General Hospital
GH’s Chris McKenna on the Potential of Sharing Scenes with Erika Slezak: “What I Wouldn’t Do to Work with Her for One Day Again”
Will General Hospital’s Chris McKenna (Jack, GH and ex-Joey, OLTL) have his wish granted, and get the opportunity to work with his former TV mom, Erika Slezak (ex-Viki), now that the six-time Daytime Emmy-winning icon is headed to General Hospital this fall?
While GH and ‘One Life’ fans will have to stay tuned for that, Michael Fairman TV recently caught up with Chris on the red carpet at the Daytime at Night – A Benefit for St. Jude concert at the world famous Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles, to get his thoughts on a wide-ranging series of subjects now that he is fully implanted as the recast Brennan.
Chris weighed-in on a chance to work with Erika Slezak again, being involved on-screen with Laura Wright’s Carly Corinthos, all the while Brennan covers up the murder of Cyrus Renault and hides that fact from Carly that her daughter Josslyn (Eden McCoy) pulled the trigger and then he “persuaded” her to secretly join the WSB and she became a spy.

Courtesy/ABC
On ‘One Life,’ McKenna played a young teenaged Joey Buchanan from 1990-1993, and had worked with now GH EP Frank Valentini during his time in Llanview. Chris noted it’s been difficult in his career to shake-off people remembering him best as a young Joey.
THE JOEY BUCHANAN/ERIKA SLEZAK CONNECTION
“I was Joey to everybody … I was Joey to Frank,” shared Chris.”I’m glad, I’m finally changing some of that perception. As far as GH, I loved it from the beginning, but I’m settling in and making the character my own. It has gotten more and more satisfying and gratifying getting to do scenes with more people from the cast.”

Photos: ABC and JPI
Speaking on how he and Erika Slezak have maintained a close relationship over the years, McKenna recalled, “From my first day (on OLTL) she pulled my mother aside, and said, ‘That kid … he’s something.” That meant a lot to me to hear that that from her. It made me emotional just saying it now. Erika has been so supportive. She would pull me aside and she gave me so much attention. She protected me on the set. Erika would say that when the directors are misleading me, ‘to trust my gut.’ She still reaches out to me and we had been in communication. As soon as I got this role on GH, she reached out to me.”
“Erika Slezak means so much to me,” McKenna continued. “She still calls me her son, but says, ‘You’re not my son anymore. You’re so grown up.” I said, ‘Not true. It’ll never be true. I’m always your son.’ What I wouldn’t do to work with her for one day again.”
BEING A RECAST
Back in February of this year, GH surprised us all when it was revealed that Charles Mesure departed the series as WSB Port Charles bureau chief, Jack Brennan, and the role was recast with Chris McKenna. “I knew the challenge it was going to be and I had a like five days to get my head around it, so I was ready for it,” recalls Chris. “Sure. It was challenging, but I was up for it. I was a recast before on The Young and the Restless.”

Photo: JPI
McKenna played detective Mark Harding from 2014-2015 on the CBS soap opera when he became what was a last minute recast for the character of Detective Chavez, and, “When Detective Chavez (Ignacio Serricchio) went away, Harding became the guy, but it was all his lines, just a different character with me playing it. So, I already had a little experience doing this. This one role at GH is bigger, and a much more precarious situation, but it was great. Laura Wright and Eden McCoy are amazing to work, so it felt like home very quickly.”
BRENNAN, GOOD, BAD OR GRAY?
Jack Brennan seems to be towing the lines these days, not giving too much away and keeping his actions and his plans close to the vest. So, are we supposed to root for the guy? “I don’t know if he’s ever going to be a clean-cut wearing a white hat kind of guy. He’s gray all the way through, but he’s got a heart in there,” explains McKenna. “So, we’ll see what it prevents him from doing, or where it leads us. Brennan is going to be conflicted for awhile.”

Photo: ABC
In a huge bombshell that has yet to explode, Brennan has Josslyn working for him and the WSB to bring down Professor Dalton (Daniel Goddard), and she owes him for cleaning up the evidence that could connect her to killing Cyrus Renault. Namely, Brennan removed any trace of the body! “The WSB can cover up many sins,” shared Chris. “I had six scenes in a row of hammering home to Josslyn that she needs to get into the WSB, and all these speeches. Eden gave me a huge hug at the end of that day, when I was exhausted after doing three episodes on my first day, and was so supportive. We have so many more things coming up and it’s going to be lot of fun for the audience, I believe.”
CARLY/BRENNAN ROMANCE – CAN IT SURVIVE?
Everyone warned Carly Spencer to stay away from Brennan, because of his shades of gray, but you can’t stop Carly once she gets her mind set on something. Chris weighs-in on working with the dynamic Laura Wright. “She is wonderful. I have known her since I was a kid, too. She was the pitcher and I was the catcher on a Make-A-Wish softball team, recounts McKenna. “Fast-forward 30 years, and I couldn’t be working with a more incredible actress. We communicate well and we have a lot of fun.”

Photo: ABC
However, what does Chris think might go down, if and when, Carly learns how he has her daughter working as a spy for the WSB and that he never told her that Josslyn killed Cyrus Renault? “When the truth comes out, I think Jack’s an awfully persuasive guy. I know, Carly’s going to have a very serious point to raise and she would be very upset, but I wouldn’t count Jack out,” says McKenna with confidence.
So, do you hope that Erika Slezak might play Brennan’s mother? That way Chris and Erika could be reunited in a unique way on General Hospital? And, do you think Carly and Brennan have a chance, if and when, his secret about Josslyn is revealed? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
I would be over the moon for Chris McKenna and Erika Slezak to do scenes together on GH. They were so easy and natural as mother and son on One Life to Live. I hope Erika’s character enters Brennan’s orbit for a least a little while.
I am loving Chris as Brennan and the scenes of Brennan and Carly sizzle. More, more, more please. To TPTB, please put Chris on contract. He needs to be on more often and his photo definitely needs to be included in the opening titles.
Perhaps Vickie will expose that Brennam is really Joey and have been a secret WSB agent for years.
I really liked Chris on Y and R, but I love him as Brennan. He has done a great job making the character his own. He seems to be laying the foundation and hopefully will be able to stay around for a long time. I never watched OLTL but that picture of him with Ryan Phillippe is absolutely precious! Shall be fun to see the upcoming the Erika story arc:)
I just love Chris McKenna and want GH to start giving Brennan more story. GH needs to realize what an asset he is to the show and keep him on for years to come.
I watched OLTL since day one and it gives me chills to think he and his mom could possibly soon have scenes together again!!
I agree with you Shari. Chris McKenna needs a bigger story and much more air time. He is a tremendous asset to the show and should be on contract for years to come.
Like you, I watched One Life to Live from day one and watched until the end of the network run and the online run. I still miss it every single day.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jacinda Executes Her Plan to Drug Willow, Jason Tells Tracy He’s Out of the Mob, Sonny Quits Too!

On the Thursday, August 6 episode of General Hospital, Sonny (Maurice Benard) seemed to get a clue from Jason and also decided to leave the mob. Speaking of Jason (Steve Burton), he went to tell Tracy (Jane Elliot) that he quit working for Sonny, which Tracy says would be music to Monica and Alan’s ear.
Michael (Rory Gibson) gets caught in Serena (Kelly Kruger) and Lucy’s (Lynn Herring) scheme, and Jacinda (Paige Herschell) slips a blue pill into Willow’s (Katelyn MacMullen) iced coffee as payback for the restraining order she filed against her. All this, as the closing arguments from Molly (Kristen Vaganos) and Martin (Michael E. Knight) are delivered before the jury in the Isaiah (Sawandi Wilson) vs. Curtis (Donnell Turner) court case.
Let’s break this all down: In the most heartfelt of scenes, Jason shows up at the Qs to see Tracy. He explains he told Sonny he can’t work for him anymore and quit. He tells Tracy he has to be a better role model for his son, Danny.

Courtesy/ABC
GETTING OUT OF THE MOB IS EMOTIONAL
Jason gets teary-eyed. Tracy says what Jason wants for Danny is all that his parents, the late Alan and Monica Quartermaine would have wanted for him. A gutted Jason feels so badly for his previous behavior towards his parents and wishes he could apologize for all that he put them through. Tracy says if they were here now, they would be happy that he had come to this decision for himself.
At Sonny’s, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) gets an earful from his father, who informs him that Jason had decided he wanted out of the business for Danny’s sake. Suddenly, Dante is worried for Sonny’s safety. However, Sonny says he shouldn’t be. Sonny claims he’s getting out of the mob too and plans to focus on business opportunities that opened up after Sidwell’s arrest. (This makes no sense, because Sidwell was involved in shady dealings too!) Next, the two men hug it out as Sonny explains he won’t be a problem for his son with the PCPD anymore.
At Nina’s (Cynthia Watros), Willow wants her mother to stop confiding in Jack Brennan about her children. Nina explained to her that her quest to reopen the investigation into Michael as a suspect in Drew’s shooting, could implicate Jack, since he had gotten rid of the traffic cam footage of Willow, the night she shot Drew. Nina is mortified when she also learned Willow has a restraining order against Jacinda.
JACINDA WANTS PAYBACK AIMED AT WILLOW
Jacinda asked Ezra (Daniel Cosgrove) to return the blue pills she’d left at his place a few months back, claiming she needed to take the edge off after Willow served her with a restraining order. She explains Willow wants her nowhere near Amelia and Wiley. Ezra is concerned for his escort/friend.
Later, Jacinda arrives at Nina’s where she runs into Willow. When Willow and Nina leave the room, it leaves Jacinda to spot the iced coffee lattes marked for Willow and Nina. Next, she slips one of the blue tablets into the cup marked “Willow.”
Elsewhere, at the Metro Court Pool, Serena Baldwin lays on Michael’s pool chaise lounge chair. When he gets out of the water, he goes over to his chair only to have Serena laying on it. She gets a bit flirty, but explains she is concerned for her mother and Deception. Michael explains he will vote fairly with his shares given to him by Maxie. (You can check out the scenes entitled “Ambushing Michael” below).
Now weigh-in: Do you think Sonny is truly going to get out of the mob? And take up some of Sidwell’s, of all people’s business opportunities? Did you enjoy the touching scene between Jason and Tracy? Do you think Nina will wind up drinking the coffee that is laced with the drug Jacinda put in it instead of Willow?
Do you think Willow is going to try to paint Michael as a bad father and use drugs against him as well? Do you see a spark yet between Serena and Michael, or no? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
Days Of Our Lives
Jean Lodge, British Actress and Mother of ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’s’ Charles Shaughnessy, Producer/Director David Shaughnessy, Dies at 99

Our hearts and condolences go out today to Charles Shaughnessy (ex-Shane Donovan, Days of Our Lives and Victor Cassadine, General Hospital, and Maxwell Sheffield, The Nanny) and his brother, David Shaughnessy, one time executive producer and director at The Young and as well as The Bold and the Beautiful, on the loss of their beloved mother, Jean Lodge.
Lodge was a British actress who appeared with Alan Ladd in the 1954 medieval adventure film The Black Knight. She died at age 99 on August 5 just one day after she celebrated her birthday. News of her passing came from her granddaughter, Amy Shaughnessy who took to Facebook with a tribute to her beloved grandmother.
Throughout her motion picture career, Lodge was featured in 1949’s Dick Barton Strikes Back and Dr. Morelle: The Case of the Missing Heiress. Later credits included: Brandy for the Parson (1952), White Corridors (1951), Final Appointment (1954), Accidental Death (1963), The Eyes of Annie Jones (1963) and Invasion (1966).

WATFORD/Mirrorpix via Almay
THE SHAUGHNESSY BROTHERS CARRY ON THE FAMILY LEGACY
Talent runs in the Shaughnessy family as Lodge’s late husband, Alfred Shaughnessy, had developed and served as head writer and producer on the acclaimed 1971-75 UK series, Upstairs, Downstairs.
As daytime fans know, Charles Shaughnessy was one-half of the Days of Our Lives super couple of Shane and Kimberley (Patsy Pease) and has appeared on the soap opera on and off for decades starting in 1984 up until his more recent appearance in 2025 at John Black’s memorial. In addition, Shaughnessy was the last actor to play Victor Cassadine on General Hospital, a role he played from 2021-2023.
David Shaughnessy has continued his career behind the scenes mainly as a daytime soap opera director with a list of credits from Santa Barbara to Y&R, B&B and since 2019, Days of Our Lives.
HEARTFELT REMEMBRANCES
When Amy Shaughnessy took to Facebook to announce her grandmother’s death, she expressed, “Jean Margaret Shaughnessy (neé Lodge) left us today, one day after her 99th birthday. She passed, as she would say, “quite quietly” and peacefully in her sleep. My grandmother was a beautiful, talented, complicated, passionate, emotional, energetic woman who was always on the move and full of life.”
She continued, “The perfect hostess Jean enjoyed parties, friends, socializing, the theatre, feeding the ducks, museums, gardening, music, culture, long walks in nature, animals, painting (she was amazing!), cooking, art, traveling… the list goes on. She loved her two sons, Charles and David, her daughters-in-law, Susie and Annie, and her five granddaughters, Amy, Jenny, Katie, Maddy, and Josie. She was blessed with two great-grandsons, Julian and Noa.”
“An ever-present matriarch, her silliness, stubbornness, joyfulness, and her love for storytelling will continue on through her family. Us. Forever. We will miss her. We will carry her with us always. We love her all the world and then some.”
Share your thoughts and condolences to Charles, David and Amy and the rest of the extended Shaughnessy family on the passing of Jean Lodge via the comment section.
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General Hospital
Chris McKenna Reportedly Out as ‘General Hospital’s’ Jack Brennan

As ABC’s General Hospital continues to make casting additions in front of the camera; a new report indicates that Chris McKenna is the next contract player to be written out of the show as his storyline as Port Charles WSB bureau chief, Jack Brennan, is coming to end this fall.
According to sources close to the situation, who informed Soap Opera Network, McKenna will exit the long-running soap opera when Jack is killed-off the canvas. The outlet shares, Brennan’s death will come about as the soap, “leans heavily into storylines surrounding the World Security Bureau (WSB).”
McKenna, who previously appeared on the soaps when he was 12 as a young Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live from 1990-1993, then as an adult as Mark Harding on The Young and the Restless from 2014-2015, and next on The Bold and the Beautiful in the short term role of Dr. Hayden, began his run as GH’s Brennan back in February of 2025, replacing Charles Mesure in the role.

Photo: ABC
JACK’S ROCKY ROAD TO ROMANCE
In fact, McKenna won the part over Daniel Goddard and Daniel Cosgrove, who eventually were cast in other roles on General Hospital, that of Henry Dalton and Ezra Boyle, respectively. Chris informed his fans via X, back in August of 2025, that he was put on contract at the daytime drama and thanked them for helping make it happen.
Chris told Michael Fairman TV how it was to step into the role previously played by Charles Mesure, “I knew the challenge it was going to be and I had a like 0nly five days to get my head around it, so I was ready for it. Sure, it was challenging, but I was up for it. I was a recast before on The Young and the Restless.”
On-screen, Jack became romantically involved with Carly Spencer (Laura Wright), but that went bust when Carly learned Jack was not up front with her and had secretly enlisted her daughter, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) to join the WSB. Over months, Carly plotted to get revenge on Jack, and suddenly, Valentin Casssadine (James Patrick Stuart), Jack’s mortal enemy, came into the picture and he had fallen for Carly and she for him.
Now, Jack has started up a relationship with Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) and has found himself in situations stooping to lows to help Nina and her criminal daughter, Willow Cain (Katelyn MacMullen) out of jams, especially where Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) is concerned.

Photo: ABC
REUNITING WITH ERIKA SLEZAK
Last fall, Chris got a thrill of a lifetime when his OG on-screen mother from One Life to Live, the iconic Erika Slezak (ex-Viki) took on a guest role on General Hospital as Ronnie Bard, the secret sister of Monica Quartermaine (the late Leslie Charleson). While the two did not have a storyline together, Chris did share some tender moments reconnecting with Erika on the set,
McKenna has a laundry list of primetime credits including: State of Affairs, Good Trouble, Lucifer and Castle, where in an ironic twist he appeared alongside another Joey Buchanan none other than Nathan Fillion.
So, how do you feel if the report holds true and GH is killing off Brennan and Chris McKenna would exit the show? How do you think Brennan will die on GH? Will he be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and someone will take him out? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
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