SOAP Q: Meet the New Bianca!

Via Deep Soap:

All My Children’ has cast soap newcomer Christina Bennett Lind in the role of Bianca. Wouldn’t it have been funny if they hired Vail Bloom, who former Bianca Eden Riegel replaced as Heather on ‘The Young & The Restless?’ It would have been a funny story, anyway. Bloom would be so wrong for the role of the inherently good Bianca. Based on this photo, Lind looks a lot like Reigel. I don’t think there has been a recast who looked so much like her predecessor since Bree Williamson replaced Erin Torpey as Jessica on ‘One Life To Live.’ The resemblance is not as strong in the picture that accompanies the TV Guide story. Assuming she is a good actress, their physical similarity will make the recast less jarring.

Lind has her resume posted on her website. She has done a lot of theater as well as some tiny television and film roles. This is definitely her big break. The most intriguing tidbit: she has an identical twin who is also an actress. If Lind does not work out, recasting will be easy. I just hope this does not inspire the writers to give Bianca a lookalike.

AMC’s Executive Producer Julie Carruthers makes it sound like the show realized how important the role of Bianca is. “Eden brought an integrity and honest innocence to the role that was very tough to match. We turned the earth upside going through the candidates. When Christina came in to read for the part she was Bianca. I think it’ll be a very easy transition for the audience.” I sure hope so. It is hard to imagine anyone but Riegel in the role, but the show needs Bianca.

Bianca is coming back on June 14th to search for a missing Erica (Susan Lucci). Fans who read spoilers know that Erica will be flashdancing in the mountains with a new character played by Michael Nouri. Fortunately, Bianca’s lying skank of a girlfriend Reese will remain in Paris with Bianca’s kids. Carruthers claims she wants to continue to play their relationship. I hope the writers disagree. Reese was an awful character. Bianca and Reese should break up off-camera and then Bianca can fall for a new woman who will not hit on her brother-in-law. Good luck to Lind with doing justice to this iconic role.