They said they would recast, and they did. As the World Turns announced on Wednesday that Noelle Beck — whom daytime fans surely remember as the super-dewy Trisha (as in Trisha-and-Steve/chump and Trisha-and-Trucker) on ABC's Loving — will be succeeding Martha Byrne in the role of Lily Snyder beginning Thursday, May 8.Me, I thought the beautiful Beck's post-daytime career was definitely going somewhere when she turned up in Fletch Lives. But then... not much happened. Most recently, she appeared in an episode of Cashmere Mafia. — Matt Webb MitovichRelated:• Martha Byrne on Exiting ATWT: "I Was True to Myself"• Martha Byrne Exits As the World Turns
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Martha Byrne wasn't planning to say much publicly about her shocking decision to quit As the World Turns. But then the show's executive producer, Chris Goutman, issued a statement saying, "We made Martha an incredibly generous offer in hopes that she would remain a valuable member of the ATWT cast. Unfortunately, Martha has decided to leave despite our best efforts to keep her." And that was something Byrne couldn't ignore. Here, the two time Emmy-winning actress — who will end her run as Lily Snyder next month — tells us what really went down in those contract talks. — Michael LoganTVGuide.com: Your fans are furious about this, and I know because I'm one of 'em! What the hell happened here? Martha Byrne: This was the situation: Last year, I was asked to take a tremendous pay cut, and I did so willingly because I love ATWT and understood the financial situation the show was facing. I was willing to do anything to keep the show going, including giving up money, so...
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This totally sucks. Procter & Gamble has confirmed that two-time Emmy winner Martha Byrne will soon exit As the World Turns. Other websites are reporting that the fan fave — who plays Lily Snyder — nixed an insulting offer to re-sign her contract. Not so, claims the soap’s executive producer Chris Goutman. “We made Martha an incredibly generous offer in hopes that she would remain a valuable member of the ATWT cast,” Goutman says in a statement. “Unfortunately, Martha has decided to leave despite our best efforts to keep her.” Those close to the situation swear that’s no baloney. “When Goutman says ‘generous,’ he means it — the offer was generous by anyone’s standards,” insists one longtime staffer. “I don’t know what else the show could have done for Martha.” The actress, who is still taping episodes, will be off the air by April. Word is, a recast is likely. —Michael Logan
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Best Soap: One Life to LiveIt started the year utterly crappy thanks to head writer Dena Higley, but after Erika Slezak (our hero!) royally blasted Higley on the Web, ABC fired the scribe and promoted wonder boy Ron Carlivati. Like magic, the show instantly regained its heart, its thrills, its smarts. The cast is a dream, especially Slezak, whose Viki found heaven in a Texas diner, Catherine Hickland as crazy (or is she?) Lindsay and Tuc Watkins as that gold-digging man-whore David. Once again, we're loving Life!Best Actress: The Young and the Restless' Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki)As the distraught mama faced with divorce and a comatose daughter, she pulled out all the stops, then pulled out a few more we never knew existed. This was deep, blistering work. Plus the lady gets extra points for acting sans makeup on high-def TV!Best Actor: As the World Turns' Jon Hensley (Holden)His quiet, no-baloney performance was a relief in a year of so much male showboating. Whether playing Holden'...
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As the World Turns fans, our wish is granted! Italian stallion Paolo Seganti — who played Lily's ex-husband, Damian Grimaldi — reports back to work on the CBS soap's set in mid-April. That means Damian will return to Oakdale just in time for May sweeps.
"Part of what interested me in coming back is that my son Luke (Van Hansis) is gay," Seganti tells TVGuide.com. "This story line is so different, and that's cool."
Between ATWT stints, Seganti has done film work in Europe and spent quality time with his family on their 20-acre property in Tuscany. "Martha Byrne (Lily) and I are still best buddies. She's always asking me to come back, and one day I got a call from [executive producer] Chris Goutman," he says. "I could stay for th
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