the next big thing

i know soaps aren't known for having great actors, but it's been my theory that 1/3 of soap actors are bad, 1/3 are decent and 1/3 are very talented. lately many soap actors have moved on to success in primetime and movies, such as eva longoria, jesse metcalfe, jensen ackles, josh duhmel, and more recently brandon routh (superman). here's my list of current soap stars who i think could really make it big elsewhere, followed by a list of hot-looking soap guys and girls whose talents i'm not completely sold on -- yet -- but hey... who knows?

All My Children
Alicia Minshew (Kendall)
Alexa Havins (Babe)

As the World Turns
Terri Colombino (Katie)
Mark Collier (Mike)

Grayson McCouch (Dusty)
Jesse Sofer (Will)
Maura West (Carly)

Days of Our Lives
Arianne Zuker (Nicole)

General Hospital
Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis)
Natalia Livingston (Emily)

Guiding Light
Tom Pelphrey (Jonathon)
Rob Bogue (Mallet)
Crystal Chappell (Olivia)
GinaTognoni (Dinah)

One Life to Live
Bree Williamson (Jessica)
Melissa Archer (Natalie)

Passions
Brook Kerr (Whitney)
Emily Harper (Fancy)
Heidi Mueller (Kay)

The Young and the Restless
Michelle Stafford (Phyllis)

CUTE GUYS & GIRLS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE GOOD ACTORS
Justin Bruening (Jamie, AMC)
John Driscoll (Coop, GL)

Julie Marie Berman (Lulu, GH)
David Fumero (Christian, OLTL)

Matthew Metzger (Duke, OLTL)
Aiden Turner (Aiden, AMC)
Jeff Branson (Jonathon, AMC)
Chrishell Strause (Amanda, AMC)
Darin Brooks (Max, DAYS)
Thad Luckinbill (JT, Y&R)
Scott Bailey (Sandy, GL)
Greg Vaughn (Lucky, GH)

RECENTLY LEFT SOAPS... WAITING ANY MINUTE FOR THEIR BIG BREAK
Rebecca Budig (ex Greenlee, AMC)
Peyton List (ex Lucy, ATWT)
Chris Beetem (ex Jordan, ATWT)
Justin Hartley (ex Fox, PASS) **Update: just landed lead role of Aquaman for next fall
Eric Winter (ex Rex, DAYS)
Nadia Bjorlin (ex Chloe, DAYS)
Tamara Braun (ex Carly, GH)