Credit: Paramount Network, John Paschal/JPI, NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection (2), ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
As the World Turns’ Damian Grimaldi
![Imagine That: Some of Your Favorite Characters Were Almost Played by *Other* Actors [PHOTOS] (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw== "Imagine That: Some of Your Favorite Characters Were Almost Played by *Other* Actors [PHOTOS] (1)")
Don’t expect Jon Lindstrom to pay much mind to “the ones that got away.” The General Hospital MVP (as Kevin Collins and “late” evil twin Ryan Chamberlain) has had a long and storied soap career, along the way trying out for a bunch of other major roles. Among them: Jimmy Lee Holt on General Hospital (Steve Bond got that one) and Jack Abbott on Young & Restless (Peter Bergman won that part). At As the World Turns, where he’d eventually play Craig Montgomery, “I was offered the role of Damian” in 1993, he told Soap Opera Digest, “that went to Paolo Seganti after I turned it down.”
Bold & Beautiful’s Stephanie Forrester
When the soap’s co-creator William J. Bell pictured the matriarch of the Forrester family, it wasn’t at first Susan Flannery that he saw but Susan Seaforth Hayes. He’d written for her previously in her role of Julie Williams on Days of Our Lives and wanted her to head up his new show in 1987. Only after she’d buzzed right by the role of the queen bee did Bell offer the job to Flannery, who went on to win four Outstanding Lead Actress Emmys for her portrayal of the fashionista who was always ready to rip someone to shreds.
Days of Our Lives’ Jake Kositchek
An eternity before Yellowstone was even a gleam in Taylor Sheridan’s eye, Kevin Costner could have been working on his lassoing skills — as the Salem Strangler! Yep, back in the 1980s, the future Oscar winner tried out for the pivotal part of Chris Kositchek’s homicidally inclined kid brother on the then-NBC soap. But, per Soaps in Depth, he was passed over in favor of Jack Coleman, the up-and-comer who was on his way to Dynasty (as a Steven Carrington recast), Heroes and more.
Another World’s Vicky/Marley Hudson
When Emmy winner Anne Heche walked away from her dual role on the NBC soap in 1991, she left in her wake not just a big pair of shoes to fill but two pairs. Jensen Buchanan, already an old pro thanks to her years as embattled One Life to Live heroine Sarah Gordon, nabbed the parts. But they could have just as easily gone to future Emmy winner Sharon Case. Nowadays, the Young & Restless leading lady (as Sharon Newman) is considered the cream of the crop, but way back when she auditioned, she was a relative newcomer whose stint as Monica Quartermaine’s surprise daughter Dawn Winthrop on General Hospital was cut awfully short. No scalpel required, even.
Young & Restless’ Tucker McCall
After playing good guy Sam Bennett for the entire run of Passions, James Hyde was ready to go bad — so bad that he went up for the role of Ashley Abbott’s duplicitous former (and future) husband Tucker McCall on The Young and the Restless. His casting wasn’t meant to be; Trevor St. John, formerly Victor Lord on One Life to Live, won the role originated by Days of Our Lives’ Stephen Nichols. But Hyde obviously made an impression on the powers that be: He soon turned up in Genoa City as the even more treacherous Jeremy Stark.
Days of Our Lives’ Billie Reed
When the then-NBC soap decided to bring Bo Brady’s ex back to Salem in 2004, it searched far and wide to find just the right actress to succeed Lisa Rinna and Krista Allen (now Bold & Beautiful shrink Taylor Hayes). Julie Pinson, who’d helped launch General Hospital spinoff Port Charles as Dr. Eve Lambert, booked the gig. But viewers almost met a very different Billie: Ashley Jones. Instead, the Young & Restless alum (as Megan Dennison) wound up being chosen to replace Jennifer Finnigan as Bridget Forrester on Bold & Beautiful.
General Hospital’s Damian Smith
A hot commodity after his run as All My Children’s Nico Kelly ended in 1991, Maurice Benard was offered his pick of two General Hospital roles: mobster Frank Smith’s son Damian or strip-club flesh peddler Sonny Corinthos. Liking the name of the latter character — and the fact that he was only supposed to be around for six months (ha!) — the future Emmy winner chose The godfather-to-be, leaving Damian to be played by Dallas and Santa Barbara alum Leigh J. McCloskey.
Ryan’s Hope’s Siobhan Ryan
When arguably ABC’s smartest-ever soap reignited the romance of mobster Joe Novak and his straight-arrow wife, the late, great Roscoe Born replaced Richard Muenz… and to succeed the inimitable Sarah Felder? Down to the wire, “I tested with Kirstie Alley and Ann Gillespie,” he said in Tom Lisanti’s oral history of the show. The future Cheers star “was weird,” he recalled. “Plus, she was taller than me. I thought, ‘If they want her, I’m not going to get the part.’” He did get the part, and so did Gillespie, who went on to play Kelly Taylor’s mom on Beverly Hills, 90210.
Young & Restless’ Tyler Michaelson
It’s just as well that Lawrence Saint-Victor wound up not being cast in 2012 as a potential spoiler for Lily Winters and Cane Ashby’s romance; model Redaric Williams and his character didn’t stick around all that long in Genoa City. But auditioning for the role brought Saint-John to the attention of sister soap Bold & Beautiful. “Because I tested well and the network liked me,” he told Soap Opera Digest, “they had me meet with [headwriter/executive producer] Brad Bell, and the rest is history.” He’s been playing Carter Walton since 2013.
All My Children’s Babe Carey
When ABC drove a stake through the heart of General Hospital spinoff Port Charles in 2003, everybody wanted to recruit leading lady Kelly Monaco, who’d made pulses race as Livvie Locke. The actress told Soap Opera Digest that she received calls from not only her current network but the other two as well. In particular, she met with All My Children, which at the time was casting the vixen who’d be at the center of a triangle between sibling rivals JR Chandler and Jamie Martin. But when General Hospital offered to create a character for her, that was it as far as she was concerned. “I was, like, a diehard General Hospital fan,” she said. “That was my dream.” Ultimately, Alexa Havins may have always been destined to play Babe, anyway — she wound up falling for and marrying co-star Justin Bruening!
Dallas’ J.R. Ewing
Try and fit this shocker under your Stetson: I Dream of Jeannie alum Larry Hagman, who played TV’s most infamous baddie for the entire 1978-91 run of the primetime mega-soap (and reprised his iconic role for TNT’s reboot), wasn’t the first pick for the part: Robert Foxworth, who’d later don a halo to squash grapes as righteous vintner Chase Gioberti on Falcon Crest, was offered the role of a lifetime… and turned it down. His reason? Legend has it, the actor felt that J.R. was just too darn mean-spirited.
All My Children’s Linda Warner
When ABC’s eternally missed sudser prescribed doctor Cliff a troublemaking kid sister in 1984, it was bound and determined to bring in a genuinely pretty woman…just not necessarily the one who went on to become a megastar for headlining the movie of that name alongside Richard Gere. Julia Roberts went up for the plum part but was shot down in favor of Melissa Leo. Can’t say that the show made a mistake, either. Its pick for Linda was nominated for a Daytime Emmy and went on to win a Primetime Emmy, an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a… Need we go on?
One Life to Live’s Joey Buchanan
In 2010, Josh Kelly nearly became one of the zillion actors to play Viki and Clint Buchanan’s son. His Transformers co-star Josh Duhamel (once Leo duPres on All My Children) even helped him prep for his screen test, according to Soap Opera Digest. Kelly, now Cody Bell on General Hospital, lost out to As the World Turns’ former Adam Munson, Tom Degnan. But Kelly had so wowed the powers that be that they turned around and cast him as Cutter Wentworth.
Bold & Beautiful’s Bridget Forrester
Think of how happy General Hospital fashionista Maxie Jones would be with easy access to Forrester Creations. It almost happened, too. Back when Kirsten Storms was beginning her career, she auditioned for both Days of Our Lives (as Belle Black) and Bold & Beautiful (as Brooke and Eric’s daughter). The then-NBC soap “found out about Bold & Beautiful and was like, ‘Book her,’” she told Soap Opera Digest in 2000, “and that is how my dream came true.” It’s also how Agnes Brucker got cast as Bridget instead.
General Hospital’s Mitch Williams
Eventually, Anthony Geary would get paired up with Jane Elliot as Tracy Quartermaine. But in 1979, when the soap legend-to-be tried out to play her love interest Mitch Williams, “they felt that I was too young for the role” of the avaricious politician, he told the Television Academy Foundation. (Christopher Pennock got the part instead.) Two weeks later, executive producer Gloria Monty called Geary and said she was going to have the role of Luke Spencer created for him — but only if he’d agree to play it. “How do you say no to that?” he quipped. Spoiler alert: He didn’t say no.
Days of Our Lives’ Kate Roberts
After Young & Restless’ former Jill Abbott, Deborah Adair, left the Days of Our Lives role that she’d originated in 1995, the soap wanted to bring in a big gun to replace her. No less than Bond girl Lois Chiles (also Dallas pot-stirrer Holly Harwood) and Janice Lynde (an original Young & Restless cast member as Leslie Brooks) chased after the gig. But as we all know, it was meant to go to Lauren Koslow, who by then had already proven her mettle as Lindsay Wells on Young & Restless and Margo Lynley on Bold & Beautiful.
Grey’s Anatomy’s Derek Shepherd
After watching Patrick Dempsey play “McDreamy” for a decade, it’s hard to picture anyone else making the rounds. But he wasn’t even ABC’s first choice to don the ill-fated M.D.’s lab coat: The powers that be wanted a different ’80s heartthrob, Rob Lowe. Though the series was a hit and the role, ultimately iconic, the 9-1-1: Lone Star leading man has no regrets. ”Me in that part isn’t as interesting as Patrick in that part,” he told People in 2021. “If it’d been me, [the fans] wouldn’t have called me ‘McDreamy,’ they would have called me Rob Lowe.”
Young & Restless’ Colleen Carlton
In 2005, long before Annie Novak was added to family portraits on All My Children, Melissa Claire Egan tried out to replace Lyndsy Fonseca on Young & Restless. Egan even got as far as the screen test. “I remember it so well,” she told Soap Opera Digest. “I tested with Thad [Luckinbill as J.T. Hellstrom] on the coffeehouse set” and was in the dressing room of the late, great Jeanne Cooper (aka Katherine Chancellor). Adrianne León (later Brook Lynn Ashton on General Hospital) emerged victorious then, but Egan still wound up in Genoa City: Since 2011, she’s been turning heads as reformed bad girl Chelsea Lawson.
General Hospital’s Peter August
Josh Swickard so perfectly epitomizes the good guy as Harrison Chase on the ABC soap that it’s hard to picture him without the halo, isn’t it? (You’re trying right this second, aren’t you? Can’t do it, either, can ya!) Maybe that’s why he didn’t get the first Port Charles part for which he went up: the nefarious Peter August. Guiding Light alum Wes Ramsey landed that role. But within three months of his first appearance, Swickard was on the scene, too. That fast, General Hospital put him to work as the hottest cop this side of a Chippendales revue.
Dallas’ Pamela Ewing
Initially, the primetime sudser was envisioned as a star vehicle for Linda Evans. But the more the powers that be worked on it, the more the concept changed — to the point where the future Dynasty leading lady wasn’t even offered the part. In the end, it came down to relative newcomer Victoria Principal and As the World Turns vet Judith Chapman. Principal won the role, and Chapman went on to appear on Ryan’s Hope, One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives and, of course, The Young and the Restless, where she still steals every scene she’s in as Gloria Fisher.
All My Children’s JR Chandler
Who could look at Justin Bruening’s sweet face and imagine him playing a scoundrel like Dixie Martin’s son with conniving Adam Chandler? Not the casting department at All My Children, that’s for sure. So although he gave his all to his tryout for the part of the legacy character, it went to Jacob Young, who’d just wrapped a three-year run as Luke and Laura Spencer’s son Lucky on General Hospital. Mind you, Bruening didn’t walk away empty-handed: He wound up being cast as JR’s kinder, gentler half brother Jamie Martin — and marrying on-screen love Alexa Havins to boot.
Days of Our Lives’ Sarah Horton
When Young & Restless’ former Jana Hawkes, Emily O’Brien, read (and read and read) for the role that ultimately went to Linsey Godfrey in 2018, she knew as well as the producers that it wasn’t for her. “They envisioned somebody different,” she told Soap Opera Digest in 2020. But there was good news amid the bad. O’Brien had made such an impression that Gwen Rizczech was, in essence, made just for her. “It was for the best, because this role feels good. It’s like a puzzle piece. I feel so comfortable, because Gwen is so colorful. There’s so much room to play.”
General Hospital’s Stone Cates
Michael Sutton broke our hearts as Robin Scorpio’s ill-fated first love. But it was almost another General Hospital cast member’s eyes into which she wound up tearfully gazing. Back in 1993, a then-unknown named Tyler Baker (now Christopher) tried out for the role. He didn’t get it but did ultimately get the pivotal part of Nikolas Cassadine. He reacted to the news of his hiring, he said on Facebook, “in what can only be described as childlike disbelief at getting a Christmas present I thought Santa had forgotten about but didn’t deserve.”
Young & Restless’ Summer Newman
In the spring of 2022, when the CBS soap was forced to recast Hunter King, General Hospital vet Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr/Kiki) was beyond psyched to audition. “I totally sent them a video talking about how I had a huge crush on Victor Newman growing up,” she admitted to Soap Opera Digest. But the show was looking for an actress with a greater resemblance to King, which gave Allison Lanier the edge. Even Alderson could see it. “We do look very different,” she acknowledged. Nonetheless, “I just really want to have a scene with Victor Newman one day. That’s one of my bucket-list things.”
All My Children’s Dr. Jeff Martin
Peter Bergman seems to have always been destined to be able to say, “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV.” Though his big break in daytime came when he was cast in 1979 as Pine Valley M.D. Cliff Warner, he first tried to scrub in as Erica Kane’s vanilla first husband, who wound up being played by Charles Frank throughout the 1970s. Since 1989, Bergman has been performing all of his “operations” in the boardroom as Jabot Cosmetics tycoon Jack Abbott on The Young and the Restless.
Young & Restless’ Victoria Newman
When two-time Emmy winner Heather Tom vacated her role in 2003 on her way to The Bold and the Beautiful as Katie Logan, her bosses had a dickens of a time recasting. Not until two years later did the soap find not one but two actresses that it liked: The City and All My Children vet Amelia Heinle and daytime newcomer Rachel Kimsey. They’d both tried out to play Mackenzie Browning as well as Victoria, and in the end, Kimsey was picked to play Katherine Chancellor’s granddaughter; Heinle, Victor and Nikki’s daughter.
NCIS’ Leory Jethro Gibbs
As the JAG spinoff celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023, the Hollywood Reporter looked back at the long-running procedural with an extensive oral history, one that revealed that Mark Harmon hadn’t been the only star considered to head up the cast. Harrison Ford “was a name that everybody thought about for Gibbs because he was so perfect,” said JAG EP Charles Floyd Johnson, adding that Scott Glenn (The Right Stuff) was also “considered very strongly.” Even grownup Brat Packer Andrew McCarthy was said to be in the mix at one point.
General Hospital’s Carly Spencer
When three-time Emmy winner Sarah Joy Brown exited Port Charles in 2001, execs knew that they needed a real powerhouse to replace her. Among the names bandied about were Gina Tognoni, who’d played headstrong Kelly Cramer on One Life to Live, and Robin Christopher, who’d eventually end up bringing her All My Children character of Skye Chandler Quartermaine to General Hospital. Future Emmy winner Tamara Braun — now Ava Vitali on Days of Our Lives — landed the role, which Laura Wright assumed in 2005.
Bold & Beautiful’s Dylan Shaw
When the CBS soap passed over Joshua Morrow for the role of the hunky stripper who’d wind up carrying on with both Jessica Forrester and her mother, the then-newbie was gutted. What did Dylan Neal, who got the part, have that he didn’t? Short answer: a character whose future was as scanty as his wardrobe. “Not getting Dylan was the greatest ’failure’ of my life,” Morrow said later. It led directly to his casting in the far juicier role of Nicholas Newman on The Young and the Restless.
Santa Barbara’s Pamela Capwell
Movie star Samantha Eggar was originally tapped to play Mason Capwell’s bonkers Mommie Dearest in 1987 but backed out before she’d even aired. (She’d eventually pass through daytime nearly 15 years later as Anna and Alex Devane’s mother on All My Children.) Shirley Anne Field ultimately tackled the role… and was sacked within three months and replaced by soap vet Marj Dusay, who at the time was just coming off a four-year stint as political power player Myrna Clegg on Capitol.
General Hospital’s Kiefer Bauer
Christian Alexander probably thought that he’d hit the jackpot when he was picked to play Kristina Corinthos’ abusive boyfriend in 2010. But in fact, it was an actor who lost out on that role who’d actually won big. After trying out for that part, Chad Duell was called back in to read again — for the same character, he thought. “But I was actually reading for Michael” Corinthos, he told Soap Opera Digest. Only after he was selected to replace Drew Garrett did his manager tell him, “They like you enough to make you one of the main characters in one of the families on the show.” Surprise!
All My Children’s Maria Santos
Maybe Julianna Margulies just wasn’t meant to “play doctor.” But on her way to her breakthrough role of Nurse Carol Hathaway on ER, the future Emmy winner tried out for the part that ultimately went to Santa Barbara knockout LaRue in 1993, according to Soaps in Depth. Don’t prescribe Margulies too much consolation, though. She’s gone on to have the kind of career that would be the envy of almost any actor.
Young & Restless’ Adam Newman
After Michael Muhney was let go as Victor’s prodigal son in 2014, rumors swirled that General Hospital vet Jason Gerhardt (as Cooper Barrett) and One Life to Live alum Jason-Shane Scott (as Will Rappaport) had volunteered to heat up the frontburner. At the time, it was Passions’ former Fox Crane, Justin Hartley, who was picked to play Adam. These days, of course, the role couldn’t be more Mark Grossman’s if it was monogrammed “M.G.”
Dallas’ Sue Ellen Ewing
Before the primetime soap became an overnight sensation, J.R. Ewing’s alcoholic wife was just supposed to be a bit player. Nevertheless, the powers that be still had a very clear picture of who they wanted in the role: a blonde. In particular, Mary Frann, who was just coming off of a five-year run as Amanda Howard on Days of Our Lives. In a 2004 interview with TV Guide, Gray said that the producers liked the visual contrast between fair-haired Frann and brunette Victoria Principal, who’d already landed the part of Sue Ellen’s sister-in-law, Pam. Luckily for Gray, the casting director already knew how good she was from Norman Lear’s All That Glitters and kept pestering the producers to give her a shot. When they finally did, you can bet the ranch that she made the most of it!
Days of Our Lives’ Rafe Hernandez
Between his stints as Deacon Sharpe on The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless, Sean Kanan tried out for Days of Our Lives, he told Michael Fairman TV in 2009. “For one reason or another,I did not get to screen test, and I was a little upset about that. I thought I gave a strong audition, but the reality was I think that Galen Gering was coming off ofPassions [as Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald] and they just made him an offer. But in retrospect, it all was happening because I was meant to do something else.”
As the World Turns’ Lisa Miller
When the CBS soap was ready to stir the pot in 1960, theater vet Lois Smith’s agent got a call asking her to come in and read for the juicy role. Since she was unavailable, the savvy rep suggested that the show test another of his clients, Eileen Fulton. She not only got the job, she became a soap icon — in part because of what a quick learner she was. In a 2007 interview with the Archive of American Television, Fulton recalled an exec telling her, “When you first came on the show, we thought, ‘We can’t keep her. She’s not very good.'”
One Life to Live’s Richard Abbott
Sometimes nothing better can happen to an actor than not getting the part for which they tried out. Take it from Robert S. Woods. In the late 1970s, he auditioned for the role of Victoria Lord’s nephew, which went to Luke Reilly. But just getting in the room with executive producer Stuart Gordon and the soap’s leading lady Erika Slezak was enough to land him what would ultimately prove to be a part with much longer legs, that of Viki’s future brother-in-law, frontburner mainstay Bo Buchanan.
One Life to Live’s Paige Miller
Eesh. This character appeared to be doomed from the start. Days of Our Lives‘ Mary Beth Evans, on a break from her long run as Kayla Brady to play As the World Turns‘ Sierra Montgomery, was originally said to be scrubbing in as the Llanview doctor in 2004. Instead, Bold & Beautiful villainess Kimberlin Brown, Sheila Carter to her nemeses, originated the role. Less than a year later, the part was recast. Guiding Light’s Crystal Chappell was reportedly interested, but the soap wouldn’t let her out of her contract as Olivia Spencer. So Cady Huffman and then Alexandra Neil slipped into Paige’s lab coat before the M.D. finally took off to work with Doctors Without Borders.
General Hospital’s Shiloh
Adam Huss may have always been destined to call Port Charles home; the only question was…in what part? During a 2024 interview with The Daily Drama podcast, the who ultimately succeeded Marcus Coloma as Nikolas Cassadine admitted, “I did test for this role when he did.” Which is not entirely surprising, given how well Huss plays Laura Collins’ son. But what is intriguing is the fact that “a year before that, I tested for a different role, for a cult leader.” Coby Ryan McLaughlin landed that gig. But maybe it’s just as well that Huss wasn’t hired until Nikolas needed a new portrayer; that character seems to have nine lives and counting!
Dynasty’s Alexis Carrington Colby Etc.
Blake Carrington’s champagne-sipping, zinger-flinging first wife was originally conceived as a brief star turn for big-screen goddess Sophia Loren. The character even had a different name: Madeline. Luckily, the writers brought in for Season 2 beseeched the series’ creators to reconsider the long-term possibilities, and Alexis was born — though still not necessarily with Joan Collins in mind. The actress told W in 2018 that Elizabeth Taylor and Jessica Walter were also in the running. In fact, the producers “were waiting on Jessica until the very last minute, so they didn’t cast me until two weeks before we started shooting!”
Days of Our Lives’ Bo Brady
When the then-NBC soap was holding out for a hero in 1983, it considered hiring a real top gun for the role that ultimately went to Peter Reckell: Tom Cruise, leading lady Kristian Alfonso revealed during a 2023 episode of the IHeart podcast. If only Reckell had known, he cracked. “I should’ve been using that for the last 40 years!” Not he feels too bad for the actor who didn’t get the part. Joked Reckell, “I think he did OK.”
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