Ridge Forrester is a fictional character from The Bold and the Beautiful, an American soap opera on the CBS network. The character was introduced in the series premiere on March 23, 1987, and has been a regular fixture ever since. Ronn Moss played the role from the beginning, and was one of four remaining original cast members after 25 years, along with Susan Flannery, John McCook and Katherine Kelly Lang. During a leave of absence in 1992, Moss was briefly replaced by Lane Davies. The character's fate was uncertain when Moss departed the role in 2012, although head-writer Bradley Bell confirmed in an interview with Michael Logan of TV Guide that he had plans for a recast should Moss choose not to return to the series. In October 2013, TV Guide's Michael Logan reported that the role of Ridge was recast with former All My Children actor, Thorsten Kaye. Kaye made his first appearance as Ridge on December 13, 2013. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Denise Richards' husband Aaron Phypers appeared as Ridge in intimate scenes with Shauna Fulton in 2020. In October 2025, the character appeared in a crossover with Beyond the Gates.
Kaye's performance has been met with critical acclaim, garnering him two Daytime Emmy Award wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series consecutively in 2023 and 2024, and receiving further nominations in the category in 2020, 2021, and 2026.
Development
Characterization
Ridge Forrester is described as: "Currently CEO and the driving force behind Forrester Creations Empire. His biggest fan is Mick, Ridge is this debonair designer spent his entire life believing that he was Eric’s biological son, only to later learn that he’s not biologically Eric's son at all, but rather the son of shipping tycoon Massimo Marone, and half brother to sailor, Nick, but that never changed the FACT that he is a Forrester legally and will always be a Forrester. He is father to Thomas, Steffy, and RJ, and stepfather to Hope, the one-time conflicted lover has finally settled down with Brooke, the true love of his life." In December 2013 during an interview with TV Guide, executive producer Bradley Bell talked about a significant change in Ridge's personality following the recasting of the role. He described, "He's become very introspective about the first chapter of his life, and the highs and lows of being married to a woman like Brooke. He's been working, traveling, keeping a low profile and really trying to analyze himself and the mistakes he's made. He's been thinking a lot about what he wants for the remainder of his life."
Departure and recast In August 2012, it was announced that Moss had decided to leave The Bold and the Beautiful after 25 years of being on the series. He left the series on September 14, 2012. When approached about the possibility of a recast following Moss' exit, series executive producer Bradley Bell confessed, "I might go a little younger but we'll be true to the age range that's been established. I do have people in mind in terms of a recast – some very interesting people." Bell also revealed that the character would return at some point in the future, whether it was Moss portraying the role or not. He revealed:
Bell later announced he would recast the role, should Moss choose not to return, and had several high-profile actors in mind. On October 15, 2013, it was announced that former All My Children star Thorsten Kaye was recast in the role of Ridge. He made his on-screen debut on December 13, 2013. Bradley Bell explained that Kaye was at the top of his list for a Ridge recast and even considered bringing him to the series prior to the recast. He said, "I've had Thorsten on a list of several possible Ridges for a long time. Some of the actors on that list came from daytime, others had never done daytime before." In September 2025, it was announced Kaye would crossover to Beyond the Gates as Ridge.
Storylines 1987–2012 Ridge Forrester is the son of Eric and Stephanie Forrester (until a 2001 storyline changes his paternity), the oldest of the five Forrester children: Thorne, Kristen, Felicia and Angela.The existence of the microcephalic Angela was an early retcon in the series, but a later retcon reveals that the Angela viewers meet is an imposter who has been pretending to be Angela since adolescence. Still another retcon seemed to occur in the December 18, 2008 episode (#5463), in which Stephanie refers to Angela having died as a baby. He is initially portrayed as an arrogant playboy who fully enjoys his status as the favored son. Yet, like Eric, Ridge is a talented designer and soon becomes a central part of the family company, fashion house Forrester Creations. He dates the virginal heiress, Caroline Spencer. They fall in love and set a wedding date, but right before the wedding, Caroline finds out Ridge had a last minute fling and she collapsed at the wedding. Ridge didn't realize he really loved Caroline until she breaks up with him. She went on to marry his brother Thorne and Ridge ventured into a romance with Brooke Logan. Ridge moved Brooke in with him, she became pregnant but miscarried their child. During her recuperation, Ridge went into an inebriated Caroline's bedroom while her husband Thorne was downstairs and had sex with Caroline. Caroline thought he was Thorne but much later "confessed" she knew it was Ridge. Caroline and Ridge still loved each other. Caroline finally left Thorne and went to Ridge, Ridge broke up with Brooke, and they were married. Caroline died after being diagnosed with leukemia. Caroline’s dying wish is for Ridge to be with Brooke, the two reunite. Riddled with guilt Ridge seeks counsel from Taylor Hayes, a beautiful psychiatrist who counseled Ridge upon Caroline’s death. Ridge and Taylor are attracted to each other. This results in Brooke instantly clashing with Taylor, as Brooke cannot believe that Ridge could love another woman. Ridge waffles between the two women for a while but ultimately decides to marry Taylor. They wed in a beautiful ceremony which Brooke attempted to stop to make the announcement that she is pregnant. Brooke is unsure about the father of the baby since she had slept with both Ridge and Eric, Ridge’s father. Ridge was declared the father after a paternity test. While Brooke wanted Ridge to raise her baby with her and leave Taylor, Ridge chose to honor his marriage and stay with Taylor.
By the time Taylor is presumed dead in a plane crash, Brooke is engaged to Taylor's associate, James Warwick. Ridge initially encourages their relationship, but he ends up crashing their wedding. He and Brooke soon marry instead. Taylor was rescued by Prince Omar and married him. When Taylor turns up alive, Ridge initially chooses to stay with Brooke because of the children, but goes back to his true wife (his marriage to Brooke was ruled invalid). This sets in motion a bitter rivalry between Brooke and Taylor. In an attempt to make Ridge jealous, Brooke threatens to elope with Grant, an old friend of Taylor's who has come to work at Forrester Creations, if Ridge doesn't agree to remarry her. When Ridge refuses, she goes through with the wedding, not knowing that Ridge left Taylor at their engagement party to race to the port to try to stop her from marrying Grant. She also gives Grant control of Forrester Creations. When her son Rick shoots Grant, Ridge takes the blame and while waiting to be sentenced, he spills his heart to Taylor confessing it was her he always loved. When Ridge is released, Taylor is pregnant. However, when she goes to tell him she is pregnant, she catches Brooke and Ridge in bed, she decides to tell everyone Thorne, who she has been living with, and went on vacation to Hawaii, is the father. Taylor didn't know that Brooke staged the scene, getting Ridge drunk and out of his shirt and he still refused to make love to her. The truth about Thomas Forrester in fact being Ridge's son comes out, and he annuls his marriage to Brooke and returns to Taylor. In 1999, identical twin daughters, Steffy and Phoebe, are born.The history of the twins was later revised to make them fraternal, so that two different actresses could play them.
Several ordeals undermine his happiness during the marriage. His old lover, Morgan DeWitt, tricks him into getting her pregnant. A physical confrontation with Taylor leads to Morgan miscarrying, which in turn leads to her kidnapping Steffy, faking the child's death and passing the girl off as her own. Morgan eventually has both Taylor and the child held captive; but Ridge manages to save them both. Taylor is killed by Eric's ex wife, Sheila Carter. Ridge also learns he isn't Eric's son, but the son of billionaire shipping magnate Massimo Marone (even Stephanie didn't know this), Stephanie's best friend. Ridge returns to Brooke. When Ridge, Brooke and series newcomer Nick Marone are kidnapped by Sheila, Ridge falls into a fire furnace, and presumed dead. A grieving Brooke collapsed in front of the furnace and Nick "comforted" her by having sex with her, on the foundry floor! However Ridge is actually alive, returning three days later. She gives birth to R.J. Forrester, Ridge's child (originally thought to be Nick's child, later revealed as Ridge's). Brooke tosses between Nick (who she now loves) and Ridge. She chooses Nick in the end.
Brooke returns to Ridge, but he leaves her for Taylor, who returned from the dead; In reality, she was kidnapped by Prince Omar to recover from her wounds. Stephanie faked a heart attack, and convinced Ridge to marry Taylor as her "dying" wish. When her lies were exposed. Ridge chooses to stay with Taylor in spite of being manipulated by his mother. Taylor tells Ridge the truth about her sleeping with James Warwick many years ago while married to Ridge. Ridge tells her that the hypocrisy of the standard she has always held others, namely Brooke, up to is what he can't forgive. So Ridge returns to Brooke, however she rejects him, choosing Nick instead. When Nick and Brooke marry, Ridge suffers from a heart attack, literally a broken heart, according to his diagnosis. Stephanie realizes and accepts that Ridge really does love Brooke. Brooke returns to L.A after leaving to support Ridge, however remains with Nick. Ridge dated Brooke's sister, Donna, hoping Brooke will be jealous.