General Hospital
GH's Finola Hughes On Soaps Resurrgence, Anna & Duke, A Kimberly Return?
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
One of the big questions on all of fans minds is will the the unbelievably talented (she is an actress and a director to boot, now!) land a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress when the nominations for the 40th annual Daytime Emmys are announced tomorrow morning on Good Morning America, for her role as Anna Devane! If her reel, and what we know, are any indication, she should be a lock for a spot!
In a brand new interview with Soap Opera Uncensored’s Nelson Branco, she has been named “Sexiest Woman Alive 2013”. The GH star fields some questions on: acting against a latex mask during the Faison/Duke story and reveal, what she thinks of the renaissance of the soap opera, the returns of AMC and OLTL, and if a return from her on-screen daughter, Kimberly McCullough (Robin) might be imminent. Here are a few excerpts:
Finola on acting in the scenes with Duke then aka Faison: “I had a lot of help from Frank Valentini (EP, GH). He was on the set all the time. And, obviously, a lot of help with the acting because Ian helped. I never think about the audience when I play a scene, Frank does. But when I was having to get close to Faison, I kept thinking, ‘The audience is going to be freaking out.’ So, I was like, ‘How am I going to show the fans that Anna is feeling weird or is trying to overcome something? How can I walk that narrow line, so that people can think, ‘ew, be careful,’ and, on the other hand, ‘It’s Anna… she’ll save herself. As an actor, you can never be subjected to yourself. You can’t stand and watch yourself — or none of it will work. I had to find this place in me that gave myself a little warning bell like, ‘Don’t go too far or you’ll lose the audience. Pull back a bit, but let them know that you’re on their side, so I didn’t lose all street cred.’ Sometimes it got gnarly and, sometimes, I thought I saved myself and, sometimes, I had to jump in with both feet. What worked, worked, and what didn’t, didn’t. ”
Finola on the state of soaps, when everyone was saying they were dying: “I didn’t believe it was over to begin with. I felt the apparent collapse of the soaps was wrong. I didn’t feel it was necessary. I felt it was mismanagement. They took a few wrong turns. Perhaps they weren’t grasping the audience as well as they could, but that didn’t mean they were over. What’s so amazing about soaps is the fact that it can be reinvented. It’s like Madonna. Just when people are ready to write her off, she reinvents herself and becomes more relevant and successful. As a human being, you should be able to do that; and certainly, if you’re a creative endeavor, like a soap, you should be able to shake things up. That’s certainly what they did with NIGHT SHIFT. It was a total reinvention of the craft. I thought it was very well done. And I’m not sure why that whole idea got dropped.”
Finola on if she thinks Kimberly McCullough will return as Robin soon to play out the story: “I don’t know. We’ll see what she’ll do. I have no idea. I have the sense that she wants to bite her teeth in fully when it comes to her directing career. It’s been hard because she was on GH when I was gone; (and vice versa). We’ve wanted to work together for so long. We keep missing each other. It’s such a gift to work with her.”
Finola on the returns of One Life to Live and All My Children: “I think it’s fantastic. I’m glad all those people have jobs again. There’s still lots of story to tell. I hope they shoot it differently and tell story in a new way. They’re inventing something really cool.”
So what do you think of Finola being named, “Sexiest Woman Alive 2013”? Do you think the Anna should stay with Duke? Do you want Kimberly back to play scenes with Finola? Do you think Finola will land a Daytime Emmy nomination tomorrow? Let us know!
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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She deserves an Emmy! She’s incredibly talented. She convinces me in EVERY SCENE she is in!
YES to all of the above questions! And for sure when KMc is ready, I hope she’ll come back. That entire story is what brought me back to watch GH in the first place and when they didn’t show it for months (until August) I sort of gave up hope on the show. They need to keep that story moving with or without her. I’m obviously a big Devane/Lavery/Scorpio/Drake fan. My fam needs story
She’s the best, I’m glad she’s back full time, and hope she gets nominated for the Emmy .
She is awesome and a fave!!! I wish all good things for her! She is a beautiful and sexy lady! GH has a number of sexy ladies. She is so talented and we are so lucky to have her back and I hope she stays for a very long time. I would hope she gets the Emmy nom and hopefully the win! She deserves it! I really want her to get back with Robert but… if she has awhile with a great relationship with Duke… I am all for it! Of course I love seeing her work with KM and would love her back anytime they can make it happen! I would love to see more of her with Tracy and Emma… actually more of Anna with everyone is best!!! Keep up the great work Finola… we are so lucky to have you on GH!!!
yeah, she’s my fave GH actress, and I love her chemistry with Tristan Rogers & Kimberly McCullough.
I don’t think Anna&Duke are nearly as interesting without Robert in the mix. He really needs to return.
A Scorpio/Drake/Lavery/Faison adventure would be awesome!
Im with everything you said!
I will be rooting for her to win the emmy.Love her with Kimberly always have. I am liking Duke now, but I wouldn rather she be with Tristan R. I really wish Kimberly the very best in what she wants to do with her life..I am very happy that we at least have Anna.
I do not like Anna & Duke together..
That couple is overwhelming boring..
It’s grandma and grandpa dull ..
Still absolutely thrilled to have Duke and Anna back together! They are one of the best pairings that GH has ever had. Smart, sweet, strong, and so so SEXY. I do hope that Robert comes back (with Holly along!) and they all have a fantastic story finding Robin. Scenes with Emma and all 4 of her grandparents, as well as her parents, would be great! I don’t care for Robert and Anna together romantically (so I hope Cartini don’t go there, lol), but I do enjoy them as friends and working together. I’d really like to be seeing more Anna and Duke than we’ve been getting, but I’m happy to have them at all after so many years, so I’m being patient.
Finola is just awesome – soaps are like Madonna, LMAO!
Emmy is certainly in the horizon for Ms Hughes, and well deserved as she’s shown me in each and every scene she’s been in. Finola certainly has perfected her craft beautifully over the years she’s even made kissing a rubber mask believable! I have to be honest but I really miss Anna with Luke and wish that had not ended so abruptly. Tony and Finola have such great chemisty and work wonderfully off one another there is so much more story to tell there. I hope RC revisits them real soon. As for Kimberly of course I’d love for her to return as Robin but not if it means giving up her dream. I want her to soar and succeed as a women director, not very many of them out there.
She can take the emmy home now, because it will be hers in a few short weeks anyhow. Anna’s true love has always been Duke. The fact that their characters are so opposite is such a good combo. Robert has always fallen into that best friend category. Besides, Anna and Robert had their chance both before, during and after Duke and they’re still not together today.
Anna Devane is not my favorite character on GH, but I do admit that Hughes is a great actress and I enjoy her scenes.
I am always enthralled went she is on. Finola brings such depth to her scenes that I cannot ignore her. I wish her the best of luck with the nomination. She is truly deserving.
With Robin returning soon will this break-up Sabrina and Dr. Drake?
Spoiler says K.M. will film 40 episodes this summer to air on gh in sept. to nov.? Spoiler hinted Maura West only temp and will be killed off? Any truth ot someone just guessing?
Finola rocks and I really enjoy watching her….I wished they would bring Robert back because I absolutely love how Tristan Rogers and Finola Hughes plays off each other.
She is the coolest most beautiful natural woman. I just love her and having her back on GH has made the world of difference. Thanks GH.
I am definitely rooting for Finola to get an Emmy nom and win, specially since her first win she wasn’t on hand to receive it!
And she looks as good as she did in the 80s even if the big hair is gone LOL!
As for Kimberly, we need Robin back long enough to give closure on Robin’s enprisonment. This story has dragged on now over a year and it is unfair to GH and Robin fans to be left hanging for months on end, aching for this story to end and for Robin to be reunited with her husband, child and the rest of her family and all her friends who adore her. If at the end it means Scrubs fades to the backburner or off completely, I can handle that-but dammit Robin and Scrubs deserve their reunion and happy ending. To leave it hanging this way is an injustice to us loyal fans who have stuck it out all this time!
I am enjoying GH still a lot-love the blossoming romance of AJ and Elizabeth, adjusting pretty well to NuLulu and looking forward to many new faces or old ones returning. I have been a loyal GH fan for 30 years now and plan to keep watching. But Robin is my all time fav GH character and for me to fully enjoy GH I need to see this horrible story ended and resolved!
Jenny
Finola is a classy lady and an amazing actress. So pleased she was on the pre-nomination Emmy list but am shocked and disappointed she was not short-listed this week. I believe she would have won for lead actress. She certainly deserves it.
Not a fan of Duke with Anna this go around. I’d much rather see Anna with someone new which includes an exciting new storyline.
I’d love to see Kimberly back if she can fit it into her schedule! Anna and Robin are one of the very best mother/daughter duos. Love them together!
As far as an Emmy nomination, I was absolutely stunned Finola was not nominated!!! In fact, I still can’t believe it! Unbelieveable!