Soap opera fans know that the popular daytime dramas have been churning out movie and TV stars for decades! Here are 10 of the biggest movie and television celebrities to come from the world of soap.

Here are 10 Black actors and actress that you may not have realized had a major role on a soap opera:

Tika Sumpter

Tika Sumpter was once the star of OWN soap opera The Haves and the Have Nots, but that’s not her only soap role. Her biggest role early in her career came from One Life to Live in 2005, in which she played Layla Williamson.

Nafessa Williams

The Black Lightning star became a prominent fixture of daytime television in 2011 on One Life to Live. She starred as Deanna Forbes, one of her earliest roles.

Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson starred on Guiding Light in 1996. When she left the series in 1997, another legendary actress, Ruby Dee, replaced her.

Nia Long

Another alum of Guiding Light, Nia Long starred on the soap as Kathryn Speakes during the early ’90s.

Reign Edwards

Snowfall and The Wilds star Reign Edwards has been nominated three years straight for the Daytime Emmys for her work on The Bold and the Beautiful as Nicole Avant.

Rome Flynn

Rome Flynn, better known for his stint on How to Get Away with Murder, was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for his role on The Bold and the Beautiful. In the series, he played Zende Forrester Dominquez.

Angell Conwell

Angell Conwell is currently entertaining fans on BET+’s Bigger, but one of her earliest roles was as Leslie Michaelson on The Young and the Restless.

Renée Elise Goldsberry

Hamilton‘s Renée Elise Goldsberry starred as Evangeline Williamson on One Life to Live from 2003 to 2007. Her jump to soap operas came after the end of primetime dramedy Ally McBeal, where she had a recurring role between 1997 and 2002 until the series’ cancellation.

Laura Harrier

BlackKklansman and Spider-Man: Homecoming actress and model Laura Harrier booked her first acting role on the web series reboot of One Life to Live as Destiny Evans. She took over the role from Shenell Edmonds, who originated the role on television but did not to take part in the web version of the series.

Tichina Arnold

The star best known for Martin and Everybody Hates Chris got one of her earliest roles on ’80s soap opera Ryan’s Hope. Still, many probably knew her from Little Shop of Horrors, which predates her soap role by a year.

Soap Opera

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