go unless she makes pop up visits to wreak havoc on Steve/Kayla amongst others there's no point to this character.

[CanaryFan98]

On 5/12/2022 at 11:48 AM, CanaryFan98 said:

Apparently Kyle Lowder was on the set when Ari found out about her Emmy nom. I think this means we're going to see Rex this fall.

So SN posted a BTS video that featured Kyle and that he and MBE were going to have scenes together with him.

I would say he would be Stephanie's new love interest but I remembered they're cousins.  I'm not sure how Rex fits into their lives beyond being their nephew they barely interacted with. Unless he ends up with Sarah again then that makes some sense since they both work in the hospital?

[WendyCR72]

53 minutes ago, CanaryFan98 said:

So SN posted a BTS video that featured Kyle and that he and MBE were going to have scenes together with him.

I would say he would be Stephanie's new love interest but I remembered they're cousins.  I'm not sure how Rex fits into their lives beyond being their nephew they barely interacted with. Unless he ends up with Sarah again then that makes some sense since they both work in the hospital?

Or Rex is back for another drive-by visit?

[boes]

5 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

Or Rex is back for another drive-by visit?

I love Rex, so I'll take him whatever way we can get him. 

The guy is a beacon of normalcy in a sea of crazy.

[CanaryFan98]

He supposedly saves Kayla's life. Although I don't know how he randomly showed up but ok..

[DisneyBoy]

I find him weird. It's his face. Not his fault.

Was OG Rex any good?

[nilyank]

7 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I find him weird. It's his face. Not his fault.

Was OG Rex any good?

Eric Winter was great. He had believable chemistry with his siblings. He was good with Mimi. He was also very attractive. He currently on ABC's The Rookie.

[WendyCR72]

Here is Eric Winter, original Rex:

And, as mentioned, he now plays on The Rookie with another ex-soap star, Nathan Fillion.

[DisneyBoy]

Ahh yes, I remember him a bit now. Did he have any especially good moments?

[methodwriter85]

11 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Ahh yes, I remember him a bit now. Did he have any especially good moments?

Eric Winter's Rex came on at a particularly campy time in the show, with him and his twin sister Cassie (who were test tube babies created from Roman Brady and Kate's genetic material) acting like they were aliens from outer space. (They weren't, obviously, but that didn't stop a Salem U sorority bitch from humiliating Cassie. This show was really big on mean girl storylines.) Initially both Rex and Cassie had crushes on Belle and Shawn, respectively, with them gazing at their headshots. (I believe by the time they came on, Jan was gone so they needed a new obstacle for Shelle.) His big story was his romance with Mimi, but it kinda blew up with her getting an abortion, I believe. Thank god there were never any "let's un-abort this fetus" shenanigans later on. I'm pretty sure that was the last recorded abortion on this show, although I took a pretty long break so anything is possible.

Rex's deal is that he is supposedly to have computer-like intelligence, although I don't think they've kept that with the Kyle Lowder version of Rex. No shade on Kyle, I just don't think he could pull off the genius thing like Eric Winter could.

Eric Winter managed to break it into prime time around 2005 or so and left. He's managed a pretty good career since then.

[JBC344]

13 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Ahh yes, I remember him a bit now. Did he have any especially good moments?

Eric Winter was generally great as Rex. Outside of his relationship with Mimi, his most significant pairing was his mother/son relationship with Kate. 

With all of Kate's issues with her children it was actually refreshing to have Rex be enthralled that she was his mother. We were actually allowed to see their journey of getting to know one another. At the time Roman and Cassie were "killed" by the Salem stalker, so as we were seeing them connect as father and daughter. We also saw Rex and Kate bond. 

From that storyline alone I always considered Rex as 2nd in line in terms of children closest to Kate. Lucas of course as the eternal #1 spot. 

[WendyCR72]

@DisneyBoy, here is a Rex/Mimi scene with Eric Winter's Rex. Maybe it will jog your memory. Or not!

[Peanut6711]

Didn't Cassie walk upstairs in the Pub never to be seen again kinda like how Don Craig mailed his letter? 

[JBC344]

42 minutes ago, Peanut6711 said:

Didn't Cassie walk upstairs in the Pub never to be seen again kinda like how Don Craig mailed his letter? 

Yes, right after her, Roman, and the others were rescued.  The character was completely dropped.  

There was a rumor, never confirmed that Jordan when she first came to town was supposed to be Cassie in disguise. Supposedly it was scrapped at the last minute and they created the Jordan character from it. If true it sort of explains the early set up of the Jordan/Kate rivalry that never made sense. 

[CanaryFan98]

5 hours ago, JBC344 said:

Yes, right after her, Roman, and the others were rescued.  The character was completely dropped.  

There was a rumor, never confirmed that Jordan when she first came to town was supposed to be Cassie in disguise. Supposedly it was scrapped at the last minute and they created the Jordan character from it. If true it sort of explains the early set up of the Jordan/Kate rivalry that never made sense. 

They really should've kept that story at least it would've made more sense and wouldn't have given us Ben and Clyde(which the show is still paying for).

I liked Cassie however they shouldn't have made her Roman/Kate's instead Rex/Cassie should've either been the original children of Orpheus or Tony/Anna's kids.  I thought Lucas/Cassie had chemistry which was wasted by making them siblings.

[methodwriter85]

On 7/30/2022 at 2:07 AM, DisneyBoy said:

I find him weird. It's his face. Not his fault.

You know, I agree with you about Kyle Lowder having a weird face, and it's why I was pretty turned off by him during his intro months as 19-year old Brady skulking around, but then the dude started to sing and damned if I didn't love him.

That voice is undeniable. As a theater kid I was smitten by him as a result. Kyle Lowder might have been better off trying to break into Broadway more instead of getting caught up in the soap opera world.

Edited August 2, 2022 by methodwriter85

[DisneyBoy]

Kyle as Brady...singing Phantom of the Opera on Days of our Lives....?!?

So, so many questions...

Days paid Andrew Lloyd Webber?!?!

[methodwriter85]

37 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

Kyle as Brady...singing Phantom of the Opera on Days of our Lives....?!?

So, so many questions...

Days paid Andrew Lloyd Webber?!?!

Hell, they paid freaking Rodgers and Hammerstein:

The context for all this singing was that Brady was basically challenging Chloe as a singer to push her. That was how they became friends- he and Chloe bonded over their love of music and it all was basically Once: Days of Our Lives edition. The Phantom of the Opera song was Brady teaching Chloe about channeling emotion into her music. 

The "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" number is basically Brady trying to cheer up Chloe. It's the summer after 11th grade. Chloe is basically devastated after her humiliation at the hands of Jan Spears posting nude photos of her at the Last Chance Ball. Most of her class winds up going to Puerto Rico to learn about empathy after two years of intense bullying, but Chloe stays behind in Salem. (I think Phillip goes off to baseball camp? Not sure.) Chloe and Brady get closer to each during during the summer of 2001, although her cancer arc in 2002 is where they went full-blown Terminal Illness Tragic Love Story with Brady desperately wanting to save her from his mother's fate.

The show was really all on in Brady/Chloe's initial 2001-2003 arc. It's kind of incredible because you will never be able to see licensed music on an American soap opera again.

Edited August 2, 2022 by methodwriter85

[peachmangosteen]

Ron, do a musical ep, dammit! Or a musical movie on Peacock lol.

[Kitty Redstone]

I've come to like and appreciate Tamara Braun's portrayal of Ava, so I'm hoping she's not out.

[boes]

6 minutes ago, Kitty Redstone said:

I've come to like and appreciate Tamara Braun's portrayal of Ava, so I'm hoping she's not out.

Me too.

[Peanut6711]

1 hour ago, Kitty Redstone said:

I've come to like and appreciate Tamara Braun's portrayal of Ava, so I'm hoping she's not out.

Count me in too.  The so-called heroines these days are just awful. I like that Ava is no longer crazy but is still tough and doesn't take shit from other people. 

[Pearson80]

Has Ron redeemed Ava? I don't ever watch her scenes..

Edited August 3, 2022 by Pearson80

[Peanut6711]

14 hours ago, Pearson80 said:

Has Ron redeemed Ava? I don't ever watch her scenes..

I don't know I'd say he redeemed her as much as he's toned her down. She's not crazy or obsessed with Steve and Kayla anymore.  She's civil with them but not friends.  She's tried to be a better person, but they have still kept her edge.  Like she chopped the head off that stupid teddy bear of Rafe and Nicole's after he cheated on her (go Ava!) and after getting a little revenge, moved on.  She's not always a law-abiding citizen (Kristin has pulled her into/twisted her arm into some schemes) but she cut her mob ties (and thus has no mob money) so that Tripp wouldn't be disappointed in her. She's probably a little bit of a gray character now.  She owned her past deeds, while still having a backbone and not being whitewashed. 

Honestly, I used to love Kayla and hate Ava; these days, Kayla too often grates me (being too sanctimonious and snobby) while Ava is more likely to call it like it is.  

Surprisingly, Ron has changed/ improved the Ava character for the better. 

[FnkyChkn34]

Was Kyle Lowder the one who got his "start" on The Real World on MTV?  

ETA:  Nevermind, that was Kyle Brandt - Phillip #2 in the mid-2000s.

Edited August 4, 2022 by FnkyChkn34

[Pearson80]

17 minutes ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Was Kyle Lowder the one who got his "start" on The Real World on MTV?  

ETA:  Nevermind, that was Kyle Brandt - Phillip #2 in the mid-2000s.

I never minded Kyle's Philip but I know that the fans hated him.  He looked so much like John Aniston.  Kyle was actually Philip#3. JKJ was the second Philip, he was actually a recast that eclipsed the original adult Philip who was just as good as him..

Edited August 4, 2022 by Pearson80

[FnkyChkn34]

3 minutes ago, Pearson80 said:

I never minded Kyle's Philip but I know that the fans hated him.  He looked so much like John Aniston.  Kyle was actually Philip#3. JKJ was the second Philip, he was actually a recast that eclipsed the original adult Philip who was just as good as him..

Oh, interesting.  I just looked on Wikipedia, and it said JKJ was the first adult Philip...  Either way, it wasn't Kyle Lowder who was on The Real World. 😉

I never really minded any of the recasts, eventually.  Some I didn't like at first, like replacing Casey Diedrick as Chad?  That one hurt.  But Billy Flynn is fine now, has been for awhile.  

I do, however, still see Brady when Rex appears (I remember Eric Winter and he was great).  I'll still see Ben when Alex appears too.  Ugh.

[Pearson80]

8 minutes ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

I never really minded any of the recasts, eventually.  Some I didn't like at first, like replacing Casey Diedrick as Chad?  That one hurt.  But Billy Flynn is fine now, has been for awhile.  

I don't mind recasts as long as the character's essence remains the same even if they look different.

The show's best recasts were Drake replacing Wayne as Roman and Lauren replacing Deborah Adair as Kate..  

Edited August 4, 2022 by Pearson80

[WendyCR72]

33 minutes ago, Pearson80 said:

I don't mind recasts as long as the character's essence remains the same even if they look different.

The show's best recasts were Drake replacing Wayne as Roman and Lauren replacing Deborah Adair as Kate..  

He ended up being disgusting BTS, but strictly essence and appearance-wise, Robert Kelker-Kelly was a success as Bo, too. (But I will always prefer Peter Reckell.)

[FnkyChkn34]

13 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

He ended up being disgusting BTS, but strictly essence and appearance-wise, Robert Kelker-Kelly was a success as Bo, too. (But I will always prefer Peter Reckell.)

He really did look the part, but I loved PR so much that I couldn't accept RKK. Forgot about that one, blocked it from my memory...  I think the other problem for me at that time was that Crystal Chapel resembled KA a lot too, so it was all a bit weird. I was very happy when PR returned so I could forget about RKK. 

[CanaryFan98]

18 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

He ended up being disgusting BTS, but strictly essence and appearance-wise, Robert Kelker-Kelly was a success as Bo, too. (But I will always prefer Peter Reckell.)

I have to agree and I don't even like him. However he had a successful pairing in LR's Billie and was popular with fans at the time.

[RedElf]

Another America's Next Top Model alum joining the cast as Leo's lawyer.

https://www.soapoperanews.net/2022/08/jessica-michel-joins-days-of-our-lives.html?m=1

[DisneyBoy]

I was kinda hoping it'd be Janice. Or Lisa d'Amato. Or both 😄

[brisbydog]

1 hour ago, DisneyBoy said:

I was kinda hoping it'd be Janice. Or Lisa d'Amato. Or both 😄

Allison Harvard is my favourite, but she still seems to have an active modelling career

[DisneyBoy]

Oh for sure - she's great.

I was just trying to think of who could out-Paulina Paulina.

Edited August 8, 2022 by DisneyBoy

[peachmangosteen]

The link doesn't work. What is the new actress' name?