TV Roles Recast: 35+ Times a Show Changed Actors Midstream (and Why)

“There’s something different about you… but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

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As Superman & Lois with its third season gets ready to unveil a “new” Jonathan Kent

— and with Outlander, The Witcher, Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time also in queue to slap new faces on existing characters — TVLine is looking back at more than three dozen times when a TV role was suddenly recast, the sometimes surprising reasons why, and if that change in appearance was ever accounted for on-screen.

Of course, we all know the tale of Bewitched‘s two Darrins, and how the Fresh Prince set got flipped-turned upside down by a family feud. Lord knows, Dynasty and other other Dynasty were no strangers to recasting roles, multiple times. And I can assure you that Last Man Standing fans very much marveled at Mandy’s significant makeover.

* This is not a list of every primetime, mid-series recast; that’d be impossible.
* We did not include any recasts dictated by real-life tragedy, or the extremely common aging up of a tyke.
* Roles that were recast before a show ever premiered are detailed here.
* Voice acting is not included.
* Switcheroos on daytime soaps happen far, far too often, though we did single out the one that stands out for us, to this day.

Read on for the stories behind nearly 40 infamous small-screen recasts, then drop a comment with your thoughts below. Which of these recasts still bug you? And which were for the better?

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: Lois Lane

Phyllis Coates (inset) originally played Clark Kent’s colleague and Superman’s No. 1 gal, but when sponsorship for Season 2 took too long to secure, the busy actress became unavailable to continue on as Lois Lane. Noel Neill, who had played the Daily Planet reporter in a pair of Superman film serials, stepped in and got the job done for the next five seasons.

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE: Anna-Kat

Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood presented Julia Butters (left) with an opportunity that she just couldn’t pass up, and ultimately resulted in her departure from the family comedy, when ABC released the child star to pursue other opportunities. Giselle Eisenberg (right) replaced Butters as Anna-Kat, the youngest child of Katie and Greg Otto, in the fifth (and what would be final) season of the series.

BATMAN: Catwoman

Julie Newmar (left) quickly proved popular as Catwoman over the camp-tastic comedy’s first two seasons. But when she became unavailable due to her filming of a movie, Eartha Kitt (center) put her own purrrrfect spin on the vamping villainess in Season 3.

But cat’s not all! Lee Meriwether (right) played the role in a 1966 movie that was filmed after Season 1, as Newmar nursed a back injury.

BATWOMAN: Kate Kane

When Ruby Rose (left) departed The CW’s Batwoman after one season (a choice that “wasn’t 100-percent her decision”), the Arrowverse series brought on a brand-new caped crusader for Season 2 — Javicia Leslie’s Ryan Wilder. Ultimately, though, the Season 2 storyline dictated the return of the MIA, presumed-dead Kate Kane, who after some plastic surgery now looked a lot like Krypton‘s Wallis Day (right).

BEWITCHED: Darrin

Having suffered a chronic back injury years prior while filming a movie, the rubber-faced Dick York (left, with Elizabeth Montgomery) toughed it out through five seasons as husband-of-a-witch Darrin Stephens, thanks in part to writers who late in his run penned many a seated or supine scene. But after nearly blacking out on set, push came to shove and York politely asked off the series. Dick Sargent (right), who was originally offered but passed on the role of Darrin, took over for Seasons 6 through 8.

CAGNEY & LACEY: Christine Cagney

Loretta Swit was first to play Christine Cagney, in the 1981 TV-movie, Cagney & Lacey, that later inspired the series of the same name. Swift’s contract with M*A*S*H prohibited her from reprising the character in the TV take, so she was replaced by Meg Foster (inset). But after just a handful of episodes, Foster was replaced by Sharon Gless due to audiences having difficulty distinguishing “the two leads apart,” a CBS rep claimed at the time. It was later revealed in a TV Guide news story that the real reason was that CBS felt the Foster/Tyne Daly combo was “too hard and not feminine,” with both characters coming across as lesbians.

CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND: Greg

For its farewell season, the CW dramedy gave Rebecca Bunch’s old flame a new face, when Skylar Astin (inset, with Rachel Bloom) stepped into the role of Greg, who was played during the first two seasons by original cast member Santino Fontana. Series creators Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna said they gave Fontana a heads-up about the recast, and he in turn threw Astin his support, saying in an interview, “I love Skylar! He’s a buddy of mine. We’ve been texting, we’ve got a whole back-and-forth going. We’re brothers from the same mother.”

DALLAS: Miss Ellie

An original cast member (and one of the reasons Larry Hagman signed in to play J.R. Ewing), Barbara Bel Geddes (left, with Howard Keel) portrayed family matriarch Miss Ellie for six seasons, until, following an emergency quadruple bypass, she needed to take a leave of absence, and Donna Reed (right) stepped in for a temporary spell.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: Caleb Applewhite

When the mysterious Applewhite family moved to Wisteria Lane in Season 2, it was comprised of matriarch Betty (played by Alfre Woodard) and sons Matthew (Mehcad Brooks) and Caleb (Page Kennedy, whose previous credits at the time included The Shield and Barbershop). But barely a month into the new season, Kennedy (inset) was fired for “improper conduct” following “a thorough investigation” by the studio. (Kennedy later denied the unspecified allegations and claimed instead that producers “decided to go in a new direction” and bought out his contract. NaShawn Kearse (main photo) took over the role starting with Episode 8, and continued throughout the season.

DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN: Colleen

When the role of Colleen Cooper was recast with Jessica Bowman (inset) midway through the third season of the CBS Western, audiences vocalized their anger over the replacement of the much-adored Erika Flores (main photo, center). Some fans even went to the length of writing to CBS requesting an explanation for the sudden change. There were rumors that Flores and.or her father demanded she get paid more, but Flores reportedly asserted she left the show simply for personal reasons.

DYNASTY: Steven Carrington

Al Corley (left) was first to play the iconic primetime sudser’s Steven Carrington, who is regarded as one of the earliest queer main characters on American TV. Yet despite identifying as gay, Steven had relationships with both men and women, prompting Corley to publicly critique the writing/role until he was replaced for Season 3 with Jack Coleman (right). (Plastic surgery following an oil rig explosion explained the change in appearance.)

Corley would, however, return to the role for Dynasty: The Miniseries in October 1991, due to Coleman’s unavailability.

DYNASTY: Fallon

As Season 5 of the primetime sudser opened, Fallon had disappeared after her car collided with a truck. But by the finale, she turned up alive and, well, looking like British General Hospital alum Emma Samms (right, with John James’ Jeff) versus Connecticut-born Pamela Sue Martin (left), who had originated the role. (EP Aaron Spelling wrote in his autobiography, “Pamela Sue Martin wanted to leave Dynasty to get married and we didn’t stand in her way.”) And no, not even Jeff picked up on any difference when he finally realized his love was alive.

DYNASTY (2017): Cristal

The reboot’s first season finale ended with Cristal Carrington on death’s door, an opportunity The CW used to replace actress Nathalie Kelley. (“It was not the right fit,” Kelley later admitted in an interview.) Telenovela star Ana Brenda Contreras (left inset) was introduced in Season 2 as the “real” Cristal, only to be unceremoniously swapped out for Daniella Alonso (right inset) atop season 3. Meaning, the show’s fourth season marked the very first time a Cristal has carried over from one season to another!

DYNASTY (2017): Alexis

Nicollette Sheridan was the first actress to assume the iconic role of Alexis Carrington in the reboot, but she left midway through Season 2 to “focus on some personal family responsibilities” (according to a joint statement from the network and studio). The recast was written into the show, with Alexis’ son Adam shoving her face into an open fire. Liz Gillies (left inset) temporarily did double duty as Alexis (thanks to Adam giving his mother’s plastic surgeon a photo of Fallon to use for reference), but that disturbing fever dream was eventually remedied with another facial reconstruction. As of Season 3, Alexis now wears the face of Elaine Hendrix (right inset).

FAMILY MATTERS: Harriette Winslow

By the time the ninth season of the family sitcom rolled around, cast member Jo Marie Payton (top, with Reginald VelJohnson) already had one foot out the door. Payton wanted out several years before that final season, citing that she felt the quality of the show had dropped the longer it ran. Her contract with ABC required her to stay for eight seasons, but when CBS snagged Family Matters for a ninth season, Payton came to an agreement to stay for half of it. Her role was quickly filled with Judyann Elder (inset), who had appeared on shows like Martin, yet the ratings continued to drop, and CBS ultimately opted to end the beloved sitcom.

THE FOSTERS: Jesus

When Jesus got into a car accident at the close of Season 2, no, he didn’t undergo plastic surgery that left him with a new face. Rather, he went off to boarding school, and when next seen midway through Season 3, was suddenly played by a different actor, Noah Centineo (right). “I’m honored to have been a part of such a groundbreaking series, but I personally want to let you know that my time on the show has come to an end,” OG cast member Jake T. Austin (inset photo) shared on social media. “Thank you for letting me be a part of your family, it’s been a pleasure.”

THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR: Aunt Viv

Janet Hubert (inset) played the Banks family matriarch for three seasons, then was replaced by Daphne Reid for the remainder of the sitcom’s six-season run. “I can say straight up that Janet Hubert wanted the show to be The Aunt Viv of Bel-Air Show,” Will Smith told a radio station back in 1993. “She said once, ‘I’ve been in the business for 10 years and this snotty-nosed punk comes along and gets a show.’ To her, I’m the Anti-Christ.” Alfonso Ribeiro shared a similar sentiment during a 2009 stand-up set, saying, “There were days … she would literally go off on people and they got to a point by the time the second season came around where we’re like, ‘This is unacceptable.’”

Fortunately, this feud was snuffed out during the cast’s 2020 reunion on HBO Max. For the first time, Hubert and Smith sat down and discussed their issues, ultimately agreeing to bury the hatchet in the name of healing.

GAME OF THRONES: Daario Naharis

When the well-tressed Daario Naharis first surfaced at the end of Season 3, it was Ed Skrein who pined for Daenerys. But come Season 4 — because Skrein was busy playing a young Jason Statham in a Transporter prequel reboot — Michael Huisman (Orphan Black, Nashville) had taken over the role.

THE GOLDBERGS: Jackie

When Adam Goldberg’s crush suddenly ceased looking like Disney Channel queen Rowan Blanchard and turned into Alexis G. Zall in Season 6, viewers took notice… and came after the series’ creator. “I did not recast anyone. [Blanchard] passed for the season,” Adam F. Goldberg explained on Twitter. As for the new Goth look that theoretically masked the switch-up, he maintained, “Adam and Jackie will always be Adam and Jackie.”

GOTHAM: Ivy Pepper

Clare Foley (left inset) made her debut as a wee Ivy in the Gotham pilot, and played her through the Season 3 premiere. But when Fish Mooney’s henchman Marv, an Indian Hill experiment whose power was described as a “fountain of youth in reverse,” brushed up against the moppet, she aged up into the more adult-looking Maggie Geha (main photo).

Then in Season 4, in a bid to make Ivy less “comic and zany” and more “scary” as she reached her villainous potential, the character consumed a potion, disappeared into a cocoon and later emerged in the very adult form of The Flash alum Peyton List (right inset).

GOTHAM: Selina

Granted, it was for only one episode — but still, it was the Batman prequel’s series finale, and David Mazouz didn’t similarly get replaced. And while it made a certain amount of sense for Lili Simmons (Banshee, Hawaii Five-0) to portray a decade-older Selina in the time-jumping finale, it was nonetheless jarring (and sad) to not see original cast member Camren Bicondova bring the would-be Catwoman’s tail tale to a close.

LAST MAN STANDING: Kristin

Shortly after the ABC sitcom wrapped its freshman run, TVLine reported that come Season 2, eldest Baxter daughter Kristin would look a bit different. Amanda Fuller, fresh off a Grey’s Anatomy arc, wound up with the role.

But if you thought that recast was jarring….

LAST MAN STANDING: Mandy

When Fox revived the castoff ABC sitcom, fans couldn’t stop talking — and to this day still do! — about the new Mandy, given that the middle Baxter child went from being a 5-foot-1 brunette to a 5-foot-10 blonde. EP Matt Berry explained at the time that original cast member Molly Ephraim was busy with “different things” and would not partake in the revival, so Molly McCook was brought in as a recast.

LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: Jimmy Olsen

Michael Landes (inset) has said he was “bummed out” after Jimmy Olsen, Superman’s best friend, was recast with Justin Whalin, and for the strangest reason. Apparently the showrunners felt that Landes looked too similar to series leads Dean Cain (who played Clark Kent/Superman) and Teri Hatcher (Lois Lane)! “Part of me was like, ‘What, I didn’t look like them 22 episodes ago?,’” Landes joked in a 2016 interview with Digital Spy.

MAD MEN: Bobby

Whereas Kiernan Shipka remained a constant as Sally Draper through all seven seasons of the acclaimed period drama, there were no fewer than four (4) different Bobbys over that same stretch, including future Once Upon a Time star Jared Gilmore and ending with Desperate Housewives alum Mason Vale Cotton.

THE MUNSTERS: Cousin Marilyn

Thirteen episodes into the 1960s sitcom’s first season, Beverly Owen (inset) vacated the role of “plain” cousin Marilyn to travel across the country and wed an East Coast-based writer/producer. Pat Priest (main photo, far right) then stepped in for the remainder of The Munsters’ 70-episode run.

ONCE UPON A TIME: Robin Hood

The Prince of Thieves was a real devil when he first appeared late in Season 2, played as he was by Welsh guest star Tom Ellis. When the fantasy drama targeted Robin for a long-term run, Ellis was busy headlining USA Network’s Rush, and English actor Sean Maguire (inset, with Lana Parrilla) proceeded to hit the bull’s-eye.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE: Blair

If we are to single out one memorable recast from the world of daytime soaps — where the swapping in and out of actors is extremely commonplace — there is arguably no topping the transition from biracial Mia Korf, who had left the ABC soap for a Broadway gig, to Kentucky-fried Kassie DePaiva. (In an inside joke made many years later, it was said that Asian-American actress Mia Korf portrayed Blair in David Vickers’ film autobiography!)

RIVERDALE: Reggie

Ahead of the show’s freshman finale, TVLine reported that Ross Butler would be vacating the role of Reggie, due to other commitments (including 13 Reasons Why). “We love what Ross did with the role [but] we couldn’t use him nearly as much as we would have liked,” series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said at the time. “We want more Reggie on our show — he’s Archie’s rival! — and because Ross is unavailable … we’re looking for a new Reggie.”

Charles Melton (American Horror Story) was tapped as a recast, though those big plans to play up the Archie/Reggie rivalry never came to pass. Butler did return to reprise his role as Reggie — and even fought with Melton’s Reggie! — thanks to a parallel universe in Riverdale‘s milestone 100th episode.

ROSEANNE: Becky

Lecy Goranson originated the role of the eldest Conner child, but exited the hitcom midway through Season 5 to attend Vassar College. Future Scrubs doc Sarah Chalke took over for the next two seasons, at which point Goranson was able to return — where she was met by multiple characters remarking, “Where the hell have you been?” (and did a Patty Duke Show riff over the closing credits; see photo).

Chalke proceeded to fill in on occasion, as needed, took over again full-time for Season 9, then played a brand-new character — a woman interested in Becky as a potential surrogate — in the revival.

SENSE8: Capheus

Aml Ameen’s sudden departure from the Netflix series after one season was initially chalked up to “creative differences,” though at least one costar went on to opine via Twitter, “Now the writing and character can shine as they were meant to!”

Following a whirlwind recast process, Toby Onwumere made his debut in the Season 2-opening Christmas special, with one character commenting on his “different” appearance.

SHAMELESS: Mandy

Jane Levy originated the recurring role of promiscuous Mandy Milkovich and played her throughout Season 1 of Showtime’s dysfunctional family dramedy. But when Levy went out for and got the lead role in ABC’s Suburgatory comedy, a recast became necessary, and Emma Greenwell (whose previous roles at the time included True Blood) took over.

SISTERS: Charley

In Season 4 of the NBC sudser about four sisters (played by Julianne Phillips, Patricia Kalember, Sela Ward and Swoosie Kurtz), a fifth sibling entered the mix: Charlotte Bennett aka Charley, played by Jo Anderson (inset). When the recurring role was upped to a full-time series regular for Season 6, Anderson was unavailable, and L.A. Law alum Sheila Kelly (main photo, far left) stepped in.

SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND: Naevia

Lesley-Ann Brandt (left), who played the role of Naevia in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, decided not to renew her contract after the first season of the Starz drama, having headed to the States to pursue opportunities while the show reset itself in the wake of lead Andy Whitfield’s passing. For Spartacus: Vengeance, the network opted to replace her with Cynthia Addai-Robinson (right), who at the time had previously appeared on Chuck, FlashForward and CSI: NY.

SUPERBOY: Clark Kent/Superboy

This syndicated 1988 superhero series first starred John Newton as the Boy of Steel, but as part of a Season 2 overhaul — and reportedly because Newton sought a significant salary bump from producers who had not been impressed by his performance thus far — Gerard Christopher took over the flights ‘n’ tights for Seasons 2 through 4. (Newton went on to have runs in series such as 1993’s The Untouchables and the original Melrose Place, while Christopher would later play Sunset Beach‘s Dr. Carl Brock.)

SUPERGIRL: Alura

During Season 1 of the Arrowverse series, Laura Benanti played both the evil Astra and, in flashbacks, her twin sister Alura (aka Kara’s mother). After Astra was killed off, Benanti made a few more appearances as a hologram Alura, but she eventually vacated the role to pursue Broadway projects.

But what’s most of note in this instance is that Erica Durance, best known for playing Smallville‘s Lois Lane, was brought on in Season 3 to holo-counsel Kara (and eventually turn up alive).

TRUE BLOOD: James

Long before the vampire drama’s final season hit the airwaves, it claimed its first victim when the role of James was recast “due to the creative direction of the character.” As a source told TVLine at the time, Luke Grimes “initially joined the show because he wanted to work with [his Forever co-star] Deborah Ann Woll. But when he started reading the scripts for Season 7, he was disappointed to learn that they were going in a completely different direction with James,” who wound up in a same-sex romance with Lafayette. Future Roswell, New Mexico resident Nathan Parsons took over the role.

THE WALTONS: John-Boy

Richard Thomas was one of few cast members to be carried over from the 1971 TV-movie, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, that begat the Waltons TV series. And after more than 120 episodes, his name was synonymous with the central character/narrator of John-Boy. As such, it was jarring when Robert Wightman (inset) took over the role in Season 8 — though Thomas, who had left to pursue other interests, would later return for the occasional TV-movie reunion.

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