Top 10 Longest Working Actors Of Color In Soap Operas
Eastenders, Days of our Lives, Muvhango, Coronation Street
The world of small screen hasn’t always been a place of much diversity, especially in soap operas. Generations was the first American soap opera to feature a fully integrated cast and paved the way for the some of the soap stars we know today.
On an international level, soap operas continue to grow and expand in their representation of people of color and our diverse experiences. With some countries dedicating their entire soap lineup to the dominant people of color population. While others have integrated a more diverse representation of their population into their soaps.
To honor the legacy of people of color in soaps, here is a list of the top ten longest-serving actors in the world still playing the same role on their respective soap.
10. Diane Parish
Series: EastEnders
Country: United Kingdom
Character: Denise Fox
Years Playing Role: 13 years
Highlights: Everything about Diane Parish’s experience as an actor is technical. She’s a graduate from London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked her way through school doing sessions singing at a recording studio, something that came in handy when she first appeared on EastEnders, as Lola Christie in 1998. While her role was short-lived, it would later lead to her being brought back and cast as the now iconoclastic role of Denise Fox.
9. Bryton James
Series: The Young and the Restless
Country: United States
Character: Devon Hamilton
Years Playing Role: 15 years
Highlights: Starting in 2004, Bryton James graced the small screen as Devon Hamilton, a character that somewhat broke the mold of what a “typical” male lead in a soap opera can be. The development of Bryton’s character Devon was a broader social comment since his childhood was rife with tragedy. Though not a straightforward romantic character, James’ performance did earn him a Daytime Emmy in 2007 and an NAACP Image award in 2009.
8. Christel Khalil
Series: The Young and the Restless
Country: United States
Character: Lily Winters #1
Years Playing Role: 16 years
Highlights: As a Los Angeles native, Christel Khalil is best known on The Young and the Restless as Lily Winters — initially, a young, rebellious character Khalil played for three years, took a brief break, and then returned to the role. Being part Native American, African American, and Pakistani, Khalil is the only actress of color in history to win a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series.
7. Rudolph Walker
Series: EastEnders
Country: United Kingdom
Character: Patrick Trueman
Years Playing Role: 18 years
Highlights: Like his character on EastEnders, Rudolph Walker is a native Trinidadian who started on the show as Patrick Trueman in 2001. Among many different storylines like being the real father of Denise Fox, Walker has played this role for 18 years and was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards in 2018.
6. Ingrid Paulus
Series: 7de Laan
Country: South Africa
Character: Vanessa Beukes
Years Playing Role: 19 years
Highlights: Ingrid Paulus has made her career on 7de Laan playing Vanessa Meintjies (nee Beukes) since her debut in 2008. On the show, Vanessa is married to Xander Meientjies played by Theodore Jantjies. 7de Laan has received three South African Film and Television Awards or SAFTAs for Best TV Soap. Before the show, Ingrid Paulus was Speeltjie in the 1999 film Sterk Stemer.
5. Gabriel Temudzani
Series: Muvhango
Country: South Africa
Character: Chief Azwindini Mukwevho
Years Playing Role: 19 years
Highlights: Gabriel Temudzani is a Veteran on the Muvhango soap, starting the show as Chief Azwindini in 2000. Next year will make 20 years for the actor in this role. Temudzani also has accolades in film and theater. In 2003 he was cast in South African film, A Diamond and Destiny. In 2009 he was cast in Night Drive playing Mluwati. He’s also won a Vita Award for his performance in the stage show, The Dog and The Night Of Horror.
4. Jimmi Harkishin
Series: Coronation Street
Country: United Kingdom
Character: Dev Alahan
Years Playing Role: 20 years
Highlights: Devendra or “Dev” Alahan is a businessman on Coronation Street and as one of the more well-to-do residents, Dev’s storyline usually surrounds the ups and downs in his relationships with women. Jimi Harkishin has played Dev since 1999, and other than playing a wealthy businessman, he also plays a single father to twins.
3. Murabeli Rasalanavho
Series: Muvhango
Country: South Africa
Character: Vho-Mukondeleli Mukwevho
Years Playing Role: 22 years
Highlights: Murabeli Rasalanavho is one of the few actors that has been on Muvhango since its inception.
Muvhango
2. Maumela Mahuwa
Series: Muvhango
Country: South Africa
Character: Susan Mukwevho
Years Playing Role: 22 years
Highlights: Maumela Mahuwa is also an actor among the elite that has been on Muvhango since its origin in 1997. Along with being an actress, Mahuwa is also a musician and became a pastor two years ago, she opened up her own film school called The African Academy of Cinematic Arts where young students can get training in acting, filmmaking and other parts of the entertainment industry.
1. James Reynolds
Series: Days of our Lives
Country: United States
Character: Abe Carver
Years Playing Role: 38 years
Highlights: Since 1981 James Reynolds has played Abe Carver in Days of Our Lives and is marked as one of the longest-running African American characters American soap opera and all of television history. Reynolds left Days in 1990 when he was offered the leading role as a recast of the patriarch and business tycoon Henry Marshall on the short-lived NBC sister soap Generations. For that role, he received his first Daytime Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in Drama Series. He would later return to Days (in 1991) once Generations was canceled. It should be noted that in daytime a character can be recast with another actor if the original portrayer decides to leave, but Reynolds is the only actor to portray Abe Carver since the character’s inception. In 2018, Reynolds won his first Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in Drama Series.