News
BREAKING NEWS: Darnell Williams joins the cast of The Young and the Restless!

Courtesy/ABC
Got to hand it to Y&R for knowing how to obtain some of the biggest names in daytime. And now, you can add Daytime Emmy winner, Darnell Williams (Ex- Jesse, AMC) to the list.
Word out this afternoon from Soap Opera Digest is that Williams had been hired on the number one CBS soap opera and will join longtime on-screen acting partner, Debbie Morgan (Harmony, Y&R). We hope with the addition of Williams that it might spark a better story for the uber-talented Morgan as well!
This will be the fourth time that this popular duo will be appearing on the same soap together, counting: Loving, The City, All My Children and now Y&R. We will keep you informed of more details as they become available as to what character Darnell will play in Genoa City and his on-screen debut.
So are you happy to see Darnell again? Or, are you concerned at how Y&R might utilize his talents based on the other key talent acquisitions that have been part of the canvas in the past several months? Let us know!
Days Of Our Lives
‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast
After languishing on the bubble for months, on Friday, NBC handed down the decision and canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.
Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as neurology physician Oliver Wolf, who’s character and the series is inspired by the life and books of neurologist. Oliver Sacks. The series focuses on the medical mysteries of the mind, as Wolf a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns explore the last great frontier, the human mind, while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.
The final six episodes of what will now be the end of its second and final season were already set to air beginning on May 27, after being pulled off the network schedule in February as viewership saw a steep decline. Brilliant Minds second season became the lowest-rated drama on linear TV viewing, which didn’t bode well fo a network renewal, although it had its hard core fan base.

Photo: NBC
There are some exceptional notables in the cast along with the talented Quinto that includes Days of Our Lives alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez) who joined the series in its second season as Nurse Nico Silva, and One Life to Live alum, Teddy Sears (ex-Chad Bennett) who plays Wolf’s love interest and fellow physician, Dr. Josh Nichols.
The rest of the talented cast includes: Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, and Brian Altemus.
In an ironic twist of fate on Thursday, April 30, Days of Our Lives finally revealed the actor who was Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Javi, when they announced that actor Jacob Martinez had now stepped into the role. Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming new episode, Calderon left in the spring of 2025, but will be seen in the part for the final part this month, and then on June 20, Martinez debuts as Salem’s new Javi.
Taking to his Instagram with a sorrowful and heartfelt post on the Brilliant Minds cancellation was Teddy Sears who wrote, “Thank you, Brilliant Minds. I got the call today and I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come, You have to be a particular vintage to quote Don Henley from memory, but that’s the line that came to mind earlier today after I got off the phone with our inimitable showrunner Michael Grassi who delivered the news that NBC has cancelled the series”.

Photo: NBC
Sears continued, “To say that I feel sad to be moving on from these stories, this character, and this cast and crew just doesn’t paint the entire picture. I’m sad, sure. But I’m also deeply grateful that I got hired to play this part, so proud of the stories we told, and the other actors I got to play alongside. I’m excited to see what comes next, what adventures await, and terrified to be without a professional home. A quick and heartfelt thank you to everyone, all over the globe, who found us and found themselves in us, in our characters and in our stories. We wouldn’t have been able to tell them without you. And we still have 6 fresh episodes yet to air, and I do hope you tune in enjoy the remainder of the series. They’re the best we’ve done.”
As he wrapped up his sentiments, Sears signed off with, “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I figured out I have to learn again. I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter. But everything changes…Thank you, Brilliant Minds.”
The medical drama was created and executive produced by Michael Grassi alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Jasmine Russ, Henrik Bastin, Jonathan Cavendish, Andy Serkis and Shefali Malhoutra.
So, what do you think of NBC’s decision to cancel Brilliant Minds after two seasons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
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OH NO,every one is leaving my soaps ,one buy one .I am happy for him.I love jessie and angie ,how I miss all my children,I want it back ,If there is a miracle and the soaps are saved by pp, everyone will be gone ,it will never be the same.you cant go back to pine valley and landview ,and be on the other side of the tracks with all new names ,It wont work.
All My Children is over. It is not coming back.
I would love to see Williams and Morgan reunited on Y&R. If Maria Arena Bell has a one quarter brain left, she should dump that stupid Harmony character and bring Angie and Jessie to Genoa City. They could say that “Harmony” had amnesia, got her memory back and found out that she is actually Angie Baxter. But it probably wouldn’t be possible because ABC probably own the rights to the Angie and Jessie characters.
Join us in sending soap bar’s to ABC studio’s in NYC to show our disappointment and disgust. PASS THIS ON.
Post it on the abc.com blog, and on FACEBOOK. We are Bombarding the ABC studio with bar’s of soap.
A winner, for once they got it right.
Darnell and Debbie are such a magical pairing – they would work well together in anything…..I do hope they will work together on Y&R.
I hope and pray Y&R treats Williams and Morgan better than they treated Maura West, Tristan Rogers, Eden Riegel, etc, etc. Otherwise, fans won’t bother.
I am happy for him because he is a great actor, but Young and Restless don’t even know what to do with the cast they already have.
i never saw what the big deal was about darnell williams, he really didn’t impress me as jessi on amc, his character always seemed bother by everyone else problem yet the character was always doing the wrong thing too, an darnell always overacted, yet everyone acted like he was one of the great talents of daytime, sorry but not for me, as for him joining the y&R hope he gets a better storyline then Genie Francis or Debi Morgan are, because all i hear is them being stunt casting whose talent is being wasted.
Could he be a recast for the character of Malcolm?
My first thought was exactly that. Would be much better than that guy from Family Matters.
Would be great if he is recast as Malcolm Winters. The writers at the Y & R need to utilize the cast they have. They seem to get really good talent ie: Tristan Rogers, Maura West, Jeff Branson & then just throw them out in the wind. The established talent they have now ie: Eric Braeden, Melody Thomas Scott, Michael Muhney, Greg Rikkart, Michelle Stafford, etc. have been reduced to reciting recycled storylines and have been unrecognizable as the fabulous characters they portray. I hope that the writers are not trying to commit daytime suicide and write the best daytime drama into oblivion
I think Darnell Williams is a great actor, but Y and R is no longer a great soap. MAB has totally ruined it! He deserves better, along with Genie Francis, Debbi Morgan, Jeff Branson, Jess Walton, Judith Chapman, Eileen Davidson, Christian LeBlanc and Tristan Rogers. Ignoring the fans and outrageous storylines are killing our shows. Writers: OPEN YOUR EARS!!!!!!
Harmony’s dealer or perhaps Anna’s dad? Coming to GC to cash in on Devon’s family fortune? I wish TPTB would focus on the core characters instead of all of this stunt casting. Are the AMC actors more important than the Y&R actors? It does not seem to me that they want to make the show better for the Y&R fans.
As much as I hate to say it, Y&R writers won’t know what to do with him. They have misused and discarded great talented actors this year, not to mention treated a few of their own very popular cast members like dirt…. They don’t need new cast members, they need new writers!
Your post to God’s ears!
Agree 100%. They need some fresh ideas at Y & R. Same old, same old.
Don’t have a great feeling about this. Y&R has a horrible track record of getting great talent and not knowing what to do with them. Recreating the magic of Jesse and Angie won’t work. It never does, from Alice and Steve on ‘Another World’ becoming Pat and Tony on ‘One Life to Live,’ to the mess of Genevieve and Colin on Y&R. Great acting needs great writing and Y&R is sorely lacking in that department.
I am thrilled! I started watching Y&R when Genie Francis came onboard, was delighted when Debbie joined and now Darnell? Couldn’t be happier.
Totally! But do you remember when Darnell was on GL? He was uber evil.
Amen to everything from the previous posts. And Darnell is to old for a recast. Here is a list of the characters that were previously on AMC and now on Y&R. Billy,Victoria,Chloe,Heather,Ronan,Chance,Harmony,Chelsea,(Jack and Genieve) though Genie Francis and Peter Bergman were long ago. Darnell Williams is 56 and Kristoff St.John is 45 so I was way off on thinking he was a Malcom recast. Bottom line MAB is ruining this show.
Chance was from GL.
Amelia Heinle has been with Y&R for at least 10 years. You can HARDLY indicate that she is new to Y&R by saying she was previously on AMC. And Billy Miller has been on for a few years now before the demise of AMC.
I guess he’s the rapper they were talking about today…
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for both Darnell & Debbi on Y&R! 😀
I think Darnell is a very talented actor but Y&R needs a major change in the direction of their storylines. The show is unwatchable to me and I’m putting it mildly. I recently heard someone say that they thought the Y&R was great and the writing was great– clearly this person never watched the show when it was truly good. I wish Y&R would have the courage to release MAB from her duties and trust the creative work to someone who is truly passionate about writing good thorough, heartfelt storylines and fully formed multidimensional characters, instead of cardboard cut outs.
That being said, I hope the writing magically improves (somehow) and by the time Darnell’s character (some think he will be Ana’s daddy) arrives on the GC landscape, hopefully his talents won’t be wasted.
Join us in sending soap bar’s to ABC studio’s in NYC. PASS THIS ON to abc.com blog/comments. Also post on Facebook. Help to pass this on to this site and other’s, so ABC can be BOMBARED with soap at their prized studio for their other shows.
Thanks David I realized that after I posted but we will trade him for the character of David Chow. Thanks!
The rumour is he is coming in as a rapper so he will be sterotyped as Debbi Morgan with her characters ain’t usage all the time. This woman MAB is a racist for years she had Esther wearing a maids uniform like old planatation days. I guess she forgot a little thing called Civil War being fought & Civil Rights. Ever since she came on she has been portraying African Americans as 2nd class citizens. So think the Lord she has left a gay storyline alone. Anyone who comes on this show as a new character needs to know it is short term under MAB.
Im not happy at all about this casting. Harmony is already in many story lines. Stunt casting for her is the dismissal of those already in her story and frankly I resent it.
If Darnell takes the place of characters on board and those intricately related to core families I have had it. Harmony is in between two existing families. I have no use for this abuse of AMC casting with a AMC casting director now in charge belittling those who were not on AMC
NO APPLAUSE
I hope everything works out for Darnelll at Y&R…before
He was annouced I was hoping for Debbie be paired with
Stephen Nicholas…..I think Tristan Rogers was giood.with
Jess Walton..Y&R dropped the ball with them..
They need to ask the sexy and talented IR to come
To.Y&,R and cast him as a wealthy businessman…
I think TR was good on Y&R…
I would love to see IR on Y&R