they do indeed need to be filled. Bianca is a much needed character. In a TV Guide interview released today, Eden states that she was in talks with AMC as recently as six weeks ago, but things just couldn't get ironed out for her to return. In this case, I believe the blame belongs solely on the shoulders of one person. Not Eden, not TPTB at ABC. But Mr. Charles Pratt, Jr. When you destroy a character, making that character unrecognizable not only to the fans but to the actress who portrays her, then, blames your own debacle on said actress, what more can you expect than for that actress to move on. Thank you Mr. Pratt. You are not even employed at AMC anymore and you are still f***ing up my show!Friday, March 5, 2010
CASTING NEWS: Bianca Will Be Recast!!!
Only one day after the news that Eden Riegel (ex-Bianca) has been cast on Y&R, AMC reveals plans to recast the beloved character. Those are some big shoes to fill, but 
they do indeed need to be filled. Bianca is a much needed character. In a TV Guide interview released today, Eden states that she was in talks with AMC as recently as six weeks ago, but things just couldn't get ironed out for her to return. In this case, I believe the blame belongs solely on the shoulders of one person. Not Eden, not TPTB at ABC. But Mr. Charles Pratt, Jr. When you destroy a character, making that character unrecognizable not only to the fans but to the actress who portrays her, then, blames your own debacle on said actress, what more can you expect than for that actress to move on. Thank you Mr. Pratt. You are not even employed at AMC anymore and you are still f***ing up my show!
they do indeed need to be filled. Bianca is a much needed character. In a TV Guide interview released today, Eden states that she was in talks with AMC as recently as six weeks ago, but things just couldn't get ironed out for her to return. In this case, I believe the blame belongs solely on the shoulders of one person. Not Eden, not TPTB at ABC. But Mr. Charles Pratt, Jr. When you destroy a character, making that character unrecognizable not only to the fans but to the actress who portrays her, then, blames your own debacle on said actress, what more can you expect than for that actress to move on. Thank you Mr. Pratt. You are not even employed at AMC anymore and you are still f***ing up my show!
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We couldn't agree with you more! Well said.
I disagree with you about blaming Pratt. Eden, like Dixie comes and goes to AMC like a yoyo and Greenlee isn't that far behind them. This is deeper than Pratt. Yes he ruined AMC a great deal but to get the actress/actor to re-sign I don't believe has anything to do with a writer at all. It's time to move on now if you ask me. Let bygones be bygones. Pratt is well gone now and AMC is on the rebound. If Eden and ABC couldn't come to terms so be it. Sad. They should have jumped through hoops to keep her but I don't think Pratt was even in the negotiations for this one.
I have to agree with Thom. The Yo-yoing in an out of soaps might be one of the reasons these characters end up in crazy, dire storylines. They have to make the most of the character in the time they can get.
Now that being said I didn't believe for one second the I'm going to use your husbands sperm behind your back story-line. It wasn't very Bianca-ish. However, Bianca's decisions in her many trips back have seemed harsh. Main example is Zarf/Bianca story-line. Now don't get me wrong I liked Zoe/Zarf/Jeff Carlson, but think of what the shippers would have to call them "BARF". Terrible idea, AMC. :-)
While an actor might not like where the character goes in a particular story-line, they must realize that this is the magical world of soaps where anything can be undone.
I've always liked Eden as Bianca. She brought this innocence to the role and always seemed to be firmly aware of the characters history. I think it's a shame the role will be recast, but who know maybe the new "Binx" will be an incredible talent.
@Pratt Falls, thanks :)
@Thom and Trevor. I totally get what you are saying and totally agree that the leave/come back thing gets very tiring. But from where I'm sitting, Eden has accepted a lot of what her character has done with class and grace. You say yourself Trevor that the Zoe/Zarf story was a bad idea. But she supported that story like a champion. Maybe it was because Jeffrey Carlson was so amazingly wonderful (I thought he was anyway). In the press, Eden was always Bianca's champion and defender. She played the game. She did what she was asked, even if she thought in her heart that Bianca wouldn't do some of these things. What did she get in return? Mr. Pratt blaming her for the his failure while he was headwriter.
Eden has made no bones about her love for AMC (hell she was very clear on her desire to be on the 40th anniversary show), but I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility (hell she practically says so in the TV Guide interview I linked in this story) that Eden felt betrayed by a show she stayed so loyal to. Personally, I can't say I blame her one little bit.
No, certainly Pratt was not in the negotiations for Eden to return recently. That wasn't my point. What he left behind is.
I'm with Thom on this one. Eden was negotiating with AMC as recently as a few weeks ago. Obviously, she had an interest in returning, but they couldn't agree on terms.
The last time she waltzed through town, her 4-month commitment left us with a stupid, rushed storyline - and Bianca's jilted wife sitting around blind with nothing to do for two months. The viewers deserve better than someone who only wants to hang around for a few months here and there.
I wish Eden well at Y&R. I also hope that AMC can hire a replacement who is willing to make a full-time commitment to the show.
All that said Nutty, AMC didn't have to keep asking her back. Same with Cady. They do because the fans love them both. Well some do, some don't, in both cases.
I just have to think, if what happened with Pratt hadn't happened, things might be different. That's a big IF I know, but I'm willing to live with that.
Perhaps the new Bianca along with Erica will be killed off, please do it ASAP
Kathy, I totally agree with you. Sorry but Pratt totally ruined this character and I don't know if it really can be fixed. Just the fact alone that she used her brother-in-law's sperm without telling her sister...well, there's no going back on that. The child is alive and well. So, some things CAN'T be fixed.
As far as her only coming back for 4 months, Pratt knew that from the beginning but chose to ignore it and then blamed his totally f'd up story line on Eden. Sorry, but I can't blame her.
I realize that she was in talks with them, but obviously, it didn't go anyplace or satisfy her, otherwise, she would be back on the show. Y & R must have offered her a great deal.
Forgot to add this to my previous comment...
Sorry, but even though Pratt wasn't in on the talks, it still has to smart what he did to her. He publicly humiliated her. You just don't come back from that easily.
I agree with all you've said here, Kathy. It was the decision of the show's producers and Brian Frons to bring the character back for limited runs AND to approve the storylines the writers came up with. Somewhere along the line, somebody should have put a stop to the writer's destruction of the character. Pratt bears a lot of the blame, first for coming up with such a ridiculous storyline for Bianca and then for blaming Eden for the audience's rejection of it when he knew how long she'd be staying from the beginning. He evidently was insulted that she didn't fall in love with his story and want to stay longer so he showed his lack of class by blaming her in the press. The executive producer should have reigned in the writers a long time ago, but it's Brian Frons' job to make sure they do their jobs and he has failed time and time again.
I don't blame Eden in the least for being reluctant to believe future stories for Bianca would be true to the character the next time around.Faced with an offer from the #1 soap to play an entirely different character or return to a soap that doesn't seem to care about the character you've loved and supported so long...I think the choice is obvious. I wish her all the best and can't wait to see her on Y&R!
Here's the sad part - the role Eden is taking on Y&R isn't particularly good. Heather has been back-burnered for most of her time on the show. Her only love interest is being written off in the near future - and they've been in different storylines for almost a year now. So, unless they have something fabulous planned for Eden in this role, my guess is that she may suffer the same fate that Vincent Irizarry did on Y&R - a role that was never worthy of him.
As far as all the Pratt hate, I have to say, if it was THAT bad, why was Eden negotiating a possible return? My guess - and it's only a guess - is that she had a big interest in returning once the show moved to LA, but they didn't offer her the cushy deal she was used to in the past.
On fan sites, viewers have made a huge deal about the bad taste that Pratt has left in everyone's mouths. Well, maybe some people at AMC disagree with the fans. Maybe they DO hold Eden accountable for the misunderstanding that went down - and maybe they only wanted her back on their terms.
The good news? With of all the cancellations, there are some VERY good soap actors and actresses out of work. AMC ought to be able to snag someone really good to replace Eden.
@Nutty... she was negotiating with the show for any number of reasons. She loves the show. She wanted to come back. Pratt is now gone. Whatever happened in those negotiations, they went south somewhere.
I don't believe TPTB at AMC are disagree about Pratt. I think they gave him more than enough time, and all he did continually was destroy, not just Bianca either. It finally became too much and he had to go. It took far too long. If they held Eden accountable, WHY would they keep asking her back?
There is a lot going on. A lot behind the scenes. Some I know, some I do not know. I don't think everyone will ever really know everything that went down or how. I do know it's in really poor taste to blame an actress for your shortcomings.
@Donna and Elaine, ITA! And although I will not be watching Y&R, I wish Eden all the best and I hope they do gave her a roll that is worthy of her.
Maybe something will happen with Bianca like what happened to Greenlee when she was recasted. I don't think Bianca should be recasted. I think they either need to get Eden in there or don't do it at all. I hate recasts!
I think it's really sad that this is what it came to. According to a post on Daytime Confidential, nobody came to Eden with a strong storyline for Bianca. If that's true, I can't really blame Eden. I wouldn't want to go back and act out swill again.
On the other hand, I can't really blame TPTB either. Look at the mess they had to clean up! AMC has been great for the last month, but I feel like the writing team must have felt like they were barely treading water. If I were writing, I'd want to see where things netted out before committing to a big story.
So basically it boils down to what Kathy said. I hope this is the last Pratt aftershock. And you never know... if a recast can fill Sarah Michelle Gellar's shoes as Kendall, they can recast Bianca as well. I just hope they decide what they want to do with the character and get the right actress.
And sidebar, I've always found it hysterical that Pratt thought he could write a two-year story for Bianca and Reese. Even if Eden and Tamara were contracted for two years, Pratt had the attention span of a rabid squirrel on Red Bull and a double dose of Sudafed. He wouldn't have been interested in them long enough.
Sorry Thom, couldn't disagree more. Pratt PUBLICLY blamed Eden for the way Breese ended. It's one thing to blame someone, but Pratt making it public the way he did, ruffled a lot of Eden fans, including me, the wrong way. Also, Pratt LIED to both her and Tamara about the direction of the storyline both were involved with. Pratt said that Zach would not be involved with Breese, only to have Zach inserted there.
Yes, it was true that Eden wanted to return, but according to Eden, they were jerking her around with regards to storyline. She asked them over and over again if they were going to make her character better this time around, and they wouldn't give her a straight answer. In the end, she couldn't trust ABC.
As for the yo-yoing. I could care less about that. Many soap actors and actresses come and go, and to single out Eden just isn't fair. I'm glad Eden is gone from AMC and I will head to Y&R with her.
Anyone else think it would be cool if Susan Lucci's daughter, Liza Huber, took over for either Bianca OR Kendall? I'd love to see her and Susan interact onscreen!
I think the following actresses would all be great as Bianca:
Natalia Livingston (GH)
Dahlia Salem (AW, and currently GH)
Liza Huber (Passions)
Jessica Lecchia (GL)
Melissa Fumero (OLTL)
Well blame it on Pratt all you want. According to SoapCentral Eden didn't want to play Bianca any longer. You can read it here. I still don't care what Pratt said about Eden, the role or AMC. He trashed the soap yes I agree. But as far as re-signing I don't believe it has anything else to do with but money and what the actor/actress can gain the most fun. And if Eden didn't want to play the role, more power to her. We just move on and hope our beloved soap makes a fantastic recovery!
Adios Gary have fun at Y&R by the way. I hope you enjoy it there. David...brilliant idea. And Kathy I'm sure she's not the first to be blamed by a head writer for failures of their show. It's the business they are in if you ask me. And if an actor or actress let's words like that be the deciding factor what a shallow actor/actress that is. Your in a public spotlight. You take the good with the bad and stand up for what you know the truth is and fire back. If ya can't take the heat get out of the kitchen. I guess she did.
I think it would have been nice irony for Eden to return to AMC. It'd be a slap in the face to Pratt, for Eden to say, "Haha, looks like I'm the one wanted in Pine Valley, not you!"
I think her personal friendships with Elizabeth Hendrickson and Greg Rikhart had a big factor as to what show she went to as well. I know it was her decision, but as a longtime fan and supporter, I can't help but feel a little betrayed.
Thom you may not care about what Pratt said, but I did and apparently Eden did as well. It had nothing to do with taking the heat or not. When you PUBLICLY blame an actress for screwing up a story line, when that actress had absolutely nothing to do with it, then to me, all trust is lost. If Pratt had a problem with Eden, then he should have talked to her in private, and not aired his dirty laundry so that everyone could see it. Pratt made a fool of himself, embarrassed Eden in the process, and to me that is something you just don't do. That probably had a lot to do with her decision not to return. Eden is not being shallow here. Those words hurt her deeply, just ask Tamara Braun how Breese worked out, and she'll tell you that it didn't.
Eden tried to see where TPTB would take her character if she decided to come back, and they couldn't giver her a straight answer. The character of Bianca was very important to Eden, and she didn't want to see it further destroyed by a bunch of hack writers. Eden was Bianca off and on for ten years, saw the character grow, given story lines that made history, and to see what it had become in the last couple of years was absolutely sinful. Eden was tired of being jerked around by the studio, and while we are on the subject of the studio, Dan Kroll article to me sounds like a lot of CYA, (covering your a**) Eden put 10 years of her life into Bianca, and to see it end like it did when it didn't have too is scandelous. I don't blame Eden at all for leaving. The studio treated her like crap.
@Kathy I think the Zarf storyline CONCEPT was decent. I'm not sure if it was a bad idea or not. I'm all for trying to show people insight into the lives of something they may not agree with or understand. Humanity can make people sympathize with situations they are uncomfortable with.
The way the story unfolded may not have been the best but I do think Jeffery was awesome. He had a certain je ne sais quoi, swagger? I liked him on the show and actually liked him with Bianca.
I meant merely to point out that these characters come into the show and do limited runs, so the writers want to capitalize on them and often end up taking it to extremes. Like, perhaps have them motorcycling in a wedding gown *ahem*.
Yo-yo dieting doesn't work so why should yo-yo acting. I'll give you a free pass at your resentment towards Pratt, but I think we should distribute blame between producers, writers, actors and the network. There's a government somewhere within those titles, I'm sure.
@Gary... bravo! I couldn't agree more!
@Trevor Oh I agree. I thought the concept was decent too. Interesting, thought provoking. And finding a gem like Jeffrey Carlson added that much more to it. But where I think things went wrong with it, was cramming too much into it. He was a rock star, he was transgender, he was a lesbian. It was just too much. Jeffrey made me love Zoe/Zarf. I think it just didn't need all of that. I don't know if I'm expressing what I mean well. Hopefully you get my gist. I don't necessarily thing that Zoe had to be in love with Bianca for the story to work.
Believe me when I say, I have no love for Frons either. He and Carruthers let Pratt's reign of terror go on far too long. But it is Pratt who I put most of the responsibility for so much destruction on AMC. It was under his watch that so much went awry. In a little over a year, the damage he did is truly mind boggling. I believe everyone deserves a chance. He had his, he failed and miserably. May he never ever darken the doors of another soap!
As for the actors, there are very few I can blame while under Pratt's eye. No matter what dreck they were given, performances still never felt phoned in to me. I give them a lot of credit for seeing past the nonsense and giving it their all.
time for an earthquake and recast the whole show
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