Whatever Happened To The Cast Of As The World Turns?

The classic soap opera "As The World Turns" first graced television screens on April 2, 1956. The show introduced audiences to the tumultuous lives of Oakdale, Illinois residents. For the next 54 years, devoted viewers tuned in daily, captivated by the romantic entanglements, family disputes, corporate power struggles, scandalous affairs, and thrilling adventures of their beloved characters. Created by the legendary Irna Phillips, the soap explored the lives of Oakdale residents through emotionally rich and character-driven narratives. Fans were heartbroken when CBS pulled the plug on the series in December 2009, and the iconic globe spun for the last time after over 13,000 episodes on September 17, 2010.

In the years since the cancelation of "As The World Turns," loyal fans have kept Oakdale alive in their hearts and on social media sites such as X and Facebook. Although the world may have stopped turning, fans remain interested in the actors and actresses who brought their favorite characters to life. Here is a look at what some of the cast members from the show's last episode have been up to since Bob Hughes bid us a final goodnight.

In 1985, "As The World Turns" paired Lily Walsh (then Martha Byrne), the adopted daughter of the wealthy Lucinda Walsh (Elizabeth Hubbard), with Holden Snyder (Jon Hensley), the hardworking stable boy and member of the down-home Snyder family, and a supercouple was born. Fans followed Lily's evolution from naive teenager to confident woman and held out hope that, despite their divorce, she and Holden would somehow find their way to happily ever after. The final episode saw the former flames hint at the possibility of a romantic reconciliation.

Stepping into the shoes of a fan favorite is always a daunting task, but soap opera vet Noelle Beck was up for the challenge when she assumed the role of Lily Walsh Snyder in May 2008. A daytime diva in her own right, thanks to her decade-long portrayal of affluent heiress Trisha Alden on ABC's "Loving," Beck slipped on Lily's Louboutins and made the role her own. After the end of "As The World Turns," Beck split her time between raising her three children and guest starring on such shows as CBS' "Blue Bloods" and "Elementary," NBC's "The Blacklist." In 2013, she scored a recurring role as Ginny Kydd, the absentee and egocentric mother of Carrie Bradshaw's main love interest, Sebastian Kydd, on The CW's "The Carrie Diaries," 15 years after portraying Big's ex-wife, Barbara, on the original "Sex and the City." 

Critiqued at times for being too conservative, "As The World Turns" took a bold step in 2006 when Luke Snyder (Van Hansis), son of signature supercouple Lily and Holden Snyder, came out as gay. As one-half of the first gay male supercouple on an American soap opera, his romance with Jake Silbermann's Noah Mayer was both celebrated and resisted. Viewers watched Luke from infancy to adulthood, where he became a man who treasured his friends and family while remaining true to himself. Luke's story ended on a somewhat controversial note, as some felt the show utilized the "Bury Your Gays" trope by killing his boyfriend, Dr. Reid Oliver (Eric Sheffer Stevens), an accusation head writer Jean Passante denied. There was hope for an eventual happy ending when Noah made it clear he still loved Luke and would wait for him.

In the years since the world stopped turning, Hansis, who is in a long-term relationship with fellow actor Tyler Hanes, has starred in movies such as the psychological thriller "Occupant" and the independent horror offering "Devil May Call." He also starred as Thom on the critically acclaimed LGBTQ series "Eastsiders" for four seasons, earning a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series. Hansis also took his talents behind the camera, with production and direction credits on "Eastsiders" and as one of the producers of the Broadwayworld.com exclusive web series "Ms. Guidance."

When Hillary B. Smith vacated the role of Detective Margo Hughes in 1989, producers at "As The World Turns" knew she'd be a tough act to follow. But soap opera veteran and accomplished stage actress Ellen Dolan was up for the challenge. Dolan's powerhouse performances and onscreen chemistry with leading man Scott Holmes (Tom Hughes) quickly made her a fan favorite, and her hard work paid off with a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1993. Margo's professional dedication to law and order often conflicted with her relationships, as several of her family members often found themselves on the wrong side of the law. An independent woman who gave her all to her family and community, Margo ended the series with Tom by her side as they happily saw their youngest son Casey Hughes (Billy Magnussen) settled in a relationship with Alison Stewart (Marnie Schulenburg) and leaving Oakdale to attend law school in Carbondale.

In her years out of the soap opera spotlight, Dolan and her family appeared on an episode of "Selling New York" in 2011 that featured the sale of their Southern Tribecca loft. As an actress, she took on roles in independent films such as "A Place for Heroes" and "The Southside." She also returned to the stage, starring in productions of "Steel Magnolias," "My Big Gay Italian Wedding," and lending her talents to projects put on by dance theater company Neo-Political Cowgirls.

In 2003, Roger Howarth took over the role of Paul Ryan, Barbara Ryan (Colleen Zenk) and James Stenbeck's (Anthony Herrera) prodigal son. Howarth's tenure saw Paul go in newer, sometimes darker directions, earning the actor an Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in 2004. Paul's complicated and often co-dependent relationship with his mother, fear of following in his father's evil footsteps, and tendency to rely on deception and manipulation when it came to matters of the heart kept Paul from having the happiness he desperately wanted. In the final episode, Paul's on-again, off-again relationship with Emily Stewart was finally stable, and he and Barbara came to a new, healthier understanding and dissolved their business partnership.

In the years since he was one of Oakdale's troubled souls, the married father of two has kept busy, reprising his role as Todd Manning on "One Life To Live" and remaining with the show until its cancelation in 2011. After the television finale of "OLTL" in January 2012, Howarth transferred the character to "General Hospital," where he'd go on to portray three different characters (Todd Manning, Franco Baldwin, and Austin Gatlin-Holt) over the next 11 years. Howarth only recently bid "GH" farewell in the wake of Austin's death in November 2023. In addition to his soap opera work, Howarth has appeared on primetime shows such as "The Flash" and in independent films such as "The Final Rose" and "What Doesn't Float."

Trent Dawson's irresistible charm and undeniable talent turned what was supposed to be a two-week stint as Henry Coleman into an 11-year run. Whether he was Katie Perretti's partner in crime or hatching a get-rich-quick scheme, Henry's antics kept viewers tuning in to see what he'd do next and secured Coleman three Daytime Emmys Nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2006, 2007, and 2008. After a tumultuous relationship with Swedish bombshell Vienna Hyatt (Ewa da Cruz), Henry found true love with Oakdale's first lady of fashion, Barbara Ryan. The final episode saw Henry preparing to buy his nightclub, Metro, back from Dusty Donovan (Grayson McCouch) and looking forward to living blissfully ever after in a happy, adventurous relationship with Barbara.

Since the finale episode of "As The World Turns," Dawson has racked up numerous acting credits on stage and television, including a pair of memorable appearances on "General Hospital" as the irrepressible Huxley Lynch, which saw him sharing scenes with former his co-star, Maura West, as Huxley matched wits against Ava Jerome and played a minor role in the show's Patient 6 storyline. A passionate theater advocate, Dawson is the Artistic Director for the non-profit, professional theatre company Katonah Classic Stage, where his wife, Sharron Kearney, also serves as Executive Director.

Portraying fashion maven and meddling mom Barbara Ryan for over three decades, Colleen Zenk took Barbara from saint to sinner and back again, much to the delight of viewers. Over the years, Barbara became the ultimate survivor and fought tooth and nail to protect her family from anything she deemed a threat. Though she may not have always done the right thing, Barbara's motivations were usually rooted in her fierce love for her children, which kept the audience rooting for her. Barbara ended the show in a fun, loving relationship with Henry Coleman and finally letting her son, Paul Ryan, stand on his own two feet, even if that meant accepting that long-time rival Emily Stewart would be standing next to him.

In the wake of "As The World Turns" cancelation, Zenk took her talents back to the stage with starring roles in several productions and boasts credits in several movies and films, including the Emmy-nominated web series "Tainted Dreams" and multi-international-award winning show "Thurston-the Western." Her personal life has had its fair share of drama, including a battle with oral cancer, divorce from former co-star Mark Pinter (Brian McColl) after 23 years of marriage, and the heartbreaking loss of their son, Morgan, who passed away in April 2018. Zenk recently made a much-celebrated return to daytime, joining the cast of "The Young and the Restless" as Claire Grace's (Hayley Erin) delightfully devious and deadly Aunt Jordan.

In a town where strong-willed, accomplished women were the rule and not the exception, Lucinda Walsh's acerbic wit, larger-than-life personality, and never-say-die attitude made her a force to be reckoned with. Elizabeth Hubbard's powerful portrayal of the meddlesome mega mogul earned her eight Daytime Emmy nominations. Lucinda's domineering ways were a constant source of strife between her and her family. It took a prolonged estrangement from Lily and falling back in love with her former husband, John Dixon (Larry Bryggman), for Lucinda to finally loosen her iron grip on her family. In the end, viewers watched as Lucinda and Lily reconciled, and Lucinda and John rubbed their mutual rival Lisa's nose in their rekindled romance.

After her time as Lucinda, Hubbard joined the web soap opera, "Anacostia," as Eva Montgomery in 2015. The role reunited her with her former onscreen daughter Martha Bryne, and she portrayed Eva until 2018. Hubbard died of cancer at her home in Roxbury, Connecticut, on April 8, 2023, at the age of 89. Before her death, her son, Jeremy Bennett, gave an interview with NBC Connecticut detailing the family's inability to access the benefits of her long-term care insurance policy — despite years of paying the premiums — in the hopes of raising awareness and sparing others from having to suffer through a similar ordeal.