Gina Tognoni leaves GL, will air through the finale
by Dan J Kroll
Posted Sunday, July 12, 2009 10:41:08 PM


Gina Tognoni will continue to air on Guiding Light through the show's finale. Claims that the actress had left the show high and dry to pursue another soap role appear to have been exaggerated. Thanks to the magic of technology, Tognoni pre-taped all of her remaining scenes.


Though two-time Emmy winner Gina Tognoni (Dinah Marler) has officially left Guiding Light, the actress will continue airing through the show's September finale. The clarification comes amid reports that GL was left scrambling to rewrite story when the actress declined to renew her contract through the 72-year-old soap's final episode.


"The former One Life to Live actress refused to extend her GL contract until the finale on September 18," the TVGuide Canada's Nelson Branco revealed two weeks ago. "At the very last minute, GL had to re-write long-term story to accommodate Tognoni’s decision to quit her popular role. There is no word yet as to why she didn't re-sign with the cancelled soap."


Now, Branco offers an update: Tognoni pre-taped all of her remaining Guiding Light scenes last month. Those scenes will continue airing through the final Guiding Light episode. It is, however, unclear if any of Dinah's storylines had to be adjusted to accommodate the early exit.


As widely assumed, Tognoni's early exit was necessary to accomodate her landing a role on another soap. Exactly which soap that is remains a secret. Tognoni has previously expressed a desire to stay on the East Coast, but talks to return to One Life to Live, where she played Kelly Cramer for six years, reportedly broke down because of salary.


Meanwhile, The Young and the Restless also reportedly expressed an interest in Tognoni.


Photo: Dan J Kroll/soapcentral.com

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RELATED STORYOLTL out of the running to sign Tognoni [Jun 15, 2009]
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Related Information
News Archives: Tognoni to end six-year stay in Llanview. [Apr 9, 2001] Who's Who: Read a biography of Dinah Marler. About The Actor: Learn more about Gina Tognoni. More Archived News: Review more past GL news headlines. News and More: Return to soapcentral.com's GL FrontPage.