Recast characters

[Julez]

Do you like or dislike when they recast another actor to play the same character e.g. I think Hayley was the most recent i.e. Bec Cartwright and Ella Lynch Scott. I really like it and wish they'd do it more often. It takes a little while to adjust but then it's like it's always been them. And that's the whole point of acting anyway, that you're pretending to be someone else. I mean, Bec Cartwright wasn't actually Hayley so I think it's okay to see another actor taking on that role. I really love that Ella Lynch Scott made the role her own with her own interpretation of Hayley, rather than just trying to copy what Bec did. Another example is I think if Mark Furze ever wants to leave, I think they should recast Ric

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esp. after he's made the decision to break up with Mattie so he can stay in SB and co-run the bait shop.

So what do you think of this being done? Love it? Hate it? Faves? Most hated?

Also, I know there's a list of recast characters (http://www.backtothebay.net/reference/recast.shtml) but is there a site that has their pics side-by-side. I went looking to see re Terri Garner after it was mentioned in the week 24 discussion.

[Perry]

I am a fan of recasts because we're not stupid we understand that they're actors playing a role. I believe the story is always more important and it needs to be told the right way which means the right characters have to be involved. Home and Away is a soap and I realise Actors come and go as well as characters but sometimes an exit seems rushed or won't fit in with the character and I trully believe that a recast would work out better then a "Henry has gone to Boarding scho. I believe an actor has to be chosen more carefully though.

[emmasi]

The only problem with that is, the character changes when the actor changes. The dynamic they have with other characters and actors changes and so that changes how the storyline plays out as well. The only major recast I've seen is Hayley, and Ella Scott-Lynch was completely different to Bec Cartwright. For better or worse, she was different, and that changed who Hayley was and who she worked with in the storyline in my opinion. Ella had zero chemistry with Chris Hemsworth, but quite a lot with Kip Gamblin, whereas Bec Cartwright was believable with both of them. I also didn't believe Ella with Lynne McGranger, because I was too aware that history she was referencing as a character was one she never experienced as an actor. It didn't fit. I'm not saying they did the wrong thing by recasting Hayley, not at all - they were right in the middle of a storyline and Bec Cartwright broke her contract, that wasn't the writers' fault and they shouldn't have to sacrifice the work they'd put in because something happened that they couldn't prepare for. But when the writers know what the actors' plans are in advance, they should be able to write to them without sacrificing the integrity of their storylines.

I think with a character like Henry who has been away for ages, a recast is much more acceptable because we've had time to forget the subtleties of the way the previous actor played him, and it wouldn't be so jarring to see a new actor in the role playing it differently. That said, if there's going to be a recast, they'd better be trading up to someone who's better or at least just as good as the original actor, or else there will be a lot of resentment from the fans of the character as he was. See: Rory.

[chari0t]

I loved Joel as Flynn, and the new Rory. But as far as Ella goes, I didn't like her at all! I grew up with Bec as Hayley and changing her was just wrong for me. Like Emmasi said. Ella didn't have much chemistry with Chris and Lynne, and it was just strange to see her on screen.

But I'm okay with recast as long as they are good^^

[Jamey-Maria]

I always liked Bec but I have to say when Ella took over the role I much prefered her. Maybe it was just because a rubbish storyline was getting new wind in it but I thought she was talented enough that it actually worked. And I have to say I thought Ella had more chemistry with Scott then Bec ever had. And I believed all her scenes with Irene and Kim. By the time Will came back for a visit I considered her as Hayley so much so that I didn't even realise that it was Ella's first scene with Zac.

A recast I havn't been a fan of though is Flynn. I don't deny that Joel is a great actor but he didn't have the characteristics the original had. MDW's Flynn had such a rugged feel to him. You could completely see why Shauna and Sally were so attracted to him. I grew to like Joel's Flynn though because although the dynamics changed the aspects he brought to the character still seemed to gel with the show and his relationship with Sal. (don't worry if you don't understand that, it sounds like jibberish to me as well) But I absolutely couldn't stand the new Rory. He was an entirely new character when he was brought back and that wasn't the actors fault. Although I didn't find him the most talented child they'd ever hired it was because the original had already created this great character and you can't expect a child to be able to pick up from that.

I guess it depends on your attachment to the character as well. If you love a character then a lot of it would have to do with how they're played and you become acustomed to the face. If that changes it annoys or cause you to lose interest a lot of the time even if the new actor is quite talented.

[Danifan]

For me it depends. If someone's played a character for a long time, then recasts really don't work (e.g Hayley was a total diaster in my opinion). I think the major factor in recasts is the poularity of the character and of the actor. Most characters leave the show because the actor/actress decides to go altogether and over the years they were on the show they have in the viewers minds become that character and sort of like a friend, if they are recast and suddenly some other actor is assuming their identity it's quite hard to believe in them. Recasts work better for recurring characters than they tend to do for main characters.

Depending on your opinion of the character being recast usually determines how much or how little your going to like the new incarnation. For example i couldn't stand the first Flynn, the monotone voice, boring storylines, slight air of arrogance really got on my nerves, and then suddenly he'd gone and Joel took over the role and for me he suited the role much better ans although i still wasn't a fan of the character i liked the recast. On the other hand Bec Cartwright for me was Hayley. She'd been in the thick of the action for 8 years, she'd been in one of the show's most popular couples, she'd been in the spin offs, she was one of the best known actresses on the show and recasting her seemed like a mistake. I have nothing against Ella and i'm sure if she'd played another role i'd have lilked her, but she just didn't fit in the role. The chemistry and bond Bec had built up over years playing Hayley seemed to disappear as did the characters personality rather than the bubbly smiley girl she was for years she became quite cold and a bit mean and moody. When she spoke of Noah it just felt wrong as Noah and Hayley were Bec and Beau, she had no history on the show so it was hard to really take her seriously, especially as it became obvious she wasn't sticking around for very long so there didn't seem any reason to even try and warm to her. Stick to recasting the lesser known/used/popular characters as they just tend to work better.

[Red Ranger 1]

Oddly, I find I object more when they recast an old character than a current one.I liked both Rebecca Cartwright and Ella Scott Lynch as Hayley and I thought Ella worked well with Chris Hemsworth, I was disappointed when they split them up.And although I had nothing against Martin Dingle-Wall I thought Joel McIlroy worked better as a love interest for Sally, if only because the height difference was less pronounced.

But it always annoys me when they bring in what is in effect a new character and give them an old name in order to fast track their introduction.I remember when Belinda Emmett was brought in as Rebecca and, good as she was, she was obviously playing a completely different character to Danielle Carter.

I'm going to get hate mail for saying this but I didn't actually realise Rory had been recast until people started mentioning it.I think I kinda noticed he was taller but just thought he'd grown.Ah well.Must pay better attention.

[Nathan.]

I'm the same as Red Ranger 1, I didn't notice the recast of Rory at all until people mentioned it.

[bubblepop]

Im not a fan of characters being recasted simply for the reason being that the actress or actor will portray it differently. And i just dont see feel comfortable watching regardless of if he/she is a good actor/actress.

I never saw Ella as Haley i preferred the original i cant imagine Ella having any chemistry with Noah. The chemistry just cant be recreated, however the only recast that worked with me was flynn2 he was great as was the original Flynn. But i think the 2nd flynn had greater chemistry with Sally but that could of been because there was more intense storylines.

IMO whoever portryaed the character in the first place owns that role

[lolajaney]

I think i'm different from a lot of you, but it's personal taste. i liked the old flynn and rory but preferred the second Hayley