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GH’s Emma Samms Talks on Her Connection with Jonathan Jackson, and the Similarities in their Work Thanks to Tony Geary

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: ABC

Today, on the Wednesday, September 4th episode of General Hospital, Emma Samms reprises her role as Holly Sutton, when she arrives on the scene in Africa where Lucky Spencer (Jonathan Jackson) is being held.

This will give longtime viewers a chance to see Samms and Jackson in story together, something that has never happened before. Emma first joined GH in 1982, while Jackson was cast in 1993, and while they have both come and gone from the show, they never crossed paths … till now.

Speaking with Variety on her return and getting the opportunity to work with five-time Daytime Emmy-winner, Jonathan Jackson, Emma expressed, “It’s such a gift that Frank (Valentini, EP, GH) has given me, working with Jonathan, who is, obviously, a very, very good actor.”

Photo: ABC

Emma also noted, “That’s undisputed – but he’s also really nice. And we have a very similar way of approaching the work, and we realized that that is because we were both trained by Tony Geary (ex-Luke Spencer).”

Viewers will remember that Samms was originally brought in as a love interest for Luke when Laura went missing and Genie Francis exited the show. At that time, Jackson was only 11-years-old. Emma recalled the difficulties the series had in finding another love interest for Luke that would stick.

Photo: JPI

“I didn’t realize when I started that I was the third attempt to find somebody for a new romantic relationship for Luke,” shared Samms. “They had tried really amazing people, like Janine Turner and Demi Moore. So I was sort of the last-ditch attempt in that regard. But I had no clue, which is probably extremely valuable and helped me a lot. I just came in sort of innocent, and ‘I’ll do the best I can’ sort of thing. And I just somehow got away with it. I was very fortunate.”

The actress, who struggles with symptoms from Long-COVID, also revealed that this time back on-screen she’s working with a “brilliant, strong, powerful, interesting villain now,” and there’s “going to be some interesting twists with Holly coming back to town.”

So, are you looking forward to Holly’s return on GH and her scenes/story with Jonathan Jackson? Comment below.

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I get that JJ is beloved by many sentimental Luke and Laura fans, which makes sense, but I don‘t understand why people keep saying he’s a great actor. Squeezing one’s forehead, loudly dragging one’s shoes across the set, constantly pushing one’s hair to the side, lip-licking, eye rolling and saying Mmkay? for emphasis is literally NOT acting. Yes, I resent that they are writing off so many interesting characters to bring back old stars who probably cost a lot, but if they at least brought back good actors, it wouldn’t be quite so disappointing.

He’s won 5 Emmys. doofus.

Wow, He’s a five-time emmy-winning actor, who plays his role superbly, we’ve seen all of about 2 minutes on screen thus far… Which is really not enough time to tell what an actor can put out!

I’ve seen you write the same exact thing criticizing Jonathan’s acting multiple times. Like you somehow feel the need to keep repeating yourself to try and sell people on your opinion. Particularly the line about the “lip licking, eye rolling, hair pushing, saying Mmmkay”, like he’s a Valley girl from the 1980s or something.

Everyone is obviously entitled to think what they want. But I mean, go back and watch the 2011 storyline when Luke got drunk and allegedly killed Jake with his car, the scenes with Tony Geary and Jonathan Jackson, which both won an Emmy for, and if you still want to say that JJ is a bad actor, then I’d say that you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Case in point, I am very glad to see the talented Emma Samms back. She brings something playful, mischievous and interesting to her performances as Holly. Would love to see her interact with characters beyond Robert. Her brief scenes last time with the spectacular and dynamic Carolyn Hennessy were fun to watch.

What happened is he was good as a kid then he left that’s fine but he never took off in movies like they all thought. He just never grew up as a grown up if that makes sense. This dirty scruffy look I see he has going on does not help. It will not encourage me as a former viewer run back to the show anymore then Steve Burton did been there done that.

Totally agree Adele. Jackson was great as a child. He left and Jacob Young did a great job playing Lucky the teen. Then it was time for Lucky to be an adult and they brought in Greg Vaughan who was wonderful as Lucky the adult. He became a police officer, married man and father. He even tried to get his father to recognize his excessive alcohol use disorder and get help. Didn’t work. Lucky faced and overcame his own substance abuse disorder. Vaughan was an adult and did a great job with everything they threw him. Jackson suddenly decided he wanted to come back and they dumped Vaughan. Jackson stayed what two or three months and left again. What was the point? How long can he spare you viewers this time?

Jackson stayed 2 years after he replaced Vaughan. At that point, the character needed a break (remember the horrible pairing with Siobhan).

Of course this was in 2011, when “temporary” head writer Garin Wolf had some kind of bizzare agenda to destroy the entire Spencer family. Luke was a hopeless drunk who allegedly ran over his own grandson & burned down the family home. Lulu was doing her own acts of arson. Lucky became a pill popping crybaby who abandoned his wife & kids on Xmas eve. And yes, the Siobahn story was pathetic. And Laura at this point was still a blonde wig attached to a rocking chair at the Shadybrook funny farm.

Luke & Lulu were at least able to redeem themselves somewhat (though the Fluke story would ruin Luke all over again). Lucky never really had that chance, because until recently, we only saw him for one week in 2015, and that was of course focused on Luke’s “exit story” so he didn’t have any time to redeem himself. Though he did manage to bring Jake back from Cassadine island as part of that story.

You can bet your soul that Jonathan Jackson would not have agreed to a long term return as Lucky unless it included the chance to finally redeem the character from the horrible corner he was written into back in 2011

Also Rick Hearst. I didn’t think I’d want to see Ric Lansing again but Hearst’s performance is so immediately and intensely creepy and controlling/ manipulative but also with flashes vulnerability. That guy is acting. Can’t wait to see him to cross paths with Sonny.

General Hospital

Chris McKenna Reportedly Out as ‘General Hospital’s’ Jack Brennan

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Chris McKenna

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.

Chris McKenna

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.

Erika Slezak, Chris McKenna

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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General Hospital

Ryan Paevey Open to Return to ‘General Hospital’ to ‘Stir the Pot if Cassius Could be a Good Agent of Chaos’

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Ryan Paevey

On General Hospital, Ryan Paevey wrapped his comeback to General Hospital on the July 6 episode, when it was revealed that Cassius Faison was not dead, but being held by the WSB thanks to Z (John Oliver).

It was Z who gave Cassius an ultimatum: a one-way ticket to prison or a death sentence, or to become an agent himself! We never got the answer on-screen, but suffice to say, Cassius is still out there somewhere, but we can assume he is working for the WSB.

GH fans were thrilled to see Paevey back on the ABC daytime drama series where he initially played the very popular Detective Nathan West from 2013-2018. It had been over 7 years until Ryan made a return to his former soap stomping grounds when on-screen in September of 2025, he arrived in Port Charles as a very much alive Nathan, who was actually Cassius impersonating his late twin brother.

Photo: ABC

Over this past weekend, Paevey appeared at the annual GH Fan Club Weekend in Burbank, California, where according to a report from Soap Central who was on the scene; when a fan asked Ryan if he would make another visit to the soap opera in the future, he explained, “That’s a ‘Frank Chat,’ referencing a discussion would need to be had with Frank Valentini, GH’s executive producer.

A CASSIUS FAISON SIGHTING ANYTIME SOON?

Ryan also added, “I’m a bit of a drifter. So, I’m not sure that I want to go back and sign forever. Doing so took a lot of things out of my life, stuff that is valuable to me.” Paevey also explained while he was away from GH he was caretaker to his parents and working on his Fortunate Wanderer jewelry business and more.

However, Paevey concluded his thoughts on the matter with, “But, yeah, I would come back and stir the pot if Cassius could be a good agent of chaos… a conversation might be had with Frank about exactly what ‘not dead’ means.”

All this to say, would you like to see Ryan make another comeback to General Hospital? This time as WSB agent Cassius Faison? Do you think he would help out his sister, Britt and his mutter, and even Josslyn, if they got into serious future trouble? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Christian Howard Makes One Final Return as Ethan Lovett, as Hudson Learns Damning Intel

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The Tuesday, August 4 episode of General Hospital brought with it another appearance by Christian Howard in the role of Ethan Lovett. As previously reported, Howard was brought into wrap up Ethan’s storyline as Nathan Dean’s four-month run with the show came to its conclusion.

Now, it has been 100% officially confirmed that today was the last episode of Howard as the recast Ethan. In story, Ethan was now seen in Oslo, Norway after hightailing it out of Port Charles after Hudson (Troy Lennon Appel) had showed up looking for him at the Metro Court pool in Port Charles.

On the July 31st episode, Ethan made a beeline to Lulu’s (Alexa Havins) grabbed his bags and headed out of the country without saying goodbye to Ava (Maura West), who he just had spent the night with.

Christian Howard

Courtesy/ABC

However, on Tuesday’s GH, it was also the day where Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) finalized baby Phoebe’s adoption for Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard). This was juxtaposed with the action in Oslo where Hudson showed up at Ethan’s hotel room door. He demanded immediate answers about Delilah and the baby. Ethan told him that both Delilah and the baby she carried died.

ETHAN’S LIES CATCH UP TO HIM

Hudson is livid. The two get into multiple altercations with Hudson getting the upper hand claiming that Ethan is a thief, who had “stolen from the wrong man.” At that point, Hudson delivered a beatdown on Ethan. Next, he threatened Ethan that he will go after his entire family if he finds out he was lying to him.

Back in Port Charles at the Metro Court pool, Ava is lamenting about Ethan’s sudden disappearance to Trina (Tabyana Ali). Later alone, she gets a call from Ethan telling her to never reveal that he’s not Phoebe’s biological father. Cut to: Hudson out in the hotel hallway listening in on the call through a bug he planted in Ethan’s hotel room. Hudson then takes off. The final moment of Ethan’s is him sprawled out bloody on top of the hotel bed.

A GH rep told Soap Opera Digest that “the door is open for Ethan to return to Port Charles” in the future. And as previously reported by TV Insider, when Nathan Dean signed on for his four month return, it was due in part to that he and his wife announced back in March they were expecting a baby.

So, now that Christian Howard has officially exited the series marking the end of the story for now of Ethan Lovett, what are your thoughts? Obviously, we will look for Hudson to return to Port Charles and infiltrate the Quartermaines lives especially Brook Lynn and Chase to get close to Phoebe, and then there is Ava, who may be in terrible danger, or is she? Share your thoughts and theories.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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