Kelly Ripa Recalls Landing All My Children Role: 'It Changed the Whole Trajectory of My Life'

Thirty years ago, Kelly Ripa's life was flipped upside down.

She was just 20 years old when she was cast as Hayley Vaughan on All My Children, the iconic ABC daytime soap opera. Not only would the role catapult her to fame, but it also introduced her to her future husband, costar Mark Consuelos.

Ripa and Consuelos are two of almost 30 cast members coming together virtually throughout the week as part of Entertainment Weekly's #UnitedAtHome series. The first episode, streaming now, features the couple alongside Eva LaRue and Sydney Penny. In a sneak peek, above, Ripa, 49, shares her first impression of her character.

"Well, you know, it's so funny. Her original name was Hayley Wells and then they said, 'The character sounds too much like Hayley Mills so we're changing her name to Hayley Vaughan,'" she recalls. "I was like, 'I don't know who anybody is you just mentioned, so I'll go with it.'"

The full list of cast members involved is as follows: Jennifer Bassey, Tamara Braun, Justin Bruening, Rebecca Budig, Mark Consuelos, Josh Duhamel, Bobbie Eakes, Melissa Claire Egan, Ricky Paull Goldin, Alexa Havins, Michael E. Knight, Jill Larson, Eva LaRue, Susan Lucci, Cameron Mathison, Cady McClain, Billy Miller, Alicia Minshew, Sydney Penny, Kelly Ripa, Leven Rambin, Eden Riegel, Chrishell Stause, Walt Willey, Darnell Williams and Jacob Young.

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