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Casting Chair: Five Actors ‘Days of our Lives’ Should Consider When Recasting Paul Narita

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Days of our Lives was riding high with the successful, sexy pairing of Paul Narita and Will Horton earlier this year. For once, it really felt like the show had found a match made in heaven with the two characters who once found themselves on opposing sides. However, the show ultimately suffered a major blow when phenomenal actor Christopher Sean decided to vacate his role as Paul Narita. While he’s going to be blasting off to a galaxy far far away (that’s Star Wars, right?), there’s no reason for us to lose Paul for too long!

Without Paul, we find ourselves faced with an even more boring and unrootable Sonny and Will pairing. To that, I say, “Not on my watch!” So I’m here to present a top five list of actors that would make a great Paul recast.

5. Tim Kano

Instagram: @tim_kano

Coming in at number five is the wild card of the list! Why is it a wild card, you ask? Tim Kano is currently starring on Neighbours as the half-Japanese son of a white legacy character… Sound familiar? Now I’m sure Tim is more than happy with his current gig as he’s been there for about two years now and there are still many more stories to tell with his charming character Leo Tanaka, but a guy can dream!

Back in 2015 to coincide with the return to Australian airwaves, Days of our Lives held a countrywide talent search for a role on the show. Ultimately, Alexander Bruszt won the role Dr. Fynn Thompson — who only held the role for a year before being written off. Recently, we also learned that Andrew Steel, an actor from Australian soap Home and Away (who initially lost the Dr. Fynn role to Bruszt), joined DAYS in an undisclosed role. This just goes to show that DAYS has no problem with and could always again consider an international casting!

Instagram: @tim_kano

Tim is mostly known for his work on Neighbours but since joining the Australian soap back in 2016, his character of Leo and his brother David have been focal points of the show and have even had a spin-off special series. 

Back when Paul Narita first showed up to Salem, he was cocky and confident in just about every aspect of his life. Even when facing a major injury, he’d flirt with nurses and other hospital staff as if to mask that fear. We all know now that this bravado was just mere overcompensating to hide his true sexuality, but I’d like to see that side of him return.

Asian representation in American media, let alone in daytime is incredibly tiny, almost microscopic. Even smaller than that are the number of male Asian characters  in media who are allowed to be sexy and confident. The modelesque Tim plays that side of Leo so well down under, that I know he’d kill it stateside. 

Maybe immense confidence is just a side effect of bionic legs or whatever miracle cure they find for our new Paul.

4. Peter Sudarso

Instagram: @petersadrian

After joining forces with father John Black at his private investigator firm, Paul Narita quickly gained a reputation as a new age Salem superhero. We can’t forget that for a time, he was also a superstar pro baseball player too! But there’s a side to Paul that we never really got to explore and that was his nerdy side. Remember when he and Will first began to bond over their mutual love of a Japanese punk band? Seeing Paul showcase a new side to him outside of being the hunky hero would be so refreshing. I think Peter Sudarso would play a nerdier, more relatable Paul extremely well!

Peter Sudarso is of Indonesian descent but has always expressed his love for all things Japanese. Most will know him from his time on Power Rangers Ninja Steel as the blue ranger, but he’s also pretty big in the fandom itself! An avid consumer of Japanese culture from anime to Super Sentai (where Power Rangers gets its source material) and even tabletop roleplaying. can bring a piece of themselves to their role. Peter already plays his Power Rangers role with a touch of adorable geekiness so adding that to Paul would be a breeze!

Instagram: @petersadrian

As of right now, it doesn’t appear that he has many projects lined up for the remainder of the year so I think now’s a good time for an audition at Burbank Studios. 

For Peter’s Paul, I’d love to see a bit more quirkiness added to the character. Paul has had numerous jobs since coming to Salem, one of which involved the incredibly painful loss of his throwing arm. Maybe when he returns healed, he’ll still have a bit of a limp or after effect of the paralysis that might make him a liability in the private investigation field so he heads back to the drawing board to find what really inspires him.

It’s then that we’re all surprised to learn that Paul has forsaken a traditional career route to start a Youtube channel where he vlogs about his daily life and goings on in Salem. This could put him in direct competition with Will’s reporting at The Spectator and in direct conflict with some Salemites who might not want all of their business put out there in vlogs. Or maybe he joins in the ever growing trend of professional video game players and we can see him let his geek flag fly! But don’t fly too high, we wouldn’t want another nerdy Asian stereotype on our hands.

Young male soap opera characters are never written in a fun and youthful light anymore, usually just following in their father’s drab businessman footsteps. I can see Peter’s Paul Narita being the unique, millennial man we’ve all been asking for! 

Coryon Gray
Coryon Gray joined TV Source Magazine as a staff writer in October 2014. Prior to TV Source Magazine, he's written for and moderated Asian entertainment blogs and forums. On top of writing duties, Coryon is also a panelist for the TV Source Podcast, Soap Countdown Podcast and Our Take Media.

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7 Comments

  1. Some really great choices on here and its very well thought out. I am open to see Paul return to the show. The more diversity on the Show the better it will be. It will draw in viewers who see people like themselves. I am 100% a Will and Sonny fan, but I think the issues with Paul have nothing to do with the actor. the Producer Ken Corday and head writers like Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell, Josh Griffith and Dena Higle, Josh Griffith, Dena Higley and Beth Milstein, Dena Higley and Ryan Quan, and current head writer Ron Carlivati. They wrote the wrong story. Paul and Sonny’s past should have lead to Will insecurity causing drama basically pushing Sonny towards paul. The Will recast was awful, the writing was awful, Will’s return was exciting, then awful. I generally like Ron Carivati but he is not the best at writing stories for gay characters he is great trying to get them together then once they are he turns them into set pieces. Hopefully they find some great stories for Will and Sonny. if they bring Paul back perhaps he ends up with someone else. British soaps have two or three gay couples on the show. Hopefully Day’s writes good stuff. You tube the storry of Aaron and Robert you can see how well it can be done.

  2. Personally, I’m not visually feeling any of these casting chair selections. If I had to choose from any of them, I would default to Forrest Kiyoshi Hoffman. Ultimately, I’d like to see Paul go off for a 3-6 month period before a recast is implemented. Also, I am seriously disgusted with some of the comments left in this comment section. It’s disappointing that in 2018 some of the things being said are being said.

  3. The people in the comments have never heard of an opinion article. I love it, good work coryon! You didn’t just pick actors to fill the role, you suggested story as well. Personally I would love to see Paul return with a bisexual Theo!

  4. I’m not sure if you actually read the article, but Coryon suggested story for each recast so I would say he’s trying to contribute to making the character “more interesting” for the rest of you. He even suggested him returning with Theo so it’s not all about Horita.

  5. as a GLAAD member it was because of the typical stereotype of gay men with the Paul and Will story is the reason and so many members of GLAAD didn’t vote for the win for DAYS. Paul has to be the weakest character I have ever seen as a viewer. when the Sonny and Will love life developed they won EMMY awards and GLAAD awards but not this weak fiasco of a storyline of Will and Paul. Coryon your writing is biased and just because he’s Asian doesn’t make it a great story.

  6. Interesting that so many H fans say that the chemistry between the characters of Paul and Will now is electric … then why would you want a recast… Paul has been an insignificant character and only stroyline he has had was involving Sonny or Will, the writers dont know what to do with him or ever did, even making him John’s son was futile it gave nothing to character or to John for that matter… now the only interesting story he gets is because he is leaving

    there is no dimension, depth, layers or anything i have seen come from the character of Paul and that is why he wont be missed as much as people think

  7. Lol. This is the worst article I’ve read from a bitter hortia fan yet… even if Paul stayed, WilSon would still get back together. Will and Sonny will be back together. Get over it. 👌🏻

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