Daytime soap opera casting directors: 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) discussed the process of casting for a daytime drama series from contract players to under-fives along and their expectations for auditioning, plus behind the scenes casting tales at their recent panel from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.

The entertainment industry event helps actors receive inside intel from leading casting professionals and took place just over a week ago at the Meryl Streep Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles.

Moderated by noted journalist Jim Halterman, one of the more intriguing moments of the panel discussion occurred when the subject turned to the challenges of a recast on a soap opera and replacing a popular actor with another in a very key role. Each of the four casting directors were able to put a spotlight on such an occurrence and all were leading men on their respective soaps.

Photo: SAGAFRAFoundation

For Marnie Saitta at Days of Our Lives, she was tasked with finding the new EJ DiMera. James Scott had become amazingly popular in the role from 2006-2014. Then, enter Dan Feuerriegel, who had the right stuff for DAYS to finally pull the trigger and cast the new EJ. The character returned on-screen in 2021 after 7 years.

RECASTING EJ DIMERA

“I do know now how to best approach a recast, like I’m casting a new character,” explains Marnie. “I feel like the actor just has to come in and make it their own. You can’t even try, looks-wise, to be quite honest. Obviously, EJ DiMera is kind of a focal point (of DAYS) and Dan was such a champ. I swear to God, I think I brought him in maybe six times. I would bring him in for other characters, but I kept thinking he’s really good for EJ and it didn’t go. Then, I brought him for something else, same thing. I knew that the role of EJ was going to be really difficult to find, and it finally clicked. He took EJ in a different direction. He has a totally different vibe, but equally as effective.”

RECASTING ADAM NEWMAN

For Greg Salmon, he discussed the pivotal role of Y&R’s Adam Newman, who was previously by Tracker star, Justin Hartley and what he looked for to be able to find the right actor to be the next black sheep of the Newman clan.

“We had Justin Hartley playing the role of Adam Newman before he went to This Is Us, and now Mark Grossman has been playing him,” explained Salmon. “So that was a really tough role to recast. Before Justin, there were two other people (Chris Engen and Michael Muhney) who played the part. Adam Newman is central to the show. This is Victor Newman’s (Eric Braeden) son. So, it’s an incredibly important character to the show. But now, Mark Grossman’s been playing the role for several years now. He’s completely made the role his own.”

Photo: JPI

Salmon added the key attributes that Mark Grossman or someone like him brings into an audition for the role of that is being recast, “I really think it just comes down to the person’s energy and what they’re bringing to the character,” explained Greg. “You can’t think, ‘Well, I know Justin Hartley looks like this. And the guy before him looked like that,’ because then you’ll just get trapped. You’re not trying to find another Justin Harley. You’re trying to find another Adam Newman. I just remember Mark came in and I think he read with Eric Braeden, and he read with a few other people of the Newman family, and his energy was just off the charts. You know, this is how Adam should feel. Eventually, I think the audience really accepted him.”

RECASTING RIDGE FORRESTER

In a little-known casting story, The Bold and the Beautiful’s Christy Dooley shared how Mark Grossman almost became one of the Forresters! “He tested for us (at The Bold and the Beautiful). Mark came in and read for the role of Thomas Forrester and he was my choice for the role,” says Dooley. “The role wound up going to Matthew Atkinson, but then he came down to read for The Young and the Restless.”

Dooley was also tasked with one of the biggest soap recasts in history when Ronn Moss exited The Bold and the Beautiful in his signature role of Ridge Forrester which Moss played from 1987-2012. Eventually, Thorsten Kaye took over the role at the end of 2013.

Photo: JPI

“When Ronn Moss left the show, Brad Bell (executive producer and head writer, B&B) said, ‘I can’t recast him right now, he’s just too familiar.’ So he waited. The character was always talked about because he is one of the Forresters. Brad finally said, ‘We need to bring him back. We got to find somebody.’ Then to get Thorsten Kaye, who’s so different than Ronn, and he made it completely his own. He’s just amazing at it, so I think time helped (between bringing on a new Ridge.)”

RECASTING DR. TED RICHARDSON

For Beyond the Gates, Kim Coleman, she has a soap opera that is now building a new legacy only in its second season. However, in season one, Maurice Johnson became the first recast in series history when he was replaced as Dr. Ted Richardson with Keith D. Robinson and at a critical point in the storyline.

Coleman explained, “I think it was a transition and everyone was in agreement that it was the right thing to do. And then fortunately, we brought in an actor that the audience knew. They knew his face. He was great. Keith made it his own and there was not a lot of controversy and it wasn’t complicated. Keith D. Robinson is on the show now and everyone loves him. So, it was a very smooth transition.”

You can check out the full conversation with daytime casting directors, Greg Salmon, Marnie Saitta, Christy Dooley and Kim Coleman below.

Now let us know which of the four recasts noted do you think was the most successful? Were you surprised to learn Mark Grossman was a favorite of casting director Christy Dooley for Thomas Forrester before landing his role as Adan Newman? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

Summer is here and that means soap fans can look forward to some steamy romps, some new romances and some shocking love match turns. So, who might hit the sheets with who? Who might just start a new love affair? Who might turn back to their exes?

We are highlighting five potential pairings that have us wondering what will play out in June as Swoon gave their upcoming monthly rundown on love in the afternoon. Take a look at what’s being teased and then you can let us know how you feel about it!

On The Bold and the Beautiful, now that Will (Crew Morrow) and Electra (Laneya Grace) “seemingly” are back together, R.J. Forrester (Brayan Nicoletti) and Dylan (Sydney Bullock) will hit the dance floor and then the bedroom. Will they actually fall for each other, or eventually plot to split up Will and Electra?

Photo: JPI

In addition, will Remy (Christian Weissmann) get his man back, now that things are looking up for Deke (Harrison Cone) if he works with Hope (Annika Noelle) at Logan? Remy had convinced himself through his support of Deke all will be forgiven? But let’s not forget what he’s capable of … blackmailing cousin Dylan and making deep fakes of Electra and plastering them all over social media.

EXES AND NEW FLAMES

Days of Our Lives summer sizzle extended preview first previewed a surprise lip-lock when it showed Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) sharing a moment with Belle Black (Martha Madison). The thing of it is, it’s caught on a “Kiss-Cam.”  Previously, Belle was in a relationship with Chad’s brother, EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel), so where is this heading? To the bedroom? Stay tuned.

General Hospital continues to have two execs, Willow Cain (Katelyn MacMullen) and Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard), dancing around each other. The heroic cop seems determined to help out Willow since he believes she was wrongly accused of shooting her husband, Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison).

Viewers know she did that and even worse! With Chase’s wife, Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) threatening Willow to get her claws away from her husband, and Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) trying to shove Willow and Chase together to make her look like a cheating wife to get the leverage against her, we wouldn’t be surprised if something happens between them, but what?

On The Young and the Restless, after his live-saving bone marrow transplant following his aplastic anemia diagnosis, Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore) returns to Genoa City and reconnects with Dr. Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox).

It was through Dr. Simmons diligence, Cane Ashby’s (Billy Flynn) marrow, and learning that he has son in Holden Novak (Nathan Owens) that makes Malcolm have a lot to be thankful for, and he just might rekindle his romance with Stephanie with whom he dated back in the mid 90s.

So, of those listed above, what potential pairing has you most intrigued? Which are you not happy about? Do you think all of these characters will enter into a romance or an affair … or it’s all just a big red herring from their respective soaps? Weigh-in via the comment section.

As things get hot, so does Days of Our Lives as the summer months are here and that means temperatures go up on the Peacock streaming soap opera.

Now the long-running drama has released its summer sizzle promo video, where there are a lot of quick little nuggets that tease DAYS fans of what is to come.

First, much of the action centers around the machinations of EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) as he is heard saying about the family legacy, “Father built an empire, and I must carry his vision forward.” Meanwhile the extended trailer shares, “When legacies are built on lies, even love leaves a scar Not every wound heals, not every bond survives. In Salem, even the innocent have something to hide.”

Photo: Peacock

EJ IS EVERYWHERE

Philip Kiriakis (JP Lavoisier) warns his friends and families about people losing everything thanks to EJ, which in turn has him in a major showdown with Gabi (Cherie Jimenez), and let’s just say, he is not too pleased with her.

EJ is heard saying, “Everything I do, every decision, every sacrifice. I did for this family.” That includes: bringing back his sister from the dead and Lexie (Nikki Crawford) looks very unhappy about something. In another moment, EJ is about to throttle his sister, Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) when he yells, “You tried to murder my son.” Does he finally know what Kristen’s plot was with Sophia?

EJ even appears to be firing Dr. Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) from her job at University Hospital. Sarah is also seen making out with Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) making everyone wonder if she is finally over Xander Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) ? Thing is, he is truly not over her.

Then, there appears to be a public health crisis with pills that are laced going around Salem.  Chanel (Raven Bowens) is trying her best to hang on as she is about to bring a baby into the world while battling breast cancer. Scared, she asks the doctors, “I need to know about the effects on my baby.”

MACHINATIONS AND THE TRUTH OF THE PAST

Another bad boy is back in Salem when Dimitri Von Leuschner (Peter Porte) seems back to his evil ways. Meanwhile, Stephanie (Abigail Klein) fires a gun, but at who? The truth about Cat’s (AnnaLynne McCord) past may finally come to light and be the downfall of her relationship with Chad (Conner Floyd) and maybe EJ too.

Back in July 2025, Peacock confirmed that Days of Our Lives will return for its 62nd and 63rd seasons. The series celebrated its 60th anniversary in November of 2025, and continues to shoot ten-months in advance of dropping new episodes.

Take a look at the summer sizzle Days of Our Lives extended promo below.

Then, let us know what is most intriguing to you? Does much of it excite you … or not so much? Weigh-in via the comment section.