When the nominations were revealed for the 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, General Hospital mainstay, Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis), was recognized for her stunning work in the Alexis-centric standalone episode which honored her 25th anniversary with the ABC daytime drama series.
Grahn, is already a two-time Daytime Emmy winner. She won back in 1989 in a tie for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her work as Julia Wainwright on Santa Barbara along with All My Children’s Debbi Morgan, and again received the honors in that category in 2012 for her work on General Hospital.
Now. she is vying for the gold in 2022 in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category against other formidable actresses including: B&B’s Kimberlin Brown, DAYS Stacy Haiduk, Y&R’s Melissa Ordway, and her GH castmate, Kelly Thiebaud.
Michael Fairman TV caught up with Nancy to talk about her decision to enter the Emmy race this year, her powerful and moving scenes, why this nomination is significant and important to her, and her take on some very important social issues of our time.
Always candid, insightful, combined with great humor and wit, here’s what Nancy had to share below, and make sure to check out GH this week when sparks fly between Alexis and Gregory (Gregory Harrison). Will he turn out to be the new beau in Alexis’ life? Stay tuned.

Courtesy/ABC
Congratulations on the Emmy nomination. How do you feel about being in the running again, especially with the material from your 25th anniversary episode?
NANCY: You know, I don’t submit myself if I don’t think I have something, and I didn’t last year. This year, I had the one show, and the first reason I submitted myself was I had the episode that was worthy of the competition. These judges have to sit, and watch this stuff, and very often, it’s hard to watch soap opera scenes. It really is, unless you’re in it. It’s a different kind of material that most primetime people aren’t used to watching. So, it’s tricky business. I don’t want to put them through anything too awful. I don’t want to torture them and I’ve judged before. It can be a bit tedious. So, for me to submit myself, I thought, it has to be something that isn’t going to torture another human being. The second thing is, older women get marginalized the older they get, and they get diminished very often, and every time we get nominated, it means something different to me. This time, to me, I want it to somehow be symbolic, or a shoutout to women who are still producing, who have been doing their job for a long time and are still doing it good enough, and that it’s still worthy of respect and recognition.
When we were at the GH Convention back in March, I played the scene on-stage for the fans in attendance of when Alexis goes over to the corner of Kevin’s office and heals her younger self. You saw the reaction just from the fans. It’s such a beautiful moment within the story. What did you think about how the standalone episode was crafted?
NANCY: It was a different experience for me because GH co-head writers Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor, and script writer, Scott Sickles gave it the attention, but even more to that, they allowed me to participate in the creation of it. They allowed the director, Phideaux Xavier, to participate. We all sat in a room. They said, “You know what? Make it how you’re comfortable with it.” There were so many people who gave it time and effort, and Phideaux gets a lot of credit because he came up with a lot of ideas. So, the little girl in the therapy room wasn’t initially a part of it. That was Phideaux’s idea, and they let us alter things, and they allowed me to write some words that meant something to me with the character. Our producers, Michelle Henry and M.K Weir, who I both adore, were also a part of this.

Courtesy/ABC
That is great to hear that you were involved in the collaborative process of the creation of the episode.
NANCY: We read through the whole script, and we worked it like you would on primetime. We went through it like, “Does this moment work? Does that moment work? Does this make sense? Does that make sense?” We never do that in soaps. We don’t get to that. So, it was a gift to me. It really was. Chris and Dan, and Scott and Phideaux, and the two producers, generosity in gifting me that experience and making sure that it was to everybody’s liking, was really very special to me, and it meant a lot.
Did you come up with the key lines which summarized Alexis as a person and her journey: “I’m Alexis Davis, and I’m a fighter, and an idealist and an advocate?”
NANCY: No. They designed it, but we were allowed to enhance and contribute creatively to it, and, we don’t normally have the time to do that. They don’t have the time to – and you can’t allow people to do that with every episode, to be creatively participating, because it would turn into madness with everybody.
Then, when it came down to choosing the scenes from your anniversary episode to include for your Emmy submission, was that a challenging process of which moments to go with?
NANCY: I just told a little story with it with the time that I had, and so, I edited it with a friend of mine. I did a sort of pre-edit on it, I’m good at that, and handed the timeline to our editor, who nicely put it together. It took very little effort.
In my humble opinion, I think that episode featured one of your all-time best performances.
NANCY: Thank you. There was a nice effort from everybody, from the lighting to everybody else, and all the effort Phideaux put into it. He worked so hard on that! It was fun for us. It was like the old days where you really got to work something out.

Photo: ABC
It truly harkened back to everything we knew up to that point about Alexis and her past as well, and included a montage of scenes over the years.
NANCY: I think it was M.K. who put that together, but when you’re working at the pace we’re working now, to have to sit and put together a montage of twenty-five years, that’s not an easy feat. Nobody has time for that anymore, but they did it, and like I said, it was really, really appreciated. My only thought with it is that I wanted it to be relatable to other people. I didn’t want it to just be some, you know, self-indulgent Alexis episode. I knew that by bringing in the little girl and talking about people being hurt in their childhood and how that makes somebody feel that it was probably relatable to many people, and so it became meaningful to other people and not just me.
Do you think you’ll attend the Daytime Emmys? I know the last time you won you were not present.
NANCY: Yeah, I’m planning on it. I mean, barring anything happening! (Laughs)
Does it feel nice to be recognized by your peers?
NANCY: Of course, it does. It always does, and way too often, women who are still producing well in their jobs, don’t get the respect and the acknowledgment for it. So, that’s why I’m saying, this is no small thing, and that I want other women to know that I know that, and that I wish for them the same thing.
What was the reaction of your daughter, Kate and your fiancé, Richard, when you told them you were Emmy-nominated?
NANCY: Richie goes, “What is this? Your 18th nomination?” (Laughs). You know what I mean? It was just kind of like, “Yeah, sure, why wouldn’t you be?” It wasn’t like, “Oh, my God!” It was like they kind of expected that. That was nice! I’m glad they feel that way. I’m glad they weren’t surprised. They were like, “Sure! Of course, you would be. Why wouldn’t you be?” I said, “You know, it doesn’t always work like that!”

Photo: JPI
Now comes the part of having to find a dress and all that goes with it for the red carpet. Do you enjoy that part?
NANCY: No, I hate that part. That is my… oh ‘boohoo’, you know? I mean, I have to find something to wear. Also, the older you get, that becomes so much less important, and the more makeup, and the more hair, and the more foofy, the more ridiculous I look. I start looking like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. You’ve just got to keep it simple.
You were talking about women and ageism. Do you not feel that also exists for men?
NANCY: It exists for men, but it’s not at all on the same par as women. I mean, men still get paid more than women, and men still are valued more than women. I mean, there are exceptions, but if you look in any place of employment, even the soaps, you will typically find the men making more money than the women, and the older the women get, the less they get. Life’s not fair right now. It’s fairer than it was, but still the equality game is not won yet.

Photo: JPI
I know how much all of this means to you in terms of equality for women, and people being run out of their jobs because of their age.
NANCY: It’s just a reality. It’s not something that I’m hopeless about, but I have a story to tell. I’ll tell it when the time is right. It’s life! It happens in every field everywhere. When my mom was 70, she was still producing the exact same way she was producing when she was 30, and she got run out, and was replaced by a man who was 40 or something, and there was no particular reason for it. It was just, “You’re done. We decided you’re done,” but like I said, it happens everywhere, in every line of work, and that’s why I just wanted to give a shout-out, when you still, after 36 years, can be recognized or shown respect or acknowledgment for what your do. It’s a very big deal that I am appreciative of and grateful for.
So, rooting for Nancy to win the Outstanding Supporting Actress prize? Happy she was nominated for her work in the the milestone episode devoted to Alexis? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, and to tune-in to the 49th annual Daytime Emmy Awards on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ on Friday night, June 24th.
Love it
I m loving SEEING these “TWO” EMMY WINNER’s as STEVE BURTON won his very 1st EMMY award for soap GH with 1 sl and the storyline was with ROBIN his onscreen SOULMATE JMHO IMO. I’m so happy BOTH are such great friends after how it ended and the way JASON “stare/with realistic/genuine happiness “relief” to see her/at the old infamous GH bridge was priceless. GOING TO REWIND IT AGAIN. another 1033 times. #ghrobinandjason #J&RForever
We were all routing for these guys back in the day and everyone wanted this scene to work out. There was just some awkwardness and I don’t know if it was the writing, the delivery or just something off between the actors and their chemistry. Something was just ‘off’ and I cannot explain it.
I suppose it was touching and well-acted, but it’s just another slap in the face to those of us who are team Billy. Lord, am I sick of people writing him off because the saint of Port Charles returns. At least Robin had the class to mention that newJason saved her life and has the same type of heart. More than he ever got from selfish Sonny, short-memoried Carly, or that harridan Diane (“I’ve already closed off YOUR file…I know who the real Jason is”). Ingrates! Heck, Patient 6 is handling it better than the rest of the town. Shame… Read more »
I so agree!!!The way they are all acting is so gross it makes no sense how they all forget the last few years I hate it!!!!
I hope for Billy Miller’s sake they let him be Drew.
He could shine as a new character all of his own. He really never was Stonecold to a lot of us.
Yes, yes, and yes……I do appreciate Steve Burton. He has been great so far….surprised me. But, Billy is Billy….he will always be my fave, Soaphound. TPTB should have never gone there—taking away the main substance of what makes Billy/Jason who/what he is, and just bounce it around…..in limbo. Perhaps that is the reason Sonny and Carly never took to him……because he would not be dominated? Tamed by them? Nevertheless, I cannot deny the impact Steve made on me. However, therein lies the crux of the matter…..this unfailing loyalty to Sonny and Carly seems to take over his better judgment, if… Read more »
Six needs to be Jason. I absolutely love the chemistry still after all these years.
@Kym.
Hey, Kym,
Absolutely agree. This is why I have always believed Billy Miller should have been cast as his own individual being; that is; someone else.
There is no slap in the face. No one including Sonny and Carly are dismissing the good things that Billy’s Jason has done. They have all praised him. But one is Jason and the other isn’t. If they believe Steve is Jason what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to pretend he’s Jason out of some kind of loyalty? So he can continue to live someone else’s life? This is all just nonsense from Billy stans who are desperate for him to be Jason and I can’t understand why that’s important. He’s nothing like Jason and can just… Read more »
i’m not interested at all.. what happens with Billy Miller character involvement WITH Sonny and Carly… and Sam. this has been… a snoozefest AFTER – seeing Billy Miller and Leslie Charelson.. scene @the Quartermaine cemetary plot. the scene ends with so much heart the scene ends with so much sensitivity the scene belongs to : BM Drew ? and HIS mother… Monica yeah.. I watched the scene soonafter.. as she went to the hotel where Steve Burton Jason was staying.. and it was just as moving… as Monica is telling SB’ Jason… “It’s so good to see you” GAWD –… Read more »
Very well put, MB. Your description of Sam is painfully true. I am a fan of both Kelly and Sam, but her sitting there behind that desk as a publishing executive does distort the character, as we know her. The same could be said about Lulu, the journalist? Oh, my. I hope she will make her pronouns agree with the subject. Only in soaps could people become experts with a pen without formal training, or enter Medical School without a College degree and pre-Med experiences. I think you have summed it all up very effectively. Everyone will fit into his… Read more »
You make some really good assertions, MB. I don’t quite understand this team business. Can’t you love Burton without that love negating your love of Miller? I think there is room for both of these fabulously talented men. I have appreciated Miller since his AMC days and loved how he just brought that Billy Abbott character come alive with an abundance of natural effervescence. Miller is that guy who enters a room and party begins just with his entering the room. That is why I never felt he was the right fit as Jason Stonecold Morgan who could enter the… Read more »
I don’t think Soaphound means it’s a slap in the face to Billy Miller; rather Billy Miller’s character. It’s painfully obvious that Sonny, Carly, Diane and today, Robin are pulling away from him. They’ve understandably been beyond ecstatic to have “their” Jason back, but haven’t been exactly reassuring or compassionate to the man (Billy’s Jason) that they all called friend and claimed to love just weeks ago. So, yes, the character has experienced a slap in the face, over and over again. If he’s not who he thinks he is, then it’s all the more important that he still feels… Read more »
MB, Rebecca said it best in her response. I don’t want Billy to be Jason at all. In fact, I can’t wait for him to get away from the toxicity of Sonny’s “world”. But if my “friends” referred to me variously as Sam’s husband (Carly), the stranger (Spinelli), that guy (Sonny), or the lovely sentiments of dear Robin (whose life he saved), “You’re just NOT Jason”, I’d be as angry as Drew/Billy was. Call me overly sensitive.
I couldn’t believe the gall and disrespect by Diane yeah.. she’s always out for the buku buck and high browing her legalese granted… I LOVE HER I just thought.. what the heck … what’s this obvious dump I’ve seen Monica render her heart and home as his I’ve seen Curtis befriend and support even Sam isn’t believable… ? what’s she going to do… fantasize about her days of ole ? when she was tramping all over the globe.. with Steve Burton it’s so dull and lame… as Carly is telling Sam… you are going to have to make a choice… Read more »
I think Sam’s been great, Patrick. I think she’s so confused that she’s almost repressed her feelings for Steve Burton’s “face.” Cassandra, Sonny, Carly, Michael, Monica, Robin…etc…all reacted way more than she did when she saw him. One would have thought she’d completely freak out and literally have to be sedated. I just think her love for Jason was so strong…she mourned for him so long…and now she couldn’t bear the possibility that her current husband is not THE Jason. That would mean her entire relationship was based on a past that didn’t exist with him. At the same time,… Read more »
oops! Not Cassandra…I meant Oscar’s mom, Kim.
i’m done with GH after this story. I think it really sucks to do this to Billy Miller and his character…he’s been carrying the character of Jason Morgan all these years, and now Steve Burton decides he wants to come back and they just do this switch-a-roo?? I don’t like this, and won’t be watching anymore. The better twist would have been for Steve Burton to be Andrew, that way he could take on playing a new role. Oh well, I will strictly go back to just watching Y&R and Days!
I agree, Torrey. Did you hear Spinelli on Friday? Calling Billy/Jason “the stranger” and even implying he illegally obtained Aurora Enterprises and that Scout will now be part of SB/Jason’s family?! I’m surprised Diane didn’t have formal adoption papers ready for SB to sign and having Jordan arrest Andrew for corporate fraud! Oh wait, the year’s not over yet.
All I know is Liz fell in love with Jake Doe treated him with respect the rest of the bunch including your precious Sam only decided to love him because they thought he was Jason and god forbid he stay with Liz. Just one day I would like to see someone anyone slap the holy you know what out of that screaming Carly and that husband who never looks anyone in the eyes
As for the question I felt nothing!
Those two do got on my nerves…i have to take an anxiety pill just to watch them!!!
wow, i never thought about it that way, your right, liz did fall for him before she knew he was “jason”, and the “others” only gave him the time of day once they believed he was “jason”, although carly did like Jake doe too, in that obnoxious controlling way she tends to with anyone she “welcomes ” into her self righteous circle. Carly is the ultimate hypocrite.
Hi aria…I don’t remember it that way. As I recall, Sam was with Patrick (I actually loved them together) but she and Billy’s Jason started forming a connection BEFORE she knew he was Jason. If I recall she started knowing him when he worked for her father, he gave her a ride on his bike and it seemed to me there was a growing attraction/connection which both felt even though they didn’t act on it and each was in love with their respective partners. So I do think by the time Sam found out it was Jason it all fell… Read more »
Agree, Kay…I said as much on a previous post.
Liz and Jake had everything going for them. The writers veered in the wrong direction.
The situation coulf have been remedied once she was caught in her own duplicity.
But, Sam “won”…. Why?…. Because she is Sam.
If the writers really are up for this because everybody thinks he is Jason just because he has the old face me thinks Billy might be the true Jason especially the way Franco talks today and doesn’t he know the truth? Oh well hope everybody doesn’t kill each other over it before it is solved!!
@ K/Kay , @Celia – PLUS
exactly… posts are always spouting clamoring.. for that story line original
when two hearts meet and wallah a love story for the ages
it was never forced… it was a natural progressive story that let your imagination LIVE through this newbie coupling
it was hot it steamed me out.. woah MORE please
🙂 Awesome Episode 🙂
I’m getting tired of everything becoming stupid.. And– people being trolled into buying it.. Quote ” However, that all changes when Jason/Six says to her if he would just believe him that would be “icing on the cake”. Robin then flashes back to the night of their first kiss as young loves, when she first explained to Jason what the expression “icing on the cake” meant … it means, “better, than the best”. Ok– They BOTH have the same memory, that is fact. So.. If SB/Jason has the memory of “icing on the cake” so does BM/Jason.. Both Jason’s have… Read more »
Seriously, who is signing your paychecks to continuously spread the disinformation. Get over it.
hi Satan ..
what I said is Fact, they both have the exact memories, their minds are one.
They BOTH have the same memory, that is fact.
So.. If SB/Jason has the memory of “icing on the cake” so does BM/Jason..
Both Jason’s have the memory of their first kiss with Robin and her explaining the expression of “icing on the cake” ..
Again.. their minds are on and both have the same memories.
And as of now, nobody, which is which..
Also.. when we are told who is whom don’t take it to heart, many twists and turns on the way before this story ends..
As far as I can see, they do have the same memories, su. I said this from the onset….obviously, whoever toyed with them, namely Helena, transmitted the real Jason’s memories into the other’s brain. So, who’s the real Jason? They are both so convincing, It’s kind of nuts…..very talented. Bravi. Again, a person has his/her individual nuances….the tilt of the head, the walk, the VOICE etc….. Seriously, I am intrigued by the story, but, really? ….I will follow along; it’s a soap. All these people who have been close to original Jason, should know him inside-out…..it’s not that difficult. I… Read more »
You are completely right Su. And now Robin is joining the Sonny and Carly team, sad. Separately, no one writing on this sight should be personally insulting like Satan was to you. We’re all entitled to our opinion about the soaps and the characters, that’s what this sight is for.
Thank you, Yvonne…..but, there are the select few who will attack if one’s opinion does not live up to theirs.
I always respect su’s opinion….she’s usually right….more oft than not…
I think its about time things got really shook up & Jason & Robyn became a couple again!! Imagine all those possible story lines!?!
Everyone knows that SB Jason, no matter how many twists and turns, is Stone Cold. Which leads me to my original statement. BM should want to be Drew. This characters history so far is untold and could detonate the entire city of Port Charles. There’s so much the writers can do here by giving BM something beefy to chew on. Wouldn’t it be great is they someone work the Loving murders into this chaos leaving Gwyneth Alden as Alexis’ biological mother with BM working in the background. Talk about a vendetta- Sam, Jason, Drew, Alexis, Robin, Luke, Lucky, LuLu, Laura… Read more »
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Darnell.
Billy Miller and his fans (and I happen to be one of them) should want Miller to have his own character.
It wasn’t fair to make this naturally bubbly and bouncy actor try and fill Burton’s shoes.
Let him be Drew and everyone will like him better than Stonecold. Otherwise, he’s just a poor man’s Jason. Miller deserves better.
Rhonda, you speak truth! How i miss the goofy, devil-may-care quality that Billy brings so naturally. There was one moment, way back when Jake Doe was first recovering…he and Elizabeth were standing on the stairs above the nurses station, waving and carrying on with silly abandon and with Billy’s megawatt smile lighting up the room. That was vintage Billy! My only immediate concern is that now he’ll be grumpy and vengeful toward Jason, which is unfair and pointless. Let’s skip that phase and jump to an original, funny Andrew. Oh, and PLEASE let him grow that gorgeous hair back!
I remain unconvinced P6 is the real Jason.
However IF he is the real deal – I still want Sam with Billy’s version.
I’m just more a Miller fan than a Burton fan.
Right, Lisa. I honestly don’t care whom Sam ends up with–the only thing I care about is that the actor we saw flesh out Jason Quartermaine and later, Jason Morgan, turns out to be the real Jason. He doesn’t have to end up with Sam.
Sam is kind of boring to me.
My hope: BM/Jason is original jason Q kidnapped in the 90s and have been somewhere for 20 years, partially studying as a doctor (maybe in iraq as a medic where he saw combat at one point thus Helenas grating “Soldier Boy” name). Is a businessman, aligns with the Qs, has clashes with… Patient 6/Jason is Drew but became stone cold when replaced original Jason Q by Helena (or whomever, who cares) and is the person that we’ve been watching since the 90s. All his relationships stay in tact. Where has he been for five years? who knows/who cares but he’ll… Read more »
sorry, meant to write that as a doctor, original recipe jason q is able to move from business into medicine (this is a soap, it happens all the time) and Monica is able to finally have Alan’s son be a doctor at GH.
Jason/6 & Robin have known each other since their teens, been through so
much together …Love, Life, Death…betrayal, forgiveness, hope.. A deep
abiding friendship that has lasted decades deserves to be true.
Patient 6 has to be Jason Morgan, otherwise this has all been another
“FLUKE-ISH” joke.
I could not agree more, Fanny.
But is he Jason Quartermaine??? THAT is the question…
If Jason/Six isn’t the real Stone Cold I’m done
If Jason isn’t the real Jason, this entire SHOW is done. One look at the recent ratings tells that story. All those people didn’t come back to watch a bait & switch. Especially not one engineered to prop that piece of shit character laughingly named Frodd “Baldwin”.
It was a really great scene and emotional flashbacks are always great. However as Robin said BM/Jason has the same memories. GH should be fair and do flashbacks for BMs Jason having those same memories. It’s very unfair that they only do it for SB because he has the same face…making it easy for Robin, Sonny, etc., to say SB is the real Jason. Even if BM turns out to be Drew he shouldn’t be thrown under the bus as they’re doing. SB could very well be Drew because he would have been brainwashed BEFORE BMs version was hit by… Read more »
Good post, Yvonne. Not sure if you’ve read some other theories; mine included. That Steve Burton IS Jason Morgan…but was originally Drew. When Jason Quartermaine ( Billy) was in the car accident with AJ all those years ago…”Drew” was put in his place…and his new identity was formed aka Jason Morgan. Meanwhile, Jason Q was whisked away…probably lived his life as Drew…until he was taken by Helena and re-programmed once again. When he was hit by the car by Ava, he lost ALL identity, had no memories…but suddenly Jason Morgan and Jason Q’s memories started flooding back. Convoluted; I know.… Read more »
Again, I agree, Rebecca. Spinelli’s betrayal was the most upsetting. I loved when Billy smiled sadly at him and said, “What’s wrong, Spinelli, don’t have time to say hello to an old friend?” Heartbreaking. And your theory is actually quite compelling. Certainly better than a lot of the dreck we get asked to swallow!
To bad Jason and Robin didnt reunite last year, they might have spotted Sam at the bottom of the bridge!
HaHa…..and there goes that subtle humor, again.
I regret to say the scene means nothing to me, as I am ignorant of their past relationship.
But, I can, certainly, identify with the fans who have an emotional tie to their history.
Happy Thanksgiving, my T. Blowing you a kiss…..hurry up, catch it!!!!
Caught it, back at you dear! Hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving!
@T and CC!!! Hope you both had a Blessed Thanksgiving! Sorry for the belated greetings….busy, busy!!!!
My hat go off to GH writing staff. Believe style of this storyline be far more twist as turns to come ! Looking forward see were going lead next weeks head . something tells me few old faces about show up in town. myself been thinking of shocking ways that tell who real Jason Morgan . believe my way would tear Jason Morgan life apart . lead into quiet new storyline . looking forward next weeks head !
I absolutely HATE this storyline,,,all this because SB wanted to come back?? I wasn’t a fan before,,,now,,definitely NOT
I – love – the mushy Felicia and Mac are at Annas.. unaware that Robin is “home for the holidays” just all out group hug… I even laughed when Robin told Mac and Felicia “do not wake the baby” LOL… hearty laugh for Ms Anna. her heart just leaps off the screen. AND ; per her SOD interviews.. she has lamented and /or commented she really doesn’t care if her character ever gets a love interest I believe that now… dr. Finn and Anna knowing looks.. is NOT cutting it…. Anna failed at any resonate with Valentin…. FINN ??? is… Read more »