Soap Operas have been around for decades and soap fans are extremely loyal to the shows they love. These series are known for their crazy, convoluted storylines that seem to go on forever. But once you are a soap fan, you will most likely always be one.
Some famous actors got their start on daytime dramas. John Stamos began on General Hospital, as did Demi Moore, Amber Tamblyn and Ricky Martin. Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos both started their careers and met on All My Children.
Lisa Rinna once starred on Days of Our Lives, which was also the soap where Joey from Friends played Dr. Drake Ramoray.
But there are also famous actors that love their daytime dramas, even if that isn't where they began their careers, so they get a role on one. Soap fans love when a star has a cameo, or even a part, on their beloved daytime shows.
8 Betty White On The Bold And The Beautiful
Everyone loved Betty White. From her roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, to Golden Girls, to the numerous movies she appeared in, she always made us laugh.
But Betty was also a great dramatic actress, and there is nothing more dramatic than a soap. She was thrilled to play Ann Douglas on The Bold and the Beautiful from 2006-2009. Betty had a serious storyline, dealing with her daughter who was once abused by her father. Her character died on the show.
Betty told Tulsa World about her run on the soap, "It's also, for me, such a great stretch because I don't get the chance to do serious acting. So to get some serious things to do was kind of fun."
7 Chandra Wilson On General Hospital
We all know Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey on the long-running series, Grey's Anatomy. Wilson is one of the few stars who has been there for Grey's entire 15 seasons (so far!).
Chandra popped up on General Hospital in 2019. She played Sydney Val Jean, who was the East Coast fashion editor of Crimson Magazine. She took to the red carpet with the magazine's Editor-In-Chief Nina Reeves, for General Hospital's famed "Nurses Ball" which is an annual fundraiser for HIV/AIDS.
She appeared on the soap twice before. Once, also in 2019, as therapist Dr. Linda Massey, and back in 2014 as patient Tina Estrada.
6 Katy Perry On The Young And The Restless
Katy Perry - singer, superstar, Superbowl performer, American Idol judge - has done it all. She has even guest starred on a soap opera.
Back in 2008, when she was known for "I Kissed A Girl", she made a guest appearance on The Young and the Restless. Perry played herself posing for a photo shoot for Restless Style magazine.
5 Erika Jayne On The Young And The Restless
Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, Eileen Davidson is also a soap star. Eileen has played Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless for years. Eileen and Erika Jayne became friends during their time on RHOBH and Eileen gave a role on her soap to Erika as a gift for her 45th birthday.
Erika played Farrah, a real estate executive who has a run-in with Eileen's Ashley when she spills coffee on her.
“I'm really, really nice, but she's a totally b**ch to me,” Erika says about her role. “We get in, like, a thing.”
4 Meredith Vieira On General Hospital
Meredith Vieira is a broadcast journalist. She was one of the original co-hosts of The View, hosted The Today Show, and has appeared on Dateline NBC and NBC Nightly News. She was a game show host on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and had her own talk show.
Meredith Vieira also guest starred on General Hospital twice. In 2002, Meredith played Bree Flanders, an owner of an upscale call-girl business. Ten years later, Meredith brought Bree back to the soap, but this time Bree is a Senior VP of Marketing for a cosmetics business.
"It'll air around GH's 50th anniversary in April. Such terrific people!" Vieira told TV Guide.
3 Kyle Richards On Days Of Our Lives
Erika Jayne was not the first RHOBH to guest star on a soap opera.
Kyle Richards is the only original housewife still standing on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Kyle started acting as a child, appearing on Little House on the Prairie in the 70s.
She went back to acting when she appeared on Days of Our Lives in 2013. She played the role of Casey McGraw, a modeling agent who comes to Salem trying to recruit Gabi. Kyle said to Glamour about her character, "She's very business-y, kinda pushy."
2 Stephen A Smith On General Hospital
One of the most surprising celebrities that appears on a soap is Stephen A Smith. Smith is known for being an ESPN host and commentator which is a pretty far cry from soap opera actor.
But Smith is a 45-year General Hospital fan, watching since he was a five-year-old. Since 2016 he has had a recurring role on his favorite soap.
Smith plays Brick, right-hand man and surveillance expert to mobster Sonny Corinthos. He was so excited about his action scenes in an episode in 2021 that he posted about it on Twitter, "Did y'all know BRICK saved the day yesterday on @GeneralHospital????? Haaaaaaa!!!!"
1 James Franco On General Hospital
It's not often that a movie star in the height of their career plays a role on a soap. But that is exactly what happened with James Franco. Franco wanted to be on General Hospital, as he explained to Good Morning America in 2010, "It was a different form of entertainment that I had ever worked in. There were performances with different levels and intention that can get audiences thinking in a different way than just about a fictional story."
He played a villain named Franco, who terrorized Port Charles. He killed people, threatened lives, and kidnapped children. James did 59 episodes of GH, but was shot to death in 2010. Of course, in soap fashion, "Franco" reappeared in 2013 with a new face, played by a new actor.