News
Eileen Davidson Talks Auditioning for ‘General Hospital,’ Love of ‘Ryan’s Hope’ and High Praise for B&B’s Katherine Kelly Lang

Two-time Daytime Emmy winning star, Eileen Davidson shared many tidbits about her life on and off screen in the latest edition of Soapy Hosted by Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart that dropped today on Tuesday, May 5.
Davidson best-known for her enduring role as Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless, the OG Kristen DiMera and Susan Banks of Days of our Lives, has also been featured in the cast of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, played Ashley on Y&R’s sister soap, The Bold and the Beautiful and was a recast Kelly Capwell on the critically-acclaimed Santa Barbara. All that, plus numerous other TV, motion picture and book projects along the way.
Doing a deep-dive on Eileen, with Eileen, Budig and Rikaart hit upon some interesting moments in her career and upbringing. First, as it turns out, Eileen had a favorite soap opera growing up … and it was none other than ABC’s Ryan’s Hope.

Photo: CBS
Davidson shared, “I moved in with my sister when I was 16, 17. I was her nanny when she had her kids, and she was in love with Ryan’s Hope. So, she got me hooked on Ryan’s Hope, and by the way, Ryan’s Hope was brilliant. The whole cast was incredible and the writing. That was the show my sister watched. I would come home from school because I would be done by noon and we’d watch that together.
GENERAL HOSPITAL MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOAP HOME
Before becoming Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless in 1982, Davidson professed she was going out for many roles on ABC’s General Hospital. Eileen explained, “I had been auditioning for General Hospital, constantly. Marvin Paige was the casting director at the time. He was an incredible casting person, the kind that would call you at home and tell you to come in the day before and he’d work on (the audition) with you. He was very gruff. He was very scary, but he would work on it with me. He really wanted me on that show.”
“It was during the whole Luke (Tony Geary) and Laura (Genie Francis) thing,” Eileen recalled. “I believe right before Demi Moore (ex-Jackie Templeton) came on, or right around that time, and he was really trying to get me on that show.” Davidson clarified that she believes the roles she did audition for at GH, are not characters that are currently still on the show, but back when she auditioned were, “big ones at the time.” Next, Eileen shared she landed the role of Y&R’s Ashley.

Photo: JPI
KATHERINE KELLY LANG – THE QUEEN OF B&B
Back in 2006, Eileen exited The Young and the Restless, only for Brad Bell (executive producer and head writer, B&B) to bring the character of Ashley Abbott from Genoa City to Los Angeles and the world of The Bold and the Beautiful. While, there, Ashley shared a story with Ridge (then Ronn Moss) and worked with original star series star, Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke).
“When I went over there, that show was so terrific. It’s a dream to work on,” recalled Davidson. “It’s a beautifully produced show. I worked with Kelly, who was lovely. She’s a lovely person to represent her show. She’s amazing, she really is. I don’t know if everybody knows that about her. She handles that mantle beautifully. She’s very welcoming. (One time) she invited all the actresses to do a cooking thing at the Four Seasons in Westlake, and we made butternut squash soup!”
Now below, watch Eileen’s sit-down chat with Rebecca Budig (Taylor, B&B) and Greg Rikaart (Leo, DAYS) on the latest edition of Soapy.
Then let us know, would you have loved to see Eileen on GH? If so, what role? What do you think Eileen being a big fan of the critically-lauded Ryan’s Hope? Did you enjoy Ashley’s jaunt to The Bold and the Beautiful? Let us know in the comment section.
She could still go to GH… Maybe as an evil Cassidine offspring… just for a story arc.
James
I always appreciate your insights, but I’ll have to disagree with you here. GH often struggles to write for their women over 60 – when was the last time Felicia had a real storyline?
I doubt Eileen would leave the Sony universe where’s she had a home (Y&R, DAYS) for decades.
Agree with you. They don’t write for Kristina “Felicia”, Lynn “Lucy”, Finola “Anna”, Genie “Laura”. They only seem to integegrate Alexis and Tracy and have them drive story.
I know Eileen Davidson has spoken a few times about auditioning and possibly joining General Hospital and what a change that would have been for her. She is a rich talent that would really bring a lot of dynamics to the soap around the times she was poised for joining. But I could not imagine her never being Ashley Abbott. She was born to play that role. And I’m glad they did touch upon her time on Santa Barbara, even temporarily.
At that time I can only think she auditioned to be Holly Sutton or Celia Quartermaine.
Since she’s blonde she might have auditioned for the short lived role of “Laura Templeton”. She was Jackie’s sister but actually in Port Charles before Jackie. She didn’t stick around long but since she slightly resembled Laura Spencer and had the same first name, somebody thought there might be a connection… something about women disappearing in the fog or whatever it was. Fuzzy Devil Memory and 45 years ago, I’m sure I’m forgetting the details
That part eventually went to Janine Turner who later became famous on “Northern Exposure”.
I would love to see her on a short term role on GH!!! Eileen is a great talent and a wonderful actress. Just imagine what they could do with her in Port Charles!!!
Fabulous!
News
Susan Flannery and Ian Buchanan Visit the Set of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’; Daytime Emmy Winners Reflect on Show Then and Now

The one and only Susan Flannery (ex-Stephanie Forrester) dropped in to see her former co-stars on The Bold and the Beautiful at their Sunset Las Palmas Studio in Hollywood, along with her good friend and another B&B co-star Ian Buchanan (ex-James Warwick) on Tuesday October 20.
It was the first time in a very long time that The four-time Daytime Emmy winning actress was reunited with Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke), Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy), executive producer and head writer, Brad Bell, Jennifer Gareis and even her TV sister, Alley Mills (Pam, B&B now Heather, GH) showed up for the day too!
Flannery played the Forrester matriarch from 1987 until 2012. It was then that after playing the part of Stephanie for 25 years that Susan made the decision to retire from acting and in one of the most heartbreaking sendoffs, passes away from lung cancer in Brooke’s arms in November of 2012. During her B&B tenure, Flannery won 3 of her 4 Daytime Emmys, the other being for her first soap role as Laura Horton on Days of our Lives back in 1975.

Photo: Bell-Phillip TV
As for Ian Buchanan, he played Dr. Warwick, psychiatrist, from 1993 to 1999. He returned for other runs in 2014 and 2017. Buchanan took home his Daytime Emmy in 1997 for his work as James. Soap fans also remember, Ian as mobster Duke Lavery on General Hospital, and Dr. Greg Madden on All My Children,
Both Susan and Ian shared their thoughts on coming back to The Bold and the Beautiful, for Susan 14 years later since he exited and for Ian close to 9 years since his last appearance below.
Susan said, “It’s definitely like coming home in a way, even though it’s not the same studio. It’s really lovely to see old faces and old faces with new faces. It takes you back mentally. You start remembering what it was like back then, even things like how much your feet would ache at the end of the day from wearing six-inch heels. It was just lovely to be back and see everybody.”

Photo: Bell-Phillip TV
Ian expressed, “It’s a mind trip, you know. When I was sitting looking at the big Forrester set, it was like stepping back in time, almost. It takes you back mentally, and you start remembering what it was like when you were here before.”
“It’s lovely to see all these people again, even if you don’t know everybody,” explained soap vet Buchanan. “There’s something really special about coming back and seeing the show and the people who have been part of it for so long.”
So, happy to see Susan and Ian with some of their former castmates? Do you think Stephanie and Brooke is one of the greatest frenemy stories in daytime history? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
Tabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?

As previously announced, Beyond the Gates is bringing chef, author and actress Tabitha Brown and Grammy Award-winning songwriter, singer and actress Kandi Burruss to Fairmont Crest in a special episode of the CBS daytime drama airing Thursday, October 22.
In the episode, Dani’s (Karla Mosley) best friend Pamela Curtis (Cady McClain), arranges a “Welcome to Your Life” television special for her. As it turns out, Brown will play the show’s host, Tia Allen, while Burruss takes on the role of Dani’s first modeling agent, Kalista Kilroy, who turns the celebration of her life into a bad trip down memory lane.
Dani’s parents Anita and Vernon (Tamara Tunie, Clifton Davis), sister Nicole (Daphnee Duplaix), and daughters Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla) and Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) all join the show to celebrate and support her but also witness how things so south. Also appearing in the episode are Molly Figueroa as Tatum Stewart and fan-favorite Anita Williams (Tunie) impersonator Jackie Tyree!

PhotoL JPI
THE 411 ON TIA AND KALISTA
Speaking with TV Insider, about their soapy experience in Fairmont Crest, Tabitha Brown previewed about her host with the most, “Tia is very professional, but she’s a girl’s girl. She is a protector of women and wants to tell their stories in a beautiful way, but she also wants to make sure they’re seen in a very good light.”
However, Burruss previews that Kalista arrives with a score to settle. “She’s spicy,” shared the recording artist. “I always love playing somebody that has come to start trouble. It’s always fun to play a villain of sorts, but Kalista feels like she’s been done wrong and she’s hurt by what she feels has been done to her. So Kalista is stirring up trouble, but she feels justified putting Dani on blast. Kalista is ready for some payback.”
Beyond the Gates is produced by CBS Studios, as part of the CBS Studios/NAACP Venture, in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. Created by head writer Michele Val Jean, executive producers include Val Jean, Sheila Ducksworth, Julie Carruthers, Tracey Thomson, Leon W. Russell, Derrick Johnson, Anna Saalfeld and Lela Coffey.
Beyond the Gates is broadcast weekdays on CBS (2:00-3:00 PM, ET/1:00-2:00 PM, PT) and is available to stream on Paramount+**.
So, looking forward to this special episode of Beyond the Gates when Dani is put on a blast during a blast from her past and Welcome to Your Life TV special? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Reveals Kyle Pryor Cast as Dominic Marino

For months now, Days of our Lives has teased the character of Dominic Marino. In recent weeks, viewers learned that Marino is on the down low working with Sami Brady’s (Alison Sweeney) apparent fiancé ‘Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), and that he is the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)!
Up until now, the Peacock streaming soap opera has never revealed his face, but that all seemed to change on the Tuesday, October 2o episode of DAYS. In story, Dante met Sami’s parents for the first time, Roman (Josh Taylor) and Marlena.
He shows them a photo of Dominic, which he happened to have on his own phone and even commented he kind of looked like he could be Marlena’s son. The photo, which has quickly made it around Soap Twitter/X, revealed that British-born actor Kyle Pryor is the man in the photo and eagle-eyed viewers actually located said photo on Pryor’s Instagram.

Photo: Peacock
Deadline revealed Pryor started taping at the end of 2025 and will first be seen in the role, on air Monday, November 2. In addition, Days will celebrate its 61st Anniversary with two special episodes featuring Dominic’s arrival, as well the returns of Tony and Anna DiMera, played respectively by Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley, on Friday, November 6 and Monday, November 9.
Those in the know, are are that Pryor previously held series regular roles on Australia’s Home and Away, and the UK’s Hollyoaks and guest starred on Emmerdale. In an ironic twist, Pryor appeared in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand which is the same action series his apparent TV brother, Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera), once appeared in before coming to DAYS.
So excited to see Kyle Pryor take on the role of Dominic Marino as Days of our Lives sets its anniversary story to kick-off with is arrival in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section. And in case you missed our latest conversation with Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera) he weighs-in on how Dominic’s appearance will shake things up in Salem. You can check that out below.
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