As the World Turns
News (Page 19)

With all the cast changes going on at As the World Turns, here's a rundown of which actors are out and who is on the way in...

Out
Grayson McCouch (last airdate January 18)
Wally Kurth (finishsed taping in early January)
Scott Bryce (last airdate TBD)
Cady McClain (last airdate TBD)
Ryan Serhant (last airdate February 14)
Jennifer Landon (last airdate TBD)
Jesse Soffer (last airdate TBD)

In
Billy Magnussen (first airs as Casey on January 29)
Eric William Morris (first airs as Matt on February 11)
Dominic Fumusa (first airs as Gray in February)

Here's a bit of sad, breaking news:

Scott Bryce has been let go from As the World Turns. We'll let you know when we have more details.

InTurn - the reality show in which actors compete for a 13-week gig on As the World Turns - is coming back for a third season.

Here's the advice that InTurn 2 winner Ryan Serhant, currently appearing as Evan Walsh IV, has for the next nine, courtesy of Soap Opera Digest:

Soap Opera Digest: What do you think should happen in InTurn 3?
Ryan Serhant: Personally, I think InTurn kind of does it the wrong way. I'd like to see it be a contest for a specific character. I think it would be a lot more interesting for viewers, since they're always bringing on new characters, like Sofie, Cole, Chris, Casey ... I'm not singling anyone else, I'm just saying that if within the next year they knew they were bringing on a new character or some sort of recast, that InTurn could be a competition for that.

InTurn has nine completely different actors. To single anyone else is pretty biased. It makes me kind of uncomfortable. To say that I was the best is complete bull.

Digest: Do you keep in touch with anyone?
Serhant: Lauretta Vaughn, definitely, because she's there all the time. The others, not so much, because no one else lives in the city.

On upcoming episodes of As the World Turns...

• Meg holds the key to Craig's freedom.

• Lily (Martha Byrne) gets revenge on Emily.

• Barbara faces a critical decision.

• Vienna encourages Brad.

• Dusty prepares to blow Chris (Dylan Bruce) out of the water.

A New Year begins in Oakdale with a new resolution:

Noah opens up his home to Luke. Check out Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann doing their thing now:

Earlier this week, Ryan Serhant blogged about his stint on As the World Turns:

Today was my last day at As The World Turns. I've known since the beginning of my contract what Evan's purpose was and that he would only be on the canvas for 14 weeks. I was hoping that Evan might have gotten a little meatier of a storyline, and not be so useless, but with the writer's strike, certain (things) had to be overlooked.

But I came in and I went out the way I was told in the beginning, so I'm happy about that. Evan's last day is February 14th.

I am so grateful for these last few months and they could not have come at a better time for me. The contract win was not what I expected, but I tried to do the best with whaht I was given. I met some amazing people in Oakdalelynn, and I learned a lot.

I will miss everyone I had the pleasure of working with. But Evan's best days are yet to air, so don't give up on him yet!

So, it's obvious that Evan is the one who poisoned Bob and will off Dusty, isn't it? There wasn't much doubt before, but this pretty much seals that deal.

Fans of As the World Turns - and, specifically, the gay couple of Luke and Noah - have begun a "Kiss Campaign." Its goal?

To coax CBS and Procter & Gamble Productions into giving these cuties another on-screen liplock (especially since some primo opportunities were conspicuously dodged in recent weeks).

"Soaps, like all businesses, live and die by consumer response to a product," campaign founder Jerome wrote at AfterElton.com. "And while email complaint letters certainly get noticed, it's the more-grandiose gestures that usually succeed in eliciting a response."

Therefore, Jerome is calling on Luke-Noah (Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann, respectively) supporters to flood CBS Daytime Programs SVP Barbara Bloom with Hershey's Kisses.

"The symbolism," Jerome notes, "is obvious."

Dominic Fumusa is joining the cast of As The World Turns.

The actor will portray the role of Matt and will be included in Casey’s return to Oakdale. Look for Fumusa to appear in early February.

Want a look at upcoming As the World Turns stories and episodes for the week? Here you go...

• Carly and Sam share a close moment.

• Katie chooses to put the Snyder men behind her.

• Meg fears Craig (Scott Bryce, pictured) will go too far.

• Emily and Dusty face off.

• Noah puts pressure on Luke (Van Hansis).

Martha Byrne took over the role of Lucy Deakins on As the World Turns in 1985. She won an Emmy in 1987 for it.

Ont he series, Byrne's character ended up marrying Derek, who died in an explosion meant for her in 1989. A badly burned Lily subsequently left town, as Byrne herself took off for Hollywood.

"I've gone as far as I can go with Lily," she told Soap Opera Digest back then. "The character needs a break, and so do I."

From there, Heather Rattray took over as a colder, cynical Lily in 1990. It was this Lily who eventually wed Holden in an elaborate ceremony, but Jon Hensley (who portrays Holden) admits:

"We didn't have that underlying chemistry that you need to make it work day in and day out."

So Rattray was dismissed and then-Head Writer Douglas Marland lured Byrne back to As the World Turns in 1993, when Rattray was leaving.

"I was more than happy to come back because he was writing and he had great ideas. Then, unfortunately, he passed away before I started taping," said Byrne, who later added. "I'll stay on As the World Turns as long as they want me."