ABC confirmed today that the role of Carly Corinthos will be recast. After a five-year run as Carly, Sarah Brown announced last month that she would exit the role that earned her three Daytime Emmy awards.

On her official web site on March 9th, Brown told her fans, "My contract expired today but I will stay with the show 4 more weeks to wrap it all up for them. I am not leaving because of money issues or contract issues. I am leaving because my heart is telling me I'm done."

Almost immediately after Brown's announcement, fans of the actress started firing off email to ABC asking them to do whatever they had to do to keep Brown on General Hospital. At about the same time, rumors started swirling that Brown and new executive producer, Jill Farren Phelps, had gotten into numerous arguments behind the scenes.

Brown told the Hollywood Reporter that the Internet reports were "untrue and false." Brown went on to say that the conversations she and Phelps shared were more like "a mutual-admiration society."

Last month, Phelps admitted that recasting Carly was an option, but one that would not be easy.

"We're leaving all our options open," said Phelps to the New York Post. "We would really rather not recast the role [but] Carly is such an important part of the canvas that we don't want her to drop out of sight without a resolution."

Phelps' words were hit with still more Internet backlash from fans who thought that Phelps might call upon one of the performers she'd worked with in the past -- as executive producer of both Another World and One Life to Live.

As it turns out, Phelps did not hire someone from either of those two shows. Beginning May 2nd, Tamara Braun steps into Brown's old role. Braun has been seen in Party of Five and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Braun -- a brunette -- will even dye her hair so that she's a blonde like Brown. This recast was not taken lightly, according to a report in the New York Post. Braun is said to have auditioned no less than four times opposite Maurice Benard (Sonny) before landing the role. No word on how many other actresses went through the auditioning process.

It has currently not been determined if Braun will continue in the role until the character is written out of the show or if Braun will remain with the show long-term.