General Hospital
EXCLUSIVE: General Hospital’s Van Hansis Talks on the Casting of Adrian Anchondo as Marco and Hopes for a “Soap Opera Romance”
This week on General Hospital, the character of Marco (Adrian Anchondo) came to Port Charles after we first met him in Miami when Dr. Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) got drunk, kissed the guy and threw up all over him. Viewers learned in story that Marco is actually the son of Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) and Natalia Rogers-Ramirez (Eva LaRue), and as previously has been teased, will be the new man in Lucas’ life as their romance will being to take flight.
Five time Daytime Emmy-nominee Van Hansis chatted live on The Michael Fairman Channel previewing what may go down once Lucas and Marco actually have a date, and the casting process that led actor Adrian Anchondo to land the contract role on the ABC daytime drama series playing opposite Hansis and much more.
As the backstory goes, Van and Adrian actually first met over 20 years ago when they were both appearing at the Williamstown Theater Festival and crossed paths a few times through the years. When recalling the screen-tests for the character back in January of this year, Van shared, “I will say that out of the guys who tested for Marco, I think about a half of them were gay and half were straight, and they were all great and they all did great stuff with the material. But, I think there’s an ease as a gay actor myself, working with another gay actor that I don’t have to feel like, ‘Oh, you’re kissing a guy, blah, blah, blah, blah.’
Photo: JPI
However, there is also the example of Jake Silbermann who played Noah on As the World Turns, (when Van played Luke Snyder), and he’s remained one of my closest friends. He has never had an issue with a kiss and we played boyfriends for years and years. There was never a moment of him being like, ‘Oh, this is tough. Oh, now I gotta kiss a guy,’ because you’re a professional actor.”
So did Van have a say in who actually got chosen as his new leading man? According to Hansis, sort of. “They asked me, but I don’t think they’re like being like, ‘What does Van want?’ I believe there were four guys who screen-tested for Marco. So, it was all the different Marcos testing and it was with me and Laura Wright (Carly),” recalled Van. “We just did the scene once with each of them. We’d have a rehearsal up in Frank Valentini’s (executive producer, GH) office and then come down to set, do the scene once, and that was that. All four of them did such a fantastic job. Frank did ask me, ‘Who did you respond to?’ Obviously, I said Adrian and not just because I knew him previously, but I do think that for what they were looking for, he is the best for the job.”
Courtesy/ABC
Speaking on how Lucas and Marco first met after Lucas’ fallout with his ex-husband Brad (Parry Shen) happened whlmedical convention in Miami, Hansis revealed, “I just loved the fact that when he meets Marco, the first thing he does is vomit all over him. That was really fun stuff to play because also it was a side of Lucas that we haven’t seen. Lucas seems to me to be this very kind of straight-laced, strong moral code, guy. So for him just to get wasted and sloppy, and kind of embarrassing was a cool flip side to play.”
Prior to Hansis portraying Lucas, the role was played on and off by Ryan Carnes. In this new incarnation of the character, viewers are seeing Lucas having some self-effacing humor and dialog. “I think it’s something that naturally I just kind of brought to it that they then (the writers) saw, and then started sort of building that for me,” shared Van. “I love that Lucas gets to have a sense of humor. I think that coming in and sort of making the character your own, I think that’s part of it. A lot of times, I’ll get scenes that are sort of recapping what’s going on. I think in order to keep spark in that, a lot of times humor can help, and then also the fact that these characters live in this insane world … the stuff that happens to these people is absolutely insane. In order to get through that, I think you got to have a sense of humor about things. I think that Lucas is very much in a place of sort of PTSD coming back to town after everything that happened with Brad and Wiley and all of that stuff. Part of his coping mechanism is to smile through it all.”
Lucas knows very little about Marco and we already know that Marco comes from some shady biological parents, especially his father. So what are Van’s hopes for the two moving forward? “I hope it will a soap opera romance. There has to be some positive good things, but you can’t keep that forever in daytime. So, there’s got to be be some stuff that comes up,” expressed Hansis.
Photo: ABC
Van concluded, “There’s got to be be some conflict in there. I haven’t played Lucas in any sort of romantic situation, really and Lucas is so guarded. There was so much history with the betrayal of Brad and lying about his child. That’s not something that you get over, plus realizing that your child actually died and you’ve been raising another child? That being said, I would like to see Lucas in a ‘romantic-ish’ situation.”
Check out our full video interview and livestream conversation with Van below.
Now, are you feeling the on-screen chemistry between Marco and Lucas thus far? Do you hope they have a messy soapy love story? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
I’m completely underwhelmed by Marco. Brad might be devious but at least he’s FUN and puts a spark back into Lucas. So far Lucas and Marco are curing my insomnia.
I love Marco and Lucas.
Finally, some romance !! So sick of disgusting Drew and the WSB !!!!
It’s refreshing to have two out gay actors playing a potential couple. Van & Adrian have chemistry and I look forward to the slow burn (but hopefully not too slow) start of their relationship.
A couple I can fully invest in. Looking forward to their adventures.
I think Marco and Lucas are great together.Brad is a lying manipulator who thus far has never changed. He is bad for Lucas in every way.He claims he loves him then blackmails his boss Portia, who just tried to protect her daughter from Crazy.. yes crazy Heather Webber!Then sells that same info to his crazy Aunt the mob boss who gives it to creepy Drew Cain. So he can blackmail Portia! It’s sick.Marco is hot hope this romance moves quickly.
The latest ratings are out for the week of October 26-30, 2026 and the big takeaways include: that CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates was separated by only 23,000 viewers behind third place (of the soaps) General Hospital! For the last several weeks, Beyond the Gates has been closing the gap on this year’s winner for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, and continuing to best GH in the key demos.
According to the latest Nielsen ratings breakdown from Soap Opera Network, the final week of October brought Beyond the Gates 1.790 million on average tuning-in and the show set a season high in total viewers. Meanwhile, General Hospital hit a new season low! The long-running ABC soap had 1.813 million for the week, and once again the series did not go over the 2 million mark.
Meanwhile, in the key Women 18-49 demo, Beyond the Gates was firmly ahead of GH with a rating share of 0.21, while General Hospital had 0.17 rating share.Then, in the key Women 25-54 demo, Beyond the Gates was once again ahead of the ABC soap with a ratings share for that demo at 0.30 while GH came in with 0.26.
Photo: CBS
MORE BY THE NUMBERS
In addition and comparatively, Beyond the Gates +22,000 viewers week-to-week, and had the largest gains in viewership year-to-year in daytime TV with +267,000 from this in 2025.. However, General Hospital seems to be going in reverse. The show was down -56,000 viewers week-over-week and down -22,000 year-over-year .
BEYOND THE GATES
Let’s take a look at some of the storylines that had people tuning-in to Beyond the Gates during the ratings week:
Hayley (Marquita Goings) attempted a massive shocker regarding her pregnancy and tried to use it to extract money from Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett). Although, Bill saw right through her game, he demanded a paternity test, and made it clear he has no intention of raising the child—planning instead to pay her off to take the baby and leave. Meanwhile, Hayley confided her plan to her cousin Randy (Maurice P. Kerry).
Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi Hamilton (Arielle Prepetit) clashed over Jacob’s ongoing investigation into The Impaler, causing significant strain in their marriage. At the same time, Smitty (Mike Manning) considered taking matters into his own hands—including potentially heading to Mexico for evidence—while Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) worried about what comes next.
Photo: ABC
GENERAL HOSPITAL
Over at General Hospital for the ratings period, the story served up included:
Carly (Laura Wright) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) teamed up to investigate what really happened to Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). Later, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) leads them to Jack’s dead body.
Jude (Wil Traval) dropped a bombshell claim to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn); that he is Phoebe’s father, while Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) signed their divorce papers.
Then, Danny caught Rocco (Finn Carr) and Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarski) sharing a kiss, plus the shocking return of Heather Webber (Alley Mills) capped the week.
Now the questions become; without having much promotional synergy in the ABC day-part to draw more eyeballs it is not helping but hurting General Hospital. It seems Beyond the Gates is also a benefactor of a one-two-three punch of CBS soaps (Y&R, B&B and BTG) and promotion.
However, that still doesn’t take away the fact that Beyond the Gates is close to besting GH in all ratings category as they go head-to-head in some markets across the country.
So, are you excited to see Beyond the Gates climb in the ratings? Are you concerned for General Hospital? Do you think they can stave off Beyond the Gates in total viewers or will the upstart soap overtake them in the next ratings report? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Antonio Sabáto Jr., the former Jagger Cates of General Hospital and GH: Night Shift, and the former Dante Damiano of The Bold and the Beautiful has issued his first public statement since the incident involving his son, Jack’s arrest in Alaska for a fatal hit-and-run.
Jack is the son of Sabáto Jr. and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, and according to court documents obtained by KTUU Jack, was allegedly driving a white Chevy Tahoe when he hit and killed Carl Simmonds, 42, near an intersection in Anchorage around 5:35 a.m. on Monday, November 9.
The reports indicated that Jack fled the scene — but later decided to called the cops to say he hit “something” that “suddenly appeared in the road” while he was “doing late-night DoorDashing.”
Photo: NBC
Now, Antonio has taken to his Instagram breaking his silence on the situation, sharing, “At this time, my family and I are navigating an extremely sensitive and deeply personal matter.”
He added, “As a father, my love for my children remains unconditional, and my priority is the well-being of my family. We ask that the public and members of the media honor our privacy during this difficult time and keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.”
The soap alum concluded, “I also wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the gentleman who tragically lost his life. My thoughts and prayers are with them as well. We sincerely appreciate your compassion, understanding, and respect for the privacy of everyone affected.”
Jack Sabáto was arraigned in court on Tuesday, November 10 with bail set at $5,000, and a no-driving order and the potential of $5,000 penalty fees if he fails to attend future court appearances.
Antonio is the father to Jack, 34, daughter, Mina Sabato, 24 and son, Antonio Sabáto III, 15.
This is a developing story. You can check out Antonio’s official statement below.
So, let us know your thoughts on this tragic hit-and-run, which claimed the life of another man, and Antonio’s statement, via the comment section below.
View this post on Instagram
Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Ava’s (Maura West) daughter Avery looks quite different, starting on today’s November 9 episode of General Hospital. That’s because GH has made Avery into a full-blown teenager and the role is now being played by actress Alya Bullington.
In her debut, the Tennessee native was thrown into the deep soap waters with Daytime Emmy winners, Maurice Benard and Eden McCoy (Josslyn). Bullington weighed-in to TV Insider about her first scene which featured Avery overhearing a fight between Sonny and Josslyn.
She explained “It was something I have never done before, I did not have a lot of experience with the screaming and the crying stuff, but I got my first script, and I was like, ‘OK, this is a huge opportunity to learn so much about how that stuff works and to become this character that I have never even tried playing before.’”
Photo: ABC
THE TEENAGED VERSION OF AVERY WILL HAVE A LOT TO CONTEND WITH
Speaking of working with McCoy, Bullington shared, “She’s incredible. I remember her just laughing and making jokes on set, and then the minute that they started taping, she just locked in and she cried immediately, and my first thought was, ‘I want to be able to do that.’
The soap opera newcomer added, “I think she just inspired me so much because she is so great and she can just lock into whatever character she wants to in the moment.”
The character of Avery was born back in 2014, but as recently as the October 8 episode of General Hospital, the character was suddenly referred to as a teenager. This is the second young female character in recent months to be aged up following the casting of Kayden Brenna Tokarski as Scout Cain.
As for her take on Avery and what’s ahead, Alya said,“She’s emotional, and she’s curious, and she’s a really fun person to play because so much stuff is happening in her life. I think she’s kind of confused about what’s happening and what to believe.”
So, what do you think about General Hospital making Avery a teenager? Are you excited to see the conflict between Sonny, Ava and Avery now that they have aged up the character? Share your thoughts and welcome Alya to GH via the comment section below.
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Kicks Bill to the Curb … for Now
RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Inches Closer to ‘General Hospital’ in Total Viewers
B&B’s Sydney Bullock Weighs In on Future of Dylan and Will: ‘I Think She Can Hold on to Him for Awhile’ (Exclusive)
Antonio Sabáto Jr. Breaks Silence on His Son’s Arrest for Fatal Hit-and-Run
DANCING WITH THE STARS: A Shocking Elimination on Grammy Night Leaves Ballroom Silenced
Y&R’s New Head Writers Share Vision for Genoa City: Contemporary Homage to Bill Bell, Mixing Heightened Escapism and Grounded Reality
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Episodes From New Co-Head Writers, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor, Begin to Air
‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos
‘Days of our Lives’ Celebrates 61st Anniversary: EP Ken Corday Teases New Character’s Arrival in Spring 2027
‘Days of our Lives’ Kyle Pryor Debuts as Dominic Marino and Says of Alleged TV Mom, “Deidre Hall is the Absolute OG, Amazing” (Exclusive)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Kicks Bill to the Curb … for Now
B&B’s Sydney Bullock Weighs In on Future of Dylan and Will: ‘I Think She Can Hold on to Him for Awhile’ (Exclusive)
‘Days of our Lives’ Veteran James Reynolds Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis
Y&R’s Matt Cohen Talks Role as Compassionate Zookeeper in Rom-Com ‘Christmas at the Zoo’
Alice Halsey Returns to ‘Days of our Lives’ as Rachel Black – Find Out How Long!
-
News2 days agoY&R’s New Head Writers Share Vision for Genoa City: Contemporary Homage to Bill Bell, Mixing Heightened Escapism and Grounded Reality
-
Previews3 days agoTHE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Episodes From New Co-Head Writers, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor, Begin to Air
-
General Hospital2 days ago‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos
-
Days Of Our Lives3 days ago‘Days of our Lives’ Celebrates 61st Anniversary: EP Ken Corday Teases New Character’s Arrival in Spring 2027
-
Days Of Our Lives6 days ago‘Days of our Lives’ Kyle Pryor Debuts as Dominic Marino and Says of Alleged TV Mom, “Deidre Hall is the Absolute OG, Amazing” (Exclusive)
-
General Hospital6 days agoGENERAL HOSPITAL: Tracy Leaves Port Charles to Help Dillon; Paving the Way for Jane Elliot’s Temporary Exit
-
News5 days agoB&B’s Lawrence Saint-Victor to Guest Star on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
-
Interviews1 week agoRoger Howarth Reflects on Daytime Emmy Win, 32-Year Record Gap, and Embracing Matt Clark on ‘The Young and the Restless’ (Exclusive)
