YR - Maura West as Diane Jenkins WTF?

I so don't agree!

I love Nikki but let's get real; Maura West or not, they will used Nikki the way they want to use her no more no less!

I love MW and hope she will be written in a good story BUT I know for a fact that she can do wonder with anything trow her way!

They can easily cut their huge cast with people NOT working; they have a long list!

Smitty,

I am OVER these unnecessary recastings. Recastings should NOT occur just for shock value or to try to bring over a certain demographic or fan base to one's show, they SHOULD be used to either replace actors who are about to leave the show or actors who aren't cutting the mustard or doing a suitable job. I liked Susan Walters as Diane, and she did a MAGNIFICENT job with the role from day one!! She also had chemistry with Peter Bergman and Michelle Stafford.

And on an unrelated note, I also liked Vail Bloom as Heather. It seems that Ma Bell has TRULY lost her cartoon mind. She keeps recasting the roles that DON'T need to be recast, meanwhile Clementine Ford and Amelia Heinle are smelling up my computer screen every day when I YouTube the daily episodes. Jesus, or ANYONE with power, please take the wheel!!!!!

Maura West is a tremendously talented actress and I LOVED her as Carly on ATWT. But it's like I've said a thousand times--not every role is right for every actor.

They could have brought Maura on as April Stevens (Heather's mom!), as a new character---yeah, I know the last thing this show needs is a new character---or as a recast for Tawny, even though I also enjoyed Andrea Evans in that role.

I don't see Diane as a dead weight character. She has a child with Jack and could be a VERY valuable part of the show's canvas. I'd much rather see her with Jack than Emily. Jack and Emily= BORING, FAILED CHEMISTRY PROJECT!!!

I am convinced that someone behind the scenes....or one of the other influential leading stars on this show, have PURPOSELY backburnered Melody Thomas Scott for reasons that remain a mystery to me. Ditto for Kristoff St. John. Politics are a bitch---especially behind the scenes ones that involve egos and hubris!!!

I completely agree Alstonboy! I'm sick of the bad recasting, especially with people who are good actors, but are wrong for the role. I swear the casting director must be on drugs. No one could be so blind and uncreative.
That being said, I'm hoping that the other actors on As the World Turns do snag roles that do the role and them justice. They deserve it.

Nathang-

I agree. There aren't any more Betty Reas around to spot talent and pick actors for the right roles based on their merits and their strengths. Many actors on daytime, like Darius McCrary get flak for being cast in the wrong role. I blame the producers not the actors in such instances. Like people have been saying, you can't blame someone for taking a job!!!!

Now can they PLEASE find roles for Julie Pinson and Elizabeth Hubbard now???

I can't think of any roles for them right now, but I do think that Billy Magnussen would be good for the role of an aged Kyle Abbott. I guess he looks young enough to be Maura West's son. Even if he doesn't, it wouldn't stop Y&R anyway!
I'm not sure I would want Julie Pinson back as Billie on Days. I don't see a use for Billie right now.
Maybe Elizabeth Hubbard could play a short term role as Daniel's mother on Days? I don't know.

Some of the main criticism directed at the casting of Maura West is her age. I always felt that Maura West looked old for her age (and I mean no disrespect to MW). By just looking at a photo of her, I would guess her to be in her mid to late 40s. So I don't think MW's age will play too big of a factor. I think MW can be sassy enough to play Diane. However, I would rather have had Susan Walters come back. I always preferred her as Diane and thought she was better than the original.

People keep on saying Diane was a model. Is that true? I thought Diane was an architect or something like that?

I agree about Maura West looking older than she is (I thought she was probably 42 or 43), but it's still not the right actress for the role. Why they didn't ask the original actress back is beyond me. Maybe there's bad blood between people who are still at Y&R and Alex Donnelly.

Dyllan,

Diane Jenkins was actually both---a model for Jabot Cosmetics, and later on an architect. Actually, Diane has changed careers at least 20,000 times over the years, it seems..........LOL!!!

duplicate entry

I'm curious what this (the return of Diane Jenkins) means for Jack's storyline because, let's face it, that's why this character is returning...here's how I'd frame it...

First off, I'd like to see Jack return to the boardroom (any boardroom), even if it means starting his OWN company instead of trying to regain control of Jabot (BORING!). Besides, the way her character is currently being written, I predict Ashley (with the "help" of Tucker) will run Jabot into the ground. Jack has always lived in the shadow of his father and under the accusation of not being a "self made man" like TGVN.

This would be a great vehicle for Jack to return to his first love...the business world and ratchet up the tension/drama among the other core families by "poaching" talent from Newman and Chancellor - ideally, Victoria, Neil, Phyllis, and Kevin! Diane's return could be/should be inserted here...with Jack building his staff.

Ithink ALL the recastings SUCK. and I can't STAND the New Heather.

Alston,

The character of April Stevens has been on the Y&R canvas many times. She was a big part of Paul/Nikki orbits during her initial run with the show in the late 70s/early 80s. Then in the early 90s April and a teenage Heather came to town when April shot and killed her abusive husband. The character of April Stevens is supposed to be around the same age as Nikki and Paul so Maura West is too young for that role as well.

Oh, Smitty---

LOL!! I guess you are right. I don't recall much about the April Stevens character, but it does seem like Heather needs her mother to come into the picture and hopefully slap some sense into her, even though I am sure that her mother really wouldn't wield much power over her or be able to control her anyway. She does seem like an unnecessary character to reintroduce onto the canvas anyway. I was just grasping at straws. I hope this recast is successful because I am a huge Maura West fan, and I want her to have an adequate chance to succeed without being at an automatic disadvantage from day one--like Darius McCrary was.

There is historical precedence here for an actor to play someone much different in age than the actor really is. Alice Horton (Frances Reid) of DOOL was atleast a decade younger than the character.Some of the actors that played her children on the show were nearly her age.John McCook is much younger than his alter Eric Forrester (John was 7 years old when Ron Moss was born). Anna Holbrook (Sharlene AW) was only 12 years older than the girl that played her daughter. Conversely in the 1990s, Days shaved off decades of time from Bill Horton and Laura Horton. Mike Horton has barely aged in the past 30 years. Every recast is about the same age as the character was in the 1980s. The most recent Dr. Bill Horton (John Martin) was born in 1956. In 1965 when Days of our lives started, Bill was already a doctor. AT age 11? The actor is actually younger than Susan Seaforth Hayes who plays his neice, and Maree Cheatham who is supposed to be his baby sister. One last one Jed Allan (born 1937) played WW2 war hero CC Capwell on Santa Barbara. I know the army takes em young. But Since the war ended in 1945 when Jed was a mear 8 years old, I think you get the idea. So if Maura is too young for the role (and she is indeed way to young, short, blond, etc. for the role), she is in good company!

I also am a huge Maura West fan, from way back in the days when she played the twins on Another World, but must agree that if they wanted to bring back Diane, they should have rehired Susan Walters. She was really great in the role. I think Maura has some pull in the back rooms due to her directing experience. With ATWT coming to an end I guess she was looking for another job. It would be great to bring back Diane AND Emily. Could be some great catfights. But maybe they're going to have the catfights between Diane and Phyllis, again. What I can't figure out is why Diane never went to jail for attempted murder for poisoning Phyllis, (I believe it was).

Um Maura West never played the twins on Another World..... Perhaps you are thinking of Anne Heche? Anyway Maura West would have made an excellent recast of Vicky and Marley. It would have been terrific to see what she did with Marley. She would play Vicky exactly how she currently plays Carly.

Back to casting. Ellen Dolan (Margo ATWT) could have played Diane and would have been interesting in the role since it's against type. She usually plays the leading lady. This time she would be more complex. That would have been great. We already know that Maura can mix it up. What's the fun in that?