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Y&R's Tricia Cast Talks Nina's Relationship with Paul, Maria Arena Bell's Storytelling & If A Return To Playing Bad Is In the Cards!

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

The Young and the Restless scene-stealing Tricia Cast (Nina) had been commuting from her home in Nashville to Los Angeles when she is called upon in story on the number one soap.   These days in Genoa City, Nina is trying to forge a relationship with her son, Ronan (Jeff Branson).

Now, Soap Opera Uncensored’s Nelson Branco caught up with the talented performer to get her take on working within the framework of former Y&R head writer and executive producer, Maria Arena Bell, what has happened to the Paul (Doug Davidson) and Nina romance, and if she would like to visit the bad girl side of her character again.  Here are a few excerpts from the interview below!

Tricia on if it was frustrating working with the often times fragmented storytelling of Maria Arena Bell: “I guess so. I was happier when there was a definite storyline playing out like when Ronan came on the show. It’s harder to come in for two months and remind people about the character, the story and relationships. It’s always more fun to apply yourself. You never see the end of an arc, but when there is an arc, you know there is an end — even if you don’t know what it is. Maria’s kind of storytelling is really great for a commuting schedule but, as a performer, I prefer to work more consistently. “

Tricia on if Paul and Nina are still together, since we don’t see the pairing that much on screen these days: “Yes, they are. I kind of like it because Paul and Nina are normal and not overly dramatic. There was one moment when Paul was missing Christine, which pissed off Nina, but besides that, they are normal — and more normal than Michael and Lauren who have a long marriage. Paul and Nina are less exciting — and I like that. There are no shenanigans… it’s kind of like a real relationship. Would I love to play more? Yes. But I’m not dissatisfied with the relationship right now.”

Tricia on if she would like to explore and see more of Nina’s dark side surface:  “Sure! I would embrace another facet of her personality. I trust Y&R to do what is best for the show when it comes to Nina. And I’d be happy to do it. I don’t have expectations as much for Nina as I do hope. If I were writing the story, I would bring Nina’s darker side back for a bit so she can continue her journey.”

So soapers, would you like to see Tricia have more airtime?  Do you like the Paul and Nina pairing?  Do you want Ronan and Nina to become closer?   Let us know!

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Love Nina any way we can get her.

Paul and Nina are absolutely the best couple to come out of the MAB era. I LOVE them together! Tricia Cast is the only reason I’ve stuck with Y&R for the past three years.

I am torn. On one hand I like when former “bad girls” put their immature and implusive ways behind them and grown up to become accomplish, mature women, but on the other hand accomplished and mature can be dull to watch. Yet again watching a soap character make the same mistakes over and over without growth is equally dull to watch — that means you Phyllis Newman. Anyway if they keep Nina on the canvas I would like her to be the way she is now, maybe with little more spice to her, but not too much

As for her romance with Paul. Well lets be honest here, Katherine and Murphy give off more heat than those two. But for who these characters are, this is the kind of relationship I would expect from them. It is realistic, but in soapland- realistic isn’t always fun to watch. However since neither character is high profile I can live with the realtionship they have. It doesn’t make me happy, but it doesn’t annoy me either.

I think Phyllis is on the road to change … finally.

Friday’s (American) episode broke my heart for Phyllis when she realized the marriage to Nick was really over and that she has serious problems with her relationship with Summer.

I really like Tricia Cast as an actress and person. She is very down-to-Earth and so is Nina.

Paul and Nina are nice and simple and supportive of one another.

I have been waiting and waiting for Nina to finally have a relationship with Ronan and I hope I finally get it. It seems only fitting after what she has been through to find him and there is so much potential for some good character development.

love Nina

Tricia is an AMAZING talent who was not utilized properly during the Maria Arena Bell regime mainly because of, as Nelson Branco phrased it, fragmented storytelling – MAB was incapable of telling a decent story without veering off into another tangent, confusing viewers and the actors alike. With Jill coming back to the canvas after staying with Phillip in Australia, it would be nice to have her and Nina miz it up like they did back in the 1980s!

Tricia Cast is a godsend to Y&R and the show should keep her forever. Her character and storyline is filled with possibilities. I would love to see her with her sons again, forging bonds they did not have. I would love to see a friendship with gay Phillip, a true bond that is real and lasting. I would love to see her and Paul evolve into a longtime pair, romance along the way, and become pillars of the Genoa City show structure. She is a successful novelist and that could lead her somewhere. I find Nina much more engaging than Newman silliness MAB forced upon us. Please Jill and Josh, find a place for all this
in your new show bible!

I’m just reading this interview so after reading the most recent Lauralee Bell interview by Tv guide. It’s obvious that Nina needs to just move on and possibly find someone else. I would be curious to know what Nina thinks about her and Paul’s relationship now that Paul and Christine are getting back together. Michael if you chat with her again, I would love to hear her take on that.

Please show the character Nina more. Tricia Cast is great in the role! Wish they would explore more of why Ronan treats her so bad when he was kidnapped. Since Nina & Paul break up, pair her with Jack or Nick. I really miss the scenes of Heather Tom as Vicki going up against Tricia Cast Nina during the Ryan,Victoria, Nina era.

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

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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.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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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?

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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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