10 Stars Who Appeared on ‘One Life to Live,’ Which Ended 10 Years Ago
Going from the fictional town of Llanview to the stranger-than-fiction town of Hollywood, many TV stars got their start on One Life to Live, an ABC daytime drama that ended its linear run 10 years ago, on January 13, 2012.
One Life to Live aired more than 11,000 episodes over 44 seasons—if you don’t count the ill-fated online revival—making the show one of America’s longest-running soap operas. And as you’ll see in the gallery below, big names in showbiz owe the soap a debt of gratitude. Here are some of Llanview’s most notable former residents…
Marcia Cross
Cross, better known for her Melrose Place and Desperate Housewives roles, played archaeologist Kate Sanders on One Life to Live between 1986 and 1988.
Nathan Fillion
The lead of The Rookie played a teen version of photographer-turned-clergyman Joey Buchanan between 1994 and 1997, then returned to the part in 2007.
Laurence Fishburne
This star of The Matrix and Black-ish wasn’t even a teenager when he started playing troubled youth Josh Hall, a role he kept from 1973 to 1976.
Renée Elise Goldsberry
Tommy Lee Jones
This actor of Men in Black and The Fugitive fame spent the first half of the 1970s appearing on One Life to Live, playing Dr. Mark Toland.
Judith Light
Long before her days on Ugly Betty and Transparent, Light starred on OLTL as housewife Karen Wolek from 1977 to 1983, ultimately leaving the show for her famous role in Who’s the Boss?
Hayden Panettiere
Ryan Phillippe
The ’90s heartthrob, now starring on MacGruber, appeared on OLTL from 1992 to 1993, playing groundbreaking gay character Billy Douglas on the soap.
Tika Sumpter
This star of Mixed-ish and The Haves and the Have Nots appeared on the show from 2006 to 2011, playing fashionista and actress Layla Williamson.
Blair Underwood
From 1985 to 1986—just before he hit it big on L.A. Law—Underwood portrayed Bobby Blue on One Life to Live.
Melissa Archer
Kassie Wesley DePaiva
Josh Kelly
Florencia Lozano
Kelley Missal
Erika Slezak
Andrew Trischitta
Jerry ver Dorn
Robert S. Woods
Tuc Watkins
Robert Gorrie
Robin Strasser
Hillary B. Smith
Christine Ebersole
Brynn Thayer
Gerald Anthony
Judith Light
Michael Storm
Jennifer Harmon
Farley Granger
Shepperd Strudwick
Thom Christopher
Tonja Walker
Jessica Tuck
Anthony Call
Al Freeman
Uta Hagen
Scott Clifton
Brian Kerwin
Heather Tom
Renee Elise Goldsberry
Dan Gauthier
Ilene Kristen
Linda Dano
Timothy Gibbs
Erin Torpey
Nathan Fillion
David A. Gregory
Barret Helms
Roger Howarth
Ted King
John-Paul Lavoisier
Mark Lawson
Lenny Platt
Sean Ringgold
Nic Robuck
Gina Tognoni
Nafessa Williams
Kamar de los Reyes
Jason Tam
Forbes March
Brandon Buddy
John Brotherton
BethAnn Bonner
Kathy Brier
David Chisum
Catherine Hickland
Timothy D. Stickney
Tika Sumpter
Tobias Truvillion
Brittany Underwood
Andrea Evans
Susan Haskell
Eddie Alderson
Kristen Alderson
Trevor St. John
Bree Williamson
Terri Conn
Tom Degnan
Michael Easton
Shenell Edmonds
Farah Fath
David Fumero
⨁Full Cast & Crew
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services