General Hospital
General Hospital’s Genie Francis Delivers The ‘Power Performance of the Week’
Sometimes in daytime when it rains it pours and viewers can be treated to a plethora of performances all in one week. Such was the case this past week which saw brilliant work from: General Hospital’s Genie Francis (Laura) and Maura West (Ava), and The Bold and the Beautiful’s Matthew Atkinson (Thomas).
However, there is something to be said when television and soap opera icon, Genie Francis, is given the ball and material worthy of her talents. It’s not every week, or every month that the character of Laura is front and center – but from the looks of the story that GH is weaving they are doing a deep-dive into Laura’s childhood and teenage years which was fraught with drama – a foreshadow that there is more exciting story to tell with Francis.
Last week’s Monday November 30th, and Tuesday December 1st episodes brought with it the emotional fallout, and farewell for the character of Lulu and her portrayer Emme Rylan who was written-off the show. The vehicle to do so was the bomb that Julian (William deVry) planted at the Floating Rib on the orders of Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober). The injuries she sustained in the blast wind up putting her in a coma and having to enter a long-term care facility away from Port Charles.
When Tracy (Jane Elliot) arrives in Port Charles to be there for Laura during Thanksgiving, the hug alone at the hospital between these two characters was enough to bring out the hankies. Tracy considers Lulu a daughter to her. Lulu’s father, Luke, is MIA, so Laura has to carry the burden, make strong impactful decisions and act fast to save her daughter’s life, and do the right thing no matter how difficult this will be for her as a mother.
Throughout the two episodes we watch Laura’s grief and her resolve. When she learns that a bomb has caused the explosion at the Floating Rib and that Cyrus may have been behind it, she is livid, a mama-bear who will get her daughter justice. But lo and behold, who should have the guts to walk up to Laura and offer his apologies and concern for Lulu … Cyrus! In the hospital, Laura wallops the drug lord right in the face vowing that no one will stop her from taking him off the earth after she gets the evidence that he was the mastermind behind the bombing,
Courtesy/ABC
Laura also had the horrific task of telling Lulu’s best friend, Maxie (Kirsten Storms), that they are going to move Lulu to a long-term care facility and that she needs to say her goodbyes. One by one people go to Lulu’s bedside including: Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), Tracy, and Nikolas (Marcus Coloma).
When it is Laura’s turn (as the care facility has come to take Lulu away), she cries by her bedside begging Lulu to come back to everyone that loves her. In a heartbreaking moment, Laura tells a despondent Lulu that she has rejoiced every day since she was born and she knows that her daughter is a fighter and will never just give up and will come through this.
As Lulu’s loved ones gather in the hospital corridor to watch as Lulu is transported to the facility, Laura watches grief-stricken. As the elevator closes she breaks down in front of Kevin (Jon Linstrom) emotionally- spent and devastated.
In all of these scenes, Genie Francis was magnificent and broke viewers’ hearts right along with Laura’s. So with that said, Michael Fairman TV names Francis’ work, The Power Performance of the Week.
What did you think of Genie’s performances? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
As always Genie was awesome. Im still mad she was let go a few years back. Laura and family should be the center of the show, not Sonny and Company
It would be nice if Luke (Tony Geary) were to go on Zoom and talk to Lula. Luke could tell Lulu how much he loves her and how he wishes that he could be standing beside her.
I know that Tony Geary has decided that Luke and Laura are over and done with as a couple. But Luke would not even have to see or talk to Laura if that’s what Tony Geary wants.
I stopped watching when they ridiculously fired her. Started back when she came back. Will stay as long as she does.
Genie delivered a gut wrenching performance. She reached deep down in herself and externalized it for the camera. She is hand’s down the best crier on daytime. Genie hasn’t just mastered the skill of releasing the tear ducts, she’s mastered the art of expressing emotional anguish through facial expressions to accompany those tears. Finola Hughes is also an expert (and quite copious)crier but she doesn’t have the ability to trigger my tears the way Genie does. It was also wonderful to see Tracy,who is always a sight for sore eyes.
On another note, Maxie’s reaction upon hearing the grave and sad news about her best friend’s state, shed nary a year. She scrunched up her face in an effort to emote, but overall, her reaction was disappointing and lackluster. Moreover, the next day Maxie is happily chattering away with Anna about her wedding with that guy who sucks the oxygen out of the room just from entering it. Despite everything she’s been through, Maxie continually comes off as a superfluous and shallow character.
Give Genie the Emmy now for her Oscar worthy performance.
great
Yes, oh, yes, Harry! Give Genie that Emmy.
They are all great actors it brought tears too my eyes also the scenes
Genie Francis proves again there is no better actress in daytime to take a story and then bring it home, proper. Hats off to Ms. Francis … DAYTIME DIVA !!
Seems like Laura is going to be involved in major storylines for a while, since it’s starting to look like her ancient backstory (Gordon Gray & David Hamilton) is somehow tied to Cyrus the Virus and that sleazy Colonel Sanders wannabe lawyer both of whom might end up being Laura’s half brothers.
So they get rid of Laura’s REAL family, and attach her to those two scumbags? Yeah, that makes sense…. though I’m still thinking that the only logical reason to send Lulu to veggieland for a while is that she can eventually wake up feeling like her old (JMB) self again.
It appears that GH is setting things up to reveal that Cyrus is her father! What a brilliant and creative twist albeit with some revisionist history.
Cyrus is nowhere near old enough to be Laura’s father. I don’t remember Gordon Gray (if indeed he was ever actually seen on GH) but if he was Leslie Webber’s “mentor” when she was a young doctor, and Leslie herself would probably be in her 80s by now, then Gordon Gray would probably be 100 or so if he were still alive. Cyrus may be a few years older than Laura, but it’s probably within a decade. Definitely not old enough to be her father. But he might have some bizzare mental fixation on her, somehow blaming Laura (who wasn’t even born yet) for his father having an affair with Leslie back in the day.
True—-but, such reality makes no difference to the PTB—-eg: Sam and Julian.
Nonetheless, I do agree with your reasoning.
Well they have pretty much spilled the beans now officially on all this. Martin admitted that he and Cyrus are brothers and that Florence Gray is their mother, meaning that Gordon Gray is their father (as well as Laura’s bio-dad)
So now the only question is does Martin have the same ill will toward his half-sister that Cyrus does…. or could it be that he’s not even aware of the connection? Though I would find it hard to believe that an attorney who seems to have his ways of finding information, wouldn’t want to know why his brother is so obsessed with Laura (and other people in Port Charles)
Again, I could not have “examined” and explained this plot better—-Cyrus may have a score to settle with Laura? Did she inadvertently do something in her past to hurt Elizabeth in any way? Is this the mystery ? What has Laura done to the dragon that is Cyrus, to elicit so much “fire”?
Also, I missed a couple of eps and I have yet to catch up—-thus, does Cyrus have something on Martin? Is he blackmailing his own brother? —not that Cyrus would have any such reverence for a sibling, unless he is a partner in crime—yet, I get the feeling Cyrus doesn’t kneel for anyone nor does he hold fealty for anyone either.
Will Martin be Laura’s savior at the opportune time?
She left it all out there and in doing so torn my heart out. Ms. Francis is a Master Class.
What is the relationship between Laura and Tracey?
Tracy was stepmother to Lulu when Tracy married Luke (Laura’s previous husband). While the two did not always get along, Laura’s been extremely grateful to Tracy for being there for Lulu when Laura was in Shadybrook all those years.
Thank you Steve
She was great as always and you know what she is one of the few actresses’s on daytime that has the guts to not have perfect makeup on ! Thank you Genie because it has always driven me nuts when you are in a crisis sorry you don’t have on lip gloss ! Kudos Genie !
Wow, the writers gave her some great material and she delivered one of the most emotional scenes on daytime this fan has seen in a long time! Well deserved, her and Maura West killed their scenes this week. It was actually a great week for daytime drama on GH and BB.
All I can say is phenomenal acting. I am not surprised she showed up and showed out!
She does what she does best, cry!
She was brilliant. Deserves an award for that performance
I love Genie so much. She really is the center/heart of the show. I’m very excited that they are making her part of a big story. She deserves it!
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see Genie collect her second Emmy next year for these scenes.
The writers haven’t always given her the most compelling material in recent years, but when they do, she always knocks it out of the park like few others ever have in daytime. She’s one of the all-time soap icons for a reason.
Dominic Zamprogna was also heartbreaking in his scenes saying goodbye to Lulu, Kirsten Storms, James Patrick Stuart, Jane Elliot, everyone brought it.
The bombing of The Floating Rib and the aftermath was some of the finest storytelling and emotional scenes that GH has done in years. Kudos to the cast, directors, producers, writers, everyone involved.
Always the best, Genie—-one of a kind magnificent!!!!!! You killed it!! A million times kudos.
I am hoping for Cyrus to conclude his run lickety-split– I saw Jeff Kober on an old episode (2004) of “Law And Order: SVU”,…..always the bad guy. He’ s a phenomenal actor, despite his obnoxious characterizations ….He has that annoying attitude which makes me want to punch his smug face—So, if any actor can draw such antipathy from me? Well, hats off.
At first glance I thought he was Steve Tyler.
Laura has been a long time character favorite of mine since the beginning of her being on GH. Genie Francis puts so much emotion into her character Laura you can’t help but feel her emotions. I’ve always said if Laura cries I cry!!!. Such a fantastic actress. Love Laura!! Love Genie Francis❤️❤️❤️
Yeah it was alright.
Genie Francis is one of the best actresses that really can portray her emotions as if the scene she is playing is frightfully and terribly real-life! She makes everyone cry even the camera men! God Bless your acting abilities! I have been watching since Luke and Laura,and have always cried when you have a loss.
You know Tony Geary is a great performer,but I think Someone was mad a Genie because Tony won 8 Emmy’s and Genie only has one Emmy. This woman is a great actress, why did she not win a lot of Emmy’s as well? She was cheated, why? Someone did not like her,she is too talented!
Oh Laura, what have you gotten yourself into this time? I think you should resign as Mayor and get together with Curtis as partners.
What has she gotten herself into? A “family reunion” that she never saw coming!!
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.
Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?
Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair
After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!
In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.
Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.
MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP
Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!
At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.
Courtesy/ABC
BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY
Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”
LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER
In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?
So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.
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‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Sophia Seemingly Plans to End Her Life, But Not Before Setting Fire to Johnny’s Apartment With Him Trapped Inside
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THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Has Dylan’s Mystery Caller/Stalker Been Revealed to Be an Alive Luna Nozawa?
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