All My Children
Pride Month Celebrating LGBTQ+ Soap Supercouples: Nuke, Kish, Otalia & WilSon … Which Stands the Test of Time?
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.
Otalia – Olivia Spencer and Natalia Rivera Aitoro – Guiding Light
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.
Nuke will always be my favorite with the gays that USED TO BE on GH (Bring’ em back!) a close second. Luke and Noah’s slow build up was breath-taking and so exciting for me as an out and proud gay man.
Rodd, you hit on the reason Nuke was so great.. the build-up. We felt the awkward uncertainty they both felt. Remember that first impulse-kiss when Luke was tying Noah’s bow tie? I was concerned my TV would melt down!
KiSH !!! 100% Now you have made me miss OLTL all over again. And why hasn’t Scott Evans ever turned up on GH ? Would love to see Officer Fish join Port Charles PC.
Agreed!
I would say the beginning of the Wilson story but then it dragged on and the actors kinda ‘ phoned ‘ it in. The new Sonny though played by Zach Tinker brought life back to them.
But back to Kish I never watched OLTL however I started catching snippets of the Ron Carlivati years which I wanted to catch because I’m a big fan ( mostly) of him on Days and that’s when I caught Kish! The actors are adorable and really well it. This article reminds me to go back after I took a break from watching their storyline on you tube collected!
Definitely Kish. Through many twists and turns, they were finally able to declare their love for each other and making plans to raise their beautiful baby daughter. I loved the two of them together and was so happy when they gained custody of Sierra Rose.
Not a day goes past that I don’t miss our beloved One Life to Live!!!!!!!!
100%
You could really feel the agony of Scott Evans trying to fight his true feelings while Brett Claywell was on the other side so adorable trying to convince him love can conquer. Their portrayals really resonated with me during that time in my life! Too bad they were cut short but atleast they ended on a high
what a wonderful article Michael.
Some good ones over the years. I’m partial to Nuke myself. ATWT was the first show to really feature a gay couple front and center with Luke and Noah. Days told a wonderful story with Will and Sonny, as well.
Unlike GH, who for whatever reasons and I have my suspicions, has always paid lip service to gay characters, leaving them rotting in the background, never giving them a front burner love story. They had plenty of opportunity with Lucas after his well written coming out story, you had Brad, Felix, they briefly touched on it with Kristina, even now with a trans character like Terry. Where is the story?
God forbid, we wouldn’t want the same stuck in the 1950s homophobes that wish Leave It To Beaver were still on, and boycott Bud Light, Disney, Target etc for daring to be inclusive to all of their customers to boycott GH!
I take exception to use of the term “super couple” as none of these rose to the level of Luke & Laura, Bo & Hope or Greg & Jenny. These were, however, very good pairings.
Kish got a bum deal from ABC. Frank and Ron were doing everything to keep OLTL afloat and couldn’t push back so they sent Kish to live offscreen. Instead, Ron gave us Dorian’s fake lesbian story as part of her mayoral campaign.
Why GH didn’t make Lucas a more prominent character bothers many of us to this day. If Carnes wasn’t working, recast and tell a proper story. Lucas disappeared once the Wiley truth was discovered and we really didn’t get to see Lucas recover from a painful loss.
With Britt gone, Brad needs more connections on the canvas. If not Zeke, then someone should rock his world. And Terry’s glaring absence from Epiphany’s memorial, the Nurses Ball and Willow’s treatment doesn’t bode well for the future of the character. Show some Pride, Frank.
Would you ever really expect mainstream media to call a couple from LBTGQ community a “super couple”? God forbid! And yet, to so many, these couple were, indeed, of that status. Pioneering, touching lives and lifting the community up in ways we had never been lifted before.
I agree with you about the sad lack of story GH devotes to characters like Terry, Lucas, Brad, Kristina and Felix. I can’t help but wonder if any of them will be trotted out for show since it’s Pride month? The same thing happens when it’s time for the Nurses’ Ball.
They DID recast Lucas for about two weeks and then that guy disappeared, too.
At some point, they’ll have to address Bobbie’s passing and woe be to Frank and the writers if they don’t have Lucas around, at least for that story.
And Terry has a new love interest. They were so cute together. I’d love to see more of them and how she’s dealing with the hospital now that Britt’s gone.
There are just too many possibilities for the above mentioned characters, so get with it, writers, and give us what we want….Well, one can dream.
If they are going to reintroduce Lucas as a prominent part of the canvas, then we deserve a new full-time telecast. Otherwise, for Bobbie’s passing, hopefully Frank can lure Ryan Carnes back or get Ben Hogestyn to return to acting so they can use some flashback scenes. It shouldn’t all be about Carly (like every day that ends in Y).
What is Ryan Carnes doing these days? He was by far the best Lucas, imo. Would love to see him return. Seems like he’s still acting based on his Wikipedia. You would think they have to have a Lucas representation for Bobbie’s funeral.
OG Steve, I chuckled at your line about Carly and every day that ends in Y. Man, is that so true. I like Laura Wright, but I’m starting to get really sick of Carly. The way they write the character is nauseating at times. Like the logic that Carly and Drew are literally guilty of insider trading, but somehow Nina is the villain for turning them in. Don’t even get me started, lol.
Cameron Mathison would’ve been perfect as Steven Webber instead of bftd Drew 2. Then his relationship w Carly would’ve made more sense bc of their history and wouldn’t feel forced like it does. But these writers aren’t familiar with past characters they didn’t make up themselves.
And ironically the only times I’ve liked Carly since LW has played her were in scenes where TPTB remembered she’s a Spencer. Those w Bobbie, Lucas, Luke, Laura, Lucky, Lulu, Valerie. The Spencer family grounded & humanized her and brought out her few redeeming qualities. Oh I already miss Jackie Z & Bobbie so much! Won’t be the GH i loved without her!
I LOVED Ryan Carnes as Lucas and Bobbie was my heart! I miss her terribly! GH never let’s endge couples end up together & be happy or reward fans who followed them for decades. I so wish they reunited Bobbie & Tony and Rick & Lesley instead of killing off Rick & Tony. And kept Alan on until the actor wanted to retire. They killed off Emily also, screwing over Nik & Emily fans, refused to bring back Lucky to repair Lucky & Liz or Laura for the longest time to reunite her w Luke. Also loved Ned & Alexis, wish the mob hadn’t ruined her and that Ned married her instead of annoying Olivia. Mac & Felicia were the shows only endgame couple that got lasting happiness.
Wish I could add Justus & Lainey, Tom & Simone, Taggert & Keesha, Shaun & Jordan, Maya & Tommy and Valerie & a Ward bf to that list but the show spent over a decade not writing for black characters.
On DAYS, endgame couples actually end up together esp as they age & move into supporting roles: Mickey & Maggie, Doug & Julie, John & Marlena, Bo & Hope, Tony & Anna, Abe & Lexie, Patch & Kayla, Shane & Kim, Jack & Jennifer, Will & Sony, Lani & Eli, Chad & Abby, Sami & Lucas, Austin & Carrie, Victor & Kate, Shawn & Belle… they were all allowed to be together & happy at least for a time. Wish Bill & Laura had reunited and stuck around.
Not so on GH where the core families were destroyed and patriarchs killed off upon aging out of viability as characters. And now TPTB cares way more about adding new characters ad nauseum while it’s core families of decades are nearly gone. So disheartening.
Anyway I LOVED RCs Lucas. Just have never like Brad. Hes sleezy and Lucas always deserved better n hotter. He was so hot & charming! He should’ve been a male lead along w Dillon, Michael, Tommy, TJ, Nikolas, Lucky & maybe a recast Brad. I always thought a sexually fluid Dillon falling for his best friend Lucas would’ve been a great love story. Another Spencer Quartermaine pairing. Or maybe paired w Steven Webber, Griffin or Nathan who was revealed to be Stefan Cassadines son.
Luke and Noah will be forever my favorite gay couple. It’s a shame what they did to this couple. They deserved better and so their fans, but it’s amazing how year after year they are remembered for their legacy.
Sonny & Will on Days were amazing
Nuke and WilSon (WilSon with Chandler Massey) were the best. Nuke was the only reason to watch As The World Turns.
Luke and Noah are special. They had my favorite actors, and their chemistry is amazing. Noah resonated with me so much, that is scary.
All My Children
‘All My Children’ Movie Writers for Lifetime Revealed: Ron Carlivati, Jamey Giddens and Leo Richardson

This week began and as reported with a spotlight article on Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos and how their production entity, Milojo, has been teeing up the All My Children reboot with Lifetime.
The L.A. Times featured the married couple, co-hosts of Live with Kelly and Mark, and former All My Children cast members (where they met and fell in love) about their plans to bring two All My Children movies to Lifetime and how they are working with the Agnes Nixon estate to make it come to fruition,
On Wednesday, it was revealed by Daytime Confidential, that All My Children reboot producer, Andrew Stearn handpicked none other than Ron Carlivati (ex-head writer, One Life to Live, General Hospital and Days of our Lives) and Jamey Giddens (who is the new co-head writer of The Young and the Restless, following his tenures on the writing teams of Beyond the Gates and Days of Our Lives), as the two scribes who will bring the first of two of Kelly and Mark’s All My Children movies to the page.

Photo: IMDb
RON CARLIVATI AND JAMEY GIDDENS CONFIRM THEIR BOARDING THE ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIE PROJECT
The second installment is said to be written by primetime writer Leo Richardson whose credits include: Star, Katy Keene and more recently the Penn Badgley (ex-Phillip Chancellor IV, The Young and the Restless) starring series, You.
Richardson also wrote for three years on the U.K.’s long-running soap, EastEnders. All My Children revival fans will recall Richardson’s name was attached as the writer for the first incarnation of the All My Children movies, entitled, Pine Valley.
Ron Carlivati took to X and confirmed he is indeed boarding the All My Children movie project. Carlivati shared, “So excited to share this news! Thanks to Andrew Stearn, Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Albert Bianchini and the Agnes Nixon estate for entrusting Jamey Giddens and me with the first of two planned All My Children movies for Lifetime! Stay tuned!”

Photo: Jeremy Smith/imageSPACE
Jamey Giddens confirmed DC’s announcement by taking to his account on X and expressing, “I’ve been booked and busy in 2026. Thanks to Andrew Stearn, the Agnes Nixon estate, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos for entrusting Ron Carlivati, and me with the first of two planned All My Children movies for Lifetime!”
Some fans seemed to question how Giddens could be writing for the first All My Children movie at Lifetime, when he is the new co-head writer at The Young and the Restless with Dan O’Connor. Jamey answered that head on via X and explained, “We turned in our All My Children script months ago. My sole focus as of this past Monday, is Genoa City, Wisconsin! #YR”
ERICA KANE, MARIA SANTOS AND HAYLEY AND MATEO SANTOS TO APPEAR IN THE ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIE REVIVAL?
In the planned stories, Susan Lucci’s Erica Kane and Eva LaRue’s Maria Santos will be two characters whose lives we will get to see for the first time since the series was canceled by ABC back in 2011 after 41 years on the air. As well, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos confirmed they will make brief appearances on-screen; one could assume as Hayley and Mateo Santos.
“It’d be wonderful to give the fans something that they’ve been yearning for so many years,” shared Mark Consuelos to the LA Times. “All My Children gave me my family. I met my wife there. It gave me my start in the business. It gave us so much. It would be a dream to be able to give back.”
So, what do you think of Ron Carlivati and Jamey Giddens getting nod to write the All My Children movie #1 script and Leo Richardson #2? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
All My Children
‘All My Children’ Revival Updates: Lifetime EVP Speaks on Why Proposed Movies are Great Fit, Mark Consuelos Wants To ‘Give Back’ to Fans

The All My Children revival via movies at Lifetime is still in the works from former series stars and marrieds, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, through their production company, Milojo.
The co-hosts of Live with Kelly and Mark were featured this week in a Los Angeles Times article which detailed their efforts to bring some of the citizens of Pine Valley back to your screens.
As previously reported, and reaffirmed by the L.A. Times, the All My Children movies will be set in the present day and focus on what beloved characters such as Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) and Maria Santos Gray (Eva LaRue) are doing now. In addition, Kelly Ripa confirmed that she and Mark Consuelos will also appear on screen briefly most likely appearing in their signature soap roles as Hayley and Mateo Santos.

Photo: ABC
ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIES BRING NOSTALGIA THAT CAN BE MADE TO FEEL NEW AGAIN
Elaine Frontain Bryant, executive vice president and head of programming for A&E, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movie Network said of the All My Children reboot, “Lifetime is always interested in shows that kind of tap into a powerful nostalgia that can be made fresh for today’s audience. There’s a whole generation of women that have missed these stories and these characters.”
As for working with Kelly and Mark on the Lifetime movie versions of the soap, “They’re exactly the kind of partners you want at a brand,” expressed Bryant. “They’re trusted voices because every day they’re talking to their audience, which, a lot of times, is our audience. They bring a real credibility and have an authentic point of view. You meet Kelly and Mark and kind of what you see is what you get, and I think they bring that same authenticity to their development standards.”
Albert Bianchini, executive producer for Milojo, says he knows All My Children is so wildly popular with the fans of daytime. That was punctuated when seeing it in person, and how the energy was off the charts back in January of 2025 when Kelly participated along with Susan Lucci, former head writer, Lorraine Broderick and casting director, Judy Blye Wilson in a conversation with Andy Cohen at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.

© Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM Credit: AFF/Alamy Live News
“I’ve never seen a crowd like that in my life. People were lined up around the block, recalled the Bianchini. “Everyone wanted to know, ‘When is (All My Children) coming back? We want more.’ We got to see that in real life and Kelly got to feel it in real life, and it made so much sense. I just know that the minute it gets out in the world, people will want more and more and more. There’s just a love there.”
Kelly Ripa added that they are, “working closely with Bob and Sarah Nixon, who are also serving as producers.” She recalled, “She (Agnes Nixon) was so far ahead of her time. She covered topics that weren’t being covered. It was extraordinary the audiences that the show drew, and she served them real stories that were affecting Americans across the country but weren’t necessarily being represented anywhere.”
“It’d be wonderful to give the fans something that they’ve been yearning for so many years,” shared Mark Consuelos. “All My Children gave me my family. I met my wife there. It gave me my start in the business. It gave us so much. It would be a dream to be able to give back.”
THE CANCELLATION AND STOPS AND STARTS OF ALL MY CHILDREN REBOOTS
All My Children aired on ABC from 1970 to 2011. It got a second chance at life when Prospect Park resurrected the show and brought it to The OnLine Network and Hulu for one season in 2013.
Recently, the series made a return through the estate of Agnes Nixon and is streaming internationally on BEONDTV and through their partnership with PlutoTV Canada with episodes starting in 1995. Fans hope original episodes will some day soon be available in the U.S. as well, but that could prove more difficult since ABC owns the rights to the episodes stateside.
Now 13 years later, while there is no word yet on a definitive production start date to the two movies at Lifetime, all the people involved seemed determined to make it come to life.
So, what do you think of the executive vice-president of Lifetime and LMN being enthusiastic about Kelly and Mark’s All My Children movie revivals? Are you wanting to see this come to fruition? Kelly and Mark seem to have made this a very high priority. Do you hope that by 2027 we might be able to get this to the finish the line and into production? Weigh-in via the comment section.
All My Children
‘All My Children’ Episodes to Stream on Pluto TV Canada
Starting on May 1, All My Children fans in Canada will be able to see classic episodes of the beloved former ABC soap opera when they stream on Pluto TV Canada.
Pluto TV picked-up the All My Children Channel that the Nixon family has created in partnership with BEONDTV +. The show which aired for 41 years on ABC and ended on the network in 2011, had so many memorable storylines and characters; the least of which is the enduring run of Erica Kane played by soap icon, Susan Lucci.
As previously reported, starting with episodes from the year 1995, which was the 25th anniversary of the soap. Pluto TV Canada viewers will be able to catch 8 episodes on repeat per day. With the success of the venture, the Nixons are hopeful that they will bring viewers many more years of the show to come.

Photo: ABC
Sarah Nixon, producer, shared with Michael Fairman TV exclusively, “We are thrilled that Pluto TV has launched All My Children in Canada! Let’s hope the engagement from our incredibly loyal fans across the border will encourage ABC to bring it to the U.S.! We share what Aggie (Agnes Nixon) always felt, that it is the enthusiasm and love from the fans that has kept this legacy beloved and relevant – to this day!”
In addition, 0ne week ago, during Susan Lucci’s visit to Los Angeles promoting her book La Lucci, she was joined by her former Pine Valley castmates, Rebecca Budig (ex-Greenlee, AMC, now Taylor, B&B) and Eva LaRue (ex-Maria, AMC) and the trio posed for a pic. At that time, LaRue shared via Instagram, “NEW All My Children channel streaming classic episodes 24/7 now on Pluto TV Canada! Fingers crossed to watch soon on Pluto US.”
That was also confirmed this week by TV Watercooler’s Jeevan Brar who took to X and expressed, “The All My Children channel begins streaming this Friday, May 1 on Pluto TV Canada.
So, Canadian viewers, excited about Pluto TV’s All My Children channel? United States fans, hopeful from Sarah’s message that perhaps soon, we can see the beloved soap once again as well? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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