Who the What Now?

So according to Soap Opera Digest's twitter page, Ross Rayburn will be returning to One Life to Live.  Not, however, in the form of Michael Lowry, but in the form of Billy Warlock.

Nope, not him.  Goodbye, slacker surfer Ross.  Hello....

I just... what?!  Don't get me wrong, I adore Billy Warlock and am thrilled beyond measure to see him back on one of my shows.  And lord knows he understands how to replace someone and play a character who has already been thrown under the bus just prior to his first appearance in the role. 

Will he have a lot of scenes with his on-screen brother, Evil Eli/Bennet/Clarke/Thompson, who must be two feet taller than he is?

Is anyone else utterly baffled by this news?  Anyone? 

Comments

[LadyBug]

It's a tough economy. I'm sure the actor wants to work and has bills to pay....

[realbrenda4evr]

I'm perplexed. I flove Billy Warlock in all his pocket-sized glory, but why isn't Michael Lowry coming back?

Oh well, I love them both. I don't doubt he'll do a good job.

Billy Warlock was on Baywatch, so I'm sure can do a good surfer Ross.

[Mike]

Well, maybe Frons is trying to help a guy out after all the beatings AJ took - physically and emotionally. Or, maybe Frons has a sick sense of humor is hoping to beat Billy down some more with one more character that is going to be everyone's punching bag.

[Dandesun]

I'm gobsmacked is what I am. I, too, adore Billy Warlock. He can act, and no matter the hatchet job they took to AJ, I always rooted for him.

That being said, I can only hope that Mike Lowry and his Ross of the shark-tooth necklaces and flip-flops... who was purposely asked about his height before he was cast in the role, really does have something else he's doing and that's not why he's returning.

But, yes, now all of a sudden, Ross is going to come up to Eli's waist. And how is anyone going to buy that nuRoss ever managed to get up high enough to kiss Blair on the lips?

It's all bizarre and I'm still holding out hope that there is some explanation for Evil!Eli because he and Blair are too damn good together. Maybe BW being cast as Ross is a clue that they're going to throw him under the bus even MORE.

Ugh. I just... OLTL, stop fucking things up please!! BW will surely be a joy to watch, though.

And can I just say how sad I am that we got no screencaps of Eli punching Todd in the mouth?

[Bourgeois Nerd]

*raises hands* I laughed upon reading it! I mean, despite the fact that BW's older than Michael Lowry by a few years, Warlock's trusty painting in the attic makes him look younger. He's also about two feet shorter. And, seriously, does anyone think BW could break a kayak in half? No. They must have really been thrown for a loop when ML said no. Good for Billy Warlock, though; you gotta take work where you can get it nowadays. Is he going for a record for the number of soap operas he's appeared on?

[oltlgirl]

The title of your column says it all: Who the what now?

[Judy]

Wow, I've loved Billy Warlock since Happy Days, but AJ as Ross is just totally not believable. Yeah, he's pushing 50 but he looks younger than Dani. Come ON.

[JC]

Michael Lowry was unavailable to return which is why they needed a recast. He probably booked something else, he was only recurring which means he is under no ties to the show and the show calls when they need him to work.

[Andrea]

Darn. I loved Michael Lowry as Ross. I really can't see Billy Warlock playing him. As long as Ross isn't villainized even more, I'm alright with the recast.

[Louise]

Well, don't believe everything you read about how this all came about.

[Fleur]

Haha, Bourgeois Nerd, nice Dorian Gray reference! He really does look exactly like he did ten years ago, it's amazing. I always liked him as AJ. Even when the character was being written as a total dipstick (which was often), BW always made him completely watchable. I'm happy he's getting work.

[Dandesun]

I just get the feeling that Rayburn-Thompson-Clarke brothers will be made so unredeemably evil (for no reason that anyone will understand) that when they eventually get taken out Llanview will glow with the golden glow of happiness and safety when it happens.

BUT between Billy Warlock and Matt Walton we'll still be rooting for Ross and Eli. (And, honestly, if Mike Lowry were in the role the same would apply to him.)

I am not looking forward to this. This is going to be epic failure on OLTL's part. Meanwhile, we're still stuck with the likes of Rex, John, Todd and the newly arrived Ford brothers as 'heroes.'

Gah.

[Louise]

Well again I love Billy Warlock, but wish they could've found another role for him and kept Lowry as Ross instead of feeding everyone this "unavailable" nonsense. This is just awkward.

And yeah, I'd have a hard time rooting against Ross and Eli with Warlock/Walton OR Lowry/Walton in the roles. But these are the actors that in under-the-bus roles, while all these bland newbies are supposed to garner our sympathy and stick around? No thanks.

[Robotext]

I really liked Lowry's interactions with his TV daughter Dani. I have liked Warlock since his days of playing Frankie on Days, but not only is he much shorter than Walton's Eli, I think he may be shorter than KM's Dani.

Oh well, if Warlock can be married to Julie Pinson in real life, I guess he could be believable with Blair & Tea.

[Linda Morris]

I'm really just plain SICK!!! I really like Billy too, but Michael Lowry is who
needs to be playing this part. Billy Warlock is great, but he just isn't the
guy that should be playing Ross. This makes me so very, very sad and mad at the
Soap Opera's when they pull Stunts like this and expect us viewers to just keep
on watching and NEVER be UPSET about their
stupid decisions!!!!!!!!!!! unhappay in WV

[Sheri]

I am sorry but Billy just is NOT Ross....He just is not pulling this off at all...Michael Lowry was perfect as Ross...I even thought he and Blair would have been a good couple...but now I just want this story line over so BW and his version of Ross will be gone...