Justin Hartley (ex-Fox 'Passions') andLisa Rinna (ex-Billie 'Days of Our Lives') FORMER SOAP actor (Love of Life) Christopher Reeve wore Superman's cape on screen. And now another soap alum, Justin Hartley (ex-Fox, Passions), will assume the role of Superman's friend and fellow superhero Aquaman in the CW network's new series for the 2006-2007 season. (Note: The CW network was launched after the merger of the UPN and WB networks.)
Look for Aquaman to occasionally break the surface on CW's sister series, Smallville, to share an adventure with the young Clark Kent/Superman.
Meanwhile, the producers of the Aquaman series have announced a big casting coup: Ving Rhames, former soap actor (Another World's Czaja Carnek) and film star (Mission: Impossible III), has joined the series as McCaffrey.
GENERAL HOSPITAL
General Hospital's Nikolas Cassadine isn't having it so good these days, what with his breakup with Emily (Natalia Livingston), the death of Courtney (Alicia Leigh Willis) and being kept in the dark (but suspecting nonetheless) about baby John's true paternity.
But Nikolas' real-life alter ego, Tyler Christopher, heard the words actors live for: "You got the part." In this case, it's a role in the pilot for Secrets of a Small Town, an ABC drama from the talented GH co-head writer Charles Pratt Jr. And although the alphabet network is keeping the plotline somewhat secret, we know it involves the murder of a beautiful cheerleader in a small town where murders aren't supposed to happen. So far, no one is saying whether Christopher will do double duty if the pilot is picked up, or if he'll leave GH for the nighttime sudser.
Also, while Nikolas and Emily are split on screen, their real-life counterparts, Christopher and Livingston, appear to be getting back together after nearly a year apart.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES
Victor Alfieri is going back to NBC daytime, but not to his former perch on the peacock's daytime roster Days of Our Lives. Instead, he'll be playing a charmer on Passions, named Gianni, who would like to get friendly with Fancy (Emily Harper). Alfieri's first airdate is April 19.
So, maybe Days should have invited Lisa Rinna back as Billie (now played by Julie Pinson). And maybe Rinna was a mite upset that they didn't. But now she's on national TV as co-host of the mega-hit Dancing with the Stars, and will repeat the stint for season three. Plus, she got the plum assignment of fashion correspondent for Access Hollywood on Oscar weekend.
