7 Longest serving child actors in the history of daily soaps

Soap operas are full of chaos, but sometimes it’s the kids who stick with you the most. Some of them joined the cast before they hit double digits and stayed for years. They didn’t just play a role for a few scenes. They became part of the show’s everyday life. Viewers watched them go from grade school to high school to adulthood without ever switching channels.

They carried real storylines and handled emotional scenes that were anything but easy. These kids weren’t just there for background roles. They were central to the drama, and they earned their place alongside the veterans. Some of them were born into major families, while others made an impact the second they arrived.

These actors didn’t bounce around between guest roles or pop in for one season. They built something that lasted. You’d see them every week. You watched them grow up. Many even got used to their face the way you’d get used to a neighbor’s.

That kind of consistency doesn’t happen much anymore. These seven actors managed to grow up on set while staying completely locked into the story. They became just as important as any adult and in some cases even more.

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Longest serving child actors in the history of daily soaps

1. Kimberly McCullough (Robin Scorpio – General Hospital)

Kimberly McCullough joined General Hospital in 1985 when she was seven years old and stayed connected to the role for decades. She played Robin Scorpio, the daughter of Anna Devane and Robert Scorpio, and became a central part of the show’s younger generation.

Her character was diagnosed with HIV in 1995, which was one of daytime television’s most groundbreaking stories. Robin later became a doctor and raised a child of her own. McCullough left and returned many times and eventually stepped into directing. Her long arc helped tie together multiple generations and brought real medical issues into daily storylines.

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2. Melissa Claire Egan (Annie Novak – All My Children)

Melissa Claire Egan first appeared on All My Children as a child extra when she was just 12 in the early 1990s before returning years later in a major role. In 2006 she began playing Annie Novak, who married into the Lavery family and later suffered a severe mental breakdown.

Annie was involved in custody battles, violent fights, and emotional spirals that became central to the show’s late era. Though Egan’s fame grew during adulthood, her early soap experience helped shape her approach. She later joined The Young and the Restless as Chelsea Lawson, where she handled storylines involving crime, infidelity, motherhood, and manipulation.

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3. Camryn Grimes (Cassie and Mariah – The Young and the Restless)

Camryn Grimes was seven when she joined The Young and the Restless in 1997 as Cassie Newman, the daughter of Sharon and Nick. Cassie’s death in 2005 was one of the show’s most pivotal episodes and caused long-term fallout for the Newman family.

In 2014, Grimes returned as Mariah Copeland, Cassie’s twin, who had grown up under difficult circumstances and was introduced through a plot involving deception and emotional conflict. Mariah developed her own identity through romance surrogacy and family discovery. Grimes became the rare child actor to grow into a dual legacy and remains key to the show’s cast.

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4. Eden McCoy (Josslyn Jacks – General Hospital)

Eden McCoy began playing Josslyn Jacks in 2015 at age eleven and remains a major part of General Hospital today. Josslyn is the daughter of Carly Corinthos and Jasper Jacks, and her storylines quickly moved from childhood grief to teen independence.

McCoy’s early plots focused on the death of Josslyn’s boyfriend, Oscar, and later included issues with underage drinking and trust. Her character became close friends with Trina and Cameron, and her loyalty to family was often tested. As Josslyn moved into adulthood, she took on more screen time and developed her own voice in the show’s long-running family dynamics.

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5. Jonathan Jackson (Lucky Spencer – General Hospital)

Jonathan Jackson started playing Lucky Spencer in 1993 when he was eleven and turned the role into one of the most developed in General Hospital history. Lucky was the son of Luke and Laura and carried the weight of their legacy from the moment he appeared.

He built a strong connection with Elizabeth Webber, and their young romance became a defining teen story. He was kidnapped and presumed dead and later returned completely changed. Jackson left and returned multiple times but always brought emotional clarity to Lucky’s trauma and choices. His work helped anchor the show’s younger generation for decades.

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6. Alyvia Alyn Lind (Faith Newman – The Young and the Restless)

Alyvia Alyn Lind first appeared as Faith Newman in 2011 when she was only three years old. She played the daughter of Sharon and Nick and became a consistent part of their most intense storylines. Faith watched her mother struggle with bipolar disorder and lived through custody battles and family conflict.

As she got older, her stories included cyberbullying and a near-fatal accident that required a kidney transplant. Lind remained in the role for ten years until the character was aged up in 2021. Her version of Faith gave the Newman family stories a grounded emotional layer every time.

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7. Ashley Peldon (Marah Lewis – Guiding Light)

Ashley Peldon started on Guiding Light in 1988 when she was just four years old and played Marah Lewis, the daughter of Josh and Reva. Marah’s early years were full of tension as her parents constantly broke up and reunited. She often found herself stuck between their problems and struggled with feeling heard.

Peldon stayed in the role for several years and gave the character a voice even at a very young age. Her performance helped make Marah feel like a real child dealing with the fallout of adult choices. Her time on the show became part of its emotional core.

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