News
Y&R's Newest Hunks: Williams, Archey, Dapper & CBS Daytime's McDaniel Interview! How Will These Guys Heat Up Your TV Screens?
Courtesy/CBS
Fresh faces, exciting new roles, hunky men … will these dudes raise the heat through a cold winter in Genoa City? Well, that is what the number one soap, The Young and the Restless and CBS Daytime are hoping to do when they announced the casting of several news roles!
Redaric Williams joins the cast of Y&R on Friday as Tyler Michaelson, Leslie’s brother. Lamon Archey debuted this week as Mason, and relative soap newcomer, Marco Dapper, has returned to Y&R as Carmine Basco for a new story. Add to this mix, newly arrived soap favorite Ignacio Serricchio as Alex last week, and it looks like Christmas came early for female fans of this daytime drama.
On-Air On-Soaps had the opportunity to sit down with: Redaric Williams, Lamon Archey, Marco Dapper, and CBS Daytime SVP. Angelica McDaniel, after the guy’s appearance on The Talk to get a preview and an introduction to their new characters. We also attempt to get a sneak peek of what is to come, and learn how they are going to put the “Y” back in “Young” and certainly the “R” back in “Restless”! Here’s our roundtable discussion below!
Redaric, what did you think of the group of actors and characters that you are going to be involved with in story? And, what can you tell us about Tyler Michaelson?
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
REDARIC: Angell Conwell (Leslie) is amazing! That is an extremely talented woman. I have been so impressed working with her. And, Kristoff St. John (Neil) is on point as well. He is the guy who took me around and told me, “Don’t do this … don’t do that … and here is this.” He has a balance of authenticity and professionalism about him. I found him open and very receptive. My character, Tyler, is a graphic designer, but he is not your schooled cookie-cutter graphic designer. He came from the wrong side of the tracks from a humble upbringing and so he was into spraying confetti as art. He is an artsy and urban art guy.
Marco, when we last talked, you suspected you would be shown the front door when new Y&R executive producer Jill Farren Phelps, and head writer Josh Griffith, took over the GC canvas! But, look! You are still among us! (Laughs)
MARCO: I am surprised guys! I was at Marcy Rylan’s (Abby) original farewell! Then I got an email that I am back on the show. I thought I would be guilty by association, but no. I am pleased to be back and that they kept me around. Now this new story I have is interesting and fun.
Angelica, you had a major hand in casting, Redaric, Lamon, and Ignacio Serrichhio (Alex) and keeping Marco around! What can you tell us about why you felt these were the right actors for their respective new roles? And what you were looking for when these roles were created?
Photo Credit: Cliff Lipson/CBS
ANGELICA: Marco was on the show already when I took over my position at CBS Daytime, and we talked about bringing back him. And the thing is, we really have a great story for him, and so it wasn’t a matter of that he was ever gone, it was just a matter for us to figure what we could do to the character. Obviously, viewers enjoy watching him, so it’s good to have him back. And as far as Ignacio Serricchio, one thing I will say is being a Latin woman myself; I really wanted to see some Latin characters brought to the canvas. We just saw this great opportunity to bring that element in. Everything will start firing on all cylinders soon. Some things will take a bit longer to play out on air for the audience to understand why certain decisions were made. But with Ignacio, he had worked in soaps before. Daytime fans know him from his work on General Hospital, and he has worked before with new Y&R executive producer, Jill Farren Phelps. With Redaric and Lamon, we were really looking for that void that has never quite been filled with the departure of Shemar Moore as Malcom. When Shemar left the show, there was that opening that was never properly been filled. We really were looking for a very specific man to fill those big shoes … and we found two of them! So we had an extensive audition process. We went through seeing a lot of gentlemen and very talented guys. When we saw both Redaric and Lamon, we thought right away that we needed to have these two guys on Y&R, and we are so happy to have them. So yes, we were looking to fill one role and this may be the first time that they may be hearing this! (Laughs)
Will Tyler be giving Cane (Daniel Goddard) a run for his money with Lily (Christel Khalil) in the romance department?
ANGELICA: Well, you will just have to tune-in and find out. With Redaric, he plays the character of Tyler, and there are a lot of layers that will be explored and his background. He is an artist who is young, hip, who gets social media and marketing, and how to reach out to make people understand the brand and compel them to get on board with things that are happening with Newman or Jabot.
Photo Credit: duffimages.com
So right now, we are all left wondering who of the group here is going to turn out to be a Genoa City bad boy? And on that note, would you much prefer to play bad than playing a good guy on a soap?
LAMON: I would welcome the bad side for sure. I like playing bad characters, and as you said it’s more fun and you get to play more.
MARCO: Bad is always more fun to be as an actor.
REDARIC: You would think initially looking at Tyler he is a bad guy, because he comes in like a bull in a china shop. But I think deep down he is a good guy and he has good intentions. However, girls like the bad boys! (Laughs)
Lamon, you have an extremely interesting background in that your other job (other than modeling and acting) is that you work with animals as a tech in an animal hospital! How did that begin for you? You must be a serious dog lover! And everyone knows, man’s best friend is his four-legged friend!
LAMON: I was up in the bay area and close to ten years ago I was looking for a job. I have always, always loved dogs. I called over to animal hospital and they said they were hiring and could I come over? So, I became the “poop guy”. I was in there cleaning up poop in cages. But I was lucky enough to find really cool doctors who taught me the ropes. I eventually became qualified to be with doctors in surgery, assisting them and doing lab work and drawing blood, and giving vaccines.
So Lamon, what is your favorite kind of dog?
Photo Credit: Brian Kaminski
LAMON: My favorite kind of dog would be my dog, a bull terrier named “Jolie”, after Angelina Jolie! (Laughs) I have now actually been working on-call since I have been modeling and working in television, and so they were nice enough to say, “Whenever you are available, we will give you a call,” and it’s been working out great. I have not quit and hopefully they won’t fire me!
Angelica, what can you reveal to us about who Mason is?
ANGELICA: With Mason, you will definitely see him crossing paths with Victor and Jack and we are going to take you on a journey. You are not going to find out everything on the surface with Mason.
Lamon, we know in your first scenes you got to work with Daytime Emmy winner and powerhouse actress Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R). What was that like? Was it a bit intimating for you?
LAMON: She was awesome and my first scene was with her. I was super nervous. Michelle had a lot of dialog in our first scene together and so she was nervous as well. And, I won’t lie … her being nervous was like for me, “Yes, someone else is nervous besides me!” So in a way, that helped me out a lot to make me feel more comfortable.
So soapers, now that you learned a bit more about Redaric, Lamon, and Marco, what actor and character are you looking forward to following the most as they cross paths with the citizens of Genoa City? Perhaps … all the guys? Let us know!
Remember too many Newbies never works, but Happy that Marco (Carmine) is staying (I met him in 2007). I also like seeing Serricchio back in Daytime.
To be quite honest, none of these guys do anything for me. I’m not one for men with mega-abs. Hopefully they won’t clog up too much of the airtime that should be used for other characters.
Very interested
Well I’m not against new characters on the show because the established characters need new interactions to keep them interesting. So I guess it depends if these new characters are being use for that purpose or if they are taking over air from established characters,pushing them out. I don’t really care if they are hunks or not, but since this show is trying to get that 18-34 crowd to watch- good looking never hurts. But in the end whatever reason they are there, it will be good storytelling that will keep this viewer interest, so for me I am reserving judgement until I see how these characters stories unfold.
“And as far as Ignacio Serricchio, one thing I will say is being a Latin woman myself; I really wanted to see some Latin characters brought to the canvas.”
What was wrong with the already Latin character they have with RAFE? Rafe has been on recurring for a while now and I am positive they could have found story for him – maybe take over Heather’s job?
I think Rafe went fishing with Murphy one weekend and the two haven’t been seen since. I hope they will be very happy together. LOL.
That’s a good point, Mary SF. Whenever anyone “leaves” they just don’t get written for anymore. No onscreen goodbye parties. It is the OFFICE SPACE of soap operas these days. They fixed the glitch in payroll now too.
I am NOT solely interested in gorgeous faces, ripped abs & well-developed pecs when I look at a soap. First of all, I hope they are good actors who can attract and Hold the attention of the audience. Nice to look at great looking actors but there has to be more to them than looks. Pretty faces & ripped bodies have passed thru Y&R before; but they made little impact on the audience.I want to see some good storytelling so these guys need to be involved in well-written storylines that show off their talents.. Otherwise, audience members like me are not that interested. And I hope they are given adequate screen time to contribute to the show. I want Y&R to improve and appeal to the audience again,so I want these guys to succeed. I wish them well.
Good to see diverse characters on the show; but Y&R does not write for, invest genuine or realistic stories for them, or use the ones already employed. So I hope the policies on screen time changes for all the characters we hardly ever see so that new HUNKS get adequate screen time & support to strut their stuff. Y&R needs balance in their storyline rotations presented on screen.
Will wait and see.
There ok I just do not want them taking up good air time that could go to others I want to see like the Winters – Ashby Family who need more air time as a whole on Y&R
Y&R does not need these characters, and we don’t want them. There’s no reason to create new characters just to have a quota. Focus on core and classic Y&R, not pandering to demo groups.
“There’s no reason to create new characters just to have a quota”
Well since the world is changing and the 50’s mentality is long gone, I say THANK GOD for quota’s & demo groups.
Wish newbies well but w/out meaningful s/l, don’t see their purpose. Soap fans need and want meaningful s/ls – to offer only eye candy is insulting. And let them stand on their own merit, Shemar has come & gone; he cannot duplicated.
Waiting for this show to get back to the Bell era. Draw us in with well written stories;all else will fall in line.
McDaniel’s quotes were rather frank. They were casting a malcolm replacement. Archey and Redaric are definitely of the malcolm mold. They’re lighter skinned and they look like they have mixed racial backgrounds. Lighter skinned and more anglo features are what hollywood prefers for black actors and actresses bec that’s what hollywood defines to be attractive w/c reflects all the racial and even class issues w/ casting among hollywood. But casting more African american chars is a right move for majority of any daytime and primetime soap.
time will tell……………
Give us good story with who you have. Frankly, Angela is boring and I don’t care much for her portrayer so adding fam to the mix does not IMO bode well. Lane is boring too. As is the whole Winters’ fam. I guess they’re trying to give us eye candy, but without story and good acting, it won’t work. I also need a purpose for these characters, rather than just dumping then on-screen. I’m not too interested in them beefing up the Jabot storyline or wherever Neil is working now, because it is so slow and yawnsville. I get tired of watching people at work. I do that 8 hours a day. Don’t want to see more of it.
There’s nothing boring about the Winters family, Angela or Lane, I’d rather watch them then the crazy, slutty, disgusting antics of Phyllis, Sharon, Victor, Nicholas & Nikki, Gross!!!.
I want Jack to destroy Victor and win for a change, I love them both.
I love all the new people on the show, the show is more interesting with new people and new stories. i wish they would keep Rafe,around and find him a boyfriend. I love the new Noah, and looking to see a great story for him,
if anyone should have trust issues between cane and lily it should be lily with that conniving bitch chelsea, bc i bet shell try to get cane to go after her and help her raise her unborn child shes carrying from adam, PLEASE DONT BREAK UP ONE OF MY FAVE COUPLES LILY AND CANE
Do not like any of the new characters with the exception of Steve Burton’s character (the main reason I’m watching Y&R daily again). Wouldn’t mind seeing Avery leave town. I’m Team Sharon/Nick, I like the recasts of Summer and Noah. The Lily/Cane storyline is boring. Send them to the European offices.
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
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!
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.
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.
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.”
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 Abbott. Two 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.
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’
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Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
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