Rethinking Daytime Part Two: Casting - Actors VS. aspirational Surfaces
Balvinder Sopal, Nathan Owen, Zuleyka Silver, Tameka Empson, Vinta Morgan - BCC/ITV/CBS
Casting practices between American daytime dramas and British primetime soap operas vary greatly. Significantly, American soaps and media in general have high beauty standards and rely on drawing viewership with attractive stars and catering to the male gaze. This practice sacrifices authenticity for vanity. Primetime soaps in the United Kingdom, on the other hand, commonly feature actors who reflect real communities in terms of appearance and status, rather than performers who look like supermodels. The United Kingdom’s casting system builds credibility, emotional depth, and long-term audience trust.
United States: In a lot of ways, the American media has improved its casting practices to include more diversity. Over the years, we have seen slight increases in actors of color and characters of the LGBTQIA+ community on popular television shows and movies. However, American daytime dramas still fall sharply behind their British counterparts in terms of representation for minority communities and character authentic casting. Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community are written as the “token gay character” and fade away after one or two major storylines. In the same vein, several minority characters are often presented as flawless individuals without a single blemish and “perfect” bodies, in line with their privileged counterparts.
For example, the character of Terry Randolph (Cassandra James), a transgender doctor played by a transgender actress, appeared in a total of just two episodes of ABC’s General Hospital in 2025. James has been on recurring status since her debut nearly eight years ago in 2018 and has yet to be given a significant storyline. In 2025, the introduction of Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo) paved the way for further representation of both the LGBTQIA+ and Hispanic communities. However, his romance with legacy character Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) quickly became a plot device for the mob war between Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Bernard) and Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota). This storyline demonstrates General Hospital’s pattern of centering its LGBTQIA+ and characters of color as vehicles for other storylines, rather than writing compelling arcs for them.
America’s newest soap, CBS’s Beyond the Gates, is a step in the right direction. Approaching its first anniversary at the end of the month, Beyond the Gates is the first American daytime drama to feature a predominantly African-American cast since NBC’s Generations (1989-1991). Additionally, the soap features a strong LGBTQIA+ presence, including a happily married interracial couple, Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) and Bradley "Smitty" Smith (Mike Manning). Meanwhile, the young, blossoming couple, Chelsea Hamilton (RhonniRose Mantilla) and Madison Montgomery (Kenjah), could become the soap’s newest supercouple. Between supporting each other through kidnappings and career changes, this couple is always there for each other, demonstrating a healthy lesbian relationship while keeping viewers entertained.
The introduction of Javier "Javi" Hernandez (Al Calderon) on Days of Our Lives in October 2024 depicted the dynamics of a homosexual man and his family. Javi notices the ring that his mother sent to his cousin, Rafe Hernandez. Javi is a bit hurt that his mother wanted Rafe to have it and thinks Rafe is the son his mother wished she'd had. Javi describes Rafe as a "big, strapping, macho straight guy" and describes himself as a "garden-variety gay who worships Jennifer Coolidge." Additionally, his romance and marriage to Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) put him in conflict with his family due to Leo’s past, positioning the Hernandez family as major figures in the drama on Days of Our Lives.
United Kingdom: Primetime soap operas in the United Kingdom, such as ITV’s Coronation Street and Emmerdale, BBC One’s EastEnders, and Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, do a far better job than American daytime dramas with authentic casting and representation. Several of the main families on these soaps are made up of people of color, including the Punjabi Sikh Panesar family on EastEnders. Additionally, many actors on British soaps have formal training and education, as opposed to catching a once-in-a-lifetime big break in Hollywood. For example, actress Balvinder Sopal, who portrays Suki Panesar on EastEnders, studied at the University of Huddersfield in England before launching her career. Sopal’s formal training equips her with the skill to adapt to different roles, rather than relying on instinct like American actors.
British primetime soaps additionally do a much better job at including diverse bodies in their casts than their American counterparts. The character of Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) on EastEnders looks like the everyday woman with curves and hips,, and has had several major storylines since her introduction in 2009. Fox endures an HIV scare, single motherhood, a miscarriage, and post-traumatic stress disorder and later becomes a social media influencer. In contrast, the character of Holden Novak (Nathan Owens) on The Young and the Restless looks like he was picked out of a Calvin Klein ad. Meanwhile, Epiphany Johnson (Sonya Eddy) on General Hospital had significant storylines on the soap before Eddy’s death, often fitting the stereotype as the no-nonsense head nurse.
In essence, primetime soap operas in the United Kingdom feature casts whose appearances reflect society more accurately, while soaps in the United States value appearances over authenticity. American daytime dramas can learn a thing or two from their British counterparts, especially in regard to authentic casting. Instead of focusing on vanity and appearances, casting choices should be reframed to reflect real communities and prioritize performance over polish.
