Celeste has been recast!
January 21, 2012 - 4:33am
Beverly Todd will be playing Celeste on Days of our Lives this time. With a sheduling conflict that took Tanya Boyd out, Days had to recast. Ms Todd has an impressive film background including They Call Me Mr TIbbs and The Bucket List. She also spent two years from 1968-70 on Love of Life a defunct daytime soap. She also founded a group called Hollywood Sisters which celebrates black entertainers and gives out scolarships to people pursuing higher education. Glad to have her aboard. I hope it is a good fit!
I'm glad they got an actress of such high calibre at short notice. I've seen her work in a number of projects and I'm confident she'll do a good job.
Not bad, but I would rather see Valerie Pettiford pinch hit until we can get Tanya to reprise the role. Ms. Boyd is the only actress who can truly embody the character of Celeste Perrault!
Here is Todd from Lean on Me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z33wa1v_Pfg
and here is how she currently looks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQBtnPAkklI
I'm taking a wait and see approach with this one.
Akbad--
I agree, Valarie would have been perfect in the role, but I am sure Beverly will do the part justice too! Any woman who can hold her own against Morgan Freeman is more than capable of fitting into Celeste's Go-Go boots!!
Too bad we don't have any footage of her previous role on Love of Life.
BTW as a tie in, Peggy McCay once stared on Love of Life. Not during this time period but earlier in the 1950s as Vanessa Dale, the central figure through out the entire series. She left the show after 4 years..... I am not sure what kind of career move that was for her, but that is what happened.
While Boyd was great in the role, I have faith in Todd. I have watched her in numerous projects as well and have always enjoyed her. I thought it would have been fun to have Jonelle Allen or Joan Pringle take on the role since both starred opposite James Reynolds on "Generations".
THere are probably an indefinate number of actresses that would be suitable for the role. It is likely that this actress was doing an active search for a role. Maybe with new representation pushing her name around or something. Since there are a limited number of roles in Hollywood for black women of a certain age, they probably are not all out there clamoring for those same roles. They are probably busying themselves with other interests such as being a grandma or hobbies, or other kinds of employment or stage work etc. Then occasionally sticking their hat in the ring to see what's up. I doubt that they are on speed dial with Days to contact them in case the occasional role of Celeste is open to play......
I wanted to see Tanya as Celeste, after watching the YT clip, I might have liked her character and was anxious to see her interact with Lexie. Not having seeing Celeste first time around and what I saw in the clips I gather Celeste was mama lion protecting Lexie...am I right? So I have no prejudgment on the recast because if I can see more Lexie I will be a happy camper.
Celeste started out as Lexie's aunt with a mysterious past. Sort of a black version of Auntie Mame. She also has psychic visions. She was once involved with Stefano as his mistress off and on. There are still some warm feelings there but there is also alot of anger. Eventually Celeste lets it out that she is Lexie's mom and her father is Stefano! So far Lexie has been able to survive the Dimera curse (children of Stefano tend to die young). Celeste is a well dressed mysterious type exotic lady who sometimes speaks in riddles with her impressions. She is fairly accurate with her predictions although many of them are pretty vague. She definately is protective of both "Abraham" and "Alexandra" as she prefers to call Abe and Lexie by their given names. I am not sure why she's back in town unless it has to do with Alice or the election or both. But I am sure it will interesting. I do not think of her as being that campy by the way. Exotic yes but when I think of campy, I think of humor and I don't think she is that funny. Excentric yes.
I choose to give "campy" the John Waters definition: over-the-top, wildly exaggerated; and Celeste certainly is that. In Days' history, you can argue that Calliope Jones kind of fits both definitions while Celeste only fits one.
I'm wondering if the "new" actress is going to do that accent too.
Damn that sucks! Tanya Boyd always brought this role to life. And I was counting the days until she reappeared. Will she be back? If not it won't be the same.
@marknsprmo: It was Stefano who first revealed that he was Lexie's father when she had him cornered in that Cave in France. This was when Lexie was still a cop. Celeste then confirm it. But it was the only way that Stefano could keep Lexie from killing him.
thanks for the correction david. I actually have no recollection of that part of the story! LOL I might have been boycotting the show at the time or maybe in school and work at the same time. I missed alot of eps in parts of the 90s.