Jessica Griffin Leaves Oakdale

Following too many months (in my opinion) hanging around in the background, Tamara Tunie is leaving her role of Jessica Griffin after approximately two decades on As the World Turns. Tunie played the high-powered lawyer off and on since 1986. In past years, her character has had juicy story lines, including her interracial marriage to Duncan McKechnie, her date-rape story line with Marshall Travers and her daughter, Bonnie's, subsequent attempted murder of Marshall for raping her mother.

Recent months have seen Tamara hanging in the background and helping other people with their problems, while her character was having no story line of her own. Tamara kept herself busy with different projects in primetime TV, on Broadway as a producer and work in feature films.

While no official word has been given for her departure (the spokesperson I talked to stated that the show does not discuss actors' contracts), when I spoke with Tamara late last year, she spoke of her frustration for lack of story line. As she said: "My presence in Oakdale hasn't been great in the past year and a half. I miss it too -- that's what's been missing -- a lot of the history is missing to ground the show for the fans. I miss working with Ellen Dolan (Margo Hughes). I miss her and Jessica's friendship."