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Tamara Braun Marks 25 Years in Soaps and Speaks to ‘Choices We Makes In Our Lives That Lead Us to Where We Are Presently’

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: JPI

Two-time Daytime Emmy winner, and beloved soap opera vet, Tamara Braun is celebrating 25 years in daytime television this month. While she made her official soap opera debut on General Hospital as Carly Corinthos on May 2, 2001, here we are 25 years later. and she is tearing it up now on The Young and the Restless in her latest soap incarnation as Sienna Bacall.

Now on Friday, May 8, Braun took to her Instagram and posted a highly-anticipated video in honor of her 25th anniversary of her beginnings in soaps. Sharing that life got busy and she wasn’t able to personally address the milestone till now, Tamara expressed some key words of wisdom: “All the choices we make in our lives, whether we think they were the right ones, the wrong ones, we would do things differently. Today, if we had known then what we know now, all of those choices, they lead us to where we are presently.”

With that, Tamara said she is going to start, “where I am presently with some memories from The Young and the Restless.” From there, the accomplished star shared a a montage of moments with her cast members including: Lucas Adams, Matt Cohen, Sharon Case, Nathan Owens, Roger Howarth, plus series head writer, Josh Griffith, Y&R publicist, Matt Kane, and many more.

Photo: JPI

GH FOUND THEIR NEXT CARLY

Before she came to Genoa City, Braun played GH’s Carly from 2001-2005. That was followed by a stint three years later in 2008 as Days of our Lives Ava Vitali, in which she won her first Daytime Emmy Award. Then later in 2008, she moved to New York City and joined the cast of All My Children in the role of Reese Williams and was a part of the groundbreaking same sex wedding between Reese and Bianca Montgomery (Eden Riegel) and stayed with the show until 2009.

Later, in 2011, she came back to Days of our Lives in the short-lived role of Taylor Walker, Nicole’s sister. However, Braun was not done with DAYS when in fact she returned in 2015-2016 to reprise the role of Ava Vitali.

Tamara even made a return trip to General Hospital in 2017, but this time as a Dr. Kim Nero, since Carly was being played by Laura Wright for many years since Braun’s exit. She won her second Daytime Emmy for the final part of her run as Kim dealing with the aftermath of the death of her son, Oscar Nero. Tamara exited the show again in 2019.

Photo: JPI

GRATEFUL FOR ALL HER ROLES

Then, in 2020, it was the third go-round for Tamara as she returned once again to Salem and Days of our Lives, reprising Ava Vitali. She stayed with the show until 2024, and then it all lead to where we are today when it was announced in 2025 that Tamara was joining the A-list cast of the top-rated The Young and the Restless.

Accompanying her video post on the milestone, Braun wrote, “Happy Friday everyone! In honor of my 25 year anniversary of my start in daytime TV I thought I would begin with where my choice to say YES 25 years ago has brought me today. Having so much fun on The Young and the Restless. Grateful, Love Be Kind.”

Many of Tamara’s current Y&R co-stars jumped in her comment thread including: Courtney Hope, Nathan Owens,  Sharon Case, Zuleyka Silver, and others in the daytime community including DAYS Paul Telfer, GH’s Cameron Mathison and more.

Share your congratulations to Tamara for her 25 years in daytime soaps in the comment section below, and then let us know, through all her various soap roles, which has been your favorite of hers through the years.

 

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She was brilliant as Carly. I didn’t fully appreciate how talented she was at the time because I missed Sarah. The scene where she is held captive by Ric in the panic room and Lizzy discovers her, is damn powerful!

I’ve watched and enjoyed Tamara in all her roles except AMC which I didn’t watch.
She is my favorite Carly and I loved Ava Vitali.

Tamara is so talented. She may be the best Carly, certainly better than the ever self-promoting Laura Wright. The thing about Tamara is she is humble and incredibly generous to her fellow cast members.

General Hospital

Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)

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Maura West and Kelly Sullivan

It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.

The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.

Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.

Photo: JPI

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST

Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”

Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”

Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”

Photo: JPI

KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL

Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”

You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.

So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!

 

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General Hospital

Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’

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Steve Burton

The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.

TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.

That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.

Steve Burton

Photo: ABC

STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES

GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.

Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).

Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.

GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS

Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.

Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.

Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.

So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.

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Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027

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Jess Walton

The Young and the Restless enduring favorite and two-time Daytime Emmy-winning actress, Jess Walton (Jill Foster Abbott) is set to release her memoir!

Kensington Publishing has revealed on their website that Walton’s book The Young and the Rest of Us is now available for pre-order while listing an April 27, 2027 release date. In addition, in June of 2027, Walton will mark her 40th anniversary with The Young and the Restless and her debut as Jill.

The official log lines for the memoir share, “Emmy Award-winning actress Jess Walton, known to millions as the iconic Jill Abbott on the #1 soap opera The Young and the Restless, shares her extraordinary journey to stardom, sobriety, true love, and self-discovery in this startingly candid, intimate, and star-studded memoir.”

Jess Walton

Photo; Kensington Books

CAKE FIGHTS AND CORPORATE INTRIGUE

The book description for The Young and the Rest of Us adds,  “In June 1987, Jess Walton walked through the artists’ entrance at CBS for her first day on The Young and the Restless,where she had just been hired to play the recast role of Jill AbbottTwo Emmy awards, four decades, and countless onscreen affairs, marriages, corporate takeovers, and cake fights later, she’s a beloved icon with an astonishing tale to tell.”

“In her refreshingly candid style, Jess shares her journey as a young actress from Toronto theaters to Los Angeles, where she found herself at the center of a Laurel Canyon circle that included the likes of Neil Young, David Geffen, Laura Nyro, and Joni Mitchell. Landing a Universal contract and a steady stream of guest starring roles, Jess embraced everything 1970s L.A. had to offer—including Hollywood parties fueled by limitless booze and drugs, and trysts with stars. She recounts with candor and gratitude the surprising path that eventually led her to sobriety, true love—and ultimately, to fictional Genoa City, Wisconsin, and the role of a lifetime.”

“Brimming with behind-the-scenes drama and celebrity cameos to delight fans, The Young and the Rest of Us is also rich in personal, relatable truths about marriage, motherhood, empty-nesting, self-discovery, and finding the courage to start over—as often as it takes. In a voice as fearless and frank as Jill’s, but with, humor and grace all her own, Jess Walton looks back on a life as unpredictable, and adventure filled as anything she has portrayed on screen.”

WHO ELSE PLAYED JILL FOSER ABBOTT?

Fans of The Young and the Restless know that Walton became the fourth actress to take on the role of Katherine Chancellor’s original nemesis Jill Foster back in 1987. The OG Jill was played by Brenda Dickson, also Deborah Adair, Bond Gideon and Melinda O. Fee played the part.

This year, Days of our Lives star Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) filled-in for several episodes for Walton who was unavailable to travel from her home in Oregon to Los Angeles where Y&R was taped. Walton is still with the long-running soap opera as Jill.

So, excited to learn of Jess Walton’s upcoming memoir, ‘The Young and the Rest of Us?’ Will it be it a must-read for you? Drop a comment 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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