News
Who Should Play The New Role of Esmeralda On The Young and the Restless?
Courtesy/Nickelodeon
Another newbie is coming to The Young and the Restless! This time it looks like it is to beef up the new storyline for Summer Newman … err… Abbott! According to CBS Soaps in Depth, the soap opera is looking for a young actress to play the role of Esmeralda!
Esmeralda is set to be, “A young model who ‘is always helpful in showing a ‘newbie’ the ropes.'” So with that clue, will Summer (Hunter King) fall into the traps of the competitive world of high-fashion modeling? Are drugs and/or bulimia on their way?
In our recent interview with Shelly Altman (Y&R co-head writer,) she did tease that Summer would have a big storyline coming up!
So, who do you think should be cast as Esmeralda? What do you think of a storyline about young girls in the modeling world? Been there, done that? Could it be something different? Comment below!
Ok…round two with a bunch of new characters coming from the new writers and JFP. Why? do we need anymore new characters? They don’t know how to use the ones from Jill & Josh’s time together and we now get more….
Nobody at the helm at YR right now has NO CLUE how to write YR & its established cast so “lets bring in several new characters because we don’t know the history of YR” and create their history and fans will love….UGH!
WELL, I don’t like…lets go stronger I hate everything about YR right now and ratings are cracking….UGH!
Like I’ve already said, JFP’s M.O. is: Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, killing Y&R is a must!
I think they should write a ghost story before that show becomes a ghost!!!
Am sure show-killing witch Jill Farren Phelps will find somebody from “Hollywood Heights,” her former stomping grounds.
You wrote UGH a couple times. It could stand for Under General Hospital.
People may be young, but becoming too restless could call for a need to check into General Hospital!!!
I’m loving these DAYS!!!!!!
Tell Mike( the one who lives by the numbers)I have 666 monikers. I’m having a devilish time these DAYS!!!
Harlee…AGREED!!!!! Also, the more newbie-filled characters that are added to Y&R, the W-O-R-S-E-R that Y&R is gonna get. THE ABSOLUTE PITS!!!!!
still trying to ad new characters to make this show interesting,,,don’t think this will do it,,,i tuned out when genie francis was let go,,i tuned in for catherines funeral only to see paul and Christine married,, I mean really,,were they serious on that one,,a new character for an already fairly new character,,aged that is,,,will not peak my interest in the least….why don’t the new writers take some writing lessons from the writers over at general hospital,,in all seriousness I wont miss an eppy of this daytime drama,, I didn’t watch for 15 years but with the respect the writers are showing for the history and actors of general hospital I cant wait for every episode,,,who would have thought that genie francis,, robin matson tritian rogers finola hughs and so many more vets could soar this soap back from the dead,, and im sure ridding itself of jill faron failure didn’t it it too,,,,
After all this time, there is still a place for Genie Francis at DOOL, esp. with the return of DH. Her character of Diana Coleville was last with Roman whom turned out to be John after she left. Great stories can come from that!
Totally agree on GH. It’s the one I watch first always. It’s really great right now. Loving Days too.
“Right On: The Money”
jeez… this should be the creed of Y&R
I’ve never left a show… I did Y&R.
I’m SSSSOOOO ‘happy’ with GH and DAYS
I left when they split up Sharon and Adam….
APB: letting go Genie Francis was THE ‘crime’
what can I say… I know i’ve watched Y&R for a good 20 years…. and I have strong feelings for
sad… but, true… the demise…. and hopeful resurgence will
More newbies.
Yawn. Daytime doing the fashion world is always an embarrassment. Why doesn’t anyone in Genoa City have a normal 9 to 5 job?
Who cares the show stinks and I no longer watch it after 25 years.
Esmeralda– really? What kind of name is that? Is she a witch? No disrespect intended to any witches or Esmeraldas out there, but seriously that what I thought of the minute I read the name. I guess my age is showing– growing up on Bewitched LOL.
Be weird if she looked like Agness Moorehead…lol
Esmeralda was played by Alice Ghostley– she was the housekeeper whose magic kept goofing up. Maybe that is the new trend in soap opera character naming– old t.v. shows from the sixties.
i put my second reply to you under Johnny…My bad A.M. played Endora…i shouldve rembered Alice Ghostly who made an appearance as her bewitched character on Passions several years ago…
I’m done with is stupid show after fifteen years. It is beyond repair!
I think Hunter King is sooooo A Awesome Actress, above the top!! Adding more people brake up seeing the same faces that you did for 30 years. As for General Hospital. They had the same actors on everyday for 10 plus years, bringing back all the classic and new writer’s was the ticket
Gee, what FOJ can we expect now???
Although I have been amazed at the performances of Billy Miller, Amelia Heinle, Elizabeth Hendrickson, et al with the Delia storyline the rest of the show has me pressing the FF button.
If they want to do something…work toward making Victor less of an a**hole. His behavior and comments, especially about Billy after Delia’s death, just keep making him more & more despicable. There have to be two sides to a character to make him watchable. So far, Victor is just dark & mean and I hate him in the screen.
That’s the problem in a nutshell– the lack of character development on this show. They say the show is about character driven stories, but when most of your characters are one dimensional without depth or growth the stories seem pointless. Victor used to be an interesting character in the beginning but now–he is boring. I thought I saw a glimmer of change when he seemed to warm up to Adam after he took a bullet for him, but they ruin that and now the two are at war again, for no good reason. I hate Victor’s new fondness for calling Jack — Jackass Abbott. It was amusing once, now it is annoying because he says it all the time. So agree, characters need work all across the board.
Victor dissing – because ‘he’ “can” ?
Victor – no respect for his daughter Victoria’ husband – Billy
Victor – bellowing Jackass Abbott. he’s feuding alone
Victor – not fully acknowledging Adam…. big mistake…. his misfortune
Victor – what’s he going to do to Dylan. mistreat him because he does Nikki
STOP with the new characters!!! ENOUGH!!!!!!
And this Esmeralda thing? Totally agree..stupid name. Unnecessary. This show needs to xommit to Summer being an Abbott and scrap the I’ll planned Sharon switching test thing. Whatever happened tto the NORMAL teen storyline planned btween Summer and Fen??
my bad…A.M. played Endora…lol
Sorry Johnny…my Endora reply was meant for Mary SF
And Victor…yeah…could he have come off as a more callous vindictive bastard???? He is alive because o an abbotts heart….his grandson will see because of delia…not to mention that Delia was his de facto granddaughter. Could he have not shown one single moment of human emotion?? These writers seem to think that shocking cruel behaviour is drama. What is most shocking is when nasty characters show real emotion. How refreshing and unexpected if Victor has hugged Billy with an extended hand and heart.
I am really shocked by the lack of tears an emotion Delia’s death has produced. This show is not playing the moments. Why could we not see Chloe telling Esther and give Kate Linder a chance to shine? Why has Jack not shed one tear? Or Traci? She knows full well what it is like to lose a daughter. They are so concerned with beating us over the head that Adam did it…This stoey could refresh his show…bring a new friendship between Chloe and Sharon….ahow that Victor cares about ANYONE…they are so wrapped up in telling the story they want to push…they are missing he human moments. If they are going to tell an epic story of this magnitude and this sadness…PLAY IT! Let us see what these actors can do.
I think the worst reaction I saw to date was Abby’s. She talked about all these moments she had with her niece– moments none of us saw on screen. It was just so unbelievable. And Cane– what a disappointment– he thought Delia was his at one point in time and he named her- was looking forward to seeing his reaction to the news, but didn’t get to see it on screen just after the fact and from what I saw it was the same as if read in the paper about any stranger. Other than some moments with Billy and Victoria and Nicholas and Jill I have been disappointed by missed opportunities here I mean if you are going go down the route you might as well go for it.
They should put either Victoria Rowell in the role and explain that Esmeralda is actually one of the walking dead, or have Eric Braeden do a little crossdressing and have him do this in addition to his role as Victor. And if they use him they won’t have to bring in the undead angle since that’s already obvious with him.
Or what about a hand puppet? One of those can’t possibly be any worse than the actors they have playing Devon, Nick, Summer, Chavez, Dylan or Chloe. And THINK of the money they’d save!
Heidi Mueller would be perfect
All of you need to shut up. New characters come in whenever a new head scribe or team comes into play. It’s just how it is. How can you judge before even seeing storylines and/or actors? Shame on all of you!
Lol. No not shame on any of us. As a lifelong soap fan I can predict where these shows are going two years down the road. Many cases in point…I read a small casting notice in 2010 that Jeff Branson was hired in a role that would interact with the chracter of Chance. Months before it was revealed…I said that will be he first kid Nina gave up. I was right. When the casting announcement came out that Maura was hired as Diane…I said “Epic disastrous fail”. No one will argue with me. When they hired Steve Burton….a beloved fan favourite…I said tying him only to Avery, at best an I’ll defined newcomer, was a total mistake. Have I not been proven right? No once cares about Dylan and avery’s past because no one cares about Dylan or Avery. Avery is what Sharon should have been all along and used to be. Had they done the story of Nikki’s son at first…when he drama and the conflict was right there…it could have worked. We viewers are not stupid….and we don’t have to wait for something to know it won’t work. A character named Esmeralda? On Young and Restless and not Passions? EPIC fail.
jawohl mein führer!
Do you still eat everything on your plate even if you don’t like it?
After all these years of watching these shows can you still not see the writing on the wall? Johnny, who’s posted in reply to your thread certainly can, and so can a lot of the rest of us.
All I’d add to what Johnny wrote is that much of what has come to pass on Y&R was predicted by many of once we saw that JFP had been put in charge. We’d all seen how she had degraded the other shows that she helmed and how badly she treated the casts and how she never had a bad idea she didn’t put into practice. We saw, to steal Johnny’s words, EPIC DISASTROUS FAIL”.
So why don’t YOU shut up?
Maybe Laura Harrier, who played nuDestiny on One Life To Live?
Esmeralda…Oh, really??? To me, that’s more like the name of a soap opera character that is a WITCH. And, besides, back in the day, Passions (a soap that I TRULY MISS) had a character named Esmeralda…who was (yep)…a WITCH. But, at least Passions’s version (or whatever) of Esmeralda was played to comic perfection by Georgia Engel (from The Mary Tyler Moore Show days…lol). Here is who I think should play newbie character Esmeralda on Y&R…NO ONE!!!!! All this is is YET another newbie character shoved down our throats and against our will…”courtesy” of Jill Farren Phelps..Bottom Line here: How much more D-A-M-A-G-E is JFP gonna do to Y&R?!?!? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!
Days Of Our Lives
‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast
After languishing on the bubble for months, on Friday, NBC handed down the decision and canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.
Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as neurology physician Oliver Wolf, who’s character and the series is inspired by the life and books of neurologist. Oliver Sacks. The series focuses on the medical mysteries of the mind, as Wolf a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns explore the last great frontier, the human mind, while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.
The final six episodes of what will now be the end of its second and final season were already set to air beginning on May 27, after being pulled off the network schedule in February as viewership saw a steep decline. Brilliant Minds second season became the lowest-rated drama on linear TV viewing, which didn’t bode well fo a network renewal, although it had its hard core fan base.
Photo: NBC
There are some exceptional notables in the cast along with the talented Quinto that includes Days of Our Lives alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez) who joined the series in its second season as Nurse Nico Silva, and One Life to Live alum, Teddy Sears (ex-Chad Bennett) who plays Wolf’s love interest and fellow physician, Dr. Josh Nichols.
The rest of the talented cast includes: Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, and Brian Altemus.
In an ironic twist of fate on Thursday, April 30, Days of Our Lives finally revealed the actor who was Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Javi, when they announced that actor Jacob Martinez had now stepped into the role. Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming new episode, Calderon left in the spring of 2025, but will be seen in the part for the final part this month, and then on June 20, Martinez debuts as Salem’s new Javi.
Taking to his Instagram with a sorrowful and heartfelt post on the Brilliant Minds cancellation was Teddy Sears who wrote, “Thank you, Brilliant Minds. I got the call today and I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come, You have to be a particular vintage to quote Don Henley from memory, but that’s the line that came to mind earlier today after I got off the phone with our inimitable showrunner Michael Grassi who delivered the news that NBC has cancelled the series”.
Photo: NBC
Sears continued, “To say that I feel sad to be moving on from these stories, this character, and this cast and crew just doesn’t paint the entire picture. I’m sad, sure. But I’m also deeply grateful that I got hired to play this part, so proud of the stories we told, and the other actors I got to play alongside. I’m excited to see what comes next, what adventures await, and terrified to be without a professional home. A quick and heartfelt thank you to everyone, all over the globe, who found us and found themselves in us, in our characters and in our stories. We wouldn’t have been able to tell them without you. And we still have 6 fresh episodes yet to air, and I do hope you tune in enjoy the remainder of the series. They’re the best we’ve done.”
As he wrapped up his sentiments, Sears signed off with, “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I figured out I have to learn again. I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter. But everything changes…Thank you, Brilliant Minds.”
The medical drama was created and executive produced by Michael Grassi alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Jasmine Russ, Henrik Bastin, Jonathan Cavendish, Andy Serkis and Shefali Malhoutra.
So, what do you think of NBC’s decision to cancel Brilliant Minds after two seasons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.
Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?
Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Has Dylan’s Mystery Caller/Stalker Been Revealed to Be an Alive Luna Nozawa?
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Nick Confesses His Drug Problem to Victor; Joshua Morrow, Mark Grossman, Eric Braeden Bring the Newman Bond
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Sophia Seemingly Plans to End Her Life, But Not Before Setting Fire to Johnny’s Apartment With Him Trapped Inside
DAYS Stephen Nichols Remembers Drake Hogestyn as the ‘Most Vital, Enthusiastic, Committed Man I Ever Knew’ Ahead of the PanCan PurpleStride Walk
DAYS Stephen Nichols and Co-Stars Walk in Honor of Drake Hogestyn at PanCan PurpleStride LA, ‘I Felt Him With Us’
Brandon Barash Granted Restraining Order Against ‘General Hospital’s’ Kirsten Storms
‘Days of Our Lives’ Rob Scott Wilson Talks ‘Turning Heel’ as Necktie Killer, Ben Weston
Paige Herschell Marks One-Year as ‘General Hospital’s’ Jacinda Bracken
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Has Dylan’s Mystery Caller/Stalker Been Revealed to Be an Alive Luna Nozawa?
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Nick Confesses His Drug Problem to Victor; Joshua Morrow, Mark Grossman, Eric Braeden Bring the Newman Bond
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GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair
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