What characters do you consider UNrecastable?

After the casting call for Sam, I have been wondering what characters everyone considers unrecastable. As much as I love Kelly Monaco, I personally believe that Sam is recastable although I would prefer Sam to leave if Kelly ever does. However, I hate how when an actor/actress leaves with much of the character's story untold.

Considering that Carly, a very front-burner character with tons of history/story and lots of potential for more story to be told, has been recast four times and three of those recasts have been extremely successful and popular, an argument could be made that with the right recast, any character could continue on if the portrayer left. However, there are some characters that many simply cannot imagine anyone else playing. Luke, Monica, Alan, and Tracy are the unrecastables for me. Even though Monica is a recast, Patsy Rahn (or is it Patty? Isis?) wasn't in the role for very long. I believe that almost anyone else could be, even Sam, my fave.

You constantly see on other message boards people asking if who should they recast _______ with, and so many people get very upset when it is someone they feel is unrecastable. I think if there is a need for a certain character, but the original portrayer does not want to return, the character should be recast. In my mind, a character is only unrecastable if they have been a central part of the cast for many, many, many years consistently and have been the only person who portrayed the character or have played the character more than half the time that the character has been on the canvas.

What does everyone else think?

I only watch GH so I can only comment on that one. For ME, I'd never want to see Alexis, Stefan or Nikolas recast, but in regards to the big picture, the only TRULY unrecastable character on GH is Luke Spencer. As much as I'd hate to see my Cassadines recast (and we all know Helena is a third time recast) and as much as I personally would never be able to accept other actors in the roles, when it comes to saying a character's name and seeing only one face, Luke is the only one who really comes to mind.

JMHO, of course.

I think that the only characters that would be very hard to recast are the long time characters. Characters that are known and recognizable as their character outside the soap world like Luke, Erica Kane, & Marlena Evans. (the few that come to mind I am sure there are more). I cannot imagine many characters being recast but I am sure they would work in the end. I think it is always dependent on the person that fills the role. When Edward was recasted a few years back & JI went to Days I adjusted after awhile but I still seen JI as Edward Q when I watched Days but the new guy grew on me on GH. Again w/ Tamara Braun when watching AMC at first all I could see was Carly but then Reese as a character grew on me & I could finally see the character on AMC not the old Carly.

I could not or would not accept any other actress as Alexis Davis, Monica or Tracey Quartermaine. Luke, of course could never be, I would hate it if Lucky were recasted because I love Greg, but if they got an equally hot actor (as if that existed, hehe) & he was a good actor I would prolly adjust, same with Sam, or Jason, wouldn't like it, but after time I could adjust.