[canflam]

More news: CBS is developing its first Black daytime soap opera in 35 years

CBS and the NAACP are teaming up to develop an all-new soap opera — the first new daytime drama with a predominantly Black cast to air on TV in decades.

The series, currently titled The Gates, will follow the lives of a wealthy Black family in a "posh, gated community," according to a news release from the NAACP.

The show is set to air on CBS and is produced by both CBS Studios and the NAACP, which formed a new production venture to help elevate diverse voices and increase the visibility of Black creatives on TV and streaming media.

The Gates will be written by daytime soap opera veteran Michele Val Jean, who will also serve as executive producer and showrunner.

Val Jean has written more than 2,000 episodes of daytime television and won multiple Daytime Emmy awards for her work on The Bold & The Beautiful and General Hospital — two of the three remaining daytime soaps currently on TV, the NAACP said.

"The Gates will be everything we love about daytime drama, from a new and fresh perspective," Sheila Ducksworth, president of the CBS Studios NAACP venture said in a statement.

Ducksworth, who was appointed in 2020 to lead the joint venture between CBS and the NAACP, added that the series will have "impactful representation," as it will salute an audience that has routinely been underserved.

"I'm so profoundly touched by the overwhelmingly positive response to #TheGates," Val Jean wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the series announcement.

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/08/12366...pera-the-gates

[Butterfly85]

That's great to hear if they do it right. Soaps have a history of writing AA characters horribly. They either sacrifice them for other characters, ruin them in the most insulting way, or just have them as tokens that only show up once a month and never get a real storyline.

[canflam]

Agreed.

Exclusive: Soap Faves Team Up For New Drama

Adam Huss, Vincent Irizarry and Jordi Vilasuso are at work on a new digital drama series.

Here’s some exciting news for soap fans: Vincent Irizarry (ex-Deimos, DAYS; ex-David, ALL MY CHILDREN et al), Jordi Vilasuso (ex-Rey, Y&R; ex-Dario, DAYS et al) and Adam Huss (who recently wrapped his most recent run as GH’s Nikolas) have all joined the ensemble cast of a new digital drama series called THE BLVD, which begins production this week in Los Angeles. Sonia Blangiardo, a DAYS director and with producer credits on multiple soaps, is serving as a consulting producer, and Nicholle Tom, sister of B&B star Heather Tom (Katie), will also appear in the series

Created by Devanny Pinn, THE BLVD is set in the fast-paced world of a boutique public relations agency during awards season. Promising to deliver “an irresistible blend of intrigue, rivalry and romance,” the six-episode series is expected to debut its first episode this spring. According to the show’s official synopsis, “Owned by entertainment titan Persephone Reed, PR Haus is the most prestigious boutique publicity firm in Los Angeles. The group of talented professionals who make up the company work tirelessly to shape the public perception of their celebrity clientele…. Each episode of THE BLVD showcases an insider’s perspective into the intricate world of red carpets, press junkets, and photo shoots that make up this exciting and demanding period that all comes to an explosive head at the season finale. Whose client will not survive their scandal? Which Haus agent will be fired? And will the firm achieve their ultimate goal: winning at the season’s biggest awards show?”

“At its core, THE BLVD is a story about ambition, self-discovery and the lengths people will go to succeed in the competitive world of Hollywood,” says Pinn. Adds Producer Michelle Romano (who also appears in the show): “We are all so proud of this project and excited for audiences to see it.”

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/cont...tter%20ACTIVES

[My Kind Of Crazy]

‘The Young And The Restless’ Star Melody Thomas Scott On Her 45th Anniversary & Why Soaps Continue To Survive – Guest Column

[canflam]

Thanks for that link.

[canflam]

Robyn Bernard, Who Played Terry Brock on ‘General Hospital,’ Dies at 64

Robyn Bernard, who played Terry Brock on “General Hospital” for 6 years and also acted in France, died Tuesday in San Jacinto, Calif. She was 64.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s department confirmed her death Wednesday and said they found Bernard in an open field behind a business. Cause of death has not been revealed and local detectives are investigating.

Bernard, born May 26, 1959, in Gladewater, Texas, was drawn to performance from a young age. She got her start singing gospel songs with her younger sister Crystal, who went on to star on the 1990 sitcom “Wings.”

Robyn Bernard was credited as Bernard Robin for her first credited role in Jean-Jacques Beneix’s stylish 1981 French hit “Diva.”

She would go on to guest star on shows such as “Whiz Kids,” “The Facts of Life” and “Simon and Simon.”

Bernard started on “General Hospital” in September 1984. During her time on the drama series, which holds the record for the longest running American soap opera in production, she played feisty Terry Brock, aka Terry O’Connor. Her character would develop a drinking problem that crippled her music career. She exited the show in March 1990 when Terry landed a recording deal and left the town of Port Charles.

While still working on “General Hospital,” Bernard reunited with Beneix for a small role in his 1986 French romance “Betty Blue,” which would go on to score a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and a BAFTA.

After her days on “General Hospital,” Bernard worked infrequently as an actor, appearing in the French miniseries “Maigret” in 1992 and in a Gallic film entitled “Kings for a Day” in 1997. Her final role was as a psychologist in the 2002 film “Voices from High School.”

Bernard is survived by her sisters Crystal and Scarlett as well as her father Jerry Wayne Bernard.

https://variety.com/2024/tv/obituari...al-1235941270/

[Sandy0401]

How sad for her and her family

[canflam]

Yes. I have not seen her act before. She had a few guest appearances on some shows including ''The Facts of Live'', but mostly was on ''General Hospital''.

YOUNG AND RESTLESS Recasts Harrison!

Kellen Enriquez, the pint-size actor who originated the role of Kyle’s son, Harrison, in 2021, is exiting the show and has been replaced by Redding Munsell.

Harrison joined the Genoa City ranks at the age of three, with the introductions of his mother, Tara Locke, and her husband, Ashland Locke. Soon, it was revealed that Kyle was actually the tot’s bio dad. Ashley and Tara divorced, and she went to prison for embezzlement. Ashland and Kyle shared custody of Harrison until Locke died in 2022. Summer stepped in as her stepson’s mother figure and even though she and Kyle are now divorced, she remains committed to her raising Harrison.

Harrison’s latest portrayer is also set to star in Hurricanna along with A Martinez (ex-Cruz, SANTA BARBARA et al) and Michael Nouri (ex-Caleb, ALL MY CHILDREN et al). Munsell will be first seen in the role on April 12.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/cont...asts-harrison/

[Holland Fan Forever]

Originally Posted by canflam (View Post) Chris Van Etten & Dan O'Connor are being replaced by those 2 you mentioned yesterday here. Should be interesting to see how it goes.

It's not going well in my opinion.

[canflam]

Anything specifically about the writing that has been frustrating to you on ''General Hospital'' lately?

[canflam]

Hey all. Here is a link to the list of Daytime Emmy nominees this year:
https://ew.com/2024-daytime-emmy-nom...l-list-8635876

[Holland Fan Forever]

Originally Posted by canflam (View Post) Anything specifically about the writing that has been frustrating to you on ''General Hospital'' lately?

The writing has been awful across the board, that's nothing new really in my opinion.

[canflam]

Well, there has been stuff happening on it, such as Jason's return recently & Harrison & Brook Lynn's upcoming wedding. I did not like Nina gossiping about John & Carly. Was not needed.

[Holland Fan Forever]

This is disappointing but not surprising,
Nicholas Alexander Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital as Spencer (Exclusive)
Here's a link, https://tvline.com/casting-news/gene...3352/#comments

[canflam]

Darn it. He has not bern gone long. Unsure why this needed to be announced so soon. Anyway, I wish him well.