| Chad Harris-Crane | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Passions character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Charles Divins as Chad Harris-Crane | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Donn Swaby (1999–2002) Charles Divins (2002–07) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1999–2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | September 23, 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | August 28, 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | James E. Reilly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chad Harris-Crane is a fictional character on the American soap opera Passions, which aired on NBC from 1999 to 2007 and on DirecTV in 2007–08. Developed by the soap's creator and head writer James E. Reilly, Chad was portrayed by two actors over the course of the show: Donn Swaby (1999 to 2002) and Charles Divins (2002 to 2007). Swaby left the show to pursue roles outside daytime television and was replaced by Divins. The role was the first time that either actor had worked on a television series.
Chad is a member of the Crane family. The illegitimate son of the evil patriarch Alistair Crane, Chad is introduced as a music producer from Los Angeles who is searching for his biological family. Chad becomes involved in a love triangle with sisters Whitney and Simone Russell. His romance with Whitney is complicated by the possibility they may be engaging in an incestuous relationship as Chad is initially believed to be her half-brother, and later revealed to be her adoptive cousin. Chad's later storylines focus on his confusion over his sexual identity, and his sexual relationship with tabloid reporter Vincent Clarkson. Chad attempts to reconcile with Whitney, after his affair with Vincent is revealed, before being killed by his father Alistair while trying to protect his best friend, Ethan Winthrop.
Critical response to Chad was mixed; some reviewers praised the sensationalism of the incest storyline with Whitney, while others criticized his relationship with Vincent as an irresponsible and problematic representation of racial and sexual identity. The character marks a notable step in daytime television and soap opera history; it was the first depiction in a soap opera of two men having sex. Chad has also been cited as expanding the representation of LGBTQ characters of color on daytime television. Divins discussed the storyline with his gay friends and researched LGBT culture to better shape his performance. Media outlets expressed varying opinions of the exact nature of Chad's sexual orientation.