As The World Turns
ATWT's Eric Sheffer Stevens on reveal that Reid is gay!
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Since crashing Oakdale with his arrogant “tude”, fans have been watching the snarky Dr. Reid Oliver in his dislike of Luke Snyder (Van Hansis). Turns out, as we hinted last Friday in Soapside: The Advocate’s Guide to Daytime, the doctor reveals this week that he is gay. Soap newbie Eric Sheffer Stevens has played this rude SOB since January, and critics and soapers are taking notice.
Now with NUKE on the outs, it looks like the hate could turn to heat or maybe love between Luke and Reid. Watch your back Noah! Here is what Stevens had to say to TV Guide Magazine on the situation.
Eric on the revelation that Reid is gay and how we reassess his reaction to the characters in Oakdale: “You probably will reassess a lot about his relationship with Luke, and also his attraction to Katie [Terri Colombino]. There have been a few red herrings with Reid, so I’m not really sure where this is headed. It’s very strange not to know what’s coming up, but I’m kinda loving that. For Reid, emotions are very messy and silly, but there’s definitely been sexual tension between him and Luke.”
Eric on how he would feel if Luke and Reid have a fling: “Great! That would be juicy and I hope the show will really do something with it, you know? There aren’t that many gay relationships in soaps. I’m open to whatever makes my character more complicated.”
Eric on the timing of the reveal now that NUKE are in relationship fallout: “It forces the [Luke-Reid] relationship to develop. Luke wants to know what this incident is all about and, of course, it takes Reid a while to talk about it. But he does reveal himself a bit, and you see he does care and is very upset when something goes wrong with a patient. For all Reid’s talk and self-promotion—and he apparently is as good a doctor as he says he is—he doesn’t have a 100 percent success rate. And that takes a toll on him. He just doesn’t know how to express it. He doesn’t have the facility to comfort the father or to say, “Listen, I’m really broken up about this,” which is what the father really wants to hear. Reid just allows the dad to beat him up. He allows him to have his grief.”
As The World Turns
ATWT Alum Martha Byrne Pays Tribute to Eileen Fulton: “The Original Soap Star Who Paved the Way for the Likes of a Susan Lucci or Andrea Evans”
Tributes and remembrances are pouring in for the the late Eileen Fulton, who passed away on July 14th at the age of 91. Fulton broke the soap opera mold back in the early 60’s when she was cast to play Lisa Miller on As the World Turns, who would turn out to be the first villiainess, vixen, and homewrecker of daytime television.
Fans of the soap loved to love to hate her for how she destroyed many lives in her quests to nab a husband; especially one she had set her sights set on. In fact, Lisa was married 8 times during the history of the show. Fulton was with ATWT on and off until the final year of the show in 2010.
Martha Byrne, who has been Fulton’s castmate for a time (Bryne played Lily Snyder from 1985 to 1989 and then again from 1993-2008 where she also played Rose D’Angelo), took to her account on x to share her thoughts on what Eileen meant to the genre, and also spoke on how Fulton handled not being as front and center on the soap operas as the years went by.
Photo: JPI
“What can I say about Eileen Fulton. The original soap star who paved the road for the likes of a Susan Lucci or Andrea Evans,” began Bryne. “Since Eileen started on ATWT when the show was live, there aren’t enough pieces of history for us to truly grasp the enormity of her stardom and presence in the entertainment business. I remember being so impressed that she was a writer. The best part was she would use real stories from behind the scenes and change the names. Maybe that was her way of giving the audience a wink to include them even more.”
Photo: CBS
Bryne went to share, “She (Eileen) loved her fans and she had many. I went to her one woman shows and the place was always packed. As the years went on and her role wasn’t as prominent as it had been she took it with class. I never heard her complain as many did who were frustrated they didn’t have a storyline. She was always a class act and a true pro who knew a storyline or another opportunity was only around the corner. She knew her value and was secure in herself. A national treasure who shaped the entire industry. Thank you Eileen. I’m sure there was a pink feather boa waiting for you just inside the pearly gates.”
So, what did you think about the sentiments shared by Martha on the legendary Eileen Fulton? Would you agree, as we have previously noted, that Lisa as played by Eileen, was really the prototype for all soap opera “bad girls” to follow? Did you appreciate the fact that while having a more diminished role over the last few decades of ATWT, Eileen took it in stride? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
What can I say about Eileen Fulton. The original soap star who paved the road for the likes of a Susan Lucci or Andrea Evans. Since Eileen started on ATWT when the show was live there aren’t enough pieces of history for us to truly grasp the enormity of her stardom and presence… pic.twitter.com/bN3skb2Rws
— Martha Byrne (@MarthaByrne10) July 20, 2025
The iconic Eileen Fulton, who was daytime’s first bad girl as Lisa Miller on As the World Turns, has died at the age of 91. According to the obituary on her passing, Fulton died earlier this week on July 14th in Asheville, North Carolina, after a period of declining health.
Fulton was born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty in Asheville on September 13, 1933. After studying acting in New York City, she changed her name to Eileen Fulton, when in 1960 she was cast in the film, Girl of the Night, co-starring with Anne Francis.
Eileen would change the face of daytime drama when in 1960 she was cast as the disruptor to the family dynamic, Lisa Miller, on the CBS soap opera. Throughout her ATWT run, the character of Lisa would eventually be married eight times to: Bob Hughes (1960–1964), John Eldridge (1965–1967), Michael Shea (1969–1970), Grant Coleman (1975–1979) ,Whit McColl (1982–1984), Earl Mitchell (1986–1987), Eduardo Grimaldi (1994–1995), and Martin Chedwyn (1996).
Photo: CBS
ATWT historians know that Lisa’s full name by the time the series went off the air in 2010 was: Lisa Miller Hughes Eldridge Shea Colman McColl Mitchell Grimaldi Chedwyn. Fulton played the role with only brief interruptions until the show was cancelled that year making her one of the longest-running tenured soap opera actors in US history. Other performers who took on the role of Lisa in Fulton’s absence included: Jane Powell, Maeve McGuire, Pamela King, Betsy Von Furstenberg, Lynn Rogers and Carmen Duncan.
Throughout her time on ATWT, it was Fulton’s eagerness to play Lisa as a villainess that contributed to the character’s popularity and therefore its longevity. She was inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 1998 and was awarded a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. In addition, in 1988, Fulton received her first-ever Daytime Emmy Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series.
The legendary star was also infamous for the grandmother clause she inserted into her contract that guaranteed she would never have to play a grandmother on the soap. In an interview with the LA Times in 2000 she shared, “At that time, grandmothers had no romance at all – and I wasn’t about to let that happen to me.” At some point, this all changed and she became OK with the idea of grandmother-hood. At one point, ATWT fans were so angry at the manipulative villainess played by Fulton that she had to employ a bodyguard to protect her.
Photo: CBS
When Futon stepped away from the show, at one point, she left to star in ATWT”s 1965 spinoff Our Private World, which aired Wednesday and Friday nights on CBS. In the story, Lisa had fled Oakdale after dumping Bob to move to Chicago, where she wed the wealthy John Eldridge (Nicolas Coster, who later would play Eduardo Grimaldi). Our Private World was canceled after four months on the air, and Fulton went back to As the World Turns in 1966.
When Eileen received her Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, she was part of a group of actors who also received the honor that year including: her ATWT co-stars, Don Hastings and Helen Wagner, plus Ruth Warrick, Frances Reid, John Clarke, Ray MacDonnell, Don Hastings, Jeanne Cooper, and Rachel Ames.
Photo: JPI
For a time early in her career, Fulton not only was appearing in As The World Turns, which at that time was broadcast live, she was simultaneously appearing on Broadway in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and off-Broadway in the long-running musical The Fantasticks.
Fulton performed her cabaret act for many years in venues around New York and Los Angeles. In 1970, she co-authored her first autobiography, How My World Turns. In 1995 she co-authored a second autobiography, As My World Still Turns, to celebrate her 35th anniversary on As the World Turns. She also authored a series of mystery novels. In 2019, Eileen retired from show business and moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Photo: JPI
She is survived by her brother, Charles Furman McLarty (Karen) of Black Mountain; niece Katherine Morris (David) and their children, Everly Ann Morris and Easton Lane Morris of Fort Mill, S.C.; and sister-in-law Chris Page McLarty of Camden, Maine. She was pre-deceased by her parents and her brother, James Fulton McLarty.
Share your remembrances and condolences for Eileen Fulton via the comment section below, but first check out this classic early scene from ATWT featuring Fulton as Lisa, and the 2004 Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award presentation.
As The World Turns
ATWT Alum Tala Ashe Scores Tony Award Nomination; OLTL Alum Jonathan Groff and ‘Glee’ Favorite Darren Criss Also Receive Nods
Nominations for the 78th annual Tony Awards were announced Thursday morning honoring the best in the recent Broadway season.
The awards will be presented on June 8th live from Radio City Music Hall live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, a Tony winner for The Color Purple, hosting the show.
While musicals Buena Vista Social Club, Maybe Happy Ending and Death Becomes Her topped the nominations with 10 each, the list of Hollywood names and former soap opera alums who will be part of Broadway’s bigges makes it interesting drama for Broadway’s biggest nights.
Photo: JPI
In addition, there were big time snubs including: Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal and Kieran Culkin, who failed to make the nominations list, while other big names including: George Clooney are in the running.
Soap fans should take note that Tala Ashe (ex-Ameera Ali-Aziz, As the World Turns – 2007) scored her first-ever Tony nomination in the Best Featured Actress in a play category for her performance in English. The play takes place in an Iranian classroom where four adult students and their teacher leapfrog through a linguistic playground, this is a funny, stunning triumph about the universal foibles of language and miscommunication.
Photo: JPI
On As the World Turns, Ashe’s Ameera became involved with Luke and Noah, after she fled Iraq when her mother died, after her protector, Noah’s father, the Colonel, was reassigned and imprisoned. Once in Oakdale, when he heard her sad story, Noah (Jake Silbermann) agreed to a marriage of convenience, upsetting then boyfriend Luke Snyder (Van Hansis).
Once again, Tony Award winner, Jonathan Groff (ex-Henry Mackler, One Life to Live -2007) had scored another nomination. This year for his star turn as Bobby Darin in the new musical, Just in Time. Groff is competing in the category alongside former Glee star, Darren Criss, who is nominated for his work as a retired robot in Maybe Happy Ending.
Photo: JPI
Interestingly enough, Jeb Brown who is nominated in the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Dead Outlaw, was formerly the bandmate of Beyond the Gates and General Hospital star, Jon Lindstrom.
Audra McDonald made Tony history scoring her record-setting 11th overall nomination, this year for her starring role in the musical revival of Gypsy. However, she will face-off with former Pussycat Dolls singer, Nicole Scherzinger, who plays Norma Desmond in the latest adaption of Sunset Boulevard, where she is getting all the raves this Broadway season.
Photo: JPI
You can check out the full 78th annual Tony Award nominations here.
So, remember Tala from ATWT as Ameera? Jonathan from OLTL as Henry? Who do you think should take home a Tony Award next month in the Big Apple? Comment below.
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Yes! I’m glad he is because there is great potential with him and Luke. Had never been so anxious to know what the secret was with him so I’m relieved it’s finally out.
I love Luke and Reid together! They have such great chemistry!
Luke is absolutely gorgeous!I’d fall for him as well!
Im actually looking forward to this sl, Luke & Noah (I still Love them) Need an actual story together… That makes sense. The Ameera & The “Z” Twins ones are ridiculous.
LUKE AND NOAH IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEND BECAUSE LUKE BELONGS WITH REID AND YOU NOW IT BECUSE THAT IS TRUE LOVE
Haha I know This Now, I Dont Like Noah Anymore, I want LuRe As Endgame! ♥ Back In March I Was Still Skeptical Of Reid, But Now I Love Him To Death♥
Eric Sheffer Stevens is an amazing actor and Reid is a breath a fresh air in ATWT. Thank you a thousand times for this new awesome character As The Worlds Turns. I’m so excited when I know he’s in an episode!
My daughter Jennifer and I are loving Reid on ATWT. He’s so much fun to watch and we can’t wait to meet him at the ATWT soap opera luncheon on 4-17 at the Marriott in NYC. Now I have to find some pictures of him to add to my album to bring to the luncheon! Keep him on the air, we luv him!
Eric Stevens portrays Reid BRILLANTLY…I hope he will go onto the big screen as he has a deep inner talent….so far as the story goes…Reid is very much a gay man of today…good looking, smart, self assured, controlled and controlling…that’s what makes him 100% FASCINATING and Eric Stevens is brilliant in this role…..Little Luke will give Reid the love he needs and Reid will in turn give Luke the confidence and self assuradance he needs. They will have a rocky relationship but it will work because the have an inner animal passion for each other…I’m praying ATWT will stay on.
DAVID HAM YOU ARE MY MAN ARE YOU SINGLE I HOPE YOU ARE LIKE THAT
Reid is the best new character on daytime in forever. ESS is a very talented actor and he and Van Hansis have incredible chemistry as Reid and Luke. I hadn’t really watched much of the “NUKE” storyline for a while, they were either backburnered or in horridly bad storylines. Reid has me watching again.
But it is more than just his chemistry with Luke, his interaction with Katie and especially Henry keeps me in stitches as well. I hope that ATWT is saved somehow so this can continue.
I AM WITH YOU I LIKKE TO SEE WHAT HAPPINES NEXT
I just love Reid and luke together, i’m always excited if there are in an episode. Reid is an good actor and i love to watch him all the time. Please keep him in the show forever!!!
JUDI I AM WITH YOU BECAUSAE I LOVE REID ALSO
Reid and Luke need to get together! When they are together it is so intense! This is where the writers of ATWT needs to go in order to keep the show alive! Just make it more steamy than Nuke!!
Dr. Reid Oliver is the best thing to happen to Oakdale in a long time. He has the same personality with whoever he interacts with, and I just love it. Eric and Van , your chemistry is off the charts. ATWT is the only soap that I watch. I wish it didn’t have to end, but when it does, I will no longer watch soaps. Eric you are the best at what you do. I hope you go on to make more movies on the big screen or just be on tv period. Your birthday is the day after my son’s.
Eric Sheffer Stevens is certainly one of the most charismatic actors on the current cast of ASWT. Not since the arrival of Simon have I been as fascinated with a male character. He does a superb job playing Dr. Oliver, and I am looking forward to a developing love story with Luke.
LUKE AND REID MADE FOR EACH OTHER.LUKE AND REID BELONG TOGETHER.LUKE AND REID MEANT TO BE TOGETHER.I LOVE TO SEE LUKE TO CHOOSE REID OVER NOAH.I LIKE TO SEE LUKE AND REID MARRYED AND LIVE HAPPLEY EVER AFTER WITHOUT NOAH IN THE PITCHER.I LIKE TO SEE ANOTHER SOAP OPERA STARTING LUKE AND REID
Reid is pure passion in a cauldron of perfection waiting to be unleashed! Luke is beautiful, sensitive, loving, loyal, full of fear yet drawn to Reid’s heat. The writers are staying true to both characters. I’m interested to see what Noah will do. As Luke’s first love he will remain lukewarm, no doubt but Luke’s best love incinerates in comparison. Reid keeps the pressure on because his heart is at stake and Luke wants to play it safe because hurting another human being is not an option. Just loving this storyline!! Thank you ATWT for your courage!
noah is not luke’s frist love at all if you would watching the show kevin was luke’s frist love but that diddn’t happend. i don’t think you now what love is. luke wants a real realanship and he can get it from reid not noah so noah should hit the road
Eric Sheffer Stevens, what can I say; you are the best. Your portrayal of Dr. Reid Oliver is so intense and compelling. Your character is what keeps me watching. You have been a breath of fresh air to Oakdale. I like the way you keep it real with everybody. I can’t believe that the head honcho at CBS Leslie Moonves said the ATWT wasn’t special enough to be saved. The nerve of him. I’ve heard that ATWT is being replaced by a game show (Pyramid) or a talk show starring Moonves’s wife Julie Chen. Either way I won’t be watching. I wish there was someway that ATWT could be saved.
To finesse the perfect break-up takes delicate language and a steely grip on the emotions. Luke finally realized Noah was finished with him when he accepted a date with Richard. Supposedly the reason for the break-up was more to do with Luke’s need to help– too much—too much? Along comes Dr. Reid Oliver who utters the most seductive words in the English language,”Mr. Snyder, I need you,” because Luke is a rescuer. For Noah to break up with Luke when he needed him most was equivalent to folding when you have a royal flush. Reid and Luke discovered their attraction for each other long before their trip to Texas and expressed their emotions more with body language, especially the eyes. Reid’s lock and hold for an eternity and Luke’s changing expressions to communicate a large variety of emotions. Luke’s talk with Noah after surgery on the rooftop and at the lake clearly stated that they were in break-up mode! He was done. Cleverly written!! Beautifully played by Eric Sheffer Stevens and Van Hansis.
what soap will eric sheffer stevens be in
I have been a fan of As the World turns for so many years.I’m sad to see it end, but after what the writers did to Reid and Luke almost makes me happy to see it go.Luke and Reid were made for each other…they took so much from each other …Luke became strong and Reid became loving and tender.Their love was so nice to see and when they each realized they loved one another, I cried with happiness.Now the writers have ruined it by making Dr. Oliver die and leaving Luke with out the true love of his life.What the hell posessed them to give every body a happily ever after, except Luke and Reid.I’ve been crying for days….Writers you had two of the finest actors and a great storyline and you screwed up.I will never watch anything these writers work on.These were two smart,and productive men who just happened to be gay and in love!Shame on you writers!!!!
Eric is amazing in this role, cried more for this character than any I can remember. I’ll miss you along with the millions of other fans. ATWT has been part of our lives forever, I’m changing all my house hold brands you fools.
Eric played Reid so incredibly. I grew to love him and was devastated when he died so suddenly (I still cry watching) just when he was opening up and admitted he loved Luke. I miss him already and will be lost without the whole ATWT cast every weeknight in my livingroom. With all the fans that post about losing ATWT why is it that it was cancelled? No other soap will take it’s place in my heart.
Superb acting by Eric ! It is a pity Reid had to die.
Eric Sheffer Stevens did a superb job as Dr. Reid Oliver. I haven’t ever really watched ATWT, excpet a couple times last year watching a storyline involving NUKE. I have went back and started watching all ESS episodes on ATWT on youtube. I fell in love with him very quickly. I still have PLENTY more to watch so I am looking forward to seeing how strongly their relationship grew up till his death. I have watched his death and I don’t think I have ever cried so hard in my entire life. I wish they would have at least kept him alive to live happily ever after with Luke. As a gay man myself, I am proud to have ESS involved in the gay role. No one could have played it better myself and I can definitely relate to many of the problems surfaced on their journey to the end. Looking forward to seeing what’s next for ESS, and to see him on another soap REALLY soon. I LOVE YOU ESS!!! You are MY McDreamy!!
reid and luke belong togrther