Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Maura West Out As Diane on Y&R

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS has made a habit in the past two years of hiring the right actor for the wrong part. Case in point was the incredible Maura West in the role of much older Diane Jenkins. If anyone could have made that miscasting work, it would have been West. But according to Soaps in Depth, West will be exiting the show and the role of Diane proving that the Y&R brass realize their mistake. There's no word yet on how West -- or Diane -- will exit the canvas.

West won the Daytime Emmy last year as Outstanding Lead Actress. It's too bad Y&R didn't create a role worthy of her talents.

16 comments:

  1. I'm very disappointed that Maura has been let go. She is a two-time Emmy Award winning actress. Yes, the genre is changing and fading. But a show of Y & R's caliber should have taken the opportunity to showcase this phenomenal actress. What a shame.

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  2. This makes me sick that Y&R would treat Maura like this. Once she is gone I will never turn the dial to Y&R again. I will make a point to watch anything up against in just for the way Maura has been treated.

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  3. This is also about Y&R's inability or unwillingness to write good story for its female characters. Rather than using the opportunity to showcase an extraordinary talent like Ms. West as a strong and powerful heroine or anti-heroine in the rich tradition of soap opera, the brass at Y&R continues to write its female characters as weaklings (mentally unstable, alcoholics, needy, promiscuous). The writing for women characters on this show is nothing short of misogynistic; I cannot believe a woman is in charge of the show.

    The writing for 'Diane' is no exception. The writers had this character having sex with multiple men in a ridiculously short period of time with no particular direction or motivation. Rather than hiring and firing great talent, Y&R needs to look more closely at the people in its leadership ranks.

    The problem isn't with the actors (well, with a few exceptions), the problem is with the casting director, the head writers and the producer. FIX IT. NOW.

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  4. omg i started watching the show again for her now i guess ill just watch oltl with paul ryan in it untill they take that away too

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  5. Maria Bell & Company are totally responsible for this situation. Maura West should have had another character written for her. The miscast is MAB & Company's fault. Maura West is the victim of this mismangement by the producers, Sony, & CBS. Shame indeed.

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  6. ...and after she moved her house husband and all those kids across country to LA....

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  7. This hereby gets the Tangie Hill award (an old GL reference for those who don't get it)......

    Maura's a FANTASTIC actress. I just wish they would have written a new character for her instead of bringing back Diane. I don't think that premise did the show or Maura any favors.

    I do agree w/WTTV that I think Y&R has been writing a lot of their characters, esp. women characters, with very similar tones and textures. Diane was a lot like Phyllis in some ways, and I think a lot of shows have this problem now.....

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  8. um y&r, you suck. maura is one of the best in daytime- if not the best. i wont be watching your show again after Diane leaves.

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  9. Sad to read this news. Seems like virtually all of the ATWT actors who landed other soap gigs won't even last a year in their new jobs: Maura, Terri Conn, Daniel Cosgrove, Roger Howarth. If TPTB at Y&R hadn't already ruined the character of Patty Williams, Maura would have made an interesting recast in that part (assuming they didn't go with Andrea Evans). But here's hoping that Maura lands a primtime gig soon (assuming she wants to stay in the acting game)

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  10. Y&R has gone downhill since the death of Bill Bell & even though we thought Maria would do well she has not !! I am so disappointed that Maura is leaving but am not surprised. Y&R is losing viewers at a rapid pace because of poorly written or ridiculous storylines and letting some of their best talent go. I wish Maura all the best...she's a great actress so surely she'll land somewhere that she gets the respect she deserves.

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  11. WorldTurnsTV said it all. Ditto.

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  12. Maura West would make a great Carly on GH if they ever needed a recast. Or how about sending her over to B&B? We're obviously gearing up for round 127 of the Ridge/Brooke/Nick saga and there's always a second woman who doesn't stand a chance-- West could play Nick's smitten secretary.

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  13. Y&R and B&B seem to be writing its shows into oblivion. It makes you wonder if all of those consipiracy theorists are indeed correct. Make the show so bad that fans won't miss it when CBS kills it. Just look at what the hacks did to Guiding Light!

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  14. Big mistake firing Maura West from Y&R. She was the best thing going on that show and I, among many, only began watching it because of her when ATWT ended. You've lost me now since the storyline is repetitious and the actors don't come close to matching Maura's talent and beauty. Hopefully, one of the remaining endangered soaps will give us the opportunity of enjoying seeing her again soon.

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  15. Maura West's acting as a corpse was better than all the other actresses on Y&R as living characters. She will be greatly missed and I won't be one of the viewers watching this pathetic soap continue to decline and fail. Sorry those making decisions did such a poor job and didn't realize Maura could have saved them. I look forward to seeing her appear on another program with more foresight.

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  16. Maura West is an amazing actress, and I along with thousands of others only switched to the Y&R when CBS made a huge blunder by cancelling ATWT. We all followed Maura. As Diane Jenkins her usual talents did shine, as always, and I saw a glimpse of what Y&R could have made a brilliant move by pairing her with Nick Newman. I will always love my CarJack .. and CBS could have come close to this magnetic romance by repeating history only with Nick & Diane. The seemed like they were attempting to do this, and then they let this romance staul. CBS, I told you that you were idiots when you cancelled ATWT .. and you're still idiots for not pairing that duo. I won't be bothering watching the Y&R now that Maura is gone. I haven't watched it for years. Sadly, it's just plain boring. Maura West had the only "spice" as usual, on that show. I hate to see all of our soaps turn into a thing of that past. Once again, "Wake Up CBS".
    "All the Best Maura. You're amazing" CarJack Forever!!

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