News
Who Would You Cast To Play Karen Spencer on The Bold and the Beautiful?

Photo Credit: Wire Image
New out of Soap Opera Digest is that The Bold and the Beautiful is seeking a possible recast for the role of Karen Spencer played by Joanna Johnson.
In story, the character of Karen had come out to her brother, Bill (Don Diamont) and revealed that she has a wife Dani played by Crystal Chappell. The two moms raised together their daughter, Caroline (Linsey Godfrey), who over the last many months has certainly developed more of an edge from her once good-girl image.
Looks like the unavailability of Johnson to continue in the role has served for the impetus to put out a casting notice for the role of Karen now listed as “recurring/possible contract”. Joanna Johnson currently serves as executive producer on the ABC Family hit series, The Fosters.
So the question is, who would you cast in the role of Karen Spencer, who might be familiar to daytime audiences? Or, would you not recast and just wait till Joanna is available again? Comment below!
Julie Pinson.
I’m hoping this means getting to see more of Crystal Chappell as Dani.
Jessica Leccia, who played Natalia to Crystal Chappell’s Olivia on Guiding Light!
Wait for Joanna….unless we can get Jessica Leccia….:)
So many good candidates… Kelly Sullivan? Teri Conn? Sarah Brown (no one remembers her Agnes character anyway and she could hold her own with Chappell)?
But the bigger question… Will B&B keep and use the characters to their fullest? This serial seems to waste its talent and not integrate characters or plots well. Best way for screen time is to bed Brooke or to get involved with Liam and Hope. Otherwise, you are with Thorne in the Forrester Creations depths. And just where is Taylor?
Taylor is long gone, thank God. I never liked Hunter Tylo and I was giddy when she left the show.
Yeah…Kelly S.
Terri Conn is too young to play Caroline’s mom, don’t you think?
Good and fair point. Teri Conn does skew young but I liked her so much on ATWT and miss her. But on B&B I recall Lesley-Anne Down and Jack Wagner’s age difference when they were on the show, as well as the woman who played Beth Logan when the character died compared to Katherine Kelly Lange as Brooke. Couldn’t have been more than 7-10 years between them.
I read other ideas here and see Martha Byrne and Kelly Menighan Hensley’s names. Doable. I do not see Noelle Beck in this role although I like her very well.
If they are willing to go with a different look, Jessica Leccia would be the way to go. She looks like she could be Bill’s sister, and hopefully we’d see more of Crystal.
Noelle beck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ooh I like Noelle Beck as a suggestion.
Forget about noelle beck. cast kelly sullivan ex connie gh. She is a wonderful actress.
Noelle beck would be the best.
Here are just a few suggestions that I would love to see
Catherne Hickland, Kelly Sullivan ,Kassie DePivia, or Florencia Lorenzo.
Catherine Hickland. Good one!
Cynthia Watross
Kelly Menighan Hensley. And give Jon more air time while they’re at it.
Martha Byrne!!
kelly sullivan would be really good in the role. she is a very good actress and sexy too.
Karen Spencer should be recast with Lori Laughlin playing the role of the original character, who was straight. The lesbian revisionism is a turn-off.
Very much so. She could have been a viable love interest for Thorne. She still could. If she lived most of he life straight, it would make more sense.
Kimberlin Brown! If GH can cast actors in multiple roles so can B&B. Sheila hasn’t appeared on B&B since 2003 and they’ve apparently forgotten about her anyway.
Tough call. I want her to remain Sheila.
I wouldn’t cast anyone in the part. The character is completely unnecessary on the canvas of this show.
How can you say that without knowing what her story will be?
Either bring Joanna back, or recast with Martha Byrne. She wrote for the show before, and would have great chemistry with the whole cast!
Gina Togoni from OTLT/GL. Unless GL is resurrected. But I think she’ll do great as Karen and can hold her own against Dollar Bill.
Beth Ehlers or Gina Tognoni.
Michelle Stafford! The Bells seem to really like her.
They don’t need karen spencer. Have the lesbian couple break up off screen and then have dani be paired w/ a lesbian who’s a racial minority actress. days will & what’s his name. atwt’s luke and noah and the doctor that got crushed by a truck. b&b’s dani and karen. gl’s lesbian couple. y&r’s adam. oltl’s kish. amc’s bianca and lena and maggie and reese. All day soap opera lgbt chars have been white. Racially diverse l.a. should have a racial minority lesbian char on b&b. Generally speaking there needs to be more racial minority actors regardless of their orientation. That’s especially true for l.a. based b&b!
Signy Coleman or Krista Tesreau
Signy is a great choice.
Nahhh. I want Signy back as Hope’s long lost cousin.
As much as I like Jessica Leccia and Crystal Chappell together, I think Jessica’s too young for this particular role Joanna Johnson is a few years older than Crystal, and although I don’t know the age difference between Karen and Danielle, I kind of like the idea that Karen is a bit older..
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.
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