A spokesperson for One Life to Live has ended speculation about Nathaniel Marston's (Michael McBain) future with the ABC soap. Marston has been let go from the show. The actor's dismissal stems from an October altercation in which Marston allegedly assaulted three people, including a police officer. Most industry experts expected that Marston would be fired; the show issued a statement shortly after the incident saying that Marston had been "taken off the schedule" pending an internal review.
"Nathaniel Marston has been a valuable member of the cast of One Life to Live bringing Michael McBain to life for legions of fans," the spokesperson said in a statement. "He leaves the show with our sincere appreciation for his many contributions and our support as he addresses personal challenges. We wish him well."
Marston broke his silence on the matter, issuing a response to ABC's statement on his official web site.
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Meanwhile, One Life to Live moved at a frenzied pace to recast Michael as soon as possible. With the current strike by writers, rewriting scripts to explain Michael's sudden disappearance would be unrealistic and nearly impossible. The show offered no comment on its plans for the role of Michael McBain.
Chris Stack will take over as Michael on December 3 -- at least temporarily. Stack appeared as Walt on a few episodes of As the World Turns in 2006. He's also appeared in a handful of feature films. It is unclear if Stack will simply fill in until the show is able to find a permanent replacement or if the actor has been hired to finish out the character's storyline and allow the writers the opportunity to write out the character.
Meanwhile, Marston airs for the final time on November 29.