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The Young and the Restless Promo Featuring The Debut Of Jason Thompson!
Courtesy/CBS
General Hospital fans bid farewell to Jason Thompson as Dr. Patrick Drake on Thursday, but The Young and the Restless fans are ready to welcome him next week in his new role as the recast Billy Abbott.
To usher him in to the CBS Daytime family, the network and the Y&R producers have featured him in the latest promo acknowledging his debut on the January 13th episode of the number one soap opera.
In story, Billy has been fighting for his life after the beating he took at the hands of his gambling bookie henchmen. and then being run over by Noah Newman’s car (Robert Adamson) in the same parking garage the beating took place.
Watch Thompson’s first Y&R promo after the jump.  Let us know, are you ready for the next chapter of the life of Billy Abbott as played by this five-time Daytime Emmy nominee?
This summer beginning on July 21, Netflix streams the return of WWE: Unreal for its third season. The behind the scenes docudrama series gives fans a glimpse of life in WWE and inside the writers room, as injuries, last-minute pivots, and career-defining decisions reshape WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania 42.
WWE Unreal is taking fans deeper than ever inside World Wrestling Entertainment’s creative process, The hit docuseries will once again pull back the curtain on some of the biggest moments, boldest decisions, and unforgettable storytelling with some of the WWE’s greatest legends who’ve shaped the industry and new stars who are emerging as prominent parts of the future.
In the new season of ‘Unreal’ which consists of 5 episodes at 50 minutes each: John Cena says goodbye, a fan favorite returns, and the next generation of Superstars rise to the occasion.
Photo: WWE
The cast and WWE superstars featured include: the aforementioned Cena, plus Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, CM Punk, AJ Lee, Trick Williams, Lash Legend, Stephanie Vaquer, Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, Chelsea Green, Matt Cardona, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
As previously reported AJ Lee revealed on General Hospital star Maurice Benard’s (Sonny Corinthos) mental health series, State of Mind, that she was part of the cast of WWE: Unreal.
WWE: Unreal production credits include: Directors/Showrunners: Chris Weaver and Erik Powers Executive Producers: Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ross Ketover, Keith Cossrow, Ken Rodgers, Jessica Boddy, Lee Fitting, Ben Houser, Marc Pomarico Sr. Producers: Harley Glantz, Brian Decker, Michael Flynn Producers: John Galiani, Dan Gati, Jeremy Lundblad Production Companies: Omaha Productions, NFL Films, Skydance Sports, WWE.
So, what do you think of the loglines for the new season of WWE: Unreal? Who are you most excited to see featured in the behind the scenes drama from the list of WWE superstars and the twists and turns leading into this past April’s WrestleMania 42? Let us know via the comment section below.
If you have ever tuned-in to the soap opera genre over the last 50 years, and witnessed some of the greatest romances, drama, classic and outlandish storylines of all-time, you would have seen Deidre Hall smack dab in the middle of it as longtime Salem heroine, Dr. Marlena Evans.
It was 50 years on this date, June 21, 1976 that Hall first appeared on DAYS on NBC which was its home for 57 years before it moved to its current streaming platform on Peacock in September of 2022.
In Hall’s first episode she was introduced as a psychiatrist treating Mickey Horton (John Clarke) at Bayview Sanitarium after he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Mickey learned that his brother Bill Horton (Edward Mallory) was the biological son of Mike Horton (Wesley Eure) with his wife Laura (Susan Flannery) and that he had been lied to for years and years. From that moment on, the rest is television and soap opera history. Days of Our Lives put Hall front and center.
Photo: NBC
There were so many heartbreaking and shocking story twists involving the beloved Marlena. One of the first was the historic crib death of baby DJ (Don Jr.) in 1980, Marlena’s infant son with Don Craig (Jed Allan). The story had never been told on daytime television and Hall’s performances received accolades from TV critics to fans when Deidre received thousands of letters from grieving mothers who had gone through the same thing in their own lives.
DAYS also brought Deidre’s twin sister, Andrea Hall Lovell to the show as her on-screen sister Samantha, who had a grudge and even locked Marlena up in a sanitarium and took her place! Fast-forward and in 1982, DAYS launched the Salem Strangler story where everyone believed Marlena was his next victim, only it turned out to be Samatha. Jake Kositchek (played by Jack Coleman) was revealed to be the actual serial killer.
Later, Deidre would assume the role of Marlena’s look-alike, Hattie Adams in 2004, once played by her sister, Andrea. Over the years, Hattie has come back to Salem and caused trouble giving Hall a chance to play a different type of character, then the always upstanding Marlena.
Photo: JPI
THE LOVES OF MARLENA
Deidre Hall struck gold with all her leading men: from the late Jed Allan, to Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady, and of course, her enduring love story with the late John Black played by the iconic Drake Hogestyn. In fact, Marlena’s 1986 wedding to John (who was believed to be Roman at the time) remains a favorite of fans to this day.
TOP MARLENA STORYLINES OF ALL-TIME
While the list is long, here are several that were some of the memorable during Deidre’s five decades in Salem!
The Possession (1994- 1995)
Considered one of the most ambiguous, outlandish and unforgettable story arcs in soap opera history, then Days of Our Lives head writer, James Reilly went there! Marlena was possessed by the devil! That included; the demonic eyes, hissing at father John (Black) the priest, morphing into creatures, and the classic levitating in her bed! It became a cultural phenomenon and cemented Deidre Hall’s status as a daytime television legend. Just ask Ryan Gosling!
Photo:JPI
The Affair with John Black (1993)
John and Marlena’s forbidden love could not be denied and they had passionate affair, while she was still married to the real Roman. Problem was her daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney) caught her mother having sex with John on a desk that changed Sami forever.
The Salem Stalker Mystery (2003-2004)
In a shocker, Marlena was revealed to be a serial killer who bumped off several Salem favorites residents who were all alive on the island of Melaswen (spelled “New Salem” backward). Turns out, she was manipulated and gaslighted by Andre DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) to do the “killings” and had no memory of her actions.
The Pier Scene (1991)
This remains Michael Fairman TV’s all-time favorite Deidre Hall moment, which featured some of the best acting in the storied careers of both Hall and Drake Hogestyn.
In the story, a presumed-dead Marlena returns after four years. One foggy night on the pier, John is alone, and Marlena steps out of the fog to reveal herself, and is reunited with the love of her life. You can watch it any year, any decade, and in any moment, and it will have you reaching for the hankies again and again. (best music score fo a soap scene of all-time too!)
Photo: NBC
Kristen’s Secret Room Reveal (1997)
Marlena was caught in Kristen Blake’s (Eileen Davidson) elaborate web of lies, when she was held hostage in a secret wine cellar/room until John managed to track her down, leading to an iconic on-screen reunion. The classic catfight between Hall and Eileen Davidson was one for the ages.
It should be noted that Maison Blanche, Queen of the Night, Possession, Aremid and Lady in a Cage were all a part of classic DAYS storyline and all featured Hall at the epicenter of it from 1993-1996.
THE RECENT YEARS OF MARLENA
In recent years, DAYS brought back the possession 2.0 storyline under then head writer Ron Carlivati in 2021 where the devil leapt back in Marlena after taking advantage of a frail Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes)
In 2025, viewers watched the end of the love story of John and Marlena, as John succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion saving a vial of medication needed to bring Bo (Peter Reckell) back to life. Marlena has been a widow on-screen since June of 2025 as Hall as portrayed the good doctor struggling with her grief and to move on with her life since his death.
Photo: JPI
One story that never goes away is Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joe Mascolo) obsession with Marlena, his “Queen of the Night.” Even in death, Stefano is toying with her from the great beyond with the mysterious chess set and the missing “pawn,” that he had gifted John and Marlena in his will. The mystery is currently unfolding on all-new episodes of Days of Our Lives.
Tune-in to Days of our Lives on the Monday, June 22 episode as Marlena looks back at her 50 years in Salem.
Share your congratulations to Deidre Hall for this incredible 50-year milestone as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives in the comment section. Then let us know, what is your all-time favorite storyline or moment in the life of Marlena over the past 5 decades? And, just for kicks, and to celebrate this amazing milestone, here is Marlena levitating below circa Christmas Eve 1994.
General Hospital
Maurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
With the highly-anticipated returns of Finola Hughes (Anna Devane) on this week’s June 24 episode of General Hospital, Steve Burton’s (Jason Morgan) upcoming return on July 13, which also serves as the ABC daytime drama’s 16,000 episode, things are about to fire on all cylinders in the story, as noted today by series star, Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos).
On Father’s Day, the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning actor and mental health activist took to his Instagram and expressed in a video that he has some unbelievable upcoming senes with the aforementioned Burton and Hughes. Add to that Nazneen Contractor (Justine Turner) and Rick Hearst (Ric Lansing), where Benard gave credit where credit is due to the GH writing team, which is led by co-head writers, Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten..
In this video, Benard said, “I just want to get on here and say that I did some work with Steve Burton, Finola Hughes, Rick Hearst, Nazneen Contractor, and they’re all just fantastic. Truly fantastic. But, I want to say the writing was just exceptional. It truly was. It was exceptional. So, thankful for that kind of writing. I know writers don’t get the credit a lot, but I just want to say to the General Hospital writing team, keep rolling!”
GENERAL HOSPITAL PREVIEW
So now the question becomes, with a major tease like that, what is about to go down between Sonny, Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric? Will we finally get to the end of the line for Sidwell (Carlo Rota), as previously teased by the GH co-head writers? Will we learn what happened to Jason and Anna, fully? Will Justine and Sonny becomes closer or stop their liaisons? And what of Ric? Will he be true blue to his brother or double-cross him? There is a lot at stake as we move further into the summer and one that looks like it could be one of the more exciting ones in years!
FINOLA HUGHES CONFIRMED AMAZING SCENES WITH MAURICE BENARD
As a punctuation point to his video, Benard also shared this written message in the post: “I just did some wonderful scenes with Steve Burton, Rick Hearst, Finola Hughes and Nazneen Contractor and and unbelievable writing, freaking amazing scenes that you will see in the near future on General Hospital.” In fact, Finola Hughes jumped in the post comment thread and responded, “I loved our scenes so much xxx”
Fans will most likely see all the scenes Benard referred to later in July, since GH tapes approximately six weeks ahead of air.
So, are you excited to see what Maurice is talking about? Are you hyped for what’s to come on GH? Any clue on what you think will go down between the main characters on the soap with the returns of Anna Devane and Jason Morgan to the mix? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
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DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Marlena Looks Back at 50 Years in Salem
‘WWE: Unreal’ Season 3 Premiere Date, Cast of Superstars, Announced by Netflix
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Carly and Lulu Make Plans to Rescue Their Children; Anna Looks Determined to Secure Her Freedom
Deidre Hall Marks 50 Years as ‘Days of Our Lives’ Dr. Marlena Evans
Maurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
Maurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
‘General Hospital’s’ Controversial Luke and Laura Rape Episode: Writer Sheri Anderson Reveals Behind the Scenes Decisions and Admits ‘I Was Wrong’ to Defend It (Exclusive)
‘Days of Our Lives’ Eric Martsolf Recalls Moment He Learned He Was Cast as Brady Black, and Last Scenes with Drake Hogestyn (SOAPY Exclusive Preview)
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Weighs-In on Dante and Elizabeth Pairing and Sharing Scenes with Rebecca Herbst (Exclusive)
GENERAL HOSPITAL Promo: Rocco’s in a Panic as Britt’s Health Takes a Turn, Chase is Called to the Carpet
‘WWE: Unreal’ Season 3 Premiere Date, Cast of Superstars, Announced by Netflix
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Carly and Lulu Make Plans to Rescue Their Children; Anna Looks Determined to Secure Her Freedom
Deidre Hall Marks 50 Years as ‘Days of Our Lives’ Dr. Marlena Evans
Y&R Preview: Matt Clark Asks Phyllis on a Date, Would You Be Down for the Pairing? Roger Howarth & Michelle Previously in GH’s Franco/Nina Romance
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Reflects on Dante’s Guilt for the ‘Atrocity’ That Happened to Michael Which Kept Everyone From Telling Him the Truth About Rocco (Exclusive)
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General Hospital2 days agoMaurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
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General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Controversial Luke and Laura Rape Episode: Writer Sheri Anderson Reveals Behind the Scenes Decisions and Admits ‘I Was Wrong’ to Defend It (Exclusive)
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Days Of Our Lives1 week ago‘Days of Our Lives’ Eric Martsolf Recalls Moment He Learned He Was Cast as Brady Black, and Last Scenes with Drake Hogestyn (SOAPY Exclusive Preview)
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General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Weighs-In on Dante and Elizabeth Pairing and Sharing Scenes with Rebecca Herbst (Exclusive)
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Y&Rs Billy gets run over by a car and ends up looking like Jason Thompson.ex -GHs Patrick ..At GH…Jason/Jake got run over by a car and ends up looking like Billy Miller ex-Y&Rs Billy…was this all done on purpose as some inside joke at Y&R?…lol
Ha ha! Good point, Jim. Another parallel is that on GH, Jason Thompson’s father-in-law was played by Tristan Rogers and on Y&R, his stepfather will be played by Tristan Rogers.
Oh i forgot that…
And Michelle Stafford— Phyllis is in a coma wakes up on GH as Nina
I forgot that too…
There should be disclaimers after the show stating– Warning getting run over by a car will not make you more handsome any improvements in looks is coincidental and should not be attempted at home– LOL
I guess i better get out of the middle of the street then…just no hope for me!…lol
BAH! Mary!
Lol and you won’t wake up in a wealthy family with a model looking wife and three other hotties pursuing you
Not to mention that Phyllis as Michelle Stafford left Y&R in a coma and woke up on GH from a coma as Nina Clay.
Where is the originality?
What happenned to the old days of “the role of xxx will now be played by xxx”?
As a long time viewer of GH, it will be very difficult for me to adjust to this recast. In addition, I think that physically it’s too much of a departure from the previous Billys.
I think it just might work, Carol. Yes, the physical appearance is dramatically different but to me, it’s not about the external it’s about whether that actor can channel the mischievous, impish spirit of that boy man, Billy Abbot. I believe Jason can channel that spirit.
On another note, I have a question—since it seems apparent that Dr Simon Neville can save Billy’s life but is not allowed to practice at that particular hospital, can Neil kidnap Billy and store him at the boathouse where Dr Neville can perform his medical magic?
Co-sign Harry. It’s not about the external it’s about bringing the heat. NuBilly is going to be fine.
Sorry to disagree Cee, Gina has taken over and owns the role. Recasts are a way of life, Right Carly #3 and Jill #6?
I love your words to describe my sentiments, exactly, Carol….”…too much of a departure”. No better way to say it. I have no vested interest in Jason’s Patrick. I haven’t known him long enough…… but I get it….that is exactly how I feel about Gina Tognoni in the role of Phyllis. I have one specific image in my head of the perfect Phyllis…..Michelle Stafford. So, no matter how hard Gina tries to enter the character in the guise of Phyllis, it hasn’t worked for me thus far. Where is the volatile personality?
However, Carol, I must say that I feel good about Jason playing Billy. I am very excited about his take on the character…he is that good a talent!!
AS A LONG TIME VIEWER OF BOTH SOAPS THIS IS DIFFICULT….BILLY ABBOTT WILL ALWAYS BE BILLY MILLER AND I CANNOT SEE JASON THOMPSON FILLING HIS SHOES……I WAS LIKING BURGESS AND FELT HE MADE THE ROLE HIS OWN….ACTUALLY SORRY TO SEE HIM GO…..
Actually that might be exactly what the character needs in order to free the character from the ghost of Billy Miller– a whole new look. I think JT will make Billy look more like Jill. Perhaps a whole new look will take Billy into a different direction and have him stop trying to live up to Abbott legacy and failing. Let him embrace his Foster and/or Fenmore side of the family, grow a pair and be as ambitious and scheming as his mother. I’m excited to see Billy reinvented and move on beyond BM.
You said it Mary SF. I want to see a strong, manly Billy-one that will not stand for being called “Billy Boy” a dozen times an episode by Victor. That has worn thin with me. Not cute anymore. Jason looks so much like Jill-your thoughts were right on. The first 2 Billys were too short/boyish/immature looking and/or acting & looked to childish next to Victoria-although the very last one was very attractive-but the way they write Billy is terrible. Let’s see Billy transform into a force to be reckoned with (look out Jack too)
I’m really excited for JT to debut. I never warned up to Burgess Jenkins’ portrayal of Billy, and Jason Thompson is an amazing actor, so hopefully he will work wonders in the role. Even if it might be a little jarring of an adjustment at first, I can definitely see this working out. I also hope that with a new actor stepping into the part, the role of Billy will change back to how he used to be, because I’m not liking the way he’s been acting lately.
I also really enjoyed the sendoff Patrick got on GH, a happy ending for the Scorpio-Drake family, as it was always meant to be.
looking forward to it. it will be interesting to see how he gels with everyone
I think JT will do Billy justice. I think he will be a better replacement than the current billy. JT is a great actor and was awesome on GH.
I can’t wait to watch Y&R on Monday I so love that show it is better than any other Soaps, I use to watch GH for Luke and Laura and Jason and Liz but not the show is all about the mob and people who doesn’t pay for what they do like they are the favorite but the good guys who does any wrong get stamp with a big red S on their back. So Jason I say thank God you left GH and came to the best show they will always be #1.
Y&R made a wise decision. Good riddance to Burgess Jenkins. Love gorgeous Jason Thompson. He’s got the acting chops to play Billy or, any role on Y&R and GH’s loss is a huge gain for Y&R.
Looking like he stepped right off of GH seriously they couldn’t lighting his hair or something I hate when actors/actress don’t differ the characters they play from one another ugh
I don’t know if he was the right choice, but I’ll see.
Many viewers were not happy with Clementine Ford’s portrayal as Mackenzie Browning. Yet Mac was front and center for 18 months as a major character on Y&R.
Funny-I loved her & had forgotten all about her!
If Noah became a black hair after being a blond for 4 year then we can survive this Billy recast. Also, I feel they recast Billy more than they replace Doctor Who. Finally, does it bother anyone else that it takes them one day to recast Billy but also a year to recast Adam?
Really! It took me a long time to get used to this Noah. I said he looked & sounded like someone from Goodfellas, ha. But he has grown on me. I find that I always resist recasts & usually end up ok with them.
I’m a first time viewer of Y&R because of JT. Will always watch GH as long as it’s on, but I think things are not looking good for the long term future of GH or Days. I figure with Y&R’s international following it’s bound to stay on for awhile, as long as Phelps and Pratt don’t ruin it!
YOU’VE GOT THAT RIGHT ABOUT DAYS&GH! THOSE COFFINS LITERALLY HAVE THEIR NAILS CEMENTED INTO THEM & THE DOOR IS/ABOUT TO SLAM SHUT ON BOTH THOSE HORRIBLE SHOWS!! THANK GOODNESS & GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!!!!
That’s a horrible thing to say! With only 4 left, we need all of them to keep going.
Billy Miller will always be Billy Abbott to me, so it doesn’t matter who you put as his replacement.
Oh, come on.
I won’t be watching sorry but if I didn’t follow all the other ex gh stars that now work at YR Thompson won’t be the 1st so if I ever see him it will be in port Charles. If not then good luck.
So excited to see Jason on Y & R Yay!!! Now maybe they can get on with the story lines or get new writers 🙂
It will be interesting to see if Jason brings a sexy side to the role that would be a breath of fresh air if he did and I would like for them to explore a hot affair with Phyllis I am tired of the mooning over Victoria and the first time Victor calls him Billy Boy I hope he slugs him. Whatever JT has a challenge because Pratt doesn’t write for characters he writes for shock.
Jason Thompson will be terrific as the new Billy boy lol. The man is a wonderful actor and sexy too.
wish y n r chilled out on the new billy character for a bit like when phyllis was recasted. three new billys in two years is wild!…also it would ve given sony a chance to bring greg vaughan from days over to y n r! the stunning and charrming greg vaughan shares more of a resemblance to the abbotts than this new one does!
greg vaughan , eric from days would ve portrayed a billy with more of a resemblance to the abbotts!…. i wish sony waited a bit to unveil the new billy , four different billys in like two years is over the top!
He is daytime royalty and a refreshing change from the last Billy!!!! they are so lucky to get him!
I agree, he is so talented and if they age his kids anytime soon he will super shine because he was so good with little Emma on GH!
My god can someone help Noah with that hair! Anyway, Jason looks cool and I cannot wait to see how he measures up to the MUSTACHE!
Timm–why is eveyone in Genoa City getting hit by cars? Can’t Y&R come up with another plot point?
Good question Harry. It seems like on Y&R or GH they either get hit with a car or they fall from a “Tall” building and bounce to their feet!
@ Timmm.
Hi, my Timmm,
What about Pier 54? The infamous GH watery burial ‘ground’, leading to the River Styx, where all the Cassadine’s abide in unholy rest and perpetual agitation? Bye.
hey Timm..
Jason can play a really good bitch man, he will give ol’ Vic the death stare!
I hope su0000. David Thom looked like a kid going up against Victor and Burgess really never tried but was weak anyway. JT has a chance BUT I’m willing to bet Eric Braeden has a clause in his contract that NO ONE is allowed to hit him? Victor insulted Jack up and down the other day as Billy was fighting for his life and Jack stood there like a pansy and took ANOTHER tongue lashing!
Hey, su.
I agree with you about Jason. Also, Timmm is right about both David and Burgess with relation to Victor. Yes, Good ole Vic and Billy A were constant adversaries ….in everything. However, I, personally, think that, although, there was antagonism between Victor and Billy, the character, there was also a sort of a kinship between Eric and Billy Miller. I sensed the ‘vibe’ between them.whenever they got into it, it was always a sparring match….I found Victor exasperating but the exchange very entertaining. And, that’s the crux of it…….so did they. I could tell that Victor/Eric, especially, had the time of his life when dealing with Billy M………they had a certain camaraderie that was missing with both David and Burgess. If Jason passes the Victor ‘test’, then he is in for the long-haul. He firstly needs to pass ‘muster’……and Victor is THY name. LOL.
This is going to be really weird. But I love Jason Thompson and I wish him everything wonderful. Best of luck!!!!!
Days of our lives is the soap to watch right now . Has improved greatly in quality . Patch and Kayla are back on and Hope finally shot and killed Stefano in Friday’s episode . Everyone in my church community has tuned back into Days and some of them have given up for good on the other soapies ! You need to watch Friday’s episode on nbc’s website , it’s the one where Stefano is gunned down at the end !
Huge loss for GH. The only doctor on the show about a hospital, and the only nice guy left in Port Charles. They would rather focus on mobsters Sonny, Julian, and Ava. I am excited to see Jason Thompson on Y&R. This move has me moving to CBS as well.
Ha ha ha , Billy Miller exits Y&R to go play a guy named Jason on GH and Jason Thompson exits GH to go play a guy named Billy on Y&R.
Great insight!
Timmm,
BEHAVE!!!! LOL.
I’ve recently started watching Y&R since several of my GH people have
made the jump…Steve B, Kelly S, Tristian R, and now Jason T…. Who I
believe will bring a refreshing spin to Billy’s character.
I feel like he’s gonna be the miscast of the decade in the role of Billy Abbott and won’t have a happy ending with Y&R. It doesn’t matter how good an actor is if the role is not right for them. Eden Riegel and Maura West have lots of emmy wins between them but they were fired by Y&R after a year cause they were badly miscast in the roles of Heather and Diane. This is the fourth different Billy Abbott in two years for crying out loud. Billy has never been a tall man and has never had dark hair/features so another problem with this. Some fans won’t accept anyone but Billy Miller so I predict a rocky road for Jason Thompson. I could’ve seen him as a EJ recast on DOOL or a Thomas recast on B&B but I can’t see him as Billy. Steve Burton and Kelly Sullivan haven’t worked out on Y&R with the viewers/critics. The majority of the fanbase calls Dylan “Dullan” and wants Sage to just leave town. I don’t think Jason Thompson is a big loss to GH (the character of Patrick ran it’s course and had few connections in town) and now GH will have room in the budget to bring back WK/Ned or GV/Lucky. Ned and Lucky, unlike Patrick, have tons of connections in town.
These are all good observations. ONE thing to remember is writing will have SOMETHING to do with JT’s success or failure. He is a damn good actor and I wouldnt concentrate as much on the physical part of the character. I member when Justin Hartley stepped into the role of Adam. The first thing I noticed is how much taller he was that the other two Adams. Also, he and Chelsea, face to face were kind of odd since she seemed to be acting too his chest but Justin is really good and I love him and Victor’s scenes so I’ve dismissed the height issue and even the fact that Justin isnt Michael Muhney. He wasnt coming back and either is Billy Miller. I want both of the characters on the show so I accept what they do and see if the recasts work. Jason Thompson is a really good actor and I think he will have chemistry with Victoria right away. They other thing is Patrick Drake ran his course at GH. It was time to move on and why not Y&R? Its the #1 soap! They will be patient with him if it takes time because of his talent. You are absolutely right about Steve Burton and Kelly Sullivan. They were awesome on GH and are horrible on Y&R. That doesnt make them bad actors, just bad roles or bad writing. They same could happen to JT but I will give him a year and see what he has?
Outstanding post, Timmm. You covered a lot of ground with one paragraph. Love it!!
Well said Newnamwins. Sadly, I agree.
Very true, Newmanwins. However, I do believe that fans will look at performance, looks, mannerisms and personality. We must also remember how a character enter acts with the other protagonists.
The hair color, height etc. may be an issue at first, but that will dissolve. Remember Heather Tom as Victoria? She was blond.
Nonetheless, I get exactly what you’re saying.
Interacts, not enter acts.
It difficult to say at the present. Jason wasn’t my first choice; however, he needs to be given a chance in the role.
Near death on Friday and stopping in for coffee on Wednesday? I want his doctors.
No one is as handsome as Billy Miller. That’s the one they need to bring back. The new guy is an improvement because the current one isn’t quite as attractive(sorry) and he sounds nasally. Just isn’t one of my favorites even as an actor.
You know I agree that Billy Miller is handsome, but now that he has assumed the role of Jason on GH, I can’t stomach him. He is so vanilla. He lacks that pizzazz that he had as Billy Abbott. Oh well, that is the choice he made.
Looking good, Mr. Thompson!
I cannot wait until you arrive at Y&R to make this a must-see soap again. I am sorry I did not watch you steadily on GH over the last few years, but the Patrick storyline was hard to stomach after Robin “died.” I saw the reunion and the Scrubs + Emma walk off into the sunset and am glad for that. But now I am ready for you to turn things around with Y&R with whomever you may be paired with. 🙂
I feel any actor worthy of their salt can act their butts off, if the material is up to par. So no matter how great JT will be in the role (and I think he will be), it will be up to the writers to supply the quality of said material.
Maybe get rid of Pratt.