As previously reported, Napiera Danielle (Bonnie McKechnie) will exit As The World Turns later this fall. The actress taped her final scenes this week.
Danielle, who becomes the third prominent African-American performer to leave the show in recent months, is actually making her farewell a bit earlier than expected. The actress' contract wasn't set to expire for a few more months, but the actress and show executives reportedly came to the agreement that Bonnie had been written into a corner.
Danielle's exit, coupled with Emmy nominated Paul Taylor's (Isaac Jenkins) exit earlier this fall and Lamman Rucker's (T Marshall Travers) upcoming exit leaves a sizeable hole in the previously prominent Black Oakdale community. Rucker, however, has expressed that he does not feel that the show was targeting Black actors in the job cuts, but rather characters who didn't have a strong future.
Danielle has expressed an interest in pursuing a music career. In fact, the actress is working on a compilation of her own songs. The actress-slash-singer is also relocating to the West Coast.
Danielle last airs on November 13, 2003.
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