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.
All My Children
Malachy McCourt, ‘Ryan’s Hope’ and ‘All My Children’ Actor, Dead at 92
If you watched Ryan’s Hope through its 14-year-run, you know that Kevin the bartender became a beloved “member’ of the Ryan clan on the defunct ABC daytime drama series. The character of Kevin MacGuiness became so loved by the fans because of the actor who portrayed him, Malachy McCourt.
Sadly, according to his wife Diana McCourt to The New York Times, Malachy passed away on Monday from a heart condition and battling cancer. The actor was 92-years-old.
Playing Kevin on Ryan’s Hope was not much of a stretch for McCourt, because in his lifetime, he was the owner of 1950s Irish pub Malachy’s on Third Avenue in Manhattan. Known as one of the city’s great story-tellers, patrons from longshoremen to the actor Richard Harris would stop in and talk all things Irish with . On Ryan’s Hope, Kevin was best friends to “Ryan’s Bar” owner, Johnny Ryan (Bernie Barrow) and he tried to keep Delia (Ilene Kristen) on the straight and narrow.
In his soap opera career, McCourt also was widely-known for his role of Father Clarence McCourt on All My Children especially come Christmastime. Was Clarence, actually St. Nick? That was always the proverbial question. McCourt also appeared on the New York soaps: One Life To Live, Search For Tomorrow and Another World. Other roles included: Devil’s Own, Brewster’s Millions, The Molly Maguires, and Starman, to name
Later in 2006, Malachy ran for governor of the state of New York as a Green Party candidate. He tackled social issues of the time including being an advocate for gay and lesbian groups to march in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
McCourt’s childhood was recounted within his brother Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angela’s Ashes, which detailed their mother’s attempt to raise the four of their surviving seven children in poverty in Limerick, Ireland. Later, Malachy wrote his own memoirs: 1998’s Monk Swimming, and 2000’s Singing My Him Song.
Malachy is survived by his aforementioned wife, Diana, daughter Siobhan McCourt; sons Malachy Jr., Conor and Cormac; stepdaughter Nina Galin; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Share you remembrances and condolences for Malachy McCourt via the comment section, but first check out this scene from a 1983 episode of “Ryan’s Hope” featuring the late actor with Ilene Kristen.
All My Children
‘Live with Kelly and Mark’s’ Annual ‘After the Oscars’ Show Brings Backstage Interviews, Fashion Review and Red Carpet Arrivals from Movie’s Biggest Night
Monday morning, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos took to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood for the talk show’s annual Oscar post show.
However, this time it would be Consuelos’ first time as the co-host of ‘Live’ for an Oscars episode. Mark took over the gig from Ryan Seacrest to team with his wife back in April of 2023 and since then the show has seen a ratings spike hitting several all-time highs.
The After the Oscars show opened with a tribute to the movies were the former All My Children stars took on iconic roles from: Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct to Barbie and Ken in Barbie, to the Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller role’s in the romantic comedy Something About Mary and more.
During After the Oscars, Kelly and Mark were shown in clips backstage as the first stop for the newly-anointed Academy Award winners including: Finneas and Billie Eilish and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. The Bachelor host, Jesse Palmer was the talk show’s guest correspondent who spoke to the nominees, and celebrities as they were entering the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night.
Singer Andy Grammar took to the stage and performed on Live’s After the Oscars show as well, and Project Runaway’s Elaine Welteroth shared her thoughts on the night’s Oscar fashion.
You can watch the full ‘Live with Kelly and Mark After the Oscars’ show below, plus the full movie parody below that. Now let us know, what do you think of Kelly and Mark’s first post-Oscar show together on ‘Live’? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
All My Children
EXCLUSIVE: Jacob Young, Joan Collins and Nadia Bjorlin to Prague to Film ‘Murder Between Friends’
On Thursday night during the Michael Fairman Channel’s livestream interview centering around Jason Cook’s (ex-Shawn, DAYS and ex-Matt, GH) latest movie Four For Fun which stars Brytni Sarpy (Elena, Y&R) and Jacob Young (ex-JR, AMC, ex-Rick, B&B and ex-Lucky, GH), revealed another upcoming film project with some very familiar faces.
Jacob Young shared an exclusive that he is set to direct, produce and star in a Agatha Christie-like murder mystery feature film aptly tiled Murder Between Friends.
Speaking on the upcoming project, Jacob said, “I’m flying at the end of the March to Prague to direct, produce and star in a film with Joan Collins (ex-Dynasty). Nadia Bjorlin (ex-Chloe, Days of our Lives) is in it, and Toby Alexander Smith from Eastenders (ex-Gray Atkins). Plus, a couple of my Broadway friends and a very well known Czech actress (Hana Vagnerova).”
According to Jacob, the production start date is April 1st. He added on the premise of the film, “It’s very Agatha Christie sort of ‘Knives Out’ without having a hundred million dollars to shoot it, but still will be a lovely film nonetheless.” Young said the plan is to finish all principal photography by April 17th.
IMDb has more on the film. It shared that former All My Children star Trent Garrett (ex-Asher Pike) is listed as co-directing the feature. Mark Rozzano is listed as writer of Murder Between Friends.
So, what do you think about this upcoming feature from Jacob that will feature Joan Collins, Nadia Bjorlin et al? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Then below, check out the full livestream conversation with Jason Cook, Brytni Sarpy and Jacob Young on ‘Four For Fun’ and their notable soap roles.
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