Unveiling TV's Biggest Character Replacements: From 'Riverdale' to 'Friends' - You Won't Believe Who They Recast!

Can TV shows be replaced while characters remain intact? The answer is yes, technically.

Occasionally, a casting change takes place without fans even noticing, while some shows humorously acknowledge the departure of an actor and the introduction of a new replacement.

Riverdale's season 1 prompted the CW to replace actor Ross Butler with Charles Melton for the character Reggie Mantle due to a conflicting filming schedule. As for The O.C., some fans associate Shailene Woodley with the role of Marissa Cooper's younger sister Kaitlin Cooper, while others remember Willa Holland in the early 2000s drama.

Scroll down to discover which of your beloved TV characters were initially portrayed by different actors.

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TV Shows That Recast Characters: ‘Riverdale,’ ‘Friends,’ ‘The O.C.’ and More

TV shows may come and go, but what about characters … can they be replaced? Technically, yes.

Sometimes, casting changes occur without fans realizing it, while other shows humorously acknowledge the departure of an actor and the introduction of a replacement. After the conclusion of season 1 of Riverdale, the CW was compelled to find a new actor to portray Reggie Mantle due to a scheduling conflict with Ross Butler. Consequently, Charles Melton seamlessly assumed the role starting from season 2.

In The O.C., Shailene Woodley played Marissa Cooper's younger sister, Kaitlin Cooper. However, many fans associate Willa Holland with the early 2000s drama. Woodley's character, Kaitlin, went off to boarding school by the end of season 1. When she returned in season 3, Holland replaced Woodley as Kaitlin to better match the character's age.

Scroll down to see which of your favorite TV characters were originally played by someone else:

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'Days of Our Lives'

Peacock caused a stir among fans and actress Jen Lilley when they made the surprising decision to recast the character of Theresa Donovan in October 2023. Lilley had portrayed the character on and off since 2013, but was taken aback when she found out on set that Emily O'Brien would be taking over for the conclusion of the story arc. O'Brien was already a member of the Days family, having played Gwen Rizczech (now von Leuschner) since 2020.

Lilley expressed her frustration with the way the situation was handled, stating in a August 2023 interview with Soaps.com that she had only discovered she had been recast halfway through filming a 12-week storyline. She claimed that the whole situation had left everyone feeling upset and deceived.

Despite being caught off guard by the sudden switch, Lilley expressed that she harbored no ill will towards O’Brien, who was rumored to be sporting a blonde wig to resemble Theresa on camera. "That unfortunate girl had to endure conversations with me [on set, fully aware she was taking my place]. Imagine how terrible she must have felt!" Lilley empathized.

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'Superman & Lois'

After Jordan Elsass left the CW show, Australian actor Michael Bishop stepped into the role of Jonathan Kent in Season 3. Elsass expressed his thoughts on the situation in a heartfelt video message to a fan recorded in August 2022. He acknowledged the challenges that have arisen and highlighted the importance of prioritizing mental health, sharing that his own well-being has been difficult over the past couple of years.

He further expressed, "I am currently contemplating whether or not I will continue my acting career for the foreseeable future. I might choose to explore new avenues. I am aware that this decision will undoubtedly disappoint certain individuals."

In January 2023, fans had their initial glimpse of Bishop portraying the character of Jonathan in a trailer for upcoming episodes.

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'The Witcher'

Henry Cavill portrayed the role of Geralt of Rivia in the initial three seasons of the immensely popular Netflix series. However, he officially announced his departure in October 2022. "The incredibly talented Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking over the prestigious role of the White Wolf," stated Cavill during the announcement. "Like any iconic literary character, I hand over the torch with admiration for my time as Geralt, and I am eagerly looking forward to witnessing Liam's interpretation of this complex and fascinating character. Liam, my dear sir, this character possesses an exquisite depth, so immerse yourself in it and discover its wonders."

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'Step Up'

Christina Milian was announced in February 2021 as the new actor to portray Collette in the third season of the Starz series. The character was previously portrayed by Naya Rivera, who tragically passed away in July 2020 at the age of 33 due to a drowning incident.

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'Arrested Development'

Ann Veal's forgettable nature became a recurring joke in the comedy. Consequently, when Mae Whitman replaced original actress Alessandra Torresani in season 2, fans barely batted an eye.

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'Boy Meets World'

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'Family Guy'

Meg Griffin's appearance has remained consistent throughout the entirety of Family Guy, however, the character has been voiced by two different actresses. Lacey Chabert provided the voice for Meg from 1999 to 2000, after which Mila Kunis took over the role.

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'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'

After appearing in three seasons as Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Janet Hubert-Whitten was dismissed from the show. Various sources report that a conflict arose between her and the show's leading actor, Will Smith. In 2011, Hubert-Whitten stated to TMZ, "There will never be a reunion, as I will never collaborate with someone like Will Smith. This notion of a reunion will never come to fruition unless he offers an apology, a concept which he seems unfamiliar with."

Smith acknowledged the issues between the two in a 1993 radio interview. He stated, "I can say straight up that Janet Hubert wanted the show to be The Aunt Viv of Bel-Air Show because I know she is going to criticize me in the press. She has essentially gone from earning a quarter of a million dollars a year to receiving nothing. She's currently upset, but she has been harboring anger throughout." As a result, Daphne Maxwell Reid took over her role.

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'Friends'

Ross Geller's (David Schwimmer) ex-wife, Carol, who left him after realizing her attraction to another woman, is a truly memorable character on the hit show Friends. However, it's interesting to note that the actress who initially portrayed Carol, Anita Barone, was later replaced by Jane Sibbett. It was during a pivotal 1994 episode when viewers were first introduced to Carol as Ross learned he was going to become a father. The switch in actresses occurred afterwards, and Jane Sibbett assumed the role for the remainder of the series.

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'Last Man Standing'

When the comedy first aired in 2011, the Baxters' eldest daughter, Kristin, was played by Alexandra Krosney. In season 2, the character began being portrayed by Amanda Fuller.

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'Last Man Standing'

Nick Jonas briefly played Ryan Vogelson, the father of Kristin Baxter’s (Amanda Fuller) child, on Last Man Standing before Jordan Masterson took over the role.

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'Monk'

Melora Hardin, the actress who played Adrian Monk's late wife Trudy, is most remembered by Monk fans. However, she was not the only actress to fill the role. Stellina Rusich portrayed the detective's love interest in Seasons 1 and 2.

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'Pretty Little Liars'

In the initial installment of Pretty Little Liars, the character known as Toby Cavanaugh in later episodes was originally named Toby Marshall and was portrayed by James Neate. However, James Neate was subsequently replaced by Keegan Allen, who went on to depict the character as Spencer Hastings’ love interest for the remainder of the series.

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'Private Practice'

Prior to joining the cast of Private Practice in 2007, Audra McDonald replaced Merrin Dungey as Dr. Naomi Bennett, who was Addison Montgomery's (Kate Walsh) best friend from college on Grey's Anatomy. However, when the spinoff started, McDonald took on the role of the fertility specialist.

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'Riverdale'

In 2017, the popular TV show Riverdale made its debut, with the character of Reggie Mantle being portrayed by Ross Butler. However, before the second season, Butler decided to leave the series due to his involvement in another show called 13 Reasons Why. As a result, Charles Melton was brought in to join the cast and has been playing the role of Reggie Mantle ever since.

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'Roseanne'

For five seasons, the character of Becky Conner on Roseanne was portrayed by Lecy Goranson. In 1993, Goranson left the show to pursue higher education, resulting in her being replaced by Sarah Chalke. In a brief return in 1996, Goranson reclaimed her role temporarily before departing once again and being substituted by Chalke for a second time. Both actresses reunited for the show's revival in 2018, where Goranson reprised her role as Becky and Chalke played a wealthy woman who enlisted Becky as her surrogate. The two also appeared together in the show's subsequent revival, The Conners.

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'Seinfeld'

Fans may observe that the initial season of Seinfeld showcases various alterations, including a distinct arrangement of Jerry's (Jerry Seinfeld) apartment and the replacement of actor Phil Bruns by Barney Martin in the role of his father, Morty Seinfeld.

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'Seinfeld'

Jerry Stiller’s initial portrayal of Frank Costanza resulted in an Emmy nomination, although John Randolph played the character in his first appearance. Once Stiller assumed the role of George's (Jason Alexander) father for the rest of the series, creator Larry David decided to reshoot Frank's introductory scenes to maintain consistency in syndication.

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'Shameless'

Mandy Milkovich was originally played by Jane Levy on Shameless. In season 2, Emma Greenwell took over the role until the character was written off the show in 2016.

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'Supergirl'

Smallville alum Erica Durance replaced Laura Benanti in 2017 to portray Alura Zor-El, Kara Danvers’ (Melissa Benoist) late mother, on the CW series Supergirl. Throughout season 1 and into season 2, Benanti played both Alura and her twin sister Astra until Astra's character was written off due to the actress' Broadway commitments.

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'That 70s Show'

In season 6 of That ‘70s Show, Laurie Forman's role was taken over by Christina Moore following Lisa Robin Kelly's departure from the series. In an interview with ABC News, Kelly later admitted to struggling with a drinking problem during that time and explained that she chose to leave the show. Sadly, Kelly passed away in 2013 at the age of 43 after seeking help at a substance abuse treatment center.

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'The O.C.'

Shailene Woodley portrayed the character of Kaitlin Cooper, Marisa Cooper's (Mischa Barton) younger sister, in the first season of The O.C. However, in the third season, Willa Holland took over the role. The decision to replace Woodley was made because creator Josh Schwartz believed that the older version of Kaitlin Cooper required a maturity that Woodley couldn't convincingly portray, as the character had undergone significant changes.

Photo Editor: Liz Abts