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BEST RECAST: GRACE TURNER

Soap Opera Digest

Jennifer Gareis and Josie Davis: THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Jennifer Gareis (l.) softened Grace, the role originated by Josie Davis.
  • Grace The Former: Josie Davis
  • Grace The Better: Jennifer Gareis
  • Now You See Her, Now You Don’t: This recast literally happened in the blink of an eye. Gareis stepped into the role in April, 1997 while Grace was in Madison with Tony to bring home Sharon’s daughter, Cassie. Davis finished work on a Monday, and the next morning Gareis was performing scenes that took place on the same day.
  • Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes: With Davis, Grace was pretty much all about sexuality and her blue-collar roots. When Gareis took over, her character became more involved in the heart-wrenching saga of Cassie’s custody, and a softer dynamic developed.
  • Why This Worked: Gareis’s natural style of acting broadened the sex siren. We believed that this was a woman who could both sleep with her best friend’s husband and fall head over heels for a little girl. Gareis balances Grace’s street toughness with the longing for security and love that tormented her with envy of Sharon’s cushy life.
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