‘The Bold and the Beautiful’: Why Did Kim Matula Leave and Will She Ever Reprise Her Role As Hope?
Kim Matula popularized Hope Logan-Spencer on The Bold in the Beautiful. For six years, Matula’s version of Hope became a fan favorite. She’s since been replaced by Annika Noelle. It’s been a while since Matula appeared on the daytime drama but why did she leave and will she ever return to reprise her role?
Kim Matula’s most recent projects
Since abandoning her role as Hope Logan on The Bold and the Beautiful, Kim Matula has appeared in a handful of projects. Immediately after departing the B&B set, Matula took on the role of Tiffany James on the TV series UnREAL. She starred in 10 episodes.
After that wrapped, the former B&B star took on roles in Rosewood, Maybe Someday, and Teachers before snagging a recurring cast role in the new TV series, LA to Vegas. Matula played flight attendant, Ronnie. The show was canceled after one season.
In 2019, Matula also appeared in the comedy/drama, Fighting With My Family, in which she played female WWE wrestler, Jeri-Lynn. The movie is based on real events.
In the time since, Matula hasn’t found anything steady and there are no other credits listed on her IMDb page as of yet. She earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series in 2014 for playing Hope Logan.
The real reason Matula left ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’
Every now and then, a major daytime soap star exits, and their character is either killed off (temporarily) or replaced with another actor or actress. They may have decided a change in soap scenery is necessary, leaving fans with their new work on a competing soap. There could’ve been an on-set rivalry that ended in a departure. Or, their contract ends and the star doesn’t renew (or isn’t asked to).
As for Matula, it doesn’t appear that there was any bad blood before her last airdate in late 2015. Previous reports indicate her contract for The Bold and the Beautiful ended and she chose not to renew for the sake of trying other projects.
The actress did return for a one-episode stint after leaving in 2016.
Fans want Matula back on ‘B&B’ but would she ever return?
In January 2018, Annika Noelle made her debut as the new face of Hope Logan. The Bold and the Beautiful is her first daytime drama. The role of Hope was first played by child actors, Rachel and Amanda Pace before writers aged the character up and Matula took over.
Matula is currently grieving the loss of a beloved pet and has indicated in past interviews she does not intend to return to The Bold and the Beautiful anytime soon. That means Noelle may be in it for the long haul.
Fans of Matula may be waiting a while to hear of a daytime return or any other project. In the meantime, The Bold and the Beautiful is back to the Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood), Hope (Noelle), and Liam (Scott Clifton) triangle because some things never change.
The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays on CBS.
