EOnline.com

Earlier in the winter it was announced that former “Real Housewives of New Jersey” cast member Dina Manzo has joined the cast of the upcoming online soap opera, “Tainted Dreams.” With drama that can only rival the antics seen on soap operas encompassing the New Jersey edition of the popular Bravo “Real Housewives” franchise, Manzo decided that enough was enough by the close of Season 2 and bid adieu. [Manzo's siblings, Caroline and Chris, remain regulars on the series.] Following her “Real Housewives” exit, Manzo landed the more easy-going reality series “Dina’s Party” on HGTV. On her impending move to scripted serial drama, Manzo – a long-time “One Life to Live” fan – exclaims to Celebuzz.com that she is “excited to be part of a project centered around the rich, proud heritage of NYC-based daytime drama.”

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ABC

On today’s edition of “The View,” Susan Lucci revealed that the return of her alter ego, Erica Kane, to the online relaunch of “All My Children” is currently not in the cards. Fans of the popular soap opera and the legendary character should not despair though. The petite diva enthusiastically added, “I want with all my heart to return.” Lucci further elaborated to the women of “The View” that all the parties involved are “working so hard to make that [return] happen.”

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WireImage

On Monday, February 11, Paos Revolution, the team behind the upcoming “On Air” film starring “All My Children‘s” Jordi Vilasuso (Dr. Griffin Castillo) and Alicia Minshew (ex-Kendall Hart) announced the launch of their official website. “The launch of paosrevolution.com is the first step of our plan to connect fans to the soap actors and insiders they love. Founding partners Jordi Vilasuso, Dock (Jeff Dockweiler) and John Homa are committed to creating an interactive actor friendly environment,” said a press release announcing the launch.

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Edward Herrera/ABC

With Prospect Park now signing agreements with key unions SAG-AFTRA (actors), the DGA (directors),  and the WGA (writers), with an expectation to begin filming episodes of “All My Children” as soon as next month, we wondered who you wanted to see act on the soap when it moves to the web. Your choices can include past actors as well as wishful casting (recast and new characters are welcomed). We also wondered who you want to join the writing team now that thousands of writers are at Prospect Park’s disposal courtesy of their agreement with the WGA, as well as who you want to direct episodes of the series. Keep in mind that Agnes Nixon, who created both “AMC” and “One Life to Live,” is currently working as a consultant for Prospect Park, according to Foz McDermott, head of production for TOLN (Prospect Park’s The Online Network). Also note that actors Jordi Vilasuso (Dr. Griffin Castillo), Darnell Williams (Jesse Hubbard), Debbi Morgan (Dr. Angela Hubbard), Vincent Irizarry (Dr. David Hayward) and Lindsay Hartley (Dr. Cara Castillo) are all confirmed as signing on to return to “AMC” when it moves to the web. Alicia Minshew (ex-Kendall Hart) has reported that she’s been approached, while Cameron Mathison (ex-Ryan Lavery) hope’s he can be involved. There’s no word yet on the status of Susan Lucci (ex-Erica Kane), who was the only original cast member from the first season of “AMC” that had remained with the show without interruption from its debut on January 5, 1970 through its final ABC broadcast on September 23, 2011.

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Yolanda Perez/ABC

In a posting on her Twitter page just a short time ago, former “All My Children” star Alicia Minshew  revealed that she has been approached by Prospect Park to return to the soap in the role of Kendall Hart. “I’m so happy for all of you getting your ‘AMC‘ and ‘OLTL’ shows back!” Minshew commented. “Many of you have asked me-Yes I have been approached. No news yet!”

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“I wish she’d tell me what she was thinking” are the first spoken words in the teaser trailer for the upcoming  film “On Air” by Paos Revolution, a new production company formed by Jordi Vilasuso (“All My Children,” “Guidiing Light”) and acting coaches from “AMC” and “General Hospital.” The film will tell the fictionalized story of life after a popular soap opera gets canceled and how the stars of the program are forced to move on.

In the teaser, Vilasuso is joined by former “AMC” co-star Alicia Minshew, whose character says that she “gave ten years of [her] life to that show. I still can’t believe we got canceled.” While the line provides an unintentional punch to soap fans still reeling from the loss of the ABC drama series as Minshew portrayed Kendall Hart on the program for nearly ten years, it does show that life does go on. While we will no longer be seeing some of our favorite stars portraying some of our all-time favorite characters, the business of soaps will continue in one form or another.

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Alicia Minshew (ex-Kendall Hart Slater, “All My Children“) is currently off filming her new movie, “Desires of the Heart” in Savannah, GA and now Soap Opera Network is happy to report the film has unveiled its Facebook page for fans to take a look at the journey to making the film.

Photo Credit: Maryann Bates Photography

In “Heart,” Minshew portrays Madeline, a young artist who catches the attention of a psychiatrist (Val Lauren) visiting from India. While their romance blossoms, her new love is forced to return to India in order to marry the woman chosen as his bride by his parents.

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Photo Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

UPDATE, TUESDAY, AUGUST 21 1:10 PM ET: A previous version of this articles title indicated that “Desires of the Heart” was an Indian film. Soap Opera Network has since been told that while the film will be made by an Indian producer/executive producer and co-director, and despite the film taking place partially in India itself, “Heart” is “not an Indian film.”

PREVIOUS, MONDAY, AUGUST 13 11:55 PM ET: According to The Hollywood Reporter, former “All My Children” starlet Alicia Minshew (ex-Kendall Hart) has landed a major role in the new film “Desires of the Heart,” which began production in Savannah, GA on Monday, August 13.

In the film, Minshew will portray the role of Madeline, a young artist who catches the attention of a psychiatrist visiting from India. While their romance blossoms, her new love is forced to return to India in order to marry the woman chosen as his bride by his parents.

Executive produced by Solila Parida and directed by James Kicklighter, with co-direction in India provided by Rajesh Rathi, “Heart” will move production to India after completing work in Georgia.

Val Lauren, who starred in the James Franco (“General Hospital“) directed 2011 film “Sal,” will portray the psychiatrist in the film. Lauren has previously appeared in episodes of “Felicity,” “CSI: New York,” and “Hawaii Five-0.”

No release date for the film has been announced.

via Press Release

Investigation Discovery

BELOVED SOAP STARS OF PAST AND PRESENT HOST NEW DAYTIME PROGRAMMING BLOCK ON INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY: DAYS OF OUR KNIVES

– Daytime Block Launches Monday, August 20 from 1-4 PM E/P –

– Includes First Look at DEADLY AFFAIRS with Susan Lucci, Airing September 3 at 1 PM E/P in the Original All My Children Timeslot –

(Beverly Hills, CA) – Walking in on your beau bedding your best friend… Halting your wedding because your evil twin stole your spot at the altar… Discovering that your mortal enemy is really your long-lost sibling. These may seem like the plotlines of a delicious daytime soap, but sensational stories are anything but fiction on Investigation Discovery. Dishing out the drama of blindsided betrayals, mistaken identities, and deadly deceptions, ID is staking its claim on real-life soap operas with the launch of daytime programming block DAYS OF OUR KNIVES on Monday, August 20 from 1-4 PM E/P. By enlisting adored soap stars to host themed programming each weekday, ID will provide a new alternative to devoted soap fans searching for new “stories” to turn to. Hosting the block each day will be talent hailing from the drama that started it all, Guiding Light¸ to the now-longest running soap currently in production, General Hospital.

“Investigation Discovery is already the home of guilty pleasure programming, but perhaps there is no more popular example of a classic guilty pleasure than the soap opera,” said Henry Schleiff, president and general manager of Investigation Discovery. “With ID being the #4 network in daytime for Women 25-54*, we realized that soap fans already love The Young and the Restless so let’s give it to them ID-style: the young and the reckless!”

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Oxygen Media

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Noting the nations thirst for New Jersey based reality entertainment, in the summer of 2010, the cable network Oxygen jumped into the fray with “Jersey Couture.” Except for being based in New Jersey, viewers will not see much similarities between this series and the eccentricities of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of New Jersey” and MTV‘s “Jersey Shore.” “Jersey Couture” rather takes a page from TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress.” Both programs share the same producers. This reality series follows the fun and drama surrounding the Scali family (and their customers) as they run Diane & Co., one of New Jersey’s premiere dress boutiques.

When the series debuts its second season, Diane Scali and daytime fans will be excited to see a familiar face or two walk into the New Jersey boutique. Former “All My Children” star Alicia Minshew, who played Kendall Hart on the cancelled serial from 2002 to 2011, stops by Diane & Co. looking for some red-carpet looks. Minshew brings along former co-star Ricky Paull Goldin (who has starred on”Another World,” “Guiding Light” and “AMC“) to assist on her mission.

The following is the full synopsis of the two half-hour installments marking the season premiere of “Jersey Couture” airing on Tuesday, February 7 on Oxygen:

10:00 P.M. ET/PT (Episode Title: Say Yes to Excess): Three clients come to Diane & Co. to look for the perfect dress for their individual events. Chelsea wants to be the belle of the ball at the Marine Corps Ball, Tenin is going to her album release party and wants all eyes on her when she walks into the room and Alexandra – who hasn’t worn a dress in 20 years – needs the perfect number for her book launch party in Texas. If that wasn’t enough to keep the Scali ladies busy, Kimberly is a few weeks away from having a baby, and she’s still working in heels. She is ready for a break, but Christina doesn’t want to be stuck doing all the work. The sisters decide to try to talk Diane into letting them hire an assistant. Will Diane go for it?

10:30 P.M. ET/PT (Episode Title: All My Dresses): Diane is in for the surprise of a lifetime when one of her favorite “All My Children” actors, Alicia Minshew, comes in to the store looking for dresses for her red carpet events. Is Alicia ready for red carpet glam Jersey style? Later, a pageant princess battles with her mom over her pricey dream dress. How will the Scalis handle the dresses and the drama this season?

Watch a supertease for Season Two of “Jersey Couture”: