General Hospital
GH's Elizabeth Going On Brief Hiatus After Herbst Contract Talks: ABC's Nathan Varni Says: "I Am Truly Excited About What Jean & Shelly Have Planned For Liz In The Months Ahead."
Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com
General Hospital fans are still rejoicing the big news from last week that Rebecca Herbst is staying put at General Hospital and will continue on as Nurse Elizabeth Webber, after tough contract negotiations with the ABC daytime drama series.
Since the talks went down to the wire, Rebecca Herbst told Soap Opera Digest that Liz will disappear from the canvas for a little bit because of the negotiations: “They did have to stop writing for me for a little while. I might not even be back (taping) until the second week of April, so Elizabeth is going to disappear for a little bit on your screens. They are going to try to sprinkle me in, but outlines have already been written, so I don’t know how much they can actually put me in.”
Meanwhile, after the news of Herbst signing on the dotted line, those wondering if Rebecca continuing at GH and not heading to another soap was worth her while in terms of story, received a message from ABC executive Nathan Varni who shared in a facebook post: “We are thrilled that Becky has decided to stay with us long term at General Hospital. I am truly excited about what Jean (Passanante) & Shelly (Altman) have planned for Liz in the months ahead and I know Becky will shine as always in this very important role on General Hospital Such fantastic Friday news! Here’s to a great future together!”
What do you think Elizabeth’s next big story will be? What do you think it should be? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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i have no idea what it will be but it better be a storyline worthy of her awesome talent…..
Agreed. I know we all have our favorites but Becky IMO, is one of daytime’s finest and her talent gets wasted yet she still manages to act circles around many of her peers even with the crap that GH serves her. True testament to her honing into her craft.
Well now she has 2 new romantic choices ! So you go Liz!!
So tired of her having to be in just about every story line, she’s not that necessary.
Apparently ABC Daytime disagrees with you.
I totally agree. This hiatus is proof positive they don’t give two craps if she stays or goes. She has devoted fans who’ve been with her since her debut so I’m sure that played a major role in her contract renewal, otherwise they would drop her like a hot potato.
Unfortunately, what you say is so very true!
I don’t know that it’s just whether or not they “give {a} crap” or not. If they can let someone like Genie Francis go with all of her credentials, surely no one is safe when it comes to dollars and cents; not sense.
I think Rebecca is a great actress and I look forward to having her stay in PC.
I hope Elizabeth remains a little “dark.”. It gave her character greater texture.
She will return with a different Jake and hopefully her sister!
I really wish Rebecca Budig had been cast as Sarah Webber. That would have been SO awesome!!!!
Me too. Think of how much better the story would have been of Nik marrying Sarah and Elizabeth wondering what she had been up to for all those years she was gone…
I cannot remember if Sarah is older or younger than Liz? Hayden is older than Liz. A lot of fans here are hoping Sarah is brought back played by Melissa Archer. I’m in!
so agree, budig as sarah would have been brilliant, that makes her core, they have great chemistry/rivalry, that would have been smart. Instead they decided to make her yet another new character.
My beef is with Varni. why is he still allowed to talk to social media? He didn’t want Becky to stay.
Sarah is older and is the “good” sister. This is really a character who NEEDS to be here, just like Tommy Hardy, Jr. But, because GH’s plan for Liz was that she was to be gone, NO INTELLIGENT casting decisions were made. Hence we are stuck with this useless dud Hayden.
Mr. Varni: please stop.
AGREED, I think ABC Daytime has made it quite clear the way they took this all over that Mr Varni needs to watch his step with the show’s talents and how he chooses to handle them and what he says. Frank V also for that matter in this case too. Liz needs a story AWAY from Kelly Monaco that’s the BEST for her and her character. Then Kelly’s Sam can have Jason all to herself.
Well as I posted here when the news of an impasse first hit, I knew she was going to re-sign and this was IMO all drummed up by her and her husband as a negotiation tactic. NV’s lack of professionalism in facebook messages gave them a big assist. I am so sick of her character and would have loved to unload her on Days, but if the best I get is a month long break, I’ll take it. The bright side? I feel GH is on fire these days and am mostly loving it. And my ff button is working… Read more »
Totally agree
Funny how so many reputable soap journalists with actual industry contacts have proved your theory to be pure fiction. As long-time, respected soap journalists have since revealed, she was out the door after the GH lowball offer and INDEED in talks with other soaps. The fan backlash was so great that “brass at ABC” (quoting Jamey Giddens at DC) couldn’t ignore it and re-started talks with her. Not GH, which had lowballed her, after which she walked, but THE NETWORK. You are more than welcome to your own opinion, of course. Most people tend to revise their opinions, however, when… Read more »
I agree, Tristan. I am consistently surprised at the number of people (on here and elsewhere) who express themselves so certainly about things they can’t possibly know (and in some cases things that have been shown to be false). It’s fine to speculate, of course—but is it so much to ask that people acknowledge what’s speculation, what’s a hot rumor (and how much substantiation it has), and what’s fact (and how they know it)? It’s also fine not to like an actor and/or a character, but can we just acknowledge that that’s what’s going on and not attribute the worst… Read more »
You speak the truth!
Play hardball, sit on the bench for a bit. Sounds right to me. Got the kid playing Jake canned in the process. Proud moment, Becky?
What a pointlessly rude and utterly uninformed post. BH did not play hardball. As numerous reputable soap journalists have revealed, she was insultingly lowballed and was out the door. She was in talks with other soaps. The news of how her negotiation stalled after the lowball offer generated such huge protest that “brass at ABC” — not GH, but the network — could not ignore it and restarted negotiations.
And that piece of libelous drivel about her getting “the kid playing Jake canned in the process”? Proud moment, Robbie?
Really and truly. Where on earth is this business about RH having anything to do with the actor playing Jake being replaced even coming from? Is this more from the “I love Kelly Monaco so I must, by definition, hate Rebecca Herbst” brigade?
If it were Maurice Bernard who stood up for his contract he would be applauded! Double standards! Jake wasnt on screen for a bit anyway after Shriners so Becky’s contract issues had no affect on the kid losing his job!
Well since “the kid” sent a tweet to Becky thanking her after his recasting, that kind of blows your theory out of the water. And really, do you think that the old actor was making sooo much that the replacement will make less. Most likely, both are paid union minimums.
i would love to see her with Griffin even though it was so anticlimactic that he turned out t o be Dukes son, unless duke is coming back, i feel its pointless, i would of prefered him as Anna and Roberts offspring. but back to becky, hope like i said they put her with Griffin, and Jason should still show he has feeling for liz, its so unrealistic how he went from loving her to now acting like a dog in heat for sam. i’m just glad becky is staying on Gh, and look foward to whats coming up.
Yeah. i felt it pointless too without Duke…its nice that he is tied to a vet but it should have been Anna…unless there is a Duke return???
Yeah! Then we can “forget” about the out-of-character “killing” of Carlos by Anna.’So not Anna!
Jim this was too “easy.” I think there is more to the story, and am not completely sure that he isn’t the DnA baby.
I don’t put much faith in Varni/Valentini. It never should have been a protracted issue. Becky’s a fan favorite and an 18+yr vet who’s been a loyal employee. Instead, Varni/Valentini offer contracts wily nily to unneeded characters like Nina,Hayden,Valerie,KiKi,etc…
Liz’s next story should be finding out what happened to Jake. Then I want a story where she explores her deeply rooted abandonment issues. Those and her feelings of being unworthy of love have led her to making self-sabataging life choices. Then I want her to find a man who will give her the love she so richly deserves.
Yes, Scoma60, well said. I totally agree with your entire response!!!
Not a huge fan of Liz BUT if they have stories to tell, glad she resigned and like you pointed out, they Do have lots of ways to go with Liz. PS: I want Griff and Maxie together.
Lucky should come back to help Liz through her issues and they could reconnect and find their way back to eachother but only if Jonathan Jackson plays Lucky. I feel like he’s her person.
So glad she’s staying! I hope she gets some juicy
Stories
Rebecca Herbst has always been a favorite of mine, every since Lucky found Elizabeth in the woods back in the 90’s. Very wise for the struggling GH to renew her contract. Personally, I would like Y and R to pick her up!
Using Miss Herbst and her Elizabeth character is smart. She is a lovely talent and the character is GH legacy. I hope the current writing team can restore — without too many tired tropes such as freezing bodies and resurrections — some of the foundation pillars on which this serial has captivated and entertained and surprised us for 50-plus years. I will admit that the crazy twists and turns following the 50th anniversary eventually grew tiresome. Too many short-term returns of veterans that had little payoff. Too much revisionist history. I remain hopeful.
Too many new characters and not enough attention to the history. Since we are talking about Liz, why are they not bringing in the Hardy’s ?
See, Timmm, if GH hadn’t been so willing to get rid of Becky, Rebecca Budig could have been cast as Sarah Webber. But…they had no intention of building up the Hardys, because they were working to get rid of the last one, namely Liz. I think Hayden Barnes is a dud. Period. So…if the secret is that she is really Sarah Webber, I would accept whatever story they made up to get us to that point. Sarah is a doctor. GH needs more doctors on contract. So far the only doctor character on contract is Griffin! Instead of bringing Shari… Read more »
Damn, Tristan, thank you.
I wish I could hire you to be my ghostwriter as you are on spot and on point in every post.
Goof for her..She is one of those daytime actors, that should have won an Emmy already..I hope they do not pair her with Franco. GH is not awful but it is just boring and with very little edge of your seat entertainment..All the negative talk about RC, but he kept the show over the top and made it different than the other 3 serials for most part…These soaps need to get with the program already and start hiring new and inexperience younger writers who will bring a new change to the same as always genre. It just the same soap… Read more »
I dont mind Liz and Franco. Better than Franco and Nina! I agree, soaps need a youth injection to compete with the i pad generation!
I don’t think anyone expected it — because these scenes were filmed before Becky re-signed (thanks to the network), and she will be gone for awhile so that she can be written back into the show — but, they have hit kind of unexpected pay dirt with Liz and Franco. It wasn’t supposed to go anywhere, clearly, because now Becky has to be written back in to the show she was already written out of. But if there is a working brain at GH, and sometimes I really doubt it, they should capitalize on the chemistry these two have and… Read more »
doesn’t it just seem… like the buildup … is happening… with Julian and Nina… a strong will of the minds… a sexual appetite is burgeoning a battle of wills ; over Crimson… at this point.. assessing posts.. Nina and Franco are toxic LOL… Alexis with any one… is waste where is the fire and tension… Julian and Nina Ta-da… thanks @Tristan… I too agree… there is a lot of Franco and Liz to REEL its just intriguing watching them together… and it’s not so much that they are … Polar opposites ??? Liz never fails w/anyone… dang! what a KEEPER… Read more »
ps: Wednesday 3/16 ep Jason has another vision… ie: Sam tells him the framed photos are his argh! What did GH want ???? that by doling out… snippets of the Great Billy Miller… here and their… visions and flashbacks… that our expectations would rise along with all this snowball affect ? he dumps Liz… FALLS so fast head over heals in love with Sam… they dull each other so… that’s ruined.. and he has no chemistry with Carly or Sonny… what’s the point… unless the GH writers right the wrong… and he goes back to being a Quartermaine… it’s the… Read more »
All I want to say is: what a beautiful, shining face, Rebecca. So glad to have you stay within the GH mix.
Elizabeth;
Always the bridesmaid never the bride 🙁
suoooo,
Always the fool and never the wise man.
I agree, love Hayden!
Got my fingers crossed for some more Liz/Franco. They’re very sparkly together.
Oh, gee. I love the character when she is not in her bad-girl mode…..But, sparkly? She’s more morose than sparkly. But, I’m sure Rebecca is the complete opposite. So much talent in that little body.
You want sparkly? Look to Maxie. Lol.
CeeCee, I’ve always seen Maxie as more neurotic than sparkly. LOL! I guess everyone is different. But I do think Liz/Franco have some serious potential.
Maxie is a Powerhouse! The girl has chemistry with EVERYONE!
Timm, yes, Maxie has chemistry with everyone except…….NATHAN!
Hey, Timmmy.
I see a lot of myself in Maxie….appearance and personality. Gee, I need to think about the neurotic part. HaHa…bye, babes.
I am glad RH is staying at GH too. I can see both a pairing with Liz/Franco and/or Liz/Griffin. ITA Liz should find out what happened to Jake on the Island. Looks like Franco will be involved with that SL. I don’t think I ever thought Liz had abandonment issues. She was raped as a teen and I gathered her affairs came out of not dealing with the rape. ITA Griffin should have been tied to Anna and not Duke. I actually thought in their first scenes together he may be a much younger brother. Do we even know her… Read more »
I know as much as my grandmother told me, fginaspy. Anna has a long string of ties in Pine Valley.
So, much of whom Griffin could have been, pointed straight to Anna herself.
I agree with Aria, jimh, and any others who think that Griffin, as Duke’s son, is pointless.
I do see Lizzie with Griffin; not Franco.
Hi CeeCee. Unfortunately they can’t use any of Anna’s AMC connections, because of the Prospect Park lawsuit. Otherwise there would have been a lot of family connections for Anna to draw from. Re: Griffin and Duke. Look, Anna and Duke have fans from 30 years ago who were enraged at how the character of Duke was ruined by RC upon Ian’s return. Ruined and killed off. Reportedly Ian Buchanan has said he will never return, because of this. Griffin being tied to Duke is for the DnA fans, who do want a part of Duke to live. I am more… Read more »
@Tristan. Thank you, Tristan. Clearly, you know what you’re talking about. And, you have told me about PROSPECT PARK. I do get it. I also understand that Griffin, as Duke’s son, is a gift for long-standing fans. But, we, the new younger fans, are not invisible. Trust me, I have no complaints about Griffin. He’s beautiful, LOL. It is the fact that Griffin is here to appease/accommodate those who miss Duke? It boggles the mind. Why could he not have been Robert’s and Anna’s child. I am just a little miffed. Perhaps it’s the fact that Duke was not my… Read more »
CeeCee, if you had seen DnA in their heyday, I think you’d get it. As for Robert and Anna? They will always be tied together by the greatest of all soap opera kids: Robin. They don’t need another kid when they have this gem of a character as their daughter. Who else would even ever measure up? Next generations are brought on for new and younger viewers, like you. Instead of recasting Duke — because Ian WILL NOT return — they are bringing on his son as the next generation, for us AND for the younger crowd. It is a… Read more »
Stop making Liz a victim all the time. Let her have some victories.
Rebecca should be tied to Franco in the coming months, Nina is too Boring . And Rosalee we are still waiting on her Secrets to reveal. When is Jasam and Jason getting back together? We don’t want another Laura and Luke Story where they are here and then they are gone we love a good story with love. Put Jason back in the forefront. And put Alexix and Julian on the back burner with her old self having sex 24/7 . She too old for that leave it Molly and TJ.
Please please bring back Lucky his children need him , why have Jason taking time with him he gave Jake up for a reason so he should not be responsible for him. Also Rebecca budding is too Boring, she can do better , she was one of my favorite on all my children please give her more and better story line. I can’t wait to see what she has for Nicholas. Bring Sean back, I hope I’ve covered it all , Jordan Ashford is too full of her self shake her up a little put Anna back she was a… Read more »
Jason gave up Jake because of “the danger” his life could bring to his son, which would also have brought danger to any other future kids, regardless of who mothered them. Jason should have always had a shadow on Jake because he IS his father and will always be responsible for him in one way or another. This whole s/l is just stupid. Now that Jason is known to be back from the dead, memories or not, those same enemies would still be a threat, whether the writers choose to have him return to being Sonny/Carly’s/Sam’s/Michael’s puppet, or move on… Read more »
i totally agree with getting Lucky to come back and face his own demons while helping Liz face hers. Jonathan Jackson is desperately needed!!!!
I prefer to see a Liz/Griffin pairing. Something new. Though, I think the writers will likely pair her with Franco for a triangle. I don’t want Liz with Franco. Currently, Liz is reluctant just to be friends with Franco as she should be.
I’m thrilled that Becky is staying with GH. Most days, the show is a total bore without her. Obviously her next story should be solving or discovering what Helena did to Jake. Just wish they didn’t recast the young boy who originated the role. He was a perfect little Jason. i hope her new story concerning Jake involves Franco., because I definitely can see and feel something there with these two, and would love to see hem explored more. As everyone should have a romance, in time I think Liz is due a win in that area. Maybe Franco, maybe… Read more »
I wish Rebecca Herbst would have moved on from GH. She and the character of Elizabeth Webber are NOT respected. How many times can one lie to you and the fans and make promises? I have lost count. Such a waste of a beautiful human being and a character that has grown so much yet they continue to make do things that she would not do at this stage all to prop the “favorite” that they like to put in the cleavage-baring tops. At least I appreciate the majority of the fans who see substance over hype.
It’s a soap. Almost every character on GH has done “bad” things. Sam has too…and now, Elizabeth has made amends and is still loved. It’s all good….
i am glad that she is staying i hope she either pairs with griffin or dante i think dante and lulu are boring liz needs to be around someone new and have love i thin that griffin and maie will be boring