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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Steve Fenn/ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — It was recently announced that Darnell Williams would be joining the cast of “The Young and the Restless” in 2012. The two-time Daytime Emmy Award winner becomes the forth “All My Children” actor to land on the high rated CBS daytime dramas since the 41-year old ABC soap went off the air in September 2011. He joins Jacob Young who returned to “The Bold and the Beautiful” last September, and past and future co-stars Debbi Morgan and Melissa Claire Egan.  

Williams long-time co-star, Morgan, currently plays Harmony on “Y&R,” the long-time absent mother of Devon (Bryton McClure) on the CBS soap. Paired with Morgan, Williams contributed to forming daytime’s first super couple of color on “AMC.” Jesse and Angie Hubbard remain, arguably, the most enduring and famous couple of color created on daytime television. This marks the forth soap that Williams and Morgan have appeared on together, ultimately paired with each other each time. Along with the aforementioned soaps, the actors have appeared on “Loving” and ‘The City” at the same time. Williams started his daytime career on “AMC” in 1981.

In recent years the number one soap in the nation has taken to hiring – and then in several cases firing – former “AMC” actors at a very high rate. Since 2005, “Y&R” has hired Amelia Heinle (Victoria; ex-Mia, “AMC”), Vincent Irizarry (ex-David, “AMC” and “Y&R”), Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe; ex-Maggie, “AMC”), Stacy Haiduk (Patty; ex-Hannah, “AMC”), Eden Riegel (ex-Heather, “Y&R”; ex-Bianca, “AMC”), Billy Miller (Billy; ex-Richie, “AMC”), Jeff Branson (Ronan; ex-Jonathan, “AMC”), Egan (Chelsea ;ex-Annie, “AMC”), Morgan and Williams fresh off their Pine Valley runs.  Fittingly, “Y&R” jumped at the chance to hire “AMC’s” long-time casting director, Judy Blye Wilson, this past fall.

There are currently no details available on whom Williams will be playing on “Y&R” or when he will debut in his new role. Stay tuned.