News
Ray Wise Joins The Young and the Restless As Dylan's Father Cult Leader Ian Ward!

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com
Now this is actually good casting if you look at the eyes of Ray Wise and Steve Burton! In a move that could potentially spark the story of Dylan (Steve Burton) being Nikki’s (Melody Thomas Scott) biological son from her younger days as part of a cult, according to TV Line, the CBS number one soap, The Young and the Restless, has cast veteran actor Ray Wise in the role of Ian Ward, the cult leader from the New World Commune who got Nikki pregnant some 30 years ago!
TV Line goes on to say, “Wise will begin shooting this Friday the 13th, with an eye on a January 23 debut. His character, will play an integral role in the lives of several Genoa City residents.” The role is recurring. Could Ian be the new Mitch Laurence of daytime?
Wise is well remembered by soap fans for his role on Twin Peaks and Love of Life! His other credits have included: How I Met Your Mother, Chuck, Reaper and Mad Men!
So what do you think about the casting choice of Ray Wise as Dylan’s father? Do you think Ian will cause havoc in Genoa City? Comment below!
have to say 1rst, i do not watch y and r at this time, i gave up when genie francis was let go,,,but i do keep up with the show through sites like this,,btw,,micheal you are by far the best at what you do,, but back to y and r,,its unfortunate but in 2 years now i have not seen one article or casting news that would even ignite the smallest interest in returning to this show, untill the vets get great storyline and they correct some of the people they have let go,,,,like omg can we say billy miller…and show some respect for the actors and the audience i will not go back,,,general hospital is where its at..
Wasn’t Genie just cut again from GH? And they lost Tristan as well?
honestly not sure,,,i thought it was just temporary she was off ,,but if she is off permanently ill tune out…they swore genie was back to stay,,,long term,,so if they lied just to woo back viewers ill be gone again
I’m so glad I’m not the only one… (fan) who thinks as much.
I’ve never – left – a soap… stopped watching… cold turkey! and I did… GH and DAYS are thee soaps.
as for Y&R … for the love of Jeanne Cooper… Michelle Stafford, Billy Miller, All the Abbotts… gotta still love my Victoria
blah, blah, blah
I don’t mind agreeing with the latest SOD issue… the best and worst of
Drum Roll!
ladies and gentlemen…. !!!!
for the 3rd year in a Row!
Thee young and the Restless…. “Most Dissapointing Show”
Bam!
And what’s funny SOD voted that because I just read an article, Y&R doubled in ratings during November sweeps.
I’m tempted to give up since the show is just a tool to further prompt Dullan. Wish Steve Burton had landed a gig on a soap I DON’T watch. 🙁
I don’t understand what the court case is about. We know that Paul is the father, why go to court now?
Some 30 years ago? Hmmmmm….looks like Nikki has been de-Sorased.
I know soaps play with ages all the time but it really irks me that someone the same age (or REALLY close) to Nick is supposed to be the child Nikki had at approximately 17. He should be years older than Victoria.
Sorry, nothing is going to make Dylan grow on me….
… if he was the cult leader… he’d be any where from 13-20 years older… ?
seduced
Steve Burton has to act? ! ? ! No!
all he did on GH was machismo, stud muffin it up….
I don’t think he’s getting away with his act this time around…. on Y&R he doesn’t have one
I was referring to Dylan being approximately the same age as Nick. It is preposterous considering that Nikki was supposed to be 17 at the time of the cult story (and I definitely recall her saying she was that age a few months ago in a conversation with Paul), plus the fact that Victoria is the older sibling. Dylan would need to be older than Victoria. Nikki’s “lost” son would need to be mid-forties, at least.
Just another way to shove Dylan at us and make Burton appear essential to the show. Ain’t gonna happen.
Do not get me started on this totally circling the wagons around Steve Burton to give this guy front and center storyline so I for one am not the least interested in Ray Wise’s character no matter how good of an actor he is .And the fact certain actors on Y&R who have become instant pals with him to remain on the show disgusts me. Why does he not just sell his juice and get off my favorite show.
I actually think Steve Burton is doing a good job–he was heart breaking when he found out that the baby wasn’t his. Being on Y&R has allowed him to stretch a bit as an actor, plus he gets to wear color.
well,
David Koresh was 32.. when he died
Jim Jones was 47.. when he died
Ian ??????
This show is so completely out of whack with ages that it is disconcerting and actually sucks any emotional investment out of the characters for me. This is all thanks to the needless and ridiculous aging of summer and their insistence that she was born after cassie died. For that to add up, Nicholas has to be at least 50. Which would make Victoria older than that, and Dylan pushing 60. That makes Nikki at least 75. Well…she looks damn good for her age! We just have to accept that two regimes have monumentally screwed with these characters ages…and they exist in some sort of weird time warp.
The time is a mess and I have given up ages ago trying reconcile all the damage SORASing has done over the years. I think even the wardrobe, make up and hair people on the show are confused– has anyone else notice that all the young women are dress to look like matrons and all the older ladies are dressed to look like they are 30 years younger than they are supposed to be?
Harry: Steve Burton chose to wear black t-shirts all the time on GH! He said it in numerous interviews. Him being able to wear color just proves what a hypocrite he’s turned out to be since joining YR.
Great choice! Now this could be interesting, and trust me, Y&R could use some spice with the milk toast it has been serving with all the young blonde chicks, their boyfriends, Lilly of the Duh Valley Girl, Lurch (AKA as Vile Kyle), Neil and his son whose name now escapes me because he is so damn boring. Why Katherine gave her millions to that walking void sign I will never understand.
Ray Wise will be a most welcome addition.
Lurch that’s soooo good!!
LOL… especially about Devon: he’s devoid… just simply lacking interesting… right?
it escapes me… but, whatever.
the nunuKyle… is definately lurch…. and is another walking zombie
Oh yes, that’s the name Devon–thank you. Let’s call him Deyawn.
But I love Peter Bergman, just wish they’d give him a new storyline instead of making him replay Victor vs. Jack with Jack always losing for the millionth time. Bergman deserves better than that.
He plays an excellent psycho. I remember him from Twin Peaks. So yes he’ll be a welcomed addition to the Y& R .
I remeber when he was Jamie Rollins on Love Of Life…he was involved with a drug addict named Sally 4get last name…the had a young daughter who tragically died…then Jamie…after Sally left him had an affair with the married and older Diana Lamont. Good to see him back in daytime!
He looks like he could rock the role.
Don’t watch Y&R, but love Ray Wise, Twin Peaks & loved, loved loved him on Psych, The Closer and Reaper. he is an awesome actor. Should be great in the role!
I loved, loved, LOVED Twin Peaks….
Me too!!!! Fantastic, fabulous show….and Ray Wise will forever be “Leland-Bob!!!!”
Hum…….Jason gets a father
Sam gets a father
I’m good!!!!
I know, its like JFP watches her old show GH and then gathers the Y&R writers and lets them know she JUST had a brainstorm!
I’m really looking forward to this. Great casting.
This is great casting. Can’t wait. I hope he gets a good story to play.
Ray Wise is a great actor and in the right hands could indeed be the new Mitch Laurence but I don’t trust the current writing team to do anything more than introduce Ian Ward and then kill the character off within a matter weeks sparking a “mystery” story to put Dylan front and center.
Yeah, these writers seem to drop the ball a lot? They had this DD story line, popular or not, it was a hot iron and now it just drags and you just lose interest and want it to be over with. Take your hat off twice for the writers over at GH. They had the Robin story line out there for almost two years and the pay off was Emmy worthy.
lmao!!!
A guy from a Commune Cult how lame can Y&R get !!
And Nikki was a stupid hippie.. what a dim-witted back story..
Anyways I hope ”Ian” will be a real badazz , Y&R needs one, desperately!
I FF through so much of the boring sludge that I am hardly watching, actually.. 🙁
I am remarkably… sad… distraught even: for Melody Thomas Scott
#1. she’s in a cult… at 17… gets pregnant
#2. she’s a stripper/prostitute… gets pregnant… marries Victor
and the rest is lame, tired, I digress… over… resting… Nikki’ stupid
the writers’ have so ruined… the character… till she just takes it upon herself…
perhaps… when they know … the show is over…
Nikki… chops victors balls off
Me with some other fans, want Paul to be Dylan’s real dad.. Would make great storyline opportunities, would show case, Mel, Eric and DOug more and would piss off Victor. 🙂
That is what I was hoping for myself, when it first came out that Nikki had a child long ago. I think it would have been like you said a story filled with potential, but as usual they are going in a direction that isn’t nearly as interesting as it could have been.
thank you! especially… for thee actors themselves… acting chops on fire…
Doug Davidson and MTS… Paul and Nikki… to REEL!
It would be SO much better if it could be rejiggered to make Paul the father. They make believable parents of Dylan…all so blonde and blue. And it would give Paul a son after killing his own.
Paul would have been a good choice and a popular one. Him and Victor have the tension needed between them but Paul is a good guy. Ian will roll into town and Victor will want to take his head off just because of what he did to Nicki many years ago.
Yes
I was hoping they wouldn’t go down this road. I have zero interest in seeing Nikki deal with this guy who abused her as a teenager, nor to see him go toe to toe with Victor. The only thing that might make it somewhat interesting if this guy was Sharon’s father too– which would make Dylan and Sharon siblings on the father side of things, which was the rumor ages ago. And wouldn’t mind if they explored Sharon’s unresolved “Daddy” issues—but that’s about the only thing that might save it.
Because I can see where this is going, the guy will end up threatening Nikki’s life in some way and Dylan will be the only one who can save her. Mother and son will end up bonding over dealing with him. Victor will get put out that Nikki has “new ” hero to turn to and they will break up again. Unless they suddenly get a creative streak and completely surprise me, I cannot see this story being anything but predictable.
and… once again… MTS Nikki… takes, the fall
and, Victor.. grandstands!
I don’t even know what to say… it’s over!
after all these years… would it be so bad… for Victor… and Y&R to befall… and debilitate.. Victor… with some thing… any thing ???
he has no credibility… left
so what??? who? f’n care’s, at this point
Nikki… is the fallen goddess… amazon… LOL
Oh well… she’s missed
Ray Wise is great, I might start to watch again because of him.
So…actor Ray Wise is being cast on Y&R as that totally sadistic and evil cult leader Ian Ward from long ago, huh??? SAY W-H-A-T??? Anyway, Ray Wise being cast on Y&R has so many ENDLESS storyline possibilities. Aw, HELL TO THE YEAH!!!!! RW is a perfect choice to give Y&R a badly-needed-shot-in-the-arm. Yep. Here’s what I think that Ray Wise could bring to the Y&R table:
1. I would LOVE to see that Ian Ward dude to head-to-head and toe-to-toe with that stuffy, insufferable and fire-breathing Victor. That would TRULY ROCK!!!!!
2. I think that Y&R should put Ian and Jill together as a couple. And, besides, I think that Ray Wise and Jess Walton would have AMAZING CHEMISTRY together on-screen. HOLLA!!!!!
3. I think that Ian and Jack should meet by chance (or whatever), compare notes and TEAM UP to bring down that grumpy old Victor. H-E-L-L-O!!!!!
4. Most of all, that Ian fella would bring a MUCH-NEEDED REALISM to that Nikki And Dylan Are Long-Lost Mother And Son nonsense. D-U-H!!!!!
We shall see………..
Ian and Jill, good call. Then when Colin comes back you have a triangle.
Tim…dude…I forgot that Colin (aka Tristan Rogers) is coming back to Y&R. My Bad. And, a Colin/Jill/Ian love triangle sounds really interesting…LOL!!!!!
Great choice. He looks like a cross between Victor and Dylan?
Y and r is really really pissin me off. I have been watchin this show since the day paul and lauren eloped, long time. If they dont do something about adam hittin dd and get rid of victors obvious “im better than anyone” bull crap stupid attitudes, im gonna stop watchin this mockery of a soap! The stalkin and drugs and sharon, that poor woman,I know shes done some mean things on the show but she had a good reason, what was phyllises excuse? Nothin, just a home wrecker. I will quit this show and go back to gh!!!!
It will be interesting especially with victor in the mix
Lol…funny just reading the comments, let alone the lameness of y n r writers!
Ian is a very bad man just waiting for someone to kill him but a few more beatings first lol
Must say he is a good actor but evil in this rol thanks for a great soap love the soaps
Please, please, please either get rid of Victor or at least let him get his butt kicked, his business ruined and land him in jail. The most hated character ever!!! Hope Ian can stir something up to get it started.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric

General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).
On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.
Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”

Courtesy/ABC
HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT
Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”
Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”
Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”

Photo: ABC
DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES
In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”
Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”
You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.
Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guy for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.
Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’

While Smitty tries to hold the fort down in his marriage to congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) and their two teenaged children, Samantha (Najah Jackson) and Tyrell (Jaden Lucas Miller) on Beyond the Gates, Emmy-winner Mike Manning has also landed another feature film role.
According to Deadline, Manning has joined the cast of Deify with 6 other new cast members for the indie psychological horror film starring Neal McDonough and Skeet Ulrich, which was previously announced last week.
Joining Manning as the latest cast addition are: Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Greene, Casey Harnett, Kirk Avecdo, Anji White, anf Nicholas Chimera who’s directing the pic also has a part in the film.
WHAT’S THE STORY OF DEIFY?
Taking to his Instagram with the news of his casting, Manning shared, “A movie about a cult? What could possibly go wrong? Come for the enlightenment. Stay because they won’t let you leave. DEIFY is coming…”
The movie is currently shooting in Chicago and in story, “a cult leader is put on trial after causing his devoted followers to be burned alive. The film is inspired in part by events surrounding the 1993 Waco, Texas, standoff between members of the Branch Davidians church and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, one of the largest civilian firefights ever recorded on American soil.”
MIKE MANNING IS A DAYTIME EMMY NOMINEE
In addition, the multi-talented Manning is a producer on the feature. Previously, Mike was nominated last month in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. He previously won an Emmy for his role on The Bay and for being a producer on the digital drama.
Mike’s previous credits include the role of Charlie Dale on Days of Our Lives and the Manny on This Is Us, plus various primetime and screen credits.
So intrigued to find what role Mike will play in the upcoming horror/cult film, Deify? Enjoying him as Smitty on Beyond the Gates? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.
However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.
Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Photo: ABC
FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG
Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!
Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”
MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL
Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).
Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”

Photo: JPI
PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY
Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”
It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”
A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”

Photo: PGibbons
IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS
As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”
He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”
Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.”
So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.
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