When The Young and the Restless announced that Roger Howarth had joined the cast, longtime viewers were intrigued but not particularly alarmed—after all, fresh faces in Genoa City are practically a seasonal event. But within hours, the online fandom erupted. Comments flooded social media. Fan theories multiplied. Something felt… familiar. Then came the twist that blew the roof off the soap world: Howarth’s character, Mitch Beall, wasn’t a new player at all. He was Matt Clark—yes, that Matt Clark—risen from the dead after more than two decades.

And perhaps the most shocked person of all?
Rick Hearst, the actor who originally embodied the notorious villain and left an unforgettable stain on Genoa City’s history. What he didn’t know—and what no one bothered to tell him—is that the show was resurrecting the character he left behind in the early 2000s… and handing it to someone else.

Now, Hearst is speaking out, and his reaction is a mix of surprise, humor, respect, and classic soap-style irony.

---

Matt Clark: A Villain Written in Permanent Ink… or So We Thought

To understand the magnitude of this twist, you have to go back to the early aughts, when Rick Hearst’s portrayal of Matt Clark dominated the darker edges of Y&R. Matt wasn’t your everyday soap antagonist—he was manipulative, vindictive, and mentally unhinged in ways that made storylines jump off the screen. He terrorized the Newmans, tormented Sharon, and played a long game of psychological warfare that few villains in Genoa City could rival.

And when Matt finally met his end in 2001, the writers ensured it was dramatic enough to seem irrevocable. After a showdown that left him hospitalized and on life support, Matt pulled out his own breathing tube in a last act of vengeance, framing Nick Newman for murder with his dying breath. It was gruesome, operatic, and—most importantly—final.

At least, that’s what everyone thought.

Hearst remembers the exit vividly. Years later, he still describes it with theatrical clarity:
Matt wasn’t just dead—he was “medieval warrior dead.”
In his mind, the character had been metaphorically drawn, quartered, and mounted on the plot equivalent of spikes at London Bridge. A return was about as likely as the resurrection of King Arthur.

Which is why, two decades later, hearing that Matt Clark was alive again—under a fresh identity and played by a new actor—sent shockwaves through Hearst’s circle as much as through the fandom.

---

The Moment Rick Hearst Found Out — From a Fan Video, of All Places

You’d think a studio as legendary as The Young and the Restless might drop a courtesy call to the man who first brought Matt Clark to life. At the very least, a cryptic heads-up from someone in the Y&R production chain. But that’s not how Hearst learned the news.

Instead, he discovered the resurrection the same way many fans did: scrolling through social media.

He stumbled on a video thumbnail showing Roger Howarth on one side, Sharon Case on the other, with the words:
“Matt Clark is back.”

Hearst’s reaction?
A simple, baffled, “What?”

It’s the same reaction millions of viewers had—but for Hearst, it carried a layer of personal disbelief. After all, he lived inside Matt Clark’s twisted psyche. He played his descent into vengeful madness. He played his death. And beyond the storyline shock, there was the plain human surprise of seeing a role he once inhabited revived without warning.

But the story doesn’t end in confusion. In fact, Hearst’s tone quickly shifts.

---

From Shock to Admiration — Why Hearst Fully Supports Roger Howarth’s Casting

Once the initial disbelief settled, Hearst didn’t express bitterness, disappointment, or territorial ego. Instead, his response was surprising—refreshingly generous, even.

He said he was thrilled by the choice to cast Roger Howarth in the role.

And his reasoning is simple:
Howarth is, in Hearst’s opinion, one of the most dynamic, unpredictable, and naturally compelling actors working in daytime television.

The two actors aren’t strangers, either. They shared time together on General Hospital, where Hearst developed a deep appreciation for Howarth’s spontaneous and instinctive acting style—qualities essential for a character as volatile as Matt Clark.

Hearst praised the recasting as “a brilliant choice,” saying that if anyone could take the character into uncharted territory and deliver something powerful, it was Howarth.

For fans who feared Hearst might take offense, his response is a breath of fresh air. Rather than viewing the recast as a slight, he views it as a creative revival handled by a capable performer.

---

Soap Rule #1: The Dead Stay Dead… Until They Don’t

Perhaps the most charming part of Hearst’s response is his humor. When asked about Matt Clark’s resurrection, he laughed, acknowledging a universal truth:
In soap operas, dead is never really dead.

Characters fall off cliffs, explode in warehouses, donate organs, and yet somehow reappear with perfect hair and a mysterious new backstory. In that sense, Matt Clark’s return follows one of the genre’s oldest traditions.

Hearst seems amused—fondly amused—by the idea that Matt, a character he once believed permanently erased, has found new life.

And now, under the alias Mitch Beall, the reborn villain stands poised to unleash a fresh wave of chaos in Genoa City. For longtime viewers, it’s nostalgia wrapped in mystery. For new viewers, it’s a reintroduction to one of Y&R’s darkest storylines.

---

Matt Clark 2.0 — What This Twist Means for Genoa City

Matt Clark’s original storyline left an imprint on several central characters—especially Sharon and Nick Newman. His return opens the door to ripple effects that could shape multiple arcs:

• Sharon’s past trauma resurfacing

• Old Newman family secrets reigniting

• New motivations behind Matt/Mitch’s survival and return

• Unfinished business finally coming due

With Roger Howarth’s intensity and unpredictability, the character’s comeback has the potential to be one of the most explosive twists the show has tackled in years.

And Hearst? He’s here for it. Not bitter. Not blindsided anymore. Just entertained—and rooting for the storyline’s success.

---

A Twist Fans Didn’t Expect — But One the Show Clearly Needed

The fandom may be divided, but Hearst’s reaction offers a grounding perspective. Instead of focusing on who didn’t return, he celebrates what the story can become. It’s rare for an actor to respond with such grace and enthusiasm when their former role is revived without them, but Hearst does so with charm, humor, and respect for the craft.

According to him, Matt Clark is in very good hands.

And for a twist this shocking… that’s exactly what the moment calls for.