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Hamilton's Renee Elise Goldsberry On Her Time On One Life to Live: "It Was A Beautiful Experience"

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/AOLBuild

Courtesy/AOLBuild

Tony nominee and former One Life to Live star, Renee Elise Goldsberry (Ex-Evangeline Williamson) sat down for a very special half hour edition of the one-on-one AOL Build interview series.

Goldsberry, who is wowing audiences every night on Broadway as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton, may just take home her first Tony when the awards are handed out next Sunday night,  June 12th on CBS.   Goldsberry is nominated in the Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Category.

During her AOL Build interview, in which the host noted that the studio was packed for Renee, and one of the most highly-attended, Goldsberry discussed her time in Llanview and how important her daytime soap experience, and the fans, have been to her success.

Renee on what she learned from her time as One Life heroine Evangeline:  “I was on One Life to Live for four years and it was a beautiful experience, and another wonderful family of people  …  another dream come true .. and another really awesome opportunity to learn.  I learned so much about acting on a soap opera.  Fortunately, we get so much opportunity to fail – it’s trial and error.  When there are five hours of show a week, just the pace of that is fantastic and crazy.  So that was one of the great things about it, but one of the other great things about it was learning about ‘the rooting factor’.  Meaning, who is the audience rooting for?  It serves me in everything I do, whether i am Nettie in The Color Purple, or Geneva Pine in The Good Wife, or whether I’m Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton.   It’s always my job as an actor for you to understand what I am doing, because that is what ‘the rooting factor’ is, and I am always going to be trying to get that from the audience.  So that is another thing I learned from One Life to Live.  And then I have to say  … the fans.  I still have a lot of them and the medium of daytime knows that the currency is really the fans, and I am excited that we had Broadway-Con this year.  I’m excited that we are learning that the greatest resources we have in the theatre are the fans.”

When asked if the One Life to Live fans have been like, “Excuse me, Hamilton fans! We knew about her a long time ago!”, Goldsberry replied: “Back in the day, we had soap operas in New York City.  We don’t have that anymore and it makes me want to shed a tear.   So the actors were all theatre people.  It was not a stretch to go see your favorite actor on a soap opera at night in a Broadway show, or at an Off-Broadway show somewhere.  They have always been a very savvy audience the daytime people, and they will support you doing anything.  If you want to write a book … if you want to put a clothing line together … whatever you do they will support it, and that is what I feel about the theatre fans as well.”

Watch the complete AOL Build with Renee Elise Goldsberry after the jump! Then let us know what did you think of Renee’s comments about the soap opera fans?  Working on One Life?  Will you be watching the Tony’s with excitement to see if Renee takes home her much-deserved first Tony for Hamilton? Comment below!

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Miss her and OLTL…

Me, too!

Loved everything she said! I was always rooting for Blair, not Evangeline, but I’m still a fan. Hope she wins the Tony! And I sure wish they would bring back the NY soaps!

I love Renee, great actress. Y&R need to recast the role of Drucilla winters with Renee. She would be terrific as the new Drucilla.

Renee is a truly gifted actress and singer. I loved Evangeline on One Life to Live. I always felt Evangeline was a much better match for John McBain than flighty Natalie. I know. I’m in the minority there. I was so sorry when she left OLTL. New York theater actors brought the very best to daytime drama. I definitely miss their spark.

Have my fingers crossed that Renee wins her Tony award and wish her continued mega success in everything she does.

I liked her with John too.

I say recast the actress who plays GH’s Jordan with Renee. The current Jordan acts silly and ridiculous, like a primping schoolgirl rather than a serious and dignified police chief. Renee would be perfect. Moreover, she could be paired up with Michael Eastman again.

You’re so NOT in the minority! There are PLENTY of us who wanted John with Evangeline. There were plenty of us who knew that John’s true love was Evangeline. We know that John settled for Natalie because she didn’t have any standards.

At the time, John couldn’t be the man that Evangeline deserved. Natalie, on the other hand, simply wanted John any way she could have him. She required nothing, and basically got nothing in return.

Go, Renee! I’m so rooting for her to win the Tony!

I absolutely loved her as Evangeline and Jovan will always be OTP.
They had this magnetism that drew them to one another it was breathtaking. She challenged John and that chemistry… Damn! So pleased for her!!

Very, very grateful for your support for the daytime genre, Renee Elise Goldsberry. Good luck at the Tony’s. I hope you win!!!!!

Towards the end of the interview Renee says that Phylicia Rashad is one of her theatre heroes. Coincidentally, Phylicia also played a strong black female lawyer on One Lofe to Live.

I really enjoyed this interview and am so happy that Renee is garnering the accolades we all know she deserves.

She’s a class act and a major talent, and not enough good things can come her way.

And I surely do and always will, miss OLTL.

I hope she wins!

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Drops First Single EDM/Dance Track ‘If You Need Me’

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Last weekend, we shared the news that General Hospital alum and Daytime Emmy winner, Chad Duell (ex-Michael Corinthos) was releasing his first single today on June 26th and it has indeed dropped! And for those readers who guessed that Duell’s first track out of the gate was going to be an EDM/Dance/House track … you are correct, sir!

The song entitled, “If You Need Me” is perfect for the late night clubs and can be found on Spotify and other major streaming platforms! Duell is noted as the performing artist, but as the composer/ lyricist and the beatmaker of the track. For his music projects, Chad is going solely by the name of “Duelly” which has been his social media handle for years.

Taking to his Instagram on Friday, Duell explained his deep dive into making music, expressing, “I’ve wanted to make music for a long time… I just never did it. It always felt like this huge, overwhelming thing to learn. All the technical side of it, the programs, everything that goes into actually building a track… it was easy to keep pushing it off.  A couple months ago I finally just decided to go for it.”

Photo: JPI

BIT BY BIT PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Chad added, “Since then I’ve been putting in a lot of time learning, experimenting, figuring things out, and slowly starting to find a sound I’m really proud of. This first release is more of a dance/EDM vibe, but I’ve also been working on a lot of different styles behind the scenes that I’m just as excited about. At some point I realized I could keep holding onto everything trying to make it perfect… or I could just start putting music out and grow as I go.”

Stepping out of his own way, Duell firmly says, “So that’s what I’m doing.  My first track “If You Need Me” is out now. More coming soon… this is just the beginning.”

As GH viewers know, Chad made the decision to step away from General Hospital after a 15-year run with the series where his last episode aired in January of 2025. By May of last year, the role was recast with Rory Gibson debuting in the part.

Give a listen below to Duelly’s “If You Need Me,” and let us know what you thought of it via the comment section below.

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Josh Griffith Out as Head Writer at ‘The Young and the Restless’

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In a major behind the scenes move, The Young and the Restless current head writer, Josh Griffith is stepping down from his duties and is soon exiting the top-rated soap opera.

TV Insider was first to break the news and according to their report, Griffith’s departure was his own choice and the cast and crew learned of his decision earlier today on Friday, June 26.

Griffith’s resignation is not effective immediately and for now he will be continuing to tell the stories in Genoa City. As of this writing, Y&R has not named Josh’s successor.

Photo: JPI

Previously, Josh stepped down from his other major duty as the soap opera’s co-executive producer. It was just two months ago we learned that longtime Y&R vet Sally McDonald took over the EP role, while Josh was remaining the series head writer.

A SOAP WRITER WELL-TRAVELED

The seven-time Daytime Emmy winner has had a storied career and tenure in the field of daytime drama. Josh began his soap writing career in 1988 with Santa Barbara, then went to One Life to Live, where he was promoted to co-head writer. He ended his time in Llanview, at that time, in 1995. Later, he co-created Sunset Beach with Bob Guza Jr. The series ran from 1997-99 on NBC. One Life to Live called again and Josh returned as co-head writer again alongside Michael Malone from 2003-2004. Next, he joined the writing team of As the World Turns.

It was back in 2006 that Griffith first came to Genoa City and The Young and the Restless. He started in the capacity of creative consultant, as a breakdown writer, and then was tapped as the series co-executive producer. After departing in 2008. It was not until 2012-2013 that he made a short return before heading to Days of Our Lives to become the co-head writer of Salem from 2015-2016.

Eventually, Josh resurfaced at Y&R as Supervising Producer before becoming head writer in 2019 after Mal Young’s exit. Griffith had served as both head writer and executive producer from 2023-25. In 2025, Sally McDonald joined him as the series co-executive producer until the recent change a few months ago where McDonald is the sole EP.

So, what do you think of Josh Griffith stepping down as head writer at The Young and the Restless? Who would you like to see as his successor? Share your thoughts and picks via the comment section below.

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‘Revenge’ 15 Year Reunion On Tap at Television Academy’s ‘Televerse’ Festival

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One of the more intriguing primetime soap’s was ABC’s Revenge. It debuted in 2011 and became a smash hit. Revenge ran for 4 seasons and ended in May of 2015 after 89 thrilling and dramatic episodes.

Now, fans have a chance to be a part of the Revenge 15 year reunion when series stars Emily Van Camp (Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke), Josh Bowman (Daniel Grayson), Nick Wechsler (Jack Porter), Gabriel Mann (Nolan Ross), Ashley Madekwe (Ashley Davenport), Connor Paolo (Declan Poter), and Christa B. Allen (Charlotte Grayson) participate in a panel discussion at the upcoming Television Academy’s Televerse festival in Los Angeles at LA Live.

The cast will reunite on stage and revisit the relationships, rivalries, and dramatic twists that made the series a watercooler phenomenon, and its influence in the years since.

Courtesy/ABC

WHY REVENGE WAS SO JUICY GOOD

As those recall, Revenge was a reimagining of The Count of Monte Cristo set in the picturesque Hamptons, and followed Emily Thorne /Amanda Clarke’s mission to exact retribution on the powerful family that destroyed her father.

One of the other actors who appeared in mutiple story-arcs on Revenge was Passions, Y&R, This Is Us and now Tracker star, Justin Hartley. On Revenge, Hartley played the role of Patrick Osbourne, Victoria Grayson’s (Madeline Stowe) long-lost firstborn son who was given up for adoption when he was six months old. Patrick arrived in the Hamptons in Season 3, initially sparking a complex, romantic relationship with Nolan Ross.

In-addition, in real-life Emily Van Camp and Josh Bowman, who met on the set of Revenge have now been married since 2018 and share two daughters together, Iris and Rio.

MORE ABOUT TELEVERSE AND THE TV ACADEMY’S WORK

The TV Academy (who administrates the Primetime Emmys) will be holding their annual Televerse line-up of panels on August 14-16, as they celebrate television’s Emmy-nominated programs, innovative storytellers, and beloved content, providing attendees with an unprecedented opportunity to see beyond the screen and come face-to-face with your favorite shows.

For further information on panels and more, visit Televerse.com

So, were you a fan of Revenge when it aired on ABC? If so, who was your favorite character? Let us know via the comment section below.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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