News
"Castle's" Nathan Fillion on what the recast of OLTL's Joey Buchanan needs to possess!

Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Last night On-Air On-Soaps was at the season three premiere of the ABC primetime series, Castle and caught up with its star Nathan Fillion to ask him what attributes the next actor that embodies the role of Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live needs to have, now that the soap has put out a “casting call” to find the next actor to play the key part. Fillion played Joey from 1994-1997 and then made a brief return in 2007. Nathan offered insight into the role, the dwindling soap genre, and his love for his former castmates that he holds close to his heart to this day.
Fillion on what attributes the next actor to play Joey Buchanan needs to have: “I just read that they were recasting. You know, so much has happened since I played Joey. I think he even became a priest, I know, at one point. I will say this, both for the character and for the actor playing the role; you have to be willing to learn. That is the attitude I went into One Life to Live with and it served me very well. There is more than enough experience and amazing wonderful people on that television program. For a first job that was the most incredible experience I could ask for, that prepared me…. and I cannot even tell you…. and every day I use what I learned on that show. Those people were so kind to me there; Erika Slezak (Viki) Robin Strasser (Dorian), Bob Woods (Bo), Jimmy (Max) and Kassie DePaiva (Blair), Phil Carey (Asa) and Clint Ritchie (Clint)… God rest their souls. I learned so much for those people and I am going to cry right now thinking about it.
Fillion on the amazing treat for fans of OLTL and his castmates when he returned for a few episodes in 2007 to reprise the role of Joey, after his stardom! “Is it so amazing? I owe them so much and I know that all to well. I have never worked so hard and so much. In three years of working on a soap opera, I have probably logged more on-screen time than the rest of my career, except perhaps my last three years on Castle. That is a lot of on-air time. You have to be technically proficient, and you have to be able to act with distraction on soaps. There is a weakness in the soap genre, and that is not every show can be gold. It’s an hour long a day and you can’t work it, work it, and work it, till it’s amazing. You just don’t have the time for that. There are not the man hours or the manpower. There is a weakness in that sometimes you got to work together to take the best of what you have, and make into the best that you can possibly do, And, sometimes it’s a matter of resources, We were in New York City in a small building saying, “OK. This set is the woods and it’s 15 by 25 feet… but this is the woods, buddy.” And that is all you got, and you gotta make it wok, and you gotta make it real and you have to let people indulge in the story, and in invest in the story. You can’t just throw your arms up. I learned that and I learned that so incredibly well.”
Fillion’s thoughts on the dwindling soap opera genre. “I certainly say that it is sad. I certainly don’t want to be an end of era, and even just for young actor’s like me coming up, and what an intense and incredible experience it was, but just for the audience sakes, as well. Obviously there are people out there who still enjoy them. I remember when I got One Life to Live and then the O.J. Simpson trial started, and every network covered it every day and broke that chain of investment for the audience, and the ratings never recovered from that and it slowly, slowly dwindled. Do they need to be reinvented? I don’t know. I hope it’s not a dying breed, and I hope it does not go out. Maybe the networks should pool their resources and make what few soap operas are left stronger, and rather than let them slowly die, infuse them with energy and money and invest… so that other people can invest. And if it was not for One Life to Live, I would not be standing here at the premiere of season three of Castle, that is for sure.”
General Hospital
Alley Mills Returns to ‘General Hospital’ as Heather Webber

Heather Webber, one of the all-time villains in General Hospital history is on her way back to the canvas, when two-time Daytime Emmy winner, Alley Mills reprises the role beginning on the Thursday, November 5 episode.
TV Insider revealed the comeback news today. Mills began playing the role of Heather back in October of 2002. The previous Heathers included: Robin Mattson, Mary O’Brien and the very first Heather, who was none other than Georganne LaPiere (the half-sister of Cher).
As for Mills, she actually took home the Daytime Emmy last year at the 52nd annual Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series. She won in the same category back in 2022.

Photo: ABC
FROM THE WONDERS YEARS TO THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL TO GENERAL HOSPITAL
Alley Mills assumed the role of Heather Webber in October 2022 and had ended her initial run in 2023 and then was back again in 2024. Soap fans also know that Mills had played Pam Douglas on the The Bold and the Beautiful since 2006 and appeared on the series through 2019, and made appearance in story in 2021 and 2022.
On B&B, Alley was a part of the memorable storyline which saw Pam and Stephanie’s (Susan Flannery) mother, Ann Douglas (the late Betty White) pass away. In addition to GH and B&B. primetime fans know Alley as Norma Arnold, the mom of the ABC’s hit late 80s and early 90s series, The Wonder Years.
When GH viewers last saw Heather and her crime spree as The Hook, she had taken the life of Brando Corbin (the late Johnny Wactor) and what was believed at the time to be the life of Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud), although a few years later, Britt showed up alive.
Heather wound up in the slammer at Pentonville, but got released in 2024, when it was revealed that she had a bad hip replacement which resulted in cobalt poisoning which was said to be the root cause of her erratic behavior.
WHAT BRINGS HEATHER WEBBER BACK INTO THE STORY?
Eventually, Heather’s son, Steven Lars (Scott Reeves) returned to Port Charles to retrieve his mother, and to make sure she was taken care for out of town. Now the question becomes, why is Heather back on the GH canvas in 2026?
One theory! Could Heather be revealed as the person stalking Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali)? After all, Heather is the mother to the late Esme Prince (Avery Pohl). Perhaps, she wants retribution for her daughter, and this is her twisted way of doing it? Or, is something else at play here? Stay tuned!
Take a look at our conversation with Alley from the 2025 Daytime Emmy Awards immediately following her second Emmy win below.
Now let us know, excited to know Alley Mills is returning as Heather? What do you think will be her storyline this time around? Weigh-in via the comment section.
General Hospital
THIS FRIDAY: ‘General Hospital’s’ Tabyana Ali to Drop Music Video for Her Single ‘Pray’

General Hospital’s Tabyana Ali (Trina Robinson) is following up the September 1st premiere and drop of her new single Pray, with the release of the music video for it this Friday, September 25.
Ali made the announcement on Tuesday, September 22 via her Instagram account, which featured snippets from the music video with the date 9.25.26.
The timing couldn’t be better since most of the music industry is all about Sunday night’s September 27 MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards).

Photo: ABC
TRINA TIME
Previiously, Trina and Gio (Giovanni Mazza) performed the song “Pray” at a showcase arranged by music executive Simon (Grady Eldridge), with the looming question of who is Trina’s stalker yet to be revealed.
In more recent episodes of GH, Trina was on the warpath after learning that Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) was the actual driver of the car involved in the accident with Jordan (Tanisha Harper) and her father, Curtis (Donnell Turner).
Realizing Brook Lynn kept her mouth shut, in the end, Curtis is serving two years of jail time over accosting Isaiah Gannon (Sawani Wilson) believing he was the other driver! When Brook Lynn knew it was her all along. The situation has caused tension between Trina and her music manager.
WHERE TO LISTEN AND FIND TABYANA ALI’S LATEST SINGLE
Pray is based off a poem written by Ali and was turned into a track.
Currently, you can download or stream the song via You Tube Music, Apple Music, Spotify and more.
So, are you looking forward to seeing Tabyana’s music video for her single Pray this Friday? Let us know via the comment section.
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Breaking News
Hayden Panettiere’s Cause of Death Revealed

On Tuesday, September 22, the Greenville, South Carolina Coroner’s office ruled that actress Hayden Panettiere’s death was an accident, attributing the 36-year-old’s passing to be a combination of toxic effects from fentanyl and other drugs that were in her system.
Panettiere was found unresponsive on Sunday, August 16. There have been numerous reports and sources speaking to various outlets about the manner in which the Nashville and Guiding Light alum died, but nothing was certain until now.
The Greenville County Coroner’s office shared that fentanyl, combined with 4-ANPP, Alprazolam (also known as Xanax), Methocarbamol (a muscle relaxant) and Quetiapine (used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia but is sometimes prescribed to treat depression), were all found in Hayden’s system.

Photo: CBS
GUIDING LIGHT ALUM’S DEATH IS STILL UNDER AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION
Meanwhile, the Greenville Police Department shared there is still an ongoing investigation into this case. “Our detectives will continue to follow leads and gather information as we work toward resolving this case,” the department shared.
That is, because despite Panettiere’s death being ruled accidental, authorities continue investigating whether anyone might be criminally responsible for providing the star with a lethal substance. It is being shared that this is “cross-country investigation” stretching from as far as South Carolina to California.
As we previously reported, TMZ shared on September 14 that law enforcement officials believe Hayden’s “long time drug dealer” may have been the person responsible for supplying her with an oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl which she took the morning of her death.
Panettiere “had been temporarily staying” at the apartment in Greenville, the coroner’s office said in August. Authorities did not say whose apartment it was but it was said to later be an Airbnb. It was Hayden’s on-again off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother Zach who called 911 the afternoon of August 16 to say Panettiere was unresponsive, according to police reports.

Photo: ABC
HAYDEN PANETTIERE IMPRESSED IN EVERY ROLE SHE PLAYED
Soap opera fans still remember Hayden’s as a very young Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live from 1994 until 1997, and then her signature daytime role as Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light from 1996-2000.
She later went on to star on the Music City primetime soap opera, Nashville from 2012-2018 on ABC and CMT where she played country and western singer, Juliette Barnes opposite General Hospital alum, Jonathan Jackson (ex-Lucky Spencer), who played her love interest, Avery Barclay.
Over this past weekend, Jackson, Charles Esten (pictured above), Connie Britton, and others from the cast of Nashville gathered for a memorial service in Hayden’s honor to pay their respects for their beloved co-star.
So, what do you think about the ruling in the death of actress Hayden Panettiere that it was an accident involving toxic effects of fentanyl combined with other drugs and medications she was taking at the time? Share your reactions via the comment section below.
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I liked your interview with Nathan, Michael. It’s too bad that he can’t make a guest shot on OLTL. I do enjoy him on Castle. He has come a long way. If fans haven’t seen Nathan on his prime time show they should. He is very charming and funny as a writer of crime story’s and then helps police solve crimes. I’m glad you caught up with him, Michael……
Nathan – I was watching OLTL during the days you were on the show. I have one word for you – “gracious.” So many people turn their noses down at daytime television, but it is obviously a true learning experience for young actors. That you give credit to the “roots” for your career start certainly says something about you. I admire you tremendously and can’t wait for Season 3 of Castle. Thank you so much to you, Stana and the rest of the cast for your hard work. You bring a lot of fun to this crazy world.
Wow! What a love letter to the soaps. He has nice memories and doesn’t shy away from it.