ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Last week, interviews released by The Hollywood Reporter had Alicia Minshew, one of ‘All My Children‘s” most popular stars, directly quoted as saying she was “ready to move on” when asked about continuing with the 41-year old soap as it goes online. In the same interview, Minshew did concede she would be open to continuing with the show with a reduced schedule but that Prospect Park had yet to contact her to begin discussing terms. On Tuesday, the actress revealed to Soap Opera Digest that she is now in talks with the production company that licensed “AMC” and things are looking “really promising” for her to continue with the soap opera that put her on the map.

Talking with Digest, Minshew clarifies that she has never had any intention of just walking away from “AMC” which she feels appeared to get lost in the translation of the interview released last week. The 37-year old actress is married to a New York based restauranteur, Richie Herschenfeld, and notes at that some point she will have to return to the East Coast. The mother of a soon-to-be 2-year-old daughter, Willow, says for her it comes down to what is best for her and her family. She is hopeful something can be worked out, noting the people she is communicating with from Prospect Park “are really nice and really smart and they get it. They understand about family, which I love.”

Minshew debuted in the role of Kendall Hart in January 2002. The role was, of course, originated by Sarah Michelle Gellar from 1993 to 1995. (Gellar, who has moved on to prime-time television success, will make a brief cameo appearance on the Wednesday, September 21 episode of “AMC.”) Minshew has earned two Daytime Emmy nominations for her work as Erica Kane’s (Susan Lucci) oft-time rebellious first-born; a Supporting Actress nomination in 2009 and she landed in the prestigious Lead Actress category for her work in 2010. The actress reportedly recently turned down an offer to star on, as of 2012, one of the four remaining network soap operas.

Minshew is scheduled to appear with several of her co-stars on a special edition of “The View” on Friday, September 23. “AMC” last airs on ABC Daytime later that same afternoon.

CBS

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Daytime Confidential reports that long-time “All My Children” casting director Judy Blye Wilson has decided to move on to CBS’ “The Young and the Restless.” The report indicates that Wilson had hoped to remain on the soap she has spent twenty years casting but the production company that licensed “AMC,” Prospect Park, failed to reach out to her.

Since 1991, Wilson has acted as the casting director for “AMC.” Along with other high-level executives at the soap, that means she has had an influential hand in the hiring of cast members ranging from current A-listers Sarah Michelle Gellar and Josh Duhamel to rising prime-time television and movie stars Micheal B. Jordan, Eva la Rue, Shannon Kane, Kelli Giddish and Leven Rambin. She also played a hand in discovering most of “Y&R‘s” current cast – including Billy Miller, Jeff Branson and Eden Riegel (“Y&R” also recently acquired Debbi Morgan who is not a Wilson find) – and that may be part of the reason the number one soap in the U.S.A. extended the award-winning casting director an offer.

Before joining “AMC,” Wilson acted as the casting director of “Ryan’s Hope” from 1981 to 1987 and held the same position at “One Life to Live” from 1988 to 1991. She won three consecutive Daytime Emmy’s for her casting on “AMC” extending from 2001 thru 2004. She has been awarded ten Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America for her casting work on “AMC” (1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008). She may add another Artios Award to her shelf this November.

(L) Jordan Nuttall/The CW; (R) Cliff Lipson/CBS

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Eva LaRue and Sarah Michelle Gellar reunited with some of their former co-stars on the set of “All My Children” earlier today. The two beautiful women taped their scenes scheduled to air on Wednesday, September 21. Continue to read to find out who Gellar will be playing. Soap Opera Network also investigated to find out if this episode is it for LaRue.

With scripts reportedly being manipulated due to “AMC” receiving a new lease on life on the internet, it appears to be impacting more than one return to the program. As we reported earlier this week, Julia Barr‘s return was cut short. LaRue’s spokesperson tells Soap Opera Network that her appearance with Gellar will indeed be her next and final appearance on the soap on ABC. The actress who last appeared on the soap in July for two episodes was originally slated to air in three more episodes before “AMC” ended its run on ABC on Friday, September 23.

On her official Twitter feed, LaRue describes the scenes with Gellar that she affectionately refers to as cheesy. Paying homage to Gellar’s run on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and possibly to ”AMC’s” current bizarre umbrella story that has several character returning from certain death thanks to a miracle drug regime, Sarah will be playing Dr. Maria Santos psychiatric patient. Dr. Santos’ patient insists she’s surrounded by … vampires!

© J. Graylock/jpistudios.com

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Julia Barr will bring Brooke English back to Pine Valley on Friday, September 16, which means, if the soap can take a break from exploring Dr. David Hayward’s (Vincent Irizarry) God complex in-depth, Barr will air in six episodes at the most before “All My Children” airs its series finale on ABC on Friday, September 23.

Barr initially reported she was due to tape nine episodes. Her return was most likely impacted by the 41-year old soap being picked up for continuation on the internet – and potentially cable – by production company Prospect Park. ABC Daytime Chief Brian Frons recently reported that the move meant that the last few weeks of “AMC” script had to be manipulated to apply a more ongoing and less of a finale tone.

Barr joined the cast of “AMC” in 1976 as the troubled niece of delightful socialite Phoebe Wallingford (Ruth Warrick). For thirty years, fans were spellbound as Barr took us on a journey through Brooke’s many personal and professional trials and tribulations. Barr’s most memorable work as Brooke included her numerous verbal sparring matches with Erica, her romance with Adam, and the heart-breaking death of Brooke’s baby daughter Laura. In 2006, Barr was told she could only remain on cast if she agreed to a downgrade to recurring status. She decided to exit. In 2010, Barr returned as the love of Adam Chandler’s life to usher David Canary off the canvas in top form.

As previously reported, Sarah Michelle Gellar (ex-Kendall) pops up with Eva La Rue (Maria) on Wednesday, September 21 and is scheduled to tape those scenes this week, according to sources. Gellar will appear as a new character; La Rue appeared in two episodes of “AMC” in July and was scheduled to appear in three more episodes before the ABC finale.

Agnes Nixon will appear on “AMC” beginning with the Wednesday, August 31 episode and continuing through Thursday, September 1. Carol Burnett (Verla) will air on Tuesday, September 6 and Wednesday, September 7. Leven Rambin (Lily), Alexa Havins (Babe), Justin Bruening (Jamie) and, of course, Canary’s return airdates have not been released at this time.

(L) Jordan Nuttall/The CW; (R) Cliff Lipson/CBS

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Earlier this month, Soap Opera Network reported that Sarah Michelle Gellar would be returning to “All My Children” for a cameo appearance before the Friday, September 23 finale, which is when the soap ends its 41-year run on ABC. Now we’ve learned when she’ll first air!

Right after learning the aforementioned news in April, the actress,  who won a Daytime Emmy for her portrayal of Kendall Hart in 1995 as the first-born of Erica Kane (Susan Lucci), began campaigning for a short return stint as a new character. It has been revealed that Gellar will appear on the Wednesday, September 21 episode in scenes opposite another former memorable Pine Valley star and her real-life best friend Eva LaRue.

Gellar appeared on “AMC” from 1993 to 1995. In 1997, the actress, who recently turned 34-years old, landed the lead role on The WB/UPN network primetime series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” The role helped make Gellar a household name, which will come in handy as she’s set to star in the upcoming CW thriller “Ringer, which premieres Tuesday, September 13.

LaRue ‘portrayal as Dr. Maria Santos lasted from 1993 to 1997 and again from 2002 to 2005. Like Gellar, LaRue was immediately interested in a return after hearing about the soaps cancellation. The actress was signed to return for five episodes, two of which already aired in July. The actress is currently filming the 10th season of her  CBS series “CSI: Miami.” She landed a regular role on the procedural in 2005.

“AMC” is slated to live-on with the help of the internet and potentially cable. The latest reports indicate that Prospect Park, the production company that has licensed both “AMC” and “One Life to Live,” is planning to debut both programs on their new format on Monday, January 16.

The CW

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) – Soap Opera Network first reported that Sarah Michelle Gellar was interested in returning to her roots for a guest appearance in May. Today, the same day that film-star Josh Duhamel first aired on “All My Children” in his return stint as Leo du Pres, it was announced that Gellar’s interest had come to fruition. Early this afternoon, Soap Opera Digest broke the news that he 34-year-old actress will appear on “AMC” for one episode before the September 23 finale on ABC.

Gellar, who has been a fan of the 41-year-old ABC soap almost her entire life, is also a fan of the actress that with much success took over the role of Erica Kane’s first born in 2002, Alicia Minshew. On that note, the actress will not be returning to reprise the role of Kendall Hart. Gellar originated the role in 1993. Of her successor, Minshew, Gellar says, “[it's her] role now. She has made that beyond her own. She’s amazing.” Who will Gellar be playing? She has no idea, yet. The actress tells Digest she is open to playing any role, from a bar patron to the long-missing Bobby Martin’s new ski-bunny wife, as long as she gets to bid the soap that started her career a respectful adieu.

The Daytime Emmy Award winner, who became a mainstream star for her seven season run (1997 to 2003) on the cult-classic and critically acclaimed “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” is set to star on the CW drama-thriller “Ringer“ which debuts in the 2011-2012 prime-time season. Speaking of “AMC” and “Ringer,” Justin Bruening (who is also returning to “AMC” as Tad Martin’s (Michael E. Knight) son for a short stint this summer) will be joining the cast of “Ringer” as a potential love interest for Gellar’s character. The role is recurring. (Bruening had originally been set to star on an NBC reboot of “Wonder Woman” for the 2011-2012 prime-time season; the production was dropped due to expense.) Gellar adds that she believes she is coincidentally set to tape at “AMC” on the same day her new co-star, Bruening, returns to tape his episodes. Update (8/6): Gellar will air on Wednesday, September 21.

Check out the August 23 issue of Digest for more from Gellar pertaining to her return to “AMC.”

WME Entertainment

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — “General Hospital‘s” Amber Tamblyn (ex-Emily Quartermaine) has signed on to star along-side James Franco (Franco) in the upcoming film “127 Hours” by “Slumdog Millionaire” Academy Award winning director Danny Boyle.

The film is about Aron Ralston (Franco), a mountain climber who is forced to cut off his arm with a dull knife in order to save his life after being unable to free the lim from under a boulder. According to Deadline.com‘s Nikki Finke, Tamblyn will portray his girlfriend, whose relationship with Aron will be played out in flashbacks which helps him keep going.

Production on the film is scheduled to begin in March in the state of Utah. The film will be distributed by FOX Searchlight Pictures, a division of News Corporation. In addition to directing, Boyle also co-wrote the screenplay along-side “Slumdog” writing partner Simon Beaufoy.

Since leaving “General Hospital” in 2001, Tamblyn has had starring roles in such series as CBS’ “Joan of Arcadia” and ABC’s “The Unusuals.” She’s appeared in such films as “The Sisters of the Traveling Pants” and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2,” with co-stars America Ferrera (“Ugly Betty“) and Blake Lively (“Gossip Girl”). She’s also starred in the horror films “The Ring” and “The Grudge 2,” which also starred Sarah Michelle Gellar (ex-Kendall Hart, “All My Children“).

James Franco is best known for playing the role of Harry Osborn in the “Spiderman” series of films. Before hitting it big he co-starred in the short-lived NBC comedy series “Freaks and Geeks.” Since then he has starred in a number of high profile films including “Pineapple Express” and Oscar nominated “Milk” with Sean Penn. He joined the cast of “General Hospital” in role of serial killer Franco in November 2009 for a big story arc that is nearing its completion. His character last appeared in early January, but will return in the next few weeks to close out the storyline.