‘GH’s Jonathan Jackson, ‘Y&R’s Jess Walton & More of the Best Soap Returns of 2024
The revolving door of soaps never quite stops spinning. Many actors come back to the genre after being away from it for several months, a few years, or, in the case of one actor on our list this year, 38 years! Some take on new roles while others reprise their previous parts.
No matter how long these stars have been gone, devoted fans of Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, and Young and the Restless heartily embrace both the actors and their characters as they re-appear on our screens.
Scroll down to check out our list of memorable returns in 2024!
21. Martha Madison and Brandon Beemer (Belle Black and Shawn Brady, DAYS)
Belle and Shawn have broken up—but on soaps that’s a good thing! We have the sense that these two are destined to find their way back to each other. Sadly, it took Doug’s (Bill Hayes) death and memorial to bring Shawn back to Salem. Belle had already returned for a happier occasion – the wedding anniversary of her parents, Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) and John Black (the late, great Drake Hogestyn). The most important thing is that these two are back and that they someday find their way back together!
20. Christopher Cousins (Dr. Alan Laurent, Y&R)
Cousins began his esteemed acting career on New York soaps As the World Turns and Another World over 35 years ago. He’s best known to daytime fans as roguish Cain Rogan on One Life to Live, a role he began playing in 1991. For decades, he graced the screen in such nighttime TV shows as American Dreams, Breaking Bad, Drop Dead Diva, Castle, and UnREAL. Fortunately, he came back to soaps in April of this year as the enigmatic Dr. Alan Laurent, a man who has caught the eye of Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland).
19. Steve Burton (Jason, GH)
Burton has come and gone from GH over the years. During his time away from Port Charles, the actor has gone to other soaps where he’s met with great success. However, GH is where the actor belongs. ABC announced Burton’s return to the show back in January during a primetime special honoring the show’s 60th anniversary. Of course, Jason’s been plenty busy helping BFFs Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Carly (Laura Wright) but the man needs a storyline and a love interest of his own! We can always dream that the late Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had a twin, can’t we?
18. Kimberlin Brown (Sheila Carter, B&B)
It appeared as if Sheila had schemed her last scheme on B&B early this year. The psychotic baby-stealer had a showdown with longtime nemesis Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood), which resulted in Sheila’s death – or so we thought. It turns out that it wasn’t Sheila who died at all but rather her doppelganger, Sugar. After a brief absence, Sheila was back on the scene. Many were skeptical that Sheila was truly dead. It’s not that her battle with Steffy wasn’t spectacular and violent but wouldn’t Sheila’s ultimate exit be even bigger and — pardon the pun — bolder?
17. Jonathan Jackson (Lucky Spencer, GH)
Jackson is one of daytime TV’s most respected actors. The TV son of legendary actors Genie Francis (Laura) and Anthony Geary (ex-Luke), Jackson held his own with veteran players from his first day on the show back in 1993. It was always a given that the young actor would go off and pursue roles outside of soap operas, which he did. Jackson appeared on the big screen with Michelle Pfeiffer and the late Treat Williams in The Deep End of the Ocean. He later played series regular Avery Barkley on Nashville. Fans, however, always hoped he’d come back home once again to Port Charles. This year, he did just that. Jackson and longtime leading lady Rebecca Herbst (Liz) still have great chemistry. No one will be surprised if these two characters find their way back to one another romantically in 2025.
16. Stephen Schnetzer (Steve Olson, DAYS)
Schnetzer is known to soap opera fans for his lengthy run as debonair Cass Winthrop on Another World. Prior to that, he played blue-collar good guy Marcello Salta on One Life to Live. You have to be a longtime DAYS veteran viewer to know that his first soap role was as Julie’s (Susan Seaforth Hayes) brother Steve. Schnetzer was on the show in the late 1970s. DAYS treated viewers to flashbacks from his time in Salem with the late Bill Hayes (Doug), which added authenticity to Schnetzer’s guest spot. The door’s been left open for the actor’s return. Our fingers are crossed that we see Steve again.
15. Van Hansis (Lucas, GH)
Hansis, known for his turn as gay teen Luke Snyder on As the World Turns, returned to soaps this year playing another “Luke” – GH’s Lucas Jones, to be exact. Will Lucas reconnect with his ex, Brad (Parry Shen), at a medical conference in February? The stage has been set for these two to get back together.
14. Sean Whalen (Carl Ferret, B&B)
Whalen, whom you may recognize from his numerous film and TV roles, first appeared on B&B as Carl back in 2007. He reprised his role again this year as a custodian at the crematorium where “Sheila” (actually Sugar) was incinerated. Seventeen years is quite a length of time in between B&B stints, but Whalen’s stayed busy appearing on such TV shows as Magnum P.I., Superstore, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Castle, Revenge, Criminal Minds, Shameless, and Wizards of Waverly Place.
13. Telma Hopkins and Valarie Pettiford (Denise and Amy, Y&R)
Pettiford returned to daytime this fall playing the part of Y&R’s Amy Lewis, the role that Stephanie E. Williams brought to life on the CBS soap back in the 1980s. (Ironically, Williams succeeded Pettiford as One Life to Live’s Dr. Sheila Price in the 1990s.) In yet another case of soaps and show business being small worlds, Y&R has brought back Hopkins as private eye Denise, who shared information on Amy’s son. The two actresses starred together on the UPN sitcom Half &Half from 2002 to 2006.
12. Sal Stowers and Lamon Archey (Lani and Eli Grant, DAYS)
DAYS knew that Doug’s memorial wouldn’t be complete without Julie’s grandson Eli being present. And, of course, Lani would come with him. Coming home to pay respects to Doug wasn’t the only visit the couple made to Salem this year, which is appropriate given their ties to people on the show. Soaps are about a lot of things – especially, family. Ideally, we’ll see lots more of Lani and Eli in the coming months.
11. Scott Reeves (Steven Webber, GH)
We hoped that Reeves’ return to Port Charles was going to be for a while. After all, Steven Lars is a doctor! And his grandfather and namesake, the late Dr. Steve Hardy (John Beradino), was General Hospital’s chief of staff for years! Alas, Steven Lars returned only long enough to help usher his jailbird mother Heather (Daytime Emmy-winner Alley Mills) off the canvas. Let’s hope a medical crisis requires Dr. Webber to do a consult in 2025 so that Reeves can grace our screens once again.
10. Linden Ashby (Cameron Kirsten, Y&R)
You can’t keep a good man – or a bad man – down. Even if he’s dead! In 2023, after a 20-year absence from Y&R, Ashby reprised Cameron, Sharon’s (Sharon Case) ex-lover, following his release from jail. Sharon killed Cameron to save her daughter Faith (Reylynn Caster) so that was the end of him, right? Not quite. Cameron reappeared this year as part of Sharon’s tortured psyche. She conjured him up in her mind as she grappled with demons. When she was ready to move on, Sharon banished Cameron and he promptly disappeared!
9. Kristian Alfonso (Hope Williams Brady, DAYS)
Alfonso, a fan favorite since her debut in 1983, came back to DAYS earlier this month so that Hope could help her sister/stepmother Julie mourn Doug, Hope’s father and Julie’s husband. The first person Hope saw upon her return to Salem was Peyton Meyer, the man who’s calling himself Doug Williams III, the grandson of Doug Williams. Hope came home as a loving daughter but it didn’t take long for her detective skills to kick in. She’s suspicious about her half-brother.
8. Cassandra Creech (Grace Buckingham, B&B)
Paris Buckingham (Diamond White) and Zoe Buckingham (Kiara Barnes) aren’t on the B&B canvas anymore so, unfortunately, there’s less of a reason for their helicopter mom, Grace, to be on our screens. However, when Taylor (Rebecca Budig) was suffering from heart problems, she checked in with Dr. Buckingham for a consult. Taylor was diagnosed with “broken heart syndrome,” a condition also known as “stress cardiomyopathy.” It’s what occurs when stress results in some physical heart ailments. Maybe Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) will help heal that condition as he and Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) are having problems?
7. Colton Little and Christopher Sean (Andrew Donovan and Paul Narita, DAYS)
Andrew popped back into Salem not too long ago to deliver some somber news to Marlena – her beloved husband John was summoned away on business so he couldn’t be there for their anniversary. But his visit wasn’t all work. Andrew’s boyfriend Paul had come to town for his dad John and Marlena’s anniversary and, upon seeing Andrew, Paul proposed marriage. Andrew joyfully accepted! Let’s hope we get to see this engagement and marriage play out on the Peacock drama.
6. Brighton Hertford and Ryan Carnes (B.J./Angela and Lucas, GH)
Soaps are famous for bringing back familiar faces for characters’ funerals. GH took this a step further by tracking down former child actress Brighton Hertford, who played B.J. Jones, Bobbie Spencer’s (Jacklyn Zeman) adopted daughter, to appear in Bobbie’s memorial episodes.
In one of GH’s most memorable storylines, little B.J. was declared brain-dead following a school bus accident. Her heart was donated to her dying cousin Maxie (now, Kirsten Storms). The show’s writers created the part of “Angela Brighton,” a reporter who attended Bobbie’s service. While Angela being B.J.’s spirit wasn’t revealed until her second episode, savvy GH fans figured it out soon after she popped up on screen. Also, fan-favorite Ryan Carnes reprised Lucas, Bobbie’s adopted son, for the solemn occasion.
5. Rebecca Budig (Taylor Hayes, B&B)
To say that B&B went with a different type to play Taylor would be an understatement. Krista Allen, the show’s previous Taylor, bears a resemblance to OG version Hunter Tylo. Social media posters quipped that Budig, who became the show’s new Taylor this year, was too young to play the part, noting that she might have been better cast as a resurrected Phoebe, Taylor’s deceased daughter! Budig, beloved as Greenlee on All My Children, however, has made Taylor her own by turning in consistent and reliable work. A lesser actress would have resorted to grandstanding to put her mark on Taylor. Budig’s won us over with her authenticity. This doctor is in!
4. Maree Cheatham (Marie Horton, DAYS)
Cheatham, DAYS’ sole surviving original cast member, drove lots of storylines in the show’s early days. During her brief return, her character, Marie, paid tribute to her late parents, Tom (Macdonald Carey) and Alice (Frances Reid). While Cheatham didn’t play Marie during the character’s love triangle with Neil (Joe Gallison) and Liz (Gloria Loring) in the early 1980s, Cheatham bantered back and forth with Loring’s Liz as if they’d been scene partners for years! Fortunately, Marie and Liz buried the hatchet – well, we think they did. Cheatham’s another long-lost Horton whom we would love to see on a regular basis.
3. Jess Walton (Jill Abbott, Y&R)
Whether she appears via video conference or in person, Y&R viewers are always glad to see Walton return to the storytelling canvas. One of the show’s most celebrated actresses, Walton has won two Daytime Emmys for her portrayal of Jill Foster Abbott. She brings energy, history, and gravitas to each and every scene in which she appears. Here’s hoping we see more of Walton and Jill in 2025.
1. Gloria Loring (Liz Chandler, DAYS) and Rick Hearst (Ric Lansing, GH)
Both Loring and Hearst’s returns are our top choices for Best Soap Opera Returns 2024!
In the early 1980s, bad girl-turned-heroine Liz established herself as one of DAYS’s most popular leading ladies. Liz’s controlling husband Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) had forbidden his wife to tell true love Neil that she cared about him but he couldn’t stop Liz from singing her feelings. Liz’s emotional rendition of “Always on My Mind” told viewers how she truly felt. That was soap opera star-crossed romance at its finest!
DAYS invited Loring, after a 36-year absence, back to the show so she could pay tribute to the late, great Bill Hayes (ex-Doug). Loring, known for her duet hit song with Carl Anderson, Friends & Lovers, walked back onto the show as if no time at all had passed. The show revealed that during Liz’s time away from Salem, she has given birth to two sons (a likely nod to Loring’s two real-life sons Brennan Thicke and singer Robin Thicke). We saw just how much Liz cared for Doug as a friend and professional supporter through flashbacks. Her visit to Salem was brief but memorable. We’re hoping that DAYS brings Liz back again in the near future!
GH scored a big victory when it brought back three-time Daytime Emmy-winner Hearst as cutthroat attorney Ric Lansing. The show gave Hearst a terrific storyline and he ran with it! Ric re-entered the scene at just the right time – when his daughter Molly (Kristen Vaganos) came into conflict with her half-sister Kristina (Kate Mansi), whose father just happens to be Ric’s half-brother Sonny.
In court, Ric went in for the kill when he cross-examined Kristina, who demanded justice from Ava Jerome (Maura West), the woman Kristina blamed for the death of her unborn daughter. Ric keenly used the surrogate mother’s emotions against her when she was on the witness stand, resulting in jury members finding reasonable doubt. Even attorney Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn), who doesn’t care for Ric at all, couldn’t help but admire Ric’s legal acumen. Bravo to Hearst for not missing a beat since reprising his role.
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