Wowza! Now here’s a line-up of soap opera and primetime favorites all in one movie! Coming up for the holidays, Lifetime has revealed they have an 80s and soap-themed film starring: Donna Mills (ex-Knots Landing, General Hospital), Linda Gray (ex-Dallas), Nicollette Sheridan (ex-Knots Landing and Dynasty), Morgan Fairchild (ex-Falcon Crest, SFT, DAYS et al) and Loni Anderson (ex-WKRP in Cincinnati).

Filmed earlier in 2023, Ladies of the 80’s is said to follow five soap opera divas (how fun and perfect!), as they reunite to shoot the final Christmas episode of their long-running soap opera!

In story, the producer, Alex (Travis Burns) and director Nell (Taylor Ann Thompson), who happen to be old college friends, do their best to keep things on the rails but as the ladies come together, old rivalries resurface that threaten to tear the production apart. With the show nearly canceled before it even begins due to the ladies’ famous diva behavior, they reluctantly agree to set aside their differences and past secrets to “act” as if they all still love each other.  When old sparks reignite between Alex and Nell, the ladies become eager to play cupid and conspire to bring the couple together.  

But wait, there’s more! In addition to the five leading ladies, the cast also includes: Days of our Lives favorite Patrika Darbo (ex-Nancy), Alec Mapa, and Donna Mills’ real-life daughter, Chloe Mills, plus 80s heartthrob, Christopher Atkins.

Photo: TiffanyX

There is even a Ladies of the 80’s theme song, performed by none other than 80’s pop star, Tiffany!

In a statement on the project, the movie’s EP Larry A. Thompson shared: “The opportunity to bring together Donna, Morgan, Loni, Linda and Nicollette, five powerhouse women into one holiday movie, has been like finding the perfect gift under the Christmas tree.”

The official airdate of the holiday movie will be revealed shortly in the networks’s A Wonderful Lifetime Holiday movie schedule. Deadline first shared the news.

What do you think of this upcoming soap opera-themed movie featuring Donna, Linda, Nicollette, Morgan and Loni? Comment below.

It is hard to believe that now one year later, television fans will see the final performance of Daytime Emmy winner, Anne Heche (ex-Vicky/Marley, Another World).  The talented actress passed away from injuries sustained in a car crash back on August 5th, 2022.

Heche was officially declared ‘brain dead’ on August 12th, when her reps shared that Anne was “peacefully taken off life support.”  Before she passed, Anne taped what would be her final TV acting appearance in her recurring role on the legal drama, All Rise.

The series formerly with CBS and now airing on OWN, will air Heche’s last performance this Saturday, September 30th at 9pm ET/8 pm CT.  On All Rise, Heche plays lawyer Corrine Cuthbert.  Since season 2, Heche has taken on the recurring role. She appeared in six episodes.

Photo: JPI

In story, Corrine has had a fraught professional relationship with Judge Lola Carmichael played by Simone Missick.  For her final appearance, Heche’s Corrine shows up as part of a trial case.

All Rise dedicated the episode to Heche. As the hour comes to its conclusion, they express: “In Memory of Anne Heche, Our Friend and Wonderful Artist. You Are Missed.”

After this, Heche will star posthumously in the independent movie feature Wildfire: The Legend of the Cherokee Ghost Horse, slated for release in November.

Will you be watching Anne’s final television performance on All Rise? Share your thoughts via the comment section below. But first, check out a teaser for the episode which also features former Y&R star, Wilson Bethel who stars on the legal drama as Mark Callan.

Judge Lola is not the one to mess with and she is making that very clear! #AllRise pic.twitter.com/IBbJrPLCUK

— All Rise (@AllRiseOWN) September 28, 2023

It’s over! After 148 days, the 2023 Writers strike will go down as the second longest in WGA union history, only a labor stoppage in 1988 was longer.

The strike will officially come to end on Wednesday at 12:01am PT.  This was due to a vote from the guild’s leadership that now has authorized its over 11,500 members to return to work.

That means: pitching and selling scripts, taking meetings, responding to notes, writers’ rooms opening up again, and more, can now restart.

Photo: JPI

The WGA committee shared that the vote, “Allows writers to return to work during the ratification process, but does not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval.” However, WGA East and West voted unanimously to lift the “restraining order” on Tuesday.

As the negotiators shared, the end of the strike doesn’t mean that the tentative agreement that the union reached with producers on Sunday night is a surefire thing: Union members still need to vote to ratify the contract. Union leadership announced on Tuesday that will take place between October 2nd and October 9th.

Photo: JPI

However, SAG-AFTRA still remains on strike. So, even with the writers returning to work, many productions can’t move forward without their principal actors and performers.

So soap fans, how do you feel about this news for your favorite shows? Glad that the head writers and their writing teams will be back at work as soon as this week from Days of our Lives, General Hospital, and The Bold and the Beautiful? Y&R’s Josh Griffith, who previously had gone Fi-Core during the 2008 strike, remained at the top rated show during the last several months.