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.”
News
Shemar Moore Makes Another Return to ‘The Young and the Restless’ as Malcolm Winters
When Shemar Moore (Malcolm Winters) made his most recent on-screen return to his old stomping grounds at The Young and the Restless back at the beginning of April. Viewers also know that it has been teased that he was not done taping his most recent return story arc, and that he would be back to wrap it up.
Circle next week on the Monday, June 8 and Wednesday, June 9 episodes of the top-rated CBS soap opera, when Malcolm Winters, who has survived his bone barrow transplant surgery after being diagnosed with aplastic anemia, is back for some important conversations.
This time out, he will reconnect once again with his daughter Lily (Christel Khalil) and is recently discovered biological son, Holden (Nathan Owens). In addition, according to Parade, he will interface with his son’s New York City “travel companion” in Claire Newman (Hayley Erin).

Photo: CBS
THE LEGACY OF MALCOLM WINTERS
Part of the bigger story is Malcolm’s relationship with his ex Dr. Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox), who happens to be the mother of his child, Holden. Viewers can look for some unfinished business that the two need to settle in the upcoming episodes. Both Moore and Vivica A.Fox first appeared together on Y&R back in 1994 and then some 30 years later just a few months ago.
Shemar Moore made his debut as the younger brother of the late Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John) back in 1994 and stayed with the soap until 2005. A Daytime Emmy win later, and with his first television experience under his belt, Moore went on to major primetime success on CBS’ Criminal Minds. Next, he helped launch and was the centerpiece for S.W.A.T. also on CBS, until it was canceled. Now, he will soon be seen in the new spin-off series, S.W.A.T. exiles.
During a recent conversation for Michael Fairman TV, Christel Khalil shared of working with her TV dad again: “It’s always amazing to have anyone come back that’s been away for a while, but especially, Shemar. It’s all the history with him being Lily’s dad. For me, it’s been 20 years of knowing him. Obviously, I don’t get to talk to him or hang out with him and that kind of thing. So it was just nice just to see him again and have that moment around Neil’s portrait, and to be able to share that together and even talk about that off-camera. It’s just special and feels like family, which is nice.”
So, looking forward to seeing Shemar Moore for a few more episodes as he wraps up Malcolm’s recent story arc and visits with his newly found son, Holden and his ex Stephanie? Do you hope for more emotional scenes that were not played out the first time he was back looking for a bone marrow donor to save his life? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
News
How ‘The Young and the Restless’ Mark Grossman Almost Became ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Thomas Forrester
As initially reported by Michael Fairman TV, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation recently held a live daytime drama casting directors panel which featured: Greg Salmon (The Young and the Restless), Marnie Saitta (Days of Our Lives), Christy Dooley (The Bold and the Beautiful), and Kim Coleman (Beyond the Gates).
The four soap opera casting directors traded behind the scenes stories, their process to help actor’s in the audition process, the most difficult and important recasts to their respective shows during their tenure, and the challenges of casting under-five roles, which surprisingly can harder than finding the series regulars.
When the talked turned to a major recast that Greg Salmon had to find it was to fill the shoes of Justin Hartley who exited the CBS soap to star on the NBC drama, This Is Us. The role of the black sheep of the Newman clan was previously played by Chris Engen and Michael Muhney, before Hartley. Salmon knew they found their man to be the fourth Adam when Mark Grossman entered the picture.

Photo:JPI
THE SEARCH FOR ADAM NEWMAN
Salmon explained, “That was a really tough role to recast. Before Justin, there were two other people who played the part. Adam Newman is central to the show. This is Victor Newman’s son, so it’s an incredibly important character. I remember Mark came in and read with Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) and a few other members of the Newman family. His energy was just off the charts. It felt like this is how Adam should be. Eventually, I think the audience really accepted him. Mark has playing the role for several (7) years now and he’s completely made the role his own.”
However, in an ironic twist, it appears that Grossman came very close to joining Y&R’s sister soap, The Bold and the Beautiful in the part of Thomas Forrester played most recently by Matthew Atkinson, and before that Adam Gregory and Drew Tyler Bell.
THE SEARCH FOR THOMAS FORRESTER
Responding to Salmon, The Bold and the Beautiful ‘s casting director Christy Dooley revealed that Mark Grossman was once in the running for the role of Ridge and Taylor’s son. “He tested for us,” she recalled. “Mark came in and read for the role of Thomas Forrester, and he was my choice for the role,” Dooley shared.
Dooley added, “The role wound up going to Matthew Atkinson. But then Mark came down (the hall) to read for The Young and the Restless.”
Fans of The Young and the Restless know that during his 7-years as Adam Newman, that Mark Grossman has become one of the most popular stars on the show. So it’s difficult to wrap you head around that B&B might have nabbed his first as Thomas, and if so, we wouldn’t have gotten to see him turn out those stellar performances in Genoa City .
So, what did you think of this casting tidbit? Could you have seen Mark Grossman as Thomas Forrester? Glad that Y&R had him firmly as their Adam Newman? Let us know via the comment section and you can check the full daytime drama casting director panel below.
General Hospital
Marc Forget Exits ‘General Hospital’
The Thursday June 4 episode of General Hospital paved way for the end of the line for Jenz Sidwell’s (Carlo Rota) butler/fixer, Pascal (Marc Forget).
In the pick of the June 3 cliffhanger, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) was the hero and stopped the evil-doer from fleeing Port Charles for his part in aiding and abetting his boss with the cover-up of the murder of Professor Henry Dalton (Daniel Goddard) among other crimes.
Today’s episode did indeed mark the final appearance of Marc Forget who joined the ABC soap opera when he debuted back in July of 2025. Viewers met met Pascal when Kelly Thiebaud returned to the soap opera as Britt Westbourne and she was being blackmailed to work on Faison’s final project while at the Five Poppies in Dalmatia.

Courtesy/ABC
A General Hospital rep confirmed to Soap Opera Digest, that the June 4 episode, “Will be the last viewers will see of Pascal for now, but notes that in the world of Port Charles, comebacks are always possible.” So, how did Pascal get written-off the canvas? Here’s what went down:
PASCAL GIVES LUCAS KEY INFORMATION BEFORE BEING DRAGGED AWAY
After Sonny intercepted Pascal on his desperate attempt to get out of town, Sonny informed him hat Sidwell would stop at nothing from trying to get retribution for whoever killed his son, Marco, and promptly turned around and said that he would help Pascal flee the country, only if he turned on Sidwell.
An absolutely terrified Pascal had evidence for Sonny that he could use against Sidwell. However, he feared he would get killed on sight if he tried to retrieve the incriminating photos of Sonny and Laura from the safe at Wyndemere. So instead, Pascal gave the combination to the safe to Lucas (Van Hansis), so he could get the blackmail photos himself. But, did Pascal just set up Lucas to be killed since he loathes him for being the man to win the heart of the late Marco?
In the end, Sonny had one of his henchmen drag Pascal away and whisked off to an airfield to fly away to parts unknown, and hopefully never to be heard from again. But what now? Is Lucas going to end up being pegged as Marco’s killer and taken down by Sidwell if he gets his hands on the incriminating photos for Sonny and Laura? Stay tuned.
So, what did you think of Marc Forget’s run as Pascal? Sad or happy to see the character go? Do you think he will be back down the line? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
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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.