I'm starting a new series of columns on characters that have been recasted numerous times over the years and where the previous actors are now. I'm kicking it off with Casey Hughes from AS THE WORLD TURNS, inspired by seeing Zach Roerig as Cash on FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.
On AS THE WORLD TURNS, Margo found out she was pregnant with Casey Robert Hughes the day after she pulled the plug on her father-in-law Casey Peretti, at his request. After a fairly uneventful pregnancy (aside from being on trial for murder for part of it), Margo gave birth on Valentine's Day of 1991.
Cruise Russo-Zirkel (1991 to 1999) - Russo-Zirkel, who was named after Tom Cruise, was eight months old when he was cast as newborn Casey Hughes. He played the role on a recurring basis for several years before the character was aged for the first time. He does not have many acting credits since leaving ATWT but did appear in the Michele Maher film, Garmento, in 2002. Earlier this year, Russo-Zirkel graduated from Warren County Technical School and began attending Farleigh Dickinson University this fall where he is majoring in 3D animation.
Joseph Cross (1999 to 2004) - Cross has been the most successful of all the Casey recasts. He had a film career before ATWT including a roles Jack Frost and Northern Lights. Since leaving ATWT, he has made numerous television and film appearances. He plays Dick Pabich in the new Gus Van Zandt film, Milk, based on the live of Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay elected official. He has upcoming roles in the films Son of Mourning and The Last Film Festival.
Ian Boyd (2004) - ATWT was not Boyd's first soap role. He played a young Jake McKinnon in flashbacks on ANOTHER WORLD in 1998. Also prior to ATWT, he appeared in the film, It Runs in the Family, with Michael Douglas and Rory Culkin. Since leaving the soap, he has appeared in a couple of films, Bird in Hand with Greg Shamie and The Motel with Jeffrey Chyau.
Peter Vack (2004) - Since leaving ATWT, Vack has appeared on television LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT and HOPE & FAITH and in several films including Love/Death/Cobain, The Treatment and A Perfect Fit. He also had a voice over role in Bully. His next film is Consent, from writer/director Ron Brown, in which he plays the lead role of Joshua.
Zach Roerig (2005 to 2007) - When his contract was up in the spring of 2007, Roerig offered to work on the show through the summer but ATWT turned him down. He took an offer from ONE LIFE TO LIVE to play the role of Hunter instead. Since then he has moved to Los Angeles and appeared in the films Dear Me, Assassination of a High School President and Official Selection. He can currently be seen as cowboy Cash Warren on FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. Ironically, FNL's Scott Porter filled in for Zach Roerig as Casey for one week in 2006 when Roerig was in L.A. filming an Aaron Spelling pilot. Now they are starring on the same show.
Billy Magnussen (2008) - Magnussen debuted as the post-prison Casey in January of this year. He graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts and then made his way to New York landing a role in "The Ritz" in late 2007. In addition to his ATWT role, Magnussen has kept busy this year taking roles in the fims Blood Night and Happy Tears.
a few years before joseph cross came to oakday as casey hughes, he starred in one my my favorite movies, "wide awake." it was m. night shymalan's first film. no as scary as some of his others, but twists and turns. worth seeing...
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