Ana Brenda Contreras Joining 'Dynasty' as the "Real" Cristal

In the first season finale of Dynasty on The CW in May, Cristal's fate was left up in the air with the character shot and left inside a burning building. It looks like that mystery has been solved, at least in terms of Nathalie Kelley's run as the character.

After playing the role of Cristal Flores — the new wife of Blake Carrington — in the first season, Kelley announced in June that she wouldn't be returning to the show.

The network has now confirmed that telenovela star Ana Brenda Contreras will take over the role in the drama's upcoming second season. Furthermore, Contreras is said to be playing the "real" Cristal, though it's unclear what that means exactly.

Asked for the reason for the switch, CW president Mark Pedowitz said, "it's a wild soap, these are things you do on a soap."

Dynasty returns to The CW for season 2 on Friday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m. ET.

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- We Love Soaps Interview: Ana Brenda Contreras On Her Career, The Telenovela Process & More!

TELENOVELA WATCH: EMPERATRIZ Coming To Azteca America; Plus, Short Takes!

EMPERATRIZ (weekdays at 1 p.m. ET, no English friendly options), a 2011 telenovela starring Gabriela Spanic, makes its U.S. premiere this Monday, May 14th on Azteca America.

A remake of a 1990 Venezuelan telenovela of the same name, EMPERATRIZ tells the story of Emperatriz Jurado (Spanic), a poor woman who falls in love with a rich man, Armando Mendoza (Omar Fierro), only to be abandoned by him, taking with him their newborn daughter. Emperatriz swears vengeance on Armando and vows to get her daughter back. The cast includes Bernie Paz as the male lead, Sergio de Bustamante as the villain, and Adriana Louvier as Emperatriz’s daughter.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Ana Brenda Contreras On Her Career, The Telenovela Process & More!

Actress and singer Ana Brenda Contreras is an up and coming star most recently playing the lead in the Televisa soap opera LA QUE NO PODIA AMAR which aired on Univision.

In 2002 at age 15, Ana Brenda moved from Texas to Mexico City to participate in the reality show POP STARS.  In 2005 she began starring in telenovelas playing supporting characters over the next four years: Juanita in BARRERA DE AMOR, Claudia in DUELO DE PASIONES, Violet in JURO QUE TE AMO, and Maura in SORTILEGIO.

In 2010, she portrayed Aurora in the remake of TERESA which lead to her being cast as Ana Paula, the lead protagonist in LA QUE NO PODIA AMAR.

We Love Soaps recently spoke with Ana Brenda about her career to gain some insights into the life of an up-and-coming telenovela star.  She told us she always wanted to be an entertainer.