As reported a few days ago, Days of our Lives Mark Hapka (Nathan Horton) had been suddenly let-go by the NBC sudser. Hapka, who was extremely disappointed by the news, took to an online chat to tell his side of the story and to engage with his fans, who are extremely saddended by his ouster, as the young actor is very popular!
Here are a just a few excerpts below of Hapka’s comments from that chat that were posted on the Daytime Royalty message board, “I spoke with show executives a few months back to discuss my concerns with the direction of the character. I felt similar to the way my fans are all feeling. I didn’t feel as though I was given a fair chance to show my ability. I felt my stories were treated entirely too casually. I asked nicely for DAYS to either utilize me, or let me go. Ken Corday is a good man, Gary Tomlin really believed in me from what I was told. As far as Dena Higley goes… we don’t speak. We never really have. We may have uttered a few words once during the Emmys. That’s it though. I don’t know who got the final say but that person is going to be the demise of this show if there isn’t a power shift. I’m not trying to burn any bridges in any way here. I am simply given credit where credit is due. I haven’t said an ill word about anyone. I simply have an opinion of the collaborative efforts. I see so much potential in the show and it’s so clear to me some of the simple changes that can be made to better it.”
Hapka’s final airdate is still undisclosed at this time. On-Air On-Soaps will keep you posted.
Very sad but Mark is a good looking actor with talent so he will do fine.
Guest
JamesScott4eva
He can make it to the big screen for sure. He’s also worked with James Franco as well. Good actor!!!!
Guest
bottomchef
After those tweets, Daytime soaps are probably not going to hire him. He seems completely miscast as a doctor also.
Guest
bella123
so sad to see him go!!!
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Chris Estes
The chemistry between Nathan and Melanie is so much stronger than the chemistry with Melanie and Phillip. There hasn’t been a stronger pair since the young Bo and Hope. Days is making a HUGE mistake. They wonder why they are having low ratings….well I believe it’s bad choices. I hope Mr. Corday rethinks this decision. I will no longer watch DOOL but I will follow and support Mark.
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tina mctavish
I strongly agree,that nathan &melanie have great chemistry,I would rather see them together,then Phillip & Melanie.I wish they would give Nathan a chance,he is great on our eyes,so attractive,and has great potential to be a great actor if given the chance,like Bo had with Hope.Melanie is a hot fire redhead,like Maggie,and they would make a great couple on dool,I wish the writers would keep him on,and get Chloe together with Phillip,it would be a better story line,to show Victor & Kate that Phillip belongs with Chloe,I would rather see Chloe with her husband,they had a great chemistry too.Phillip does nothing… Read more »
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Beth
I agree, i watch days to follow the story of Nathan and Mel. I’m sick to death of Samantha Brady!
If DOOL doesn’t rethink this decision they won’t have any ratings coming from my house.
Guest
LUMILY
He is right in what he had to say about the writers,for the past 4 year it’s all about THE DiMera’s,I want The Horton charecters back and Bryan Dattilo/Lucas back.
Guest
nancy
Over lunch today I was surprised to find out how many of my co-workers watch Days of Our Lives. They were shocked to hear about Mark Hapka being let go and said that they too would fast forward to scenes between Melanie and Nathan. They make the show worth watching. Although I like many of the actors on the show, they were one of my favorite couples. I won’t be watching if Mark is gone. The producers and writers will probably regret this move once they see how many viewers they will lose.
Guest
lovingit
“I see so much potential in the show and it’s so clear to me some of the simple changes that can be made to better it.” I agree 100% with what Mark said. I wasn’t a big fan of Nathan or Mate but I think it is sad Mark is being let go especially considering the reasons. It is interesting to see that some of the actors are as frustrated with the same things that we viewers are. I really hope this will be a wake up call for whoever is in charge and that they will make necessary changes… Read more »
Guest
Barbara
I too am very saddened to read that Mark Hapka who plays Nathan is leaving the show. I feel that he and Melanie are a great pair and have wonderful chemistry with each other. I agree that they should let Stephanie go, she has not got the talent that Mark has, and I never liked those 2 together anyway. I think it will be another mistake like letting John, Marlena, and Lindsey Hartley go, she is also another talented lady.
Guest
Brenda Griffith
I think it’s time that I give this show up, everytime you really like someone on the show, they let them go. Bad decision Days of Our Lives, you need to think of the fans out there that are keeping the show on the air.
DAYS Alum Jensen Ackles on ‘The Winchesters’ Inability to Find New Home is a Case of ‘Unfortunate Timing’
June 3, 2023
Former Supernatural, Big Sky, and Days of our Lives star, Jensen Ackles (ex-Dean, ex-Beau, ex-Eric) took to social media on Saturday when the news broke that his series, The Winchesters, in which he executive produced, has run out of options to find a new home.
The show which aired for one season on the CW was a prequel to Supernatural. In an update, The Winchesters producing studio, Warner Bros, attempted to find another network or streaming partner to move forward with the series after its cancellation.
Now comes word that all avenues have been exhausted. All this, even though a #SavetheWinchesters campaign led by Ackles, himself, was attempted to bring some attention and heat on the show.
Photo: NBC
Jensen expressed his ‘thanks’ to the viewers and cited the current WGA writer’s strike as one of the main contributing factors to making the search for a new home for the series extremely daunting.
Ackles shared: “To all of you who watched, followed, and supported this story, THANK YOU. And to all those who brought this show to life…I couldn’t be more proud of what we all did together. But as they say…timing is everything. With a massive Network shift coupled with an industry strike…welp…that’s some unfortunate timing. Sleep well dear @WinchestersOnCW…until we meet again. Somewhere down the road.”
Courtesy/CW
So, did you watch The Winchesters? Do you hope it can someday return? What did you think about the sentiments shared by Jensen Ackles? Comment below.
Pride Month Celebrating LGBTQ+ Soap Supercouples: Nuke, Kish, Otalia & WilSon … Which Stands the Test of Time?
June 2, 2023
June is Pride Month, the time when across the U.S and the world there are celebrations and commemorations to recognize all who identify as LGBTQ and their allies.
Daytime soap operas have had a rocky road when it comes to the representation of same-sex couples. The soaps have been at one time leaders in portraying key social issues of our time, as well as treading lightly on other subjects, as to its concerns to ‘turn-off’ its core audiences.
When you look back at the groundbreaking first same-sex weddings, and the first gay kiss, the soaps have come far in some ways in their representations of gay characters, but there is always work to be done to serve and to shed light on the under-represented.
As we reflect back to the then and the now, which LGBTQ soap supercouple remains your favorite and had made a lasting impact? Let’s take a look at four duos who captivated many viewers.
Nuke – Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer – As the World Turns
Van Hansis (Luke) and Jake Silbermann (Noah) were a key part of the evolution of, and representation of LGBTQ character on the soaps. ‘Nuke’, as they were known as, became the first gay male soap couple to share an on-screen kiss back in 2007. ATWT also became known as the first soap to depict a fully realized romantic male couple as an integral part of the show. There was plenty of backlash along the way for the long-awaited kiss to happen, but when it did, the show moved forward to tell their love story.
When Crystal Chappell (Olivia) and Jessica Leccia (Natalia) began to play the love story of Otalia, they had to show their affection by a kiss on the head, or holding hands. It took quite some time for GL to move forward to have two women, two moms, no less, share a lip lock. The complicated love story featured Natalia being conflicted to face her true romantic feelings for Olivia, because of her value system and religions upbringing, and that made this all the more riveting and frustrating at the same time. In the end, the rabid fan base for this duo was so great that Chappell wound up creating her own series, Venice, to honor and serve them, remaining one of the LGBTQ communities greatest allies.
Kish – Kyle Lewis and Oliver Fish – One Life to Live
In 2009, One Life to Live’s Kyle Lewis (Brett Claywell) was an out lab tech in Llanview, who back in college had a relationship with Officer Oliver Fish (Scott Evans). It imploded when Oliver denied he was gay. For years, Oliver remained in the closet, before finally coming out to himself and Kyle.
Kish had been a big success with the media and One Life’s gay audience. LGBTQ-advocacy groups honored the couple and the story. However, Kish was cut short when the network felt that the data showed that the storyline was not resonating with the show’s core audience.
WilSon – Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis – Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives delivered daytime’s first-ever gay male wedding in 2014, between Will (then played by Guy Wilson) and Sonny (then played by Freddie Smith).
In an interview with EW, Days of our Lives executive producer, Ken Corday shared on the union, “Will and Sonny have been together for a while and it was the natural progression of their love story. We didn’t feel like there was anything we could or couldn’t do, we treated them like any other couple on the canvas and continued to grow their romance as such.”
In addition, the coming out story of Will Horton was critically praised and noteworthy for the performances of Chandler Massey, who won three Daytime Emmys for his work in the Outstanding Younger Actor category 2012, 2013 and 2014. Freddie Smith also won in the same category in 2015. Will has been played over the years by Chandler Massey and Guy Wilson, while Sonny has been portrayed by Freddie Smith and Zach Tinker.
There have been several other key LGBTQ couples throughout the course of daytime history including All My Children’s Bianca (Eden Riegel) and Reese (Tamara Braun). These two characters were involved in the first same-sex lesbian wedding on daytime. Problem was … Reese kissed Zach (Thorsten Kaye) before the wedding, making this infuriating for viewers at home.
Other notable LGBTQ couples through the years have included: Bianca and Maggie on All My Children, Mariah and Tessa of The Young and the Restless played bv Camryn Grimes and Cait Fairbanks, Maya and Rick on The Bold and the Beautiful, Lucas and Brad on General Hospital and others.
Which couple do you think has had the most lasting impact on the history of LGBTQ representation on daytime soap operas? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
DAYS and GH Alum Tyler Christopher Arrested for Public Intoxication
May 31, 2023
Daytime Emmy-winner, Tyler Christopher (ex-Nikolas, GH; ex-Stefan, DAYS) was arrested for public intoxication at the Burbank, California airport, this past Friday, on May 26th.
According to the Burbank PD and reports obtained by TMZ, Tyler was arrested after they found him asleep and on the ground at the American Airlines terminal. The officers noted that Tyler displayed clear and objective signs of drinking. They also reveal he was unable to care of himself.
Tyler was released from police custody following his airport arrest, cited, and will need to appear in court at a later date.
Back in 2019, the popular actor was cited for two counts of misdemeanor public intoxication and landed in jail for two days, following an arrest in Indiana.
Share your thoughts on this latest situation for Tyler in the comment section below.
Very sad but Mark is a good looking actor with talent so he will do fine.
He can make it to the big screen for sure. He’s also worked with James Franco as well. Good actor!!!!
After those tweets, Daytime soaps are probably not going to hire him. He seems completely miscast as a doctor also.
so sad to see him go!!!
The chemistry between Nathan and Melanie is so much stronger than the chemistry with Melanie and Phillip. There hasn’t been a stronger pair since the young Bo and Hope. Days is making a HUGE mistake. They wonder why they are having low ratings….well I believe it’s bad choices. I hope Mr. Corday rethinks this decision. I will no longer watch DOOL but I will follow and support Mark.
I strongly agree,that nathan &melanie have great chemistry,I would rather see them together,then Phillip & Melanie.I wish they would give Nathan a chance,he is great on our eyes,so attractive,and has great potential to be a great actor if given the chance,like Bo had with Hope.Melanie is a hot fire redhead,like Maggie,and they would make a great couple on dool,I wish the writers would keep him on,and get Chloe together with Phillip,it would be a better story line,to show Victor & Kate that Phillip belongs with Chloe,I would rather see Chloe with her husband,they had a great chemistry too.Phillip does nothing… Read more »
I agree, i watch days to follow the story of Nathan and Mel. I’m sick to death of Samantha Brady!
If DOOL doesn’t rethink this decision they won’t have any ratings coming from my house.
He is right in what he had to say about the writers,for the past 4 year it’s all about THE DiMera’s,I want The Horton charecters back and Bryan Dattilo/Lucas back.
Over lunch today I was surprised to find out how many of my co-workers watch Days of Our Lives. They were shocked to hear about Mark Hapka being let go and said that they too would fast forward to scenes between Melanie and Nathan. They make the show worth watching. Although I like many of the actors on the show, they were one of my favorite couples. I won’t be watching if Mark is gone. The producers and writers will probably regret this move once they see how many viewers they will lose.
“I see so much potential in the show and it’s so clear to me some of the simple changes that can be made to better it.” I agree 100% with what Mark said. I wasn’t a big fan of Nathan or Mate but I think it is sad Mark is being let go especially considering the reasons. It is interesting to see that some of the actors are as frustrated with the same things that we viewers are. I really hope this will be a wake up call for whoever is in charge and that they will make necessary changes… Read more »
I too am very saddened to read that Mark Hapka who plays Nathan is leaving the show. I feel that he and Melanie are a great pair and have wonderful chemistry with each other. I agree that they should let Stephanie go, she has not got the talent that Mark has, and I never liked those 2 together anyway. I think it will be another mistake like letting John, Marlena, and Lindsey Hartley go, she is also another talented lady.
I think it’s time that I give this show up, everytime you really like someone on the show, they let them go. Bad decision Days of Our Lives, you need to think of the fans out there that are keeping the show on the air.