Looks like little Jake Spencer has been recast on General Hospital! According to the James Nigbor twitter account, run by the young actor’s parents, James has finished his run as Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) and Jason’s (Billy Miller) son.
Today in a tweet with images of James as Jake through the years, it read: “This is for my son James. You will always be our Liason baby. Thank you to all the fans for loving my boy.”
When a fan followed up with a tweet saying: “Thank you for sharing him with us. I hope we see more of him on GH,”, the Nigbor account added, “I’m sorry but he has been recasted. Thanks for all your love and support.”
When another fan responded, “Jake’s been recast?” The answer back was, “Yes but we feel truly blessed to have been apart of GH and for him to have had this opportunity.”
Within the Nigbor tweet exchange, it was mentioned that “the 29th” was James last GH episode.
So, what do you think about the news that James Nigbor is no longer playing little Jake? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
I thought he really grew as an actor since Sam’s accident, and especially in his scenes with Roger Howarth. I will be sad to see him recast just as he was finding his voice as a young actor. Frankly I worry about all young actors. To have to work in such a high-pressured and at times cruel
industry at such a young age seems somehow to rob them of their childhood.
Kids NEED to know life isnt all peaches and cream! Look at all these teenagers that are on a successful show and scratch their heads when their show is cancelled! Learn early to set yourself up later in life that somethings dont last forever!
Patricia Nolan-Hall (Caftan Woman)
8 years ago
I was warming up to the young actor. It has been fun to see the strides he made in the role over his time on the show. Unless it is to age the character I see no reason to make a change at this time.
Jenni Zemlock
8 years ago
Horrible decision to recast. James is phenomenal as Little Jake. Hope they are Not SORAS him. All the current kids, Jake, Spencer, Cameron Aiden & Emma should age naturally.
James is a terrific young actor and I was really glad TPTB brought him back as Jake. I REALLY WANT TO KNOW THE REASONING BEHIND THIS!
I thought he did a super job at playing the creepy-spooky-super messed up child! I think he acted exactly the way a child under Helena’s control for 4 years would have acted.
This just seems like another bone-headed move the new writers are making.
Totally agree with you– I think -well he did seem creepy weird but once he got to that hospital that I will not name after he was hit by a car- he no longer had that creepy look and his hair was different, too. So is this the new writers making a change or what??
I totally agree! This kid knocked it out of the park! They should have left Joeclyn and all the other kids alone let them grow up like Robin did! There is no need to soras and fill up the screen with teen drama! There is plenty of time for that let’s focus on the people we have! What a shame!
There is no ‘teen love’ on GH. If ‘they’ were to SORAS Jake, he could be Jocelyn’s boyfriend. It’s time we see that girl in circulation, on a regular basis…..in a scholastic environment.
@jimh.
Yes, Jimmy, Jocelyn/Josslyn is now a teen. I just wonder why ‘they’ have decided to age Jake.
I’d like to think a fresh storyline with some of these youngsters would be welcomed.
I agree, Jimmy. Haley Pulos has a bright career ahead of her….so versatile. In my opinion, her counterpart, Tequan Richmond, is a bleak actor for me. No charisma.
I could say the same for the avalanche of young newbies at Days.
They could write decent stuff for the children….i see them do it on Britains Coronation Street…and they never soras them…they are allowed to grow up realistically and act like real children…Simon has been acting out…his mother is dead and his father moved away…he lives with his stepmother whom he has physically abused when angered…Simon is 12…he still a troubled kid and his family is trying to help him…he currently left to visit his father…when he returned he is still a 12 year old…i love the realism of this show but it too can have its unbelievable soapish moment…like the dead body buried underneath a bedroom floor and no smell from the decaying corpse after all these months…unless he isnt dead and somehow escaped down the sewage tunnel…lol
Yes, Jimmy. Ideally, children should be able to grow up on screen, as many have.
As I said, there must be something of utter importance going down …..something involving Jake, which a child James Nigbor’s age cannot handle or perceive.
It’s hard to shake the feeling that Helena is, indeed, involved somehow.
I doubt that GH is going to “age” Jake. I’m sure it’s to replace the former Jake with a BETTER actor. Come on; the kid playing that role was pretty awful!! There’s no reason to age Jake; they’ll have to age all the kids if they do that. Isn’t it funny how the kids age, but the parents never do? (heavy sigh)…I wish it was like that in real life. lol
Mrs. Brown
8 years ago
What’s up? I couldn’t bear when they brought back a dead child. This kid was good in the part. Just like Jason “Stone Cold”.
Karen74
8 years ago
Glad they are getting a new actor! Didn’t like the boys acting even before he was “killed” way back!
I agree, Johnny. James is such a good little actor. To do this so soon after his return makes no sense; unless there is a vital storyline waiting for an older Jake. Enter Helena, anyone?
I hope there is a method to this madness, CeeCee, and it’s spelled H-E-L-E-N-A!! James really captured the essence of this little trainwreck of a Cassadine-reared kiddie…..he looked so eerie, and yet, charmingly cherubic, at the same time. (Like a child star from a ’50’s sitcom or Disney movie……..) Plus, he was super with RoHo…after all this time, Franco had finally found himself a like-minded playmate, and now he’s gone! Bah…..
Judymaae
8 years ago
I am shocked and saddened to hear this. For one thing, the twins have done such a good job playing a disturbed child. Secondly … why would they age him up right in the middle of his big storyline? And third … if this means we’re also going to lose Spencer and Emma … then TIIC at GH are letting a group of very talented and beloved soap kids go. We’ve heard spoilers recently that Emma is coming back to visit Anna. If it’s not Brooklyn … then who cares?
We did hear that it”s Brooklyn. It was established when she left that she’d be making sporadic visits.
Softjohn
8 years ago
What is wrong with GH? They just can’t go recast a role that had so much hype! This is the second biggest mistake they did, next to recasting the role of Jason with Billy Miller. I tell you, this role should have been given to Michael Muhney! He can totally pull off stone cold and he looks a little bit like Steve Burton! I tell you, I will never forgive GH for the biggest mistakes in history in soap history. Well that and ousting Michael Muhney, now that’s something that will never be forgotten any time soon.
In case they forgotten, Nigbor played the character when Luke was leaving, and now they are throwing him out again. This is Drew Garrett being replaced with Chad Duell all over again. I still miss Garrett and hope he is having success outside of General Hospital.
The present Jake is a great actor. If they want to “age” him, then they will have to age Spencer, Emma etc; It’s v. difficult to get good child actors . I hope they know what they are doing. Ridiculous!
I am holding out hope MM is hied as Valentin Cassadine!
I wouldnt worry much about little Jake. He is a kid. I think he picked up the pace and was good with Franco but lets wait and see what GH does before we jump off a bridge!
So true, that is what made Jake’s return so poignant .. he was played by the same actor! James has done a terrrific job as Jake, this gives me one less reason to tune in.
Lou Piikes
8 years ago
The little actor was a fish out of water when it came to acting. He was not a child actor per se, just a cute kid.
I’m one of the few people who really does not enjoy the little kids on the show. For one, I think they are portrayed as either sickly sweet and perfect (Emma) or obnoxiously advanced (Spencer). Jake was the exception. He seemed like a real kid. A kid with problems, grant you, but still a kid. Cameron is portrayed as a real kid too. Emma and Spencer are portrayed as mini-adults. I never enjoyed watching them very much. It’s nothing against the actors — they are good actors who are clearly giving the writers and directors what they want from their performances. It’s more how their characters have been conceived that rubs me the wrong way.
I’m so sorry for James. I think he was improving as an actor, especially once he didn’t have to play “Stone Cold” anymore. His scenes with Franco were charming.
What does this mean for Becky Herbst? If Jake is recast, then his story is ongoing, so presumably Liz’s story is ongoing. Does that mean that Becky signed a contract, or that GH is recasting her, too? Any news on casting calls at GH?
K Ross
8 years ago
Sorry for the kid, but he was so robotic.
Hard today watch, always looking anywhere but the camera.
~ Within the Nigbor tweet exchange, it was mentioned that “the 29th” was James last GH episode. ~
She corrected that on Twitter saying the 3rd (March) was his last air date.
JennF
8 years ago
I am very sad that he’s leaving. I enjoy him as Jake. I think he’s a fine actor, but I’m not one to judge that. I just hope that this decision wasn’t made because of all the vileness I’ve seen grown adults say about the child and character. I wish him a ton of success.
It’s not a matter of “judging;.” you shouldn’t feel badly about that. James is indeed a cute kid, but he’s a horrible actor (and most people don’t want to say so, because he IS a child, but anyone who has seen his constantly poor attempts at a performance, KNOW this is true). Maybe he just wants to be a kid for now, and an actor later on in life. That’s okay. He never looked like he wanted to even be there; always dead-pan, expressionless, monotone, awkward. He possessed NO natural talent at all.
luisa
8 years ago
Wish him luck, god bless him, but may it was for the best, Disney is better, for theses kids, especially playing a creepy kid, but I still think Jake belongs to Lucky
Mary SF
8 years ago
Well if the tradition of GH raiding Y&R cast and vice versa continues, the only one on Y&R they could steal is the guy who plays Ben’s son Max— who’s creepy too.
All kidding aside if they recast with an older child actor it might solely to be able to have the kid on camera for longer periods of time– there are all kind of rules governing child actors, so the decision to recast might be that reason especially if the role is going to be expanded requiring more air time, and it looks like it is heading in that direction — an older child might be able to handle the increased work load better–and they can keep him on set longer saving time, which saves money.
Everything you stated in reference to SARS, in fact, is very true, but sadly, I believe the role was recast because the kid who had it was a terrible actor and the fans finally got to the producers. There was a TON of (not very nice) online comments about young James (in reference to his lack of talent), continuously, since the first day he returned to GH. First, I thought, “Give the kid a chance.” Then I thought, “Okay, he’s been kidnapped that’s why he acts so drifty.” But then, I noticed his blank, non-talented performances went on and on and on. GH was right to get rid of him; he’s awful! Maybe later on in life he can try again; he’s only 9 and he’s got plenty of time.
kaffen
8 years ago
Why this actor get so much Publicity
its on Facebook..its on SOS
Just get Jasam a Baby girl..
Patrick
8 years ago
I’m especially, SAD
disheartened…that this has happened…
WHAT ON EARTH, is going on, with Rebecca Herbst ????
I truly thought he was finally coming along… especially with Roger Howarth and it was still on… with Rebecca Herbst
argh!
aside from being a cutie patootie…
shucks… my little Jake… will be missed
Norma
8 years ago
that is terrible he was a great actor and will be missed
he was a great actor for a young boy and made great creepy faces . he was a cute little guy and I still will miss him
Jane
8 years ago
Not surprised they are always changing some body, they probably want another Spencer type. We’ll all live.
k/kay
8 years ago
You need a young Camryn Grimes or a Johnathan Jacjson or a Kimberly Mccoulligh you have thrown this kid into major story got to have some chops
k/kay
8 years ago
Sorry Lordy misspelling of names
Rose
8 years ago
However you feel about the actor, the whole thing just smells.
Joe
8 years ago
Yet, another ASSNINE move by abc. Those losers that are in charge cannot be more moronic. James was doing such a fantastic job and was getting his acting chops going and then abc comes in a WACKS him off at the knees. I was so Happy when they brought him (the actor) back from the so called dead.
What is frikken wrong with abc? First the dumbest move ever in history getting rid of All My Children & then One Life to Live. Dropping OLTL from their daytime lineup when it was their highest rated Soap was done by a moron Brian Frons. I will BOYCOTT abc and I will only watch GH and that is ALL. I want to thank abc because now I watch NBC & CBS shows. 🙂 FARK them!
Hey Joe,
By watching GH you broke your boycott of ABC .. LOL
You might as well watch all get primetime soaps that ABC offers, some really good ones you’re missing, your boycott is now nil.. 😉
I agree – ABC has done some REAL boners, but getting rid of this non-talented kid was NOT one of them. He was a TERRIBLE actor! As far as we’re concerned, this is something ABC finally got right!
Don
8 years ago
I think the will SORAS him and that’s where recast comes in and had to do it at some point and that will allow the show to have more storylines for jake in the future.
robert
8 years ago
i think they are going to age Jake into a teenager. the show doesn’t really have a younger set
Dan
8 years ago
Damn shame, James was a little cutie and I thought he played the role of Jake very well. Exactly the way you would expect a kid that was supposedly under the control of Helena Cassadine for all of those years to act. They must have something different in mind for the role. I don’t know. Some of the casting decisions Frank Valentini makes really puzzle me. We can’t get Tristan Rogers back on contract, but we need a new Jake, when the current one was doing just fine.
Anne
8 years ago
He is a wonderful actor. Are the parents pulling him out of the show? We will miss him.
I just want to say that I wish that General Hospital would come up with better story lines than mob stories. Maybe have a little happiness once in a while. I think I may start watching The Young and the Restless since it has alot of the old GH characters.
Anne, over at Y&R, Steve Burton is FINALLY starting to shine and Kelly Sullivan who was Connie/Kate on GH is doing a fine job to. Dont forget Jason Thompson who replaced Billy Miller’s character on Y&R. I have not heard ONE complaint over the recast. Y&R is pretty good right now and you will probably enjoy the change from the mob!
Rodd
8 years ago
I think this is sad news. He was just beginning to settle in and now someone else will be brought in to jar the fans once again. I think that’s a bad decision. They should have let the kid grow more.
And if the rumors about aging him are true they’ll be making another big mistake. Fans aren’t stupid. They remember what year certain characters were born and who should be older than who. All the kids on the show, with the exception of Rocco, Maxi’es little girl, Avery, Leo, and Sabrina’s kid were born before I started watching, so I don’t know; but I can tell when things get out of whack with the SOARs. (Hello, Jocelyn!) Doesn’t work well.
Brian
8 years ago
I like this young actor and think he was doing a great job. He is 100 times better than the guy that plays Theo on Days.
Jay Trotter
8 years ago
Rebecca Herbst and General Hospital might have worked out a new deal for her to stay with the show. They are going to SORAS both Cameron and Jake to teenagers and this will be a Liz’s new storyline in dealing with her now 13-14 year old kids. One of them will be paired with Joss and be a nice respectful kid while the other one will be a real hell raiser that constantly gets into trouble.
I ssssoooooo hope this; RH and GH work out a new deal !
this would have been “my” last straw… and would have shucked GH
Jake was the bees knees and king of cute
the bonding moments were coming along… I’m so glad at least the posts as a whole are saying as such
I hope GH still continues on with the attraction with Franco…. Liz … “He’s Yours”
I loved the last Joss… now she could be a hell raiser…
did any one catch that movie about Dolly Parton… “coat of many colors”
LOL… I was so surprised to see our little Josselyn in the movie… she was great!
the one who totally knocked my off my chair… was Faith… Sharon daughter from Y&R… AMAZING !
on Y&R.. I thought.. Faith was the odd one…not on “coat of many colors” you could have knocked me over with a feather… the way she acted her little heart out… convincingly so… and I LOVE HER… she can act
fans are right tho… with Spence gone… Emma gone…
wow… this Is going to smart nevertheless… NO JAKE… argh! my heart… w/Liz’
Timmm
8 years ago
That was so nice of his parents to reach out to the fans. It was also cool GH used the original Jake when he came back on the show. At first James struggled a bit but he has gotten better and him and Billy Miller were finding a groove as father and son. Either FV didnt feel the same or they are aging the boy? Either way, good luck James and I know you will show up on something new because you have a bright future buddy.
Margaret
8 years ago
she later corrected that last air date because he was on 3/3
Trophy Lady
8 years ago
GOOD!!!! That kid is a horrible actor. It made no sense to cast him in such an important role and he couldn’t act. There are WAY TOO MANY good child actors out there, so I have no idea why they settled on him. Maybe he’s related to someone at ABC?
Think about it — the kid that portrays Spencer is an EXCELLENT actor. Emma was pretty good, too. I loved little Jocelyn when she was obsessed with “Children of the Corn.” She played her role with such gusto, and you could totally tell that she was Carly’s daughter! It was just a poor choice in casting by choosing this kid to play Jake.
Oh well. Hopefully, they’ll get a much better actor this time around. This kid needs to do some community theater and enroll in some acting classes.
That is a very good decision… he is a very cute boy and certainly a good resemblance to his dad…. but he needs some acting lessons if he is to continue on…. from what I read, he had not done any acting since he was a baby at GH so throwing him into a role like this was not ever fair to the kid….
Patrick
8 years ago
” I”VE …. GOT … IT ”
DAYS of OUR Lives needs to hire him as Parker…. !!!!! they just aged Parker.. and he’s not bringing it….
Parker is Chloe son…
he’d be great with Nicole as well
come to think of IT… with all the SORAS they did on DAYS… they don’t have kids… either
Abs, Gabs, and Theresa have babies
Angel
8 years ago
Well, if they age Jake, they have to age Danny, Cam, Aiden, Leo, Avery, Rocco ,Spencer, Emma..otherwise there is no way any story will be believable.So they will all have to be let go too. And with these young kids aged – especially if they go to teens, they have to then age Molly, Kristina, TJ, Michael, Morgan and Kiki.cause you can’t have kids born years after them almost the same age as them. Why isn’t GH thinking before acting? James ( Jake) was the child taken by Helena – he is the one who came home – who better to tell what happened to him during those years than the child who played the part?
Lin
8 years ago
The little boy does a good job. Some say he acts weird. Duh. He’s supposed to be mentally disturbed after living with Helena. Now will they SORAS all the kids. Horrible. Will they all be fired? Makes no sense.
Lorraine Sardin
8 years ago
He is excellent for the part of Lil Jake. He even has the look of his character and it will be a mistake to recast him, but good luck!!
Carole Stephenson
8 years ago
I am glad they recast the role. The child they were using seemed purely evil and I felt no empathy for him.
Looks like there is another new actor in the younger set on General Hospital. Tristan Riggs is taking over the role of Elizabeth Webber’s (Rebecca Herbst) son, Aiden.
Previously, Enzo De Angelis played the part of Liz and Lucky’s (formerly Jonathan Jackson) son since 2021. Soap Opera Digest confirmed that Riggs is now firmly in the part.
The switch happened on today’s Thursday May 2nd episode in scenes. Recently, Aiden came out as gay to him mom after admitting his interest in one of his classmates.
Photo: ABC
As Riggs begins in the part, it looks like Aiden is being bullied at school. Elizabeth is trying to get to the bottom of things and made an appointment with school counselors to find out what’s going on, after seeing his book bag had pink paint on it.
Riggs has been acting since he was 7-year-0ld and has appeared on the TV series Walker, True Lies and Best Foot Forward to name a few.
So, what do you think of Tristan Riggs as the new Aiden? Do you hope Aiden’s story becomes more front and center? Comment below.
Juliet Donenfeld is the Temporary Recast as General Hospital’s Georgie
May 2, 2024
Those who saw the GH preview for today’s May 2nd episode were a bit confused when they saw a young actress sitting with Lois (Rena Sofer) and Violet (Jophielle Love). As it turns out, that young girl is a recast Georgie.
Juliet Donenfeld is stepping into the role temporarily replacing Lily Fisher. As viewers know, Georgie is the young daughter of Maxie (Kirsten Storms) and Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) named after Maxie’s sister, Georgie who passed away.
According to Soap Opera News, Fisher will be back soon in the part.
As for Donenfeld’s credits, she has appeared as JJ in the Netflix’s WWE series The Big Show Show, Better Call Saul, Good Girls, Station 19, and Sydney to the Max to name but a few.
In addition, Juliet became the youngest nominee for an Annie Award, gaining recognition for voicing the character of Sally Squirrel in the Animated TV/Broadcast Production of Pete the Cat.
Watch today’s GH teaser below, and let us know your thoughts about Juliet as a recast Georgie via the comment section below.
‘Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit For Stand Up To Cancer’ Live Virtual Event Announced; Featuring Soap Opera Notables and Moving Tributes
May 2, 2024
Stand Up to Cancer in collaboration with Alan Locher and Michael Fairman, will come together for a a three-hour livestream benefit, Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer … We All Have a Story.
Several stars from from daytime drama television past and present are scheduled to participate for an evening of stories of emotional on- and off-screen experiences with cancer, and moving tributes to beloved daytime favorites who lost their battle plus musical performances.
Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer … We All Have a Story, streams live on Thursday, May 16, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/5 to 8 pm PT simultaneously on StandUpToCancer.org and YouTube channels The Locher Room and Michael Fairman Channel.
Photos: CBS and JPI
Tune-in for cancer survivorship stories with General Hospital’s Cameron Mathison and The Young and the Restless’ Colleen Zenk, who will reflect on the impact of publicly sharing their diagnoses; 2024 Daytime Emmy nominee Eric Braeden, who shares his cancer journey as well his memories of beloved The Young and the Restless co-star Meg Bennett, who passed from cancer April 11; and more.
Moving tributes to soap stars who’ve lost their cancer battles, including: Daytime icon Jackie Zeman, who played nurse Bobbie Spencer on General Hospital for 45 years, shared by daughters Cassidy MacLeod and Lacey Gorden, a tribute to Elizabeth Hubbard who played the iconic Lucinda Walsh on As the World Turns and Dr. Althea Davis on The Doctors, as shared by her on-screen daughter Martha Byrne and real-life son Jeremy Bennett, two-time Emmy Award-winner Jerry verDorn (Guiding LightOne Life to Live), shared by widow Beth verDorn and his on-screen wife on Guiding Light, friend and co-star Liz Keife, the iconic Andrea Evans, who played Tina Lord Roberts on One Life to Live, shared by her husband Stephen G. Rodriguez and daughter Kylie Rodriguez and Kamar de los Reyes shared by his One Life to Live co-stars Michael Easton(General Hospital)Trevor St. John (The Young and the Restless).
Photo: MEastonFacebook
Poignant reflections from actors who have portrayed breast cancer survivors, including Sharon Case and Eileen Davidson from The Young and the Restless; Erika Slezak from One Life to Live; Tina Sloan and Kim Zimmer from Guiding Light and more.
Additional talent slated to participate in the virtual benefit include (*subject to change): Eddie and Kristen Alderson (One Life to Live); Elia Cantu (Days of Our Lives); The Day Players, Featuring Days of OurLives castmates Carson Boatman, Brandon Barash, Wally Kurth (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee), Eric Martsolf (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee); Kassie DePaiva (One Life to Live); Don Diamont (The Bold and the Beautiful); Linsey Godfrey (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee, Days of Our Lives); Leo Howard (Days of Our Lives); LesliKay (The Bold and the Beautiful); Eden McCoy (General Hospital); Kin Shriner (GeneralHospital); Michelle Stafford (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee, The Young and the Restless).
Courtesy/LaceyGorden
“Daytime television invites viewers into the private lives of characters, often bringing important issues like cancer screenings into living rooms and around water coolers. Soaps debuted the first cancer storyline in 1962 – years before the topic was discussed in the mainstream, and it left an indelible impact: a whole generation of women who scheduled a potentially life-saving Pap smear for the first time,” said Daytime Stands Up host Alan Locher. “For so many viewers, this brought the issue front and center,” added co-host Michael Fairman. “Today, it’s become almost impossible to avoid; but there is hope with cancer research, thanks to organizations like Stand Up To Cancer.”
SU2C Co-Founder Sue Schwartz, SU2C President and CEO Julian Adams, Ph.D., and SU2C Health Equity Committee Member Elizabeth Jaffee, M.D., will also participate to speak to the importance of early detection, exciting scientific breakthroughs, and the ongoing work yet to be done to make screenings and treatment equitable for all.
“This year, an estimated 2 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer, presenting an opportunity for the public to stand with us and rise to the occasion,” said Adams. “We’re thankful to Alan Locher, Michael Fairman and our friends from the daytime television community, who will raise critical funding to honor those we’ve lost – and to propel new scientific breakthroughs for current and future patients. Everyone has a story, and we’re grateful to all of you for sharing yours.”
For over 15 years, SU2C has leveraged its relationship with the entertainment community – which includes more than 1,100 celebrity ambassadors – to generate public donations, increase awareness and fund cutting-edge cancer research. SU2C research has contributed to the development of more than 10 scientific breakthroughs that have significantly impacted the field and provided new treatment options for breast, colorectal, lung, melanoma, pancreatic, pediatric and prostate cancers.
Photo: SUTC
In support of the event, SU2C will also be launching a 10-day eBay silent auction, from May 16 through 26, for fans to bid on items, including a meet-and-greet experience with the cast of NBC’s Days of Our Lives; an autographed script from the cast of Young and Restless and signed merchandise from the Bold and Beautiful cast; a 1:1 video call with General Hospital’s Cynthia Watros, Maura West and Laura Wright, and with daytime legends Robert Newman, Vincent Irizarry, Colleen Zenk, and more. Full details will be shared the evening of May 16, on Stand Up To Cancer’s website.
Are you looking forward to this very special one-night only virtual event to help benefit cancer research and shed light on the stories, performances and lives of the people we love and have loved in daytime TV? Comment below.
Good move, although sad for him.
I thought he really grew as an actor since Sam’s accident, and especially in his scenes with Roger Howarth. I will be sad to see him recast just as he was finding his voice as a young actor. Frankly I worry about all young actors. To have to work in such a high-pressured and at times cruel
industry at such a young age seems somehow to rob them of their childhood.
I agree… I posted… that …when he was absent from the show… for those 4-5 years… when even at that young age.. did he know his character had died
he had to have been enjoying his OWN childhood… and he just never surfaced or reinvented…
so darned cute! my heart still aches for Liz… and it was a “real” treat to see little Jake… with Roger Howarth’ Franco… bonding
I was looking forward to this storyline… with Liz moving on… you could see the magic “surfacing” with Franco, Liz, Jake… and her other sons
sorry to see him being replaced… I agree with most posts.. he was coming around and finding his way, again
Little Jake is thee BEST !
Kids NEED to know life isnt all peaches and cream! Look at all these teenagers that are on a successful show and scratch their heads when their show is cancelled! Learn early to set yourself up later in life that somethings dont last forever!
I was warming up to the young actor. It has been fun to see the strides he made in the role over his time on the show. Unless it is to age the character I see no reason to make a change at this time.
Horrible decision to recast. James is phenomenal as Little Jake. Hope they are Not SORAS him. All the current kids, Jake, Spencer, Cameron Aiden & Emma should age naturally.
James is a terrific young actor and I was really glad TPTB brought him back as Jake. I REALLY WANT TO KNOW THE REASONING BEHIND THIS!
I thought he did a super job at playing the creepy-spooky-super messed up child! I think he acted exactly the way a child under Helena’s control for 4 years would have acted.
This just seems like another bone-headed move the new writers are making.
Totally agree with you– I think -well he did seem creepy weird but once he got to that hospital that I will not name after he was hit by a car- he no longer had that creepy look and his hair was different, too. So is this the new writers making a change or what??
I totally agree! This kid knocked it out of the park! They should have left Joeclyn and all the other kids alone let them grow up like Robin did! There is no need to soras and fill up the screen with teen drama! There is plenty of time for that let’s focus on the people we have! What a shame!
I agree Jenni. The aged Joss for no good reason!
Exactly I said the same thing GH is going to regret letting James go, he was just awarded Universal Studios star award you go James !!!
Wth what is that all about? James has been doing a fab job as jake (scary) !! They are probably going to make him older!!
awww,, I like James Nigbor..
He’s like a kid from a horror movie!
James is unique, he’s got the eerie going on!
We knew he was your kind of kid…lol
Ahhha haaa! you got me, Jimh 🙂
So, does this mean Jake will now be a teen?
There is no ‘teen love’ on GH. If ‘they’ were to SORAS Jake, he could be Jocelyn’s boyfriend. It’s time we see that girl in circulation, on a regular basis…..in a scholastic environment.
Did they age Jocelyn…i missed some eps. but Emma is still little Emma when she visits Anna…oh, well a lot of GH rarely makes any sense these days…lol
@jimh.
Yes, Jimmy, Jocelyn/Josslyn is now a teen. I just wonder why ‘they’ have decided to age Jake.
I’d like to think a fresh storyline with some of these youngsters would be welcomed.
A teen story is ok if done right with good actors but they didnt do well with TJ and Molly…
I agree, Jimmy. Haley Pulos has a bright career ahead of her….so versatile. In my opinion, her counterpart, Tequan Richmond, is a bleak actor for me. No charisma.
I could say the same for the avalanche of young newbies at Days.
They could write decent stuff for the children….i see them do it on Britains Coronation Street…and they never soras them…they are allowed to grow up realistically and act like real children…Simon has been acting out…his mother is dead and his father moved away…he lives with his stepmother whom he has physically abused when angered…Simon is 12…he still a troubled kid and his family is trying to help him…he currently left to visit his father…when he returned he is still a 12 year old…i love the realism of this show but it too can have its unbelievable soapish moment…like the dead body buried underneath a bedroom floor and no smell from the decaying corpse after all these months…unless he isnt dead and somehow escaped down the sewage tunnel…lol
Yes, Jimmy. Ideally, children should be able to grow up on screen, as many have.
As I said, there must be something of utter importance going down …..something involving Jake, which a child James Nigbor’s age cannot handle or perceive.
It’s hard to shake the feeling that Helena is, indeed, involved somehow.
I doubt that GH is going to “age” Jake. I’m sure it’s to replace the former Jake with a BETTER actor. Come on; the kid playing that role was pretty awful!! There’s no reason to age Jake; they’ll have to age all the kids if they do that. Isn’t it funny how the kids age, but the parents never do? (heavy sigh)…I wish it was like that in real life. lol
What’s up? I couldn’t bear when they brought back a dead child. This kid was good in the part. Just like Jason “Stone Cold”.
Glad they are getting a new actor! Didn’t like the boys acting even before he was “killed” way back!
Ice cold!
James is a terrific actor, big mistake GH…They recast the role, what a joke.
I agree, Johnny. James is such a good little actor. To do this so soon after his return makes no sense; unless there is a vital storyline waiting for an older Jake. Enter Helena, anyone?
I hope there is a method to this madness, CeeCee, and it’s spelled H-E-L-E-N-A!! James really captured the essence of this little trainwreck of a Cassadine-reared kiddie…..he looked so eerie, and yet, charmingly cherubic, at the same time. (Like a child star from a ’50’s sitcom or Disney movie……..) Plus, he was super with RoHo…after all this time, Franco had finally found himself a like-minded playmate, and now he’s gone! Bah…..
I am shocked and saddened to hear this. For one thing, the twins have done such a good job playing a disturbed child. Secondly … why would they age him up right in the middle of his big storyline? And third … if this means we’re also going to lose Spencer and Emma … then TIIC at GH are letting a group of very talented and beloved soap kids go. We’ve heard spoilers recently that Emma is coming back to visit Anna. If it’s not Brooklyn … then who cares?
We did hear that it”s Brooklyn. It was established when she left that she’d be making sporadic visits.
What is wrong with GH? They just can’t go recast a role that had so much hype! This is the second biggest mistake they did, next to recasting the role of Jason with Billy Miller. I tell you, this role should have been given to Michael Muhney! He can totally pull off stone cold and he looks a little bit like Steve Burton! I tell you, I will never forgive GH for the biggest mistakes in history in soap history. Well that and ousting Michael Muhney, now that’s something that will never be forgotten any time soon.
In case they forgotten, Nigbor played the character when Luke was leaving, and now they are throwing him out again. This is Drew Garrett being replaced with Chad Duell all over again. I still miss Garrett and hope he is having success outside of General Hospital.
The present Jake is a great actor. If they want to “age” him, then they will have to age Spencer, Emma etc; It’s v. difficult to get good child actors . I hope they know what they are doing. Ridiculous!
I am holding out hope MM is hied as Valentin Cassadine!
I wouldnt worry much about little Jake. He is a kid. I think he picked up the pace and was good with Franco but lets wait and see what GH does before we jump off a bridge!
Drew Garret was a better Michael.
So true, that is what made Jake’s return so poignant .. he was played by the same actor! James has done a terrrific job as Jake, this gives me one less reason to tune in.
The little actor was a fish out of water when it came to acting. He was not a child actor per se, just a cute kid.
You got it, Lou. He was a cute kid with no talent.
this is terrible he has played Jake from please keep him on
I liked how he creeped me out…stupid GH!!!
Me, too. That was his appeal. All the other kids on GH, except Spencer (where’s he been?!?), are boring.
I believe the actor who plays Spenser is off doing another project at the moment.
Spencer is on a Disney show called Stuck in the Middle. He knew better than to wait around for scripts from the new regime at GH.
I’m one of the few people who really does not enjoy the little kids on the show. For one, I think they are portrayed as either sickly sweet and perfect (Emma) or obnoxiously advanced (Spencer). Jake was the exception. He seemed like a real kid. A kid with problems, grant you, but still a kid. Cameron is portrayed as a real kid too. Emma and Spencer are portrayed as mini-adults. I never enjoyed watching them very much. It’s nothing against the actors — they are good actors who are clearly giving the writers and directors what they want from their performances. It’s more how their characters have been conceived that rubs me the wrong way.
He creeped me out too; with her poor performances.
Why????
This is sad news. I like James as Jake and always have.
Thank the Lord! Sorry but the kid is flatter than paint. He needed to go.
Ah, another honest person. WTG, Joe!
I’m so sorry for James. I think he was improving as an actor, especially once he didn’t have to play “Stone Cold” anymore. His scenes with Franco were charming.
What does this mean for Becky Herbst? If Jake is recast, then his story is ongoing, so presumably Liz’s story is ongoing. Does that mean that Becky signed a contract, or that GH is recasting her, too? Any news on casting calls at GH?
Sorry for the kid, but he was so robotic.
Hard today watch, always looking anywhere but the camera.
Agree 100%
~ Within the Nigbor tweet exchange, it was mentioned that “the 29th” was James last GH episode. ~
She corrected that on Twitter saying the 3rd (March) was his last air date.
I am very sad that he’s leaving. I enjoy him as Jake. I think he’s a fine actor, but I’m not one to judge that. I just hope that this decision wasn’t made because of all the vileness I’ve seen grown adults say about the child and character. I wish him a ton of success.
It’s not a matter of “judging;.” you shouldn’t feel badly about that. James is indeed a cute kid, but he’s a horrible actor (and most people don’t want to say so, because he IS a child, but anyone who has seen his constantly poor attempts at a performance, KNOW this is true). Maybe he just wants to be a kid for now, and an actor later on in life. That’s okay. He never looked like he wanted to even be there; always dead-pan, expressionless, monotone, awkward. He possessed NO natural talent at all.
Wish him luck, god bless him, but may it was for the best, Disney is better, for theses kids, especially playing a creepy kid, but I still think Jake belongs to Lucky
Well if the tradition of GH raiding Y&R cast and vice versa continues, the only one on Y&R they could steal is the guy who plays Ben’s son Max— who’s creepy too.
All kidding aside if they recast with an older child actor it might solely to be able to have the kid on camera for longer periods of time– there are all kind of rules governing child actors, so the decision to recast might be that reason especially if the role is going to be expanded requiring more air time, and it looks like it is heading in that direction — an older child might be able to handle the increased work load better–and they can keep him on set longer saving time, which saves money.
Makes perfect sense, Mary…didn’t even think of that !!
Everything you stated in reference to SARS, in fact, is very true, but sadly, I believe the role was recast because the kid who had it was a terrible actor and the fans finally got to the producers. There was a TON of (not very nice) online comments about young James (in reference to his lack of talent), continuously, since the first day he returned to GH. First, I thought, “Give the kid a chance.” Then I thought, “Okay, he’s been kidnapped that’s why he acts so drifty.” But then, I noticed his blank, non-talented performances went on and on and on. GH was right to get rid of him; he’s awful! Maybe later on in life he can try again; he’s only 9 and he’s got plenty of time.
Why this actor get so much Publicity
its on Facebook..its on SOS
Just get Jasam a Baby girl..
I’m especially, SAD
disheartened…that this has happened…
WHAT ON EARTH, is going on, with Rebecca Herbst ????
I truly thought he was finally coming along… especially with Roger Howarth and it was still on… with Rebecca Herbst
argh!
aside from being a cutie patootie…
shucks… my little Jake… will be missed
that is terrible he was a great actor and will be missed
No, he was certainly NOT a great actor; not even close.
he was a great actor for a young boy and made great creepy faces . he was a cute little guy and I still will miss him
Not surprised they are always changing some body, they probably want another Spencer type. We’ll all live.
You need a young Camryn Grimes or a Johnathan Jacjson or a Kimberly Mccoulligh you have thrown this kid into major story got to have some chops
Sorry Lordy misspelling of names
However you feel about the actor, the whole thing just smells.
Yet, another ASSNINE move by abc. Those losers that are in charge cannot be more moronic. James was doing such a fantastic job and was getting his acting chops going and then abc comes in a WACKS him off at the knees. I was so Happy when they brought him (the actor) back from the so called dead.
What is frikken wrong with abc? First the dumbest move ever in history getting rid of All My Children & then One Life to Live. Dropping OLTL from their daytime lineup when it was their highest rated Soap was done by a moron Brian Frons. I will BOYCOTT abc and I will only watch GH and that is ALL. I want to thank abc because now I watch NBC & CBS shows. 🙂 FARK them!
Hey Joe,
By watching GH you broke your boycott of ABC .. LOL
You might as well watch all get primetime soaps that ABC offers, some really good ones you’re missing, your boycott is now nil.. 😉
I agree – ABC has done some REAL boners, but getting rid of this non-talented kid was NOT one of them. He was a TERRIBLE actor! As far as we’re concerned, this is something ABC finally got right!
I think the will SORAS him and that’s where recast comes in and had to do it at some point and that will allow the show to have more storylines for jake in the future.
i think they are going to age Jake into a teenager. the show doesn’t really have a younger set
Damn shame, James was a little cutie and I thought he played the role of Jake very well. Exactly the way you would expect a kid that was supposedly under the control of Helena Cassadine for all of those years to act. They must have something different in mind for the role. I don’t know. Some of the casting decisions Frank Valentini makes really puzzle me. We can’t get Tristan Rogers back on contract, but we need a new Jake, when the current one was doing just fine.
He is a wonderful actor. Are the parents pulling him out of the show? We will miss him.
I just want to say that I wish that General Hospital would come up with better story lines than mob stories. Maybe have a little happiness once in a while. I think I may start watching The Young and the Restless since it has alot of the old GH characters.
Anne, over at Y&R, Steve Burton is FINALLY starting to shine and Kelly Sullivan who was Connie/Kate on GH is doing a fine job to. Dont forget Jason Thompson who replaced Billy Miller’s character on Y&R. I have not heard ONE complaint over the recast. Y&R is pretty good right now and you will probably enjoy the change from the mob!
I think this is sad news. He was just beginning to settle in and now someone else will be brought in to jar the fans once again. I think that’s a bad decision. They should have let the kid grow more.
And if the rumors about aging him are true they’ll be making another big mistake. Fans aren’t stupid. They remember what year certain characters were born and who should be older than who. All the kids on the show, with the exception of Rocco, Maxi’es little girl, Avery, Leo, and Sabrina’s kid were born before I started watching, so I don’t know; but I can tell when things get out of whack with the SOARs. (Hello, Jocelyn!) Doesn’t work well.
I like this young actor and think he was doing a great job. He is 100 times better than the guy that plays Theo on Days.
Rebecca Herbst and General Hospital might have worked out a new deal for her to stay with the show. They are going to SORAS both Cameron and Jake to teenagers and this will be a Liz’s new storyline in dealing with her now 13-14 year old kids. One of them will be paired with Joss and be a nice respectful kid while the other one will be a real hell raiser that constantly gets into trouble.
I intimated as much, Jay. I guess we had the same idea?
I ssssoooooo hope this; RH and GH work out a new deal !
this would have been “my” last straw… and would have shucked GH
Jake was the bees knees and king of cute
the bonding moments were coming along… I’m so glad at least the posts as a whole are saying as such
I hope GH still continues on with the attraction with Franco…. Liz … “He’s Yours”
I loved the last Joss… now she could be a hell raiser…
did any one catch that movie about Dolly Parton… “coat of many colors”
LOL… I was so surprised to see our little Josselyn in the movie… she was great!
the one who totally knocked my off my chair… was Faith… Sharon daughter from Y&R… AMAZING !
on Y&R.. I thought.. Faith was the odd one…not on “coat of many colors” you could have knocked me over with a feather… the way she acted her little heart out… convincingly so… and I LOVE HER… she can act
fans are right tho… with Spence gone… Emma gone…
wow… this Is going to smart nevertheless… NO JAKE… argh! my heart… w/Liz’
That was so nice of his parents to reach out to the fans. It was also cool GH used the original Jake when he came back on the show. At first James struggled a bit but he has gotten better and him and Billy Miller were finding a groove as father and son. Either FV didnt feel the same or they are aging the boy? Either way, good luck James and I know you will show up on something new because you have a bright future buddy.
she later corrected that last air date because he was on 3/3
GOOD!!!! That kid is a horrible actor. It made no sense to cast him in such an important role and he couldn’t act. There are WAY TOO MANY good child actors out there, so I have no idea why they settled on him. Maybe he’s related to someone at ABC?
Think about it — the kid that portrays Spencer is an EXCELLENT actor. Emma was pretty good, too. I loved little Jocelyn when she was obsessed with “Children of the Corn.” She played her role with such gusto, and you could totally tell that she was Carly’s daughter! It was just a poor choice in casting by choosing this kid to play Jake.
Oh well. Hopefully, they’ll get a much better actor this time around. This kid needs to do some community theater and enroll in some acting classes.
Keep James and recast Morgan!
Yeeeessss!!
That is a very good decision… he is a very cute boy and certainly a good resemblance to his dad…. but he needs some acting lessons if he is to continue on…. from what I read, he had not done any acting since he was a baby at GH so throwing him into a role like this was not ever fair to the kid….
” I”VE …. GOT … IT ”
DAYS of OUR Lives needs to hire him as Parker…. !!!!! they just aged Parker.. and he’s not bringing it….
Parker is Chloe son…
he’d be great with Nicole as well
come to think of IT… with all the SORAS they did on DAYS… they don’t have kids… either
Abs, Gabs, and Theresa have babies
Well, if they age Jake, they have to age Danny, Cam, Aiden, Leo, Avery, Rocco ,Spencer, Emma..otherwise there is no way any story will be believable.So they will all have to be let go too. And with these young kids aged – especially if they go to teens, they have to then age Molly, Kristina, TJ, Michael, Morgan and Kiki.cause you can’t have kids born years after them almost the same age as them. Why isn’t GH thinking before acting? James ( Jake) was the child taken by Helena – he is the one who came home – who better to tell what happened to him during those years than the child who played the part?
The little boy does a good job. Some say he acts weird. Duh. He’s supposed to be mentally disturbed after living with Helena. Now will they SORAS all the kids. Horrible. Will they all be fired? Makes no sense.
He is excellent for the part of Lil Jake. He even has the look of his character and it will be a mistake to recast him, but good luck!!
I am glad they recast the role. The child they were using seemed purely evil and I felt no empathy for him.
Can’t believe he was replaced with a younger peppy child. And they still say via Franco he reminds me at that age type line.
Can’t even see it
I think this is SO sad! You played the part perfectly. Best of luck James!