Thursday, December 3, 2015

'General Hospital' Star Jason Thompson Joins 'The Young and the Restless' as New Billy Abbott

Jason Thompson is headed to Y&R.
Jason Thompson, who recently taped his final episodes as Dr. Patrick Drake on ABC soap opera General Hospital, has already booked his next gig. As rumored, Thompson has signed on to the play Billy Abbott on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless.

According to EW.com, the five-time Emmy-nominated Thompson will begin airing on Y&R in January. He will replace Burgess Jenkins, who recently revealed he was exiting daytime's the top-rated drama.

“I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with Jason again,” said executive producer Jill Farren Phelps, who previously served as an EP on General Hospital. “He’s an exceptional actor and a wonderful human being. He will bring so much to the character and we’re thrilled to welcome him to The Young and Restless family.”

“Jason Thompson is an incredibly gifted actor and we are thrilled to welcome him,” added CBS’ head of daytime Angelica McDaniel. “Playing the pivotal role of Billy Abbott, Jason joins the talented cast of The Young and the Restless as the show celebrates an unprecedented 27 consecutive years as daytime’s No. 1 drama.”

"I have made the difficult decision to bid farewell to a character I've loved playing for over 10 years," Thompson wrote on Instagram in October. "It was not an easy decision but I feel like it's time to hang up Dr. Patrick Drake's white coat and scrubs. I want to thank Frank Valentini, Vicki Dummer and Paul Lee for their support and appreciate their understanding. To everyone at ABC, the General Hospital crew, producers, writers, directors, my beloved cast mates and those in my home away from home, the make-up room, I can't possibly begin to tell you what you mean to me."

What do you think of this casting move? Is Thompson perfect for Billy? Totally wrong? Not sure? Weigh in below in our Comments section.

9 comments:

  1. A step up from Burgess Jenkins but I still want Billy Miller back.

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    1. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU SO LETS BRING THE BEST GUY BACK.

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  2. Sorry but I just don't see it. He has black hair for one and the others both had blond. While I haven't seen him in the role yet. It really is hard to answer the question but I don't think so.

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  3. I like Jason a lot, but I don't know that Billy Abbott will be a good fit for him. Just like Jason Morgan in not a good fit for Billy Miller. Maybe he'll do great things in the part and take Billy to amazing places, but my gut says no.

    I think of all the other big names Y&R landed for recasts that were a bust -- Maura West as Diane Jenkins, Eden Reigel as Heather Stevens, Stephen Nichols as Tucker McColl. I really have a feeling Jason is going to be added to that list. But I hope to be proved wrong.

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    1. I have to disagree I think Billy has been amazing as Jason Morgan

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  4. Due to TPTB at Y&R unending commitment to Victoria and Billy, it all depends on Thompson's chemistry with Heinle. I have no idea why the decision was made to break up Ben and Victoria, because I really feel Carrigan and Heinle had great chemistry. Jenkins was always for me far too stiff in the role, besides him having no chemistry with Heinle. Tom also had very little chemistry with Heinle, but I felt was up for the other aspects the role demanded, especially at the time he came back into the show, Billy having just shot Adam. So I guess this is just a round about why of saying that if Y&R continues to be committed to a Victoria Billy pairing, Thompson as Billy all depends on how well he does with Heinle.
    BTW I also feel they made a huge mistake by sticking Sullivan with Morrow, Sage prior was an interesting character, and Sullivan was perfect, but then they stuck her with Nick, and she became this stepford incarnation that occasionally is unrealistically shrill.

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  5. Don't see it. Just don't see it. And the comparison to Maura West as Diane Jenkins is spot-on. It's a clear sign that the current PTB still don't get the Billy Abbott character, more than likely because they weren't around or even watching the show during the years when the audience grew up with Billy's messy teenage and twentysomething versions. So in that respect, it's similar to the audience's built-in perception that Diane Jenkins was a raven-haired fashion model and peer to Jack, Nikki, and Paul (not Nick and Adam). And ya know what? There's an old saying that "perception is everything." .. Good luck, though.

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  6. Im glad he's going to get a juicy new role its understandable why hes playing billy you dont want to bring him on to play a new character so it makes sense to have Billy get in some accident and come out a new character Y&R should be happy to get a great actor and forget his looks hes a great addition.

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  7. FOR SURE A BIG NO!!!! AND I LIKE OTHERS SAY BRING BILLY MILLER BACK.

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