General Hospital
GH’s James Patrick Stuart Talks On: Valentin Cassadine, Michelle Stafford, Finola Hughes, His Return To Soaps & That Nurses’ Ball Performance!
Photo Credit: Bjoern Kommerell
This week on General Hospital, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) is back in Port Charles much to the surprise of Nina (Michelle Stafford), Anna (Finola Hughes), Dante and Lulu Falconeri (Dominic Zamprona and Emme Rylan) and Laura (Genie Francis).
According to Valentine’s explanation of the turn of events from thinking he was toast, thanks to the WSB and his involvement with the chimera debacle, he was now able to return home to the woman and daughter he loves, because the charges against him were dropped. Why, you may ask? Well, in the twist in the story the agency wanted to avoid unwanted attention, and to top it off Alex Devane, twin sis of Anna’s, provided no testimony so everything against him was deemed “circumstantial.” Now a free man, Valentin wants to win back everything he has may have lost including with Nina, whom when he returned revealed that they are divorced. In the months to come, how will Valentin out maneuver those he wants in his life, and those he wants shut out of it?
On-Air On-Soaps chatted with James Patrick Stuart who has been delivering top-notch performances as the complex Cassadine that have made the audience, who once may have viewed the character as another possible one note soapy villain, to a fascinating man full of love, insecurity, and revenge. Only in the hands of a major talent like James, could a part like this be fully realized. Let’s face it, daytime fans knew Mr. Stuart had the chops way back when on All My Children, whereas Will Cortlandt he terrorized the town of Pine Valley. That role has left its indelible mark in daytime drama history, as we feel certain that so too will his portrayal of Valentin Cassadine.
From that emotional and electrifying musical performance at the Nurses’ Ball, to those heartbreaking goodbye scenes with his on-screen daughter Charlotte (Scarlett Fernandez), to taking the stage with some of the greatest women in soaps of all-time, Stafford, Hughes and Francis and more, James Patrick Stuart fills us on what went down behind the scenes during some of his most memorable work on GH thus far, as he celebrates his one-year anniversary with the ABC daytime drama series, and more. Candid, funny-as- all-get-out, charming and intelligent are just some of the words we would use to describe JPS from our interview, and we think you will feel the same. Here’s what he shared.
Let’s go back to that unforgettable performance of yours at the Nurses’ Ball. How did this all go down? How did you end up singing Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes”? It was the perfect song for the moment between Valentin and Nina. Did you even know what the Nurses’ Ball was at the point? (Laughs)
Courtesy/ABC
JAMES: I did. I heard there was some ass shaking at the Nurses’ Ball, and much more than that. (Laughs) I got that call that usually means you’re fired and it said, “James can you come to Frank’s (Valentini) office?” So, I walk in there and there’s Frank with our musical director, Paul Glass, and he says, “You’re going to do the Nurses Ball, OK?” He goes, “Well, you’re going to sing a song. Will you sing one of your dad’s songs (Chad Stuart of Chad and Jeremy fame)?” I said, “My dad’s songs are pretty expensive, but, I will do it, and you caught me at an interesting time where I am trying to say ‘yes’ to the universe.” And he goes, “Jesus! Don’t go all Oprah on me!” (Laughs) I said, “Let me think.” Then he goes, “What about something Eric Clapton? You Look Wonderful Tonight … that would be good, because you are trying to win Nina back!” Then, I remember I was driving home on the freeway, and I remember I had learned a Billy Joel tune years ago. I thought, “Well, that’s perfect!” It has to be a piano song. It has to be a song that is absolutely saying “being vulnerable in front of you is the hardest thing in the world, because you mean more to me than anything ever has.” I thought that’s man, that’s woman, and certainly Valentin and Nina. So, I went to Frank and said, “I’m really scared, because I really think this will be unbelievably expensive to clear, and to get the rights to do it.” He goes, “You’re worth it.” I figured at that point he was letting me know he’s got my back, and so I took a big step and said let’s see what happens. I thought the payoff of it was great. Larry Carpenter, our director, did such a great job at setting the scene up so beautifully, visually.
Did everyone in the cast realize that you sang?
Photo Credit: Bjoern Kommerell
JAMES: I think Frank had a suspicion I could sing, and with auto tune these days anyone can sing, but that’s not my world. I come from a musical background. Frank said, “Wow! You can really do his!” So, my performance was not auto-tuned, in fact it was live. I had recorded a version that I was fully prepared to lip-sync to. But Paul Glass was really insistent and he said, “Great, but I am going to record you, anyway.” So, the recording that actually made air was our live performance of the song. That was a nice little reward, and I certainly was not expecting that.
Michelle Stafford wrote on a post that I put up on social media praising your performance, that she would have run up on stage because you were that good, if she could have been her in the scene and not Nina. That is how much respect she had for your work, and that emotional performance. And, she was so terrific too in those scenes!
Courtesy/ABC
JAMES: She is so dear. I remember watching tennis growing up and wishing I would have a doubles partner, which I still don’t, but I do have Michelle Stafford. That is what it’s like to have someone in the foxhole with you that totally has your back. We have very similar sensibilities; both comedically and dramatically. We anticipate each other a lot. When I showed up and sang and played, I did not know what she was going to do, but I should have known right away that she was going to match it. It was going to be still … and it was going to be heart-wrenching. And of course, when I saw it back I was going, “Michelle matched me note for note.” Maybe nobody will have picked up on it, but on some level they did, and I just loved Michelle for it.
When were you in the loop as James that it wasn’t Anna, but her twin Alex, who he had been involved with and been duped by?
Courtesy/ABC
JAMES: I did not know as early as Finola did. The way things work behind the scenes; there are meetings that one can have with the top, and where you are sworn to secrecy. I remember there was a day when Finola comes into Wyndemere. I am just not bright enough to realize that she is wearing a color Anna would never wear, and I am not bright enough to go beyond “Whoa! Finola! You look really hot!” (Laughs) Weeks later she said to me, “Well, I was being Alex and I just was not allowed to tell you.” So, I was sort of in the dark too at that moment, which is fine, because Valentin did not need to know that. I remember the day when we all found out in the episode, and it all came crashing down at one time. Valentin had to learn it, and buy it, in all of one or two scenes, instead of assuming Anna is just lying to get out of some trouble. He had to absolutely believe it. I remember Finola helped me out here, because she said, “There’s times when you really have to break the glass and just go full soap. You just have to commit to it, and get into it, and stop questioning it and just go, ‘OK, this may be the soapiest thing yet, but let’s just buy it, let’s just go 100 percent with it, and don’t question it, and don’t undermine it.’ Frankly, I thought those scenes were great … the scenes where Finola is explaining that the Alex character had pulled the wool over Valentin’s eyes the whole time.
I thought those scenes were great, too!
Courtesy/ABC
JAMES: I am so grateful that Finola was there, because otherwise I could see myself going, “Frank! Can we change this? Is there a way we can do this or this?” (Laughs) Instead, she just told me that it’s time to break the glass and go ‘full soap’! (Laughs)
You kind of, in this wonderful way, lucked out when you landed at GH. You got put into story with Finola Hughes and Michelle Stafford … you couldn’t ask for better scene partners.
JAMES: I mean ‘lucked out” is right, but I won the lottery! I mean one of them alone would be amazing, but the two of them together is just crazy and wonderful.
How does Valentin feel now about Anna?
JAMES: That’s a valid question. There is a line in the song called “The Book of Life” where it says, “There’s a chapter on love where the inks never dry.” So, I think whatever he has with Anna is sort of in limbo, and in check, because his survival, his freedom, and his relationship with Nina is the greatest he has ever known, but again if he were to look at Anna too much, or for too long, then those feelings come rushing back again. He can’t un-feel that. She’s there, she was the first, and those wires are always going to have a current running through them. So, at the moment he is just trying to avoid her so he can put a good life together with Nina, who is the woman he truly loves, and that he knows he can make something work with, and that he can make a family with.
Courtesy/ABC
What does Valentin think of Alexandra Devane now that all is said and done … or is it really said and done? (Laughs)
JAMES: That is the thing, isn’t it? The last time we saw them together he despises her. Valentin absolutely hates the fact that that she manipulated and trashed his life, and then the last thing she says is, “Don’t forget. It was never Anna, it was always me.” Then she leaves, and I think that was a great bit of dialogue, and a nice tidbit to leave one thinking about. He is satisfied that she is the enemy in the story, but Alex knows she is the one that can sort of push the button.
We saw Valentin make a heartfelt call to Nina when he was thinking it was the end of the line for him. What was going on at that point in his mind?
JAMES: I think he was genuinely convinced that the WSB wanted to make this all go away so they don’t have to have a trial, or the publicity that can come out of it, and the fact that the chimera existed can actually be swept under the rug, but the only way is if he is out of the United States and to make him disappear. He was also frightened enough to believe that they were going to take him out for a meeting somewhere, and he was never going to come back. He probably shouldn’t have made that phone call, but he wanted to hear Nina’s voice one more time, and then he’s convinced he had made peace with his maker and he was going to be killed.
He was in actuality just trying to say his goodbyes to Nina.
JAMES: It probably would have been more human to not make the phone call at all, but he was sort of at one of the most vulnerable times in his adult life. He didn’t expect to care that much about Nina. He really just wanted to hear her voice one more time.
Courtesy/ABC
This character of Valentin is so brilliant: he is tragic, and mean, and has numerous shades and characteristics to him. I was struck by that at the beginning of his time on the show that in the flashbacks he was disfigured, or as I like to call it, had the “Elephant Man syndrome.” Was that difficult for you as an actor to try and figure out how you were going to make that work on-screen?
JAMES: I think that it all kind of evolved to a point where everybody was trying to explain as to why he had created this persona for himself. He can wow a room, he can play music, and he can quote Shakespeare, and do all of this stuff. The truth of the matter is that it is all built on the foundation of a broken child, and what I love about it is that he can’t ever truly shake that deep inside him. He is still envious of people who have a stronger foundation, and who have had the real childhood, and who know what it’s like to have a first love of a mom and a dad. Valentin didn’t have any of that stuff, and he has never really made peace with that. He still has a chip on his shoulder. He is still ticked-off. That is one of the reasons he wanted to take everything as revenge of what Nikolas had. He wanted it all. He wanted to make him pay. I think what is great about the character is that even little Spencer Cassadine (Nicolas Bechtel) can trip over a wire, and activate something that isn’t finished in Valentin, and viewers are going to be like, “Oh, my God! But, he’s a kid!” Valentin has some issues that he really hasn’t put to bed yet! (Laughs) I think what’s so great is that the writers get that.
Courtesy/ABC
When Valentin looks at himself in the mirror, and when he sees the reflection back, does he still see this mangled man … or does he see this good-looking dude? Many of us when we look in the mirror see our old selves instead of what is currently in front of us, and carry that emotional baggage with us throughout our lives.
JAMES: I think that’s a savvy question. I think he does appreciate how he has been able to make himself over, as well as the people who helped him do it. He calls them “geniuses”. I think in the wrong moment when things don’t go right, he is no stranger to falling back to “I am not the person you see before you”, which in turn makes him insecure, which is why he is the bastard in the first place. I think that is the motivation of the bastard, in that he doesn’t feel like it went right for him, and so everything is tenuous at best.
What mother do you think should actually raise Charlotte from this point out?
Courtesy/ABC
JAMES: There is no question that Nina would be the right mother, and she and Valentin and Charlotte would make this family. Lulu (Emme Rylan) is a nice enough person, and everything, but she doesn’t make life easy! (Laughs) Isn’t Emme great! I am so happy she just had her baby, but isn’t it funny how they tried to hide her belly for so long, and then out of nowhere they just stopped! (Laughs) When we were in the cabin scenes, and she comes running in and sees Charlotte. She could barely move, and she is wearing four-inch heels, and it was all I could do to stop from rolling on the floor! (Laughs)
It must have been awful for Valentin to leave Charlotte behind when he had to go on the run.
JAMES: Those scenes were wonderful for me to play as a performer, but devastating for Valentin. Charlotte was the whole motivation, and whole reason he came to town, and then to have to say goodbye and sort of face the idea that she would never be seen again by him, and that she would be raised by people without his influence, it was devastating. What was awesome, because he loves her so much, is that he wasn’t going to show that to her. That was what was so tragic about it, in that he loves her so much that he is not going to show how much this hurts him.
Courtesy/ABC
Valentin shot Nikolas! Let’s not forget! How can he ever come back from that? I loved the scene when you first came on to the canvas, after Valentin killed Nikolas on Cassadine Island, and Genie Francis as Laura rails at Valentin for murdering her son! She was so phenomenal spewing venom … and Valentin just had to stand there and take it. What was that like on the other side of it as Genie was delivering that masterful performance?
JAMES: First of all, I am stoked that you remembered that. I remember that vividly. I will never forget that scene. I have known Genie along time and I definitely consider her a friend. Genie lent total authenticity to it, and sold it 100%, and I told her that afterwards. I mean, I let her calm down first (laughs), but I said, “I get it, because what you have done is taken a situation that doesn’t exist, but if it did, this is what it would look like.” So yes, when I am standing there and she is doing her part, I was no longer Valentin. I was an audience. I was with you watching Laura, and I was just floored by it.
You get to play a character that is a catalyst for things to happen, and they needed that on GH. Did you think this run on GH would have lasted as long as it has?
Courtesy/ABC
JAMES: No, I didn’t. I must say, the longer I am here the more respect I have for Frank. I know it sounds like you are kissing your boss’ ass, but the fact is he thought of me for this, because I would have never thought of me for this. But then in the back of my brain, I always wanted to go back and patch up the way I left it. What I mean by that is; when I left All My Children it was sort of this big send-off, and Felicia Behr (Ex-EP, AMC) and Agnes Nixon (Creator, AMC) didn’t just can me, they gave me a great storyline, which was actually very, very flattering to me. As I left, Agnes said to me, “Thank you very much. You gave us one of the greatest storylines we have had this year, and we are very, very grateful to you.” So, it was nice. But I hadn’t really put certain issues to bed for me. I had been so selfish. I had been caught up in thinking, “I’m better than this. I need a primetime show, and I need a movie career.” I love that I have been able to come back, and now say “I’m really satisfied being part of a team trying to make something work for this team,” and that is where I am getting my satisfaction. Right now, this is where I am in this chapter of my life. Frank told me, “I remember when they wrote you off of All My Children. I was floored and I was working over at One Life to Live.” He goes, “You had built this incredible character, and they just kicked him to the curb.” So then years later, Frank is thinking along the lines of, “I know! Let’s see if James is available and if he will come over to GH and see if he is willing to play Valentin!” I thought when I came on to GH it was just going to be a summer fling, but I just celebrated my one-year anniversary with the show. I think you’re right, Valentin is a catalyst. I think Frank realizes that at this point of my life I want to be here. I try to bring donuts in to work in the morning. I’m at a point in my life where I think he likes having me around. I know it’s not forever. One day, my ticket will be up. We all don’t get to be Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura, but for right now I am where I want to be, and everybody seems to be happy having me there, which is so nice.
Courtesy/ABC
What can you tease for Valentin in the future?
JAMES: He is luckier than he deserves. He makes his own luck. He is also very tenacious; I truly believe Nina will get to the point where it might be tough for her, where she can’t run away, because he is not going to stop chasing her. She is firmly in his sights, and that is what he wants. I think that they are good together. I think that Michelle and James are good together, and I think that comes across on-stage, and I think they will write for that.
If Nikolas would come back, and be revealed to be alive, what would Valentin do then?
JAMES: Oh, my God! Such a great question! I really do look forward to answering that question. I really hope it happens! Wouldn’t it be great? I think it would be so great.
What have you thought of James in the role of Valentin Cassadine? What has been your favorite scenes featuring him? Do you hope Nina and Valentin, and Charlotte become one big happy family? Do you think Anna and Valentin might still become a romantic duo? Share your thoughts on the interview in the comment section below.
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James/Valentine is more than awesome..
Most everybody loved him from day one ( but to inform you, he is Mine!)
really, James/Valentin was a (rare) instant hit ..
I see the Valentine character as the best part of GH ..
And – Nina, Valentine and Charlotte are a family I can care for; magic..
However!!!
I feel, when things are finally going good that Claudette will return, and then BOOM!
“…really, James/Valentin was a (rare) instant hit .. ”
@su : “he’s all yours”
gavel : ” I’m waiting in the wings”
anyway : I think it was @Timmm who posted… that James Patrick Stuart and William DeVry… were instant hits on AMC… they both played devious men you loved to hate… for lack of a better write. they made a huge impact on what time they had on All My Children. I definitely remember both of them on that show.
these two men have so much charisma appeal and appetite for all the senses.
WOW
hey Patrick..
you need to step back from my man Valentine! He’s mine!
((hmm fisticufs, perhaps lol)
and– that interviewed rocked, Michael is the best! his interviews are always awesome!
perhaps some day Michael F will interview me! It would be interesting, for sure LOL
And– I want to experience the dark side of Valentine!
I love a Good Bad guy, exciting…
As bad as Valentine could be I’m right there with him! (mine!)
You, make me laugh
“…hmmmm fisticuffs ”
If you mean slam on the table tussle fisticuffs. We reach the same length
I’m in
for some reason I thought fisticuffs… were when you are shackled at the table… ie: the interrogating room like @GH. can’t reach that far
I love JPS and Valentin, BUT if Nikolas is not alive I can not see how GH can justify Valentin”s longevity on the show. Gh HAS to cast TC back or recast it for a short period of time. And they need to do it NOW!!!
I so totally agree! The bad/ evil never pay on GH. The audience seems to forget Val killed Nick, shot Kevin, held everyone hostage,tried to kidnap Spencer, got rid of Claudette, hid Charlotte, yet he is the romantic lead? And Lulu and Laura are the “bad” characters?
hi Denise ..
It’s no big deal..
Most everyone has killed or shot someone……… LOL
And– the good part is, most all are very ”longevity” ..
‘spose we do a body count LOL ..
((that will teach Nicholas to attack someone holding a gun to get yourself shoot lol ))
I agree I love Valentin and Nina, but it is hard to get around the fact he killed Nik. They need to bring back the character of Nikolas. I would rather have Nikolas come back as TC or his recent recast than to have SB come back as Jason. Sorry I think it would bring so many great storylines with the return of his character.
I completely agree, Denise. Let’s hope the recast is Nick Stabile. And, if Ava is to stay put, the chemistry between them will be limitless….that is, if Ava gets well and Morgan is alive.
Furthermore, Valentin is essential ….Nina needs his ‘shoulder’ when Felicia discovers that Nelle is Nina’s and Kiki her twin.
I know, I know…you can stop laughing, LOL. too far fetched?
MF: “…You kind of, in this wonderful way, lucked out when you landed at GH. ”
JPS: ie: Finola and Michelle – “I won the lottery! … the two of them together is just crazy and wonderful. ”
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that picture above… with Finola and Michelle each holding mics and facing JPS. Man ! the chemistry, dance, and zingers each of these three REEL. back and forth the savor of talent.
YES, indeed… it’s JPS whos the lucky one.
JAMES: ( the Nurses’ Ball ) “I heard there was some ass shaking… ” CLASSIC
Finola helped me; she said, “There’s times when you really have to break the glass and just go full soap …let’s just buy it, let’s just go 100 percent with it, and don’t question it, and don’t undermine it.’ ”
of Michelle Stafford, Finola Hughes, James Patrick Stuart – three consummate professionals… who are top of the line ACTOR
the camaraderie the anticipating and spot on reading characterization is DREAM
I will say it again… JPS and his leading ladies… OWN GH. – GOLD –
JPS : on Anna and Nina . his relationship with Nina is the greatest he has ever known
(Anna ) She’s there, she was the first, and those wires are always going to have a current running through them.
this is Just GOOD stuff… Nice read… my heart is with Nina.. and I’m just happy for Finola Hughes who deserves to work her talent and craft her character with two other equals. WOW
BAM wallah all the slam dunk is here.
============
“…he was disfigured, or as I like to call it, had the “Elephant Man syndrome.” ”
this is where the writing lacked and .. much to the chagrin of the actors who portrait their characters
this was a waste and was “justified” in the minds of the writers to REDEEM Valentin… WELL it still hasn’t taken. argh! much to my dismay….
THIS IS WHY – GH simply has got to bite the bullet and bring back TYLER CHRISTOPHER. – another – BRILLIANT actor to the fold… Cassadine reign.
THIS is the only way for these three characters to MOVE …. – ON –
wow! their are, other ways, to continue their reign… this time justly include Nikolas
sparks whet simmer pant tantalize… every superlative for heat and combust. OK?
Valentin to leave Charlotte : “devastating” for me… just tears
I LOVE this “Man”
congratulations on the one year … @GH. times moves that fast when you real with imagination and the audience can dream.
Varni has said on numerous occasions that both Nikolas and Morgan are dead for the foreseeable future.
James is one of the main reasons I watch GH! Valentine is the best character !
Me too!!!
I think James is very talented but his entire story is a friggin’ mess on every level.
Valentin was billed for years as someone who Helena feared. In fact he was the only person she ever feared. That’s laughable now that we actually have Valentin. He’s a blubbering crier .
Another issue is his pairing with Nina. What a train wreck mainly because the character of Nina has been an epic fail since day 1. Absolutely nothing has worked with this character. She’s like spaghetti & GH keeps throwing her at the wall hoping something will stick. Nina is an unneeded character that should’ve exited long ago. She acts like an immature tween What man wants that? On a show with a bloated cast Nina should have been cut long ago.
GH keeps having characters do heinous things yet never pay for it. (Valentin, Sonny,Julian,etc) Valentin murdered a beloved 20 yr vet & shot Kevin. yet his dialogue yesterday had him saying it was no big deal. The custody hearing was insulting. Lulu wasn’t allowed to bring that up or that Nina ‘s loon who kidnapped a woman & stole her baby from her womb. Now I read that James says Lulu shouldn’t have HER DAUGHTER because she’s difficult? Gee, I wonder why?
James and Finola have the real chemistry. Their characters are adult, erudite and sexy as opposed to Val/Nina. If GH plans on keeping him the they need to course correct this story,.
Agree with you that “his entire story is a . . . mess on every level”!
And I agree also that “absolutely nothing has worked with this character (Nina)”!
That’s funny because I think Nina’s great! I really adore the character.
I agree with rebecca1. Nina has really grown on me; beauty, real, vulnerable. Love the Nina/Valentin pairing!
Oh, thank you, Scoma60 (and Nancy Dillingham, too….) We are all definitely on the same page where the subject of Nina is concerned and you both exactly echo my own sentiments regarding this annoying, underwhelming character and her place on the GH canvas…essentially there is none! As for James, I really like the actor, but to call his Valentin a real disappointment in the flesh after being built up with years of preconceived hype surrounding this so-called “most evil of all Cassadines” player is a real understatement! The only time I find him valuable and palatable is when he is in Anna’s orbit….they sizzle, whilst he and Nina are nothing but one huge fizzle. In other words, Valentin can stay in Port Charles, but only if he is eventually paired with the “Divine Devane!” Adult, erudite and sexy is putting it oh so mildly when referring to the unlimited potential for this engaging future coupling.
JPS is a great actor but Valentin is a mess of a character (and not in the good way). Referred to as “the most feared Cassadine” for years we now learn that he’s really a former hunchback linguist with the heart of a romantic who received a Total Makeover – Soap Hunk Edition.
Jean and Shelly have delivered yet another epic fail.
There are so many possibilities to explore if Nikolas would return, ALIVE. I feel pretty confident he will.
I won’t go into all the scenarios swirling in my head, but one idea could be that the shooting on the island was all a mise en scene, with the two main protagonists, Valentin and Nikolas, staging it….laborious process, yes, but plausible.
The only glitch would be , WHY?……or, Nikolas could be held somewhere by Helena’s henchmen.
Better yet, as I mentioned before, Valentin could have been “possessed”, as in, hypnotized.
Perhaps, with Nik’s return, they could all live happily everafter, at Wyndemere Castle? LOL.
Regardness of the outcome, I am happy to see James ensconced in PC….I was a kid; but, I remember James, as Dixie’s, bad boy brother, Will, on AMC…..and, have seen the movie “Pretty Woman” a million and one times.
So, happy sojourn (hopefully, a very, very long one), James/Valentin…please, win your love, Nina, back.
I’ve loved James since way back when he took over as Will on AMC. He really plays the layered “villain” so well. Hope he stays. I still don’t believe he actually killed Nic.
The time is right for a Nicolas return with Jason coming back and Hayden out. Alas, it may have been a missed opportunity since we know Spencer has already filmed his last scenes of this year.
Thank you Michael for the very enlightening interview with the talented, charming James Patrick Stuart. I appreciate the excitement he has in joining GH, working with a great cast and having a intriguing story.
However, as a fan of Lulu (Emma Rylan) & Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), I see another side to that story that he did not address. Some of us are not happy that they made the villain Valentin into some kind of sympathetic hero. This is a character that came on screen holding hostages, killing Nikolas and shooting Kevin. This character had a child with Lulu’s embryo and lied to that child and kept her from her real mother for years. Some of us are disappointed that he is no longer the scariest Cassidine. We are not happy that the writing has made Valentin and Nina look like her proper family and Lulu the bad guy for wanting her own child to live with her, her husband and her child’s brother. Lulu is more than a “nice enough person” she is that child’s mother . As a mother, I find it hard to watch anyone justifying keeping that loving mother from her child.
Many of us were thinking that this would be a another part of the Spencer vs. Cassidine story. I would like to see more of a balanced conflict between Valentin and Lante for Charlotte’s heart. I know all the very talented actors involved would do a great job in this story.
I am disappointed that during the custody hearing for Charlotte it was not brought up that Lulu killed Scotty’s son Logan Hayes, Lulu’s mother Laura killed David Hamilton, Lulu’s father Luke killed his parents, and Lulu’s father-in-law killed AJ Quartermaine.
Lulu may be Charlotte’s mother (something I still question since her embryos were stolen from Crichton-Clark in 2014 and Charlotte is at least 8 years old) but based on her family’s criminal history I don’t see where she is any better suited to be a parent than Valentin.
They also didnt’ bring up that Nina was in a coma, a mental institution and ripped Ava’s baby from her womb. In fact, she was not even allowed to adopt a child. So, it was a total contradiction when they used Nina to form a family unit in front of the judge. I thought for sure she’d be a problem for Valentin’s custody suit.
With that said, I love Nina and I think she’d be a great mother…and is wonderful with Charlotte. I just think that whole thing was overlooked big time.
Great post, Janeway!
Wow, Alan! I did not know all this….is there anyone in PC who hasn’t killed someone?
And, your embryo theory tickles the brain….interesting.
Charlotte may be the first case of in-vitro SORASing in soap history.
Valentin murdered Nik who stepped in front of the gun to protect Ava, he held the group hostage and threatened them and then shot Kevin who was protecting Laura. He did these things personally. Nina drugged Ava and stole baby Avery from her womb and took her to Canada, herself. All this should have been brought up at the custody hearing (especially since Dante was the arresting officer in Nina’s case)
Lulu killed Logan Hayes in self-defense. She thought her life was in danger. That is not the same as murder. What Lulu’s relatives did is not at issue here, why should she be held responsible for their actions?
Lulu had her eggs stolen by Helena (whether you believe it or not that is the writers timeline) and when the embryo was created with Valentin, he stole it, had it implanted and kept that child from Lulu her whole life. He lied to that child he claims to love about her mother, and told her it was Claudette. That is essentially kidnapping.
Everyone may love JPS and want Valentin to be a good guy but he just isn’t. I really preferred him as the sexy villain. It is more believable to me that he could be so charming and offer Nina the family she always wanted that she was willing to overlook or dismiss others claims of his wrongdoing. I could also believe that Alex could fall for him, but not Anna. As close as Anna is to Dante and Lulu, and being part of the WSB, I find it very hard to believe that she would defend him, that is also a disappointing part of the story for me.
For me, GH spoils a lot of characters by having them do these heinous things, get away with them, and then expect viewers to forget what we saw happen onscreen and embrace them.
But Lulu’s relatives ARE an issue because the court will look at the people who will be an active part of the child’s life and Lulu’s family is a hot mess. I would think a mobster grandfather who was convicted of murder and who has shot his own wife in the head while giving birth in addition to all the other murders committed by the Spencer clan — self-defense or otherwise — might give a judge pause in granting Lulu full custody of a child.
And since Claudette was the surrogate she did actually give birth to Charlotte so it wasn’t a total lie that she was the child’s mother.
Celia: here’s a list of current GH characters who have killed someone (at least this is all I can remember)…
Laura killed David Hamilton
Scotty killed RIck Webber
Alexis killed Luis Alcazar and Keifer Bauer
Jason killed Lorenzo Alcazar
Sam killed Bill Monroe
Sonny killed AJ Quartermaine
Julian killed Jonathan Paget
Lulu killed Logan Hayes
Maxie killed Peter Harrell
Ava killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconari
Great list Alan.
Add:
Carlos Rivera to Julian’s list
Dante was last person to kill Stavros Cassadine
Liesl killed Victor Cassadine
Michael killed Claudia Zachara
And Sonny killed chances for this show to ultimately succeed
There’s two points to that , Alan. First, some of those killings were in self-defense…Lulu and Logan were fighting and she thought she was in harm…Alexis pushed Alcazar away from her when he was lunging at her and he went flying out the window…and she accidentally ran over Logan after he battered and bruised her daughter Kristina who had to be hospitalized. Sam also killed Diego Alcazar…a shootout with Jason? Don’t remember..
That’s why I think it’s absurd to talk about the lack of moral center on GH…they’ve all killed, lied, betrayed…purposely or accidentally…for years…
If Sonny is an issue for Lulu getting custody…then he shouldn’t have gotten custody of Avery. But he did. Twisted, yes. But…he did.
Thanks, Alan.
So, back to the hyprocrisy, yes? ” He who is without sin, cast the first stone”. Everyone has embraced some level of wrongdoing ( to put it mildly) in this town, LOL.
Sonny and Carly are the biggest hypocrites for me. They are misfits. They are more alike than meets the eye….Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee….as dysfunctional as Julian and Alexis.
And, the one thing which turns my viscera, about Sonny and Carly, is their gaslighting. So adept at it.
I am sure we both know or have known people who purport their fake sanctity by turning the tables. I do not see the seductive ‘weight’ this couple has on TPTB or the viewer. I try to see the allure, the attraction, the good…..I simply cannot.
Bonnie and Clyde Syndrome. Sonny and Carly personified.
Here is the problem with Valentin that is slowly dissolving. Helena said he was the worst Cassadine EVER and he is NOT! Secondly, he “Killed” Nicholas. Well, that will turn out to be NOT true! So what we have is a triangle with Valentin, Nina and Anna. I hope Anna wins BUT Nina is better with the sweet sweet Charlotte! SHE will be a mega star someday. She just lights up the screen. I would like to see her and Spencer form a friendship that later in their teens becomes a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. They are both so talented. But back to JPS, GH is lucky to have him and I hope he stays and becomes one of those legacy characters.
Hi, Timmmy….
Long time no see, LOL.
I love your sweet thoughts of Charlotte—she does cut an impressive acting picture. This child is as luminous as Nicolas/Spencer.
I don’t know about a romantic relationship between them in the future, though……aren’t they cousins, of sorts?
Yeah, kinda, sorta, we think, CeeCeeGirl! Then again, they are of noble blood, right??? Such “close” relationships are not so verboten in those lofty circles….perhaps we need a return to that way of romance seeing how too many real-life royals are mating and relating with the common-as-muck types these days!!! LOL…As for Spencer, even though I have often found his over-exuberant antics insufferable in the past, under Laura’s soothing and wise guidance, he has once again become that little charmer of a gent he initially was when he arrived in Port Charles with his father. His scenes with both Laura and Ava were exceptional for their maturity and precocity!!!! Keep this kiddo mixing with the adult class…he fits right in!
@Shay.
Hey, Shaybelle,
Hmmmm….I don’t know about these ‘aristo-cats’ ( a’ la Uncle Scar, “The Lion King”), LOL, having such pure, noble blood.
But, if we are to get technical, I can’t be sure that marriages between close family members is practiced any longer?
Yes, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins, I think….and so many more……every European country, did this.
Let’s go even further……Cleopatra’s parents were siblings….not to gain land, as was usually the case in Europe; but, to keep tainted, alien blood from running in one’s progeny’s veins.
As far as Spencer; I cannot stop singing his praises. He has grown so much, both physically and in the honing of his acting skills, and maturity. A true thespian.
Yes, Nicolas does his best work opposite both Maura and Genie. One cannot ignore the fluidity of emotions between him and Maura….it is not something one acquires….it is innate.
Thus, One can easily see how the affinity between actor and actress trickles nto the characters and their performance….it transcends reality.
What can I say about Genie? I respect her more and more as her scenes develop and delve into her essence.
Laura is a Mama Bear. Loving but stern. Protective but malleable. She takes the rearing of her grandson, seriously and responsibly.
And, TPTB could not have paired her with a better ‘suitor’, LOL. I love Kevin…good for both Laura and Spencer. I sooo appreciate his understated personality. His presence is strong; but, not overwhelming….just the right touch…pardon the pun. LOL.
Yes, CeeCee, those most recent scenes with Spencer were highly reminiscent of his earlier days before he was mixing with the other “little monsters” of Port Charles…Ugh!…That was what brought out the beastly brat that I could not abide. I’m so glad this obviously brilliant child has regained his emotional equilibrium and mannerly ways under Laura’s motherly TLC. She has such a calming and reassuring presence about her…like this was the role she was born to play. I love the fact that even though this character went through h@!! and back with her mental issues, she has come out of the darkness not only stronger and more serene, but with a true lack of bitterness and anger…instead, she treats each day as a beautiful blessing and gift, which is what she is to others in her orbit. This is the Laura that many of us have waited for years to see become Port Charles’ moral center and maternal figure…at last, she–and Genie Francis—are home where they belong! As for Ava and her scenes with Spencer, yes, they were also very touching and well-played…those two definitely had a special connection via Nik, but I am at the place where I wonder how much more can be done with this particular Jerome…her burn injuries are awful and it would beggar belief if after all her dirty deeds— and this latest medical trauma— she were to emerge from them both physically and legally unscathed….As I watched this latest episode, I couldn’t help but think that maybe it was time for this character to go, just slip away, from the mortal coil of Port Charles…through death (real or faked) to save her from a life of disfigurement and facing the music for all of her crimes. I know Maura West fans don’t want to entertain that possibility, but I’m speaking of her Ava, and not the actress herself….it would make for a very dramatic exit! Lastly, perhaps I was a bit jesting when I suggested that intermarriages with cousins were once again considered the “thing to do” amongst the aristocratic ranks…I still do occasionally read of certain marital alliances between some of Great Britain’s “oldest family” members that are maybe second or third removed relations, but nothing like those 19th century European royal house unions that were largely arranged by Queen Victoria for her offspring during her lengthy reign. However, sometimes when I see what pairings materialize amongst the regal upper crust these days, it does tend to astonish. I’ve still not hopped aboard the “Kate Train”…I find her extremely banal and commonplace…none of the dazzle or demeanor of Di there, that’s for sure… and her social-climbing clan is simply ghastly!!! Don’t even get me started on hapless Prince Harry’s less-than-illustrious corral of checkered chicks…he has already outdone both his Uncle Andrew and Great x2 Uncle Edward on that account….(Although I did so like his former flame, Cressida…she was very ethereal, naturally beautiful and quintessentially English in background, right down to her name! I… Read more »
@Shay.
Hi, Shay,
I don’t really follow “the royals” ( just the Grimaldis, on occasion, LOL—in-laws’ family name; on mother-in-law-side, LOL).
No one is truly a blueblood, Shay—-the Brits, less than most European royal families.
I do not read such, until it becomes history for the ages. Therefore, we do know, through history, how the Brits came to the “throne”—
It was the standard of the times. Dog eat dog. The spoils to the victor go….and so forth…
If truth be known, the ‘royals’ are much more tamed than their ancestor who were beheaded or locked up in the Tower. LOL.
Oh, but, wait…..Princess Di? Hmmmmm.
….which brings be back to a similar conversation we had: Ted Kennedy and Chappy’s Dyke Bridge.
But he was no royal; just a privileged “Hyannis-an”.
Now, this is why I admire Maura West. A true, old New England lady. I consider her a ‘royal’ without the frills, Shay.
She has five or six kids—-akin to my mother, LOL.
I sooo agree with you….what to do with Ava. TPTB have destroyed her—-how to bring her back? Why Kelly Monaco and not Ava? Because she is not a vet? Wasn’t Sam redeemed? Woefully inexplicable.
Maura’s portrayal of the ‘fallen angel’, the beautiful murderess, the Mafiosa with a fierce heart; a heart which can love passionately and hate just as well.
For my two-cents’ worth—-bring Nick Stabile back…..each other’s saving grace.
Perhaps, it was Nik who abducted Spencer? The assumption is obvious; Valentin. Well, too obviously easy, I say.
Hey, CeeCeeGirl! Been meaning to get back here to you for an age! Just wanted to add that I don’t necessarily follow the Brit Royals, per se, it’s just that I read the daily UK news and one cannot help but encounter story after story about them, especially over the past month with the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death approaching…the press has been in overdrive with stories about her (and the boys!) Hence it’s unavoidable. However, I do recall with great fondness the beginnings of the late Princess of Wales…her fairytale wedding, her freshness and natural charm…she had immense appeal! What she later became was an epic tragedy long before she met her untimely end…it was not pretty. So when I speak of her with nostalgic admiration, it’s for her early days, when the entire world was initially smitten by her. Same goes for my unfavorable comparison of the “Queen of Hearts” with her daughter-in-law…Kate simply lacks the effortless style, charisma and warmth that was the trademark persona of the princess…I am not the only one to observe this, as I just noticed an interview with Di’s butler, Paul Burrell, who said exactly the same thing! But that’s neither here nor there….As for the Grimaldis? Again, I don’t follow them, but occasionally see their presence in similar circumstances….my last glimpse was of the Prince and Princess of Monaco with their twins! Their little princeling, Jacques, is an absolute darling, what with his cherubic blond curls…he looks like the personification of a related dauphin who stepped out of a painting from centuries past…it’s uncanny! And I do like Charlene….she is understated, coolly elegant and always extremely chic. She also seems very caring and maternal….and has certainly grown into her royal role quite well!!!! The rest of the family is a soap opera unto itself, albeit a glitzy and fascinating one.. Charlotte is stunningly gorgeous, even surpassing her own mother’s youthful beauty, to which she bears a strong resemblance. Having said that, I agree with you that the subject of royalty is far more interesting from an historical perspective rather than in noting what’s happening today with the much-diminished European houses.
“…Nina is better with the sweet sweet Charlotte! SHE will be a mega star someday. She just lights up the screen. ”
what can I say ?
that child… makes me cry.
Valentin and Nina are so lucky ! and it’s magic
I’d like to ask you and @Alan… would making Nicholas alive… bring to rest all the questions about Valentin Character ? argh! GH LISTEN
THIS , is 1/2 the battle PLUS… re-posting @Ces
“…Tyler Christopher can just look at some one and there would be passion. ”
WOW.. I Just don’t get the decision and behind the scenery .. w/ shelley and Frank. this would answer so many
get this show on the road.. get this show ON
altho, Valentin hasn’t surfaced as the hellfire and brimstone… if Nicholas is brought back… that would enliven and FIRE UP the Cassadine MEN.
let Valentin buy Crimson .. and let Valentin get his talons in the denizen of Port Charles….
buy it… Sonny / Jason / Michael / Finn / Franco pail.. and have no zest .. lack.. and do not REEL
’nuff said.
Tyler Christopher along with Robin Christopher NEED to return
Someone earlier said she was a little “creepy”–and she is.
ALL kids have a creepy stage in their lives!
I love him so much. He is now one of my favorites. In fact I think he spices up the place so much even Lulu and Dante’s scenes are so much more interesting. I was terribly afraid he was not returning. And am so glad he’s back. And it’s so surprising because I didn’t like him at all at first. But James Patrick Stewart is so amazing that he quickly changed that. And I am full team Valentin and Nina and Charlotte. ☺️
Thank you, I agree wholeheartedly, Dante and lulu are breathing life of their OWN. Admittedly, I get a little worn out with Lulu.
Albeit, Charlotte makes her work.
It was a good idea that Valentin was imprisoned. It gave Lulu time . as I read in SOD, that family nucleus is now somewhat etched.
That being said = that bond with her father is unflappable.
All said. Lulu and Dante are making this story work, which helps Nina And Valentin mix. Heck I think it even works with the other grandma Olivia.
Isn’t it a big treat and the best distraction, to forget about Carly, Sonny, and zsteve Burton.
I would like to see Nicolas back…but then again, I does make me wonder does anyone really ever “die” on a show unless they pass away in real life ?
Bravo ahead of time to GH on the memory of Peter Hanson
ONE (flashback) scene today–and what an awkward “intro”; wouldn’t SCOTTY have been called FIRST–and called by Gail??? Strange–and unbelievable.
Love this talented actor! He has brought so much to General Hospital and I hope he has a very long stay. Would love to see a Nicholas character. I think the two of them would be terrific. And he needs to be with Nina!
Wow, I can’t believe some of these posts. I hated Valentin from Day One and don’t feel Mr. Stuart has done anything to soften my opinion. And to compare him with Will DeVry makes me think I need glasses. But then, I don’t see how people fall all over George Clooney and Johnny Depp when Jeremy Renner has more sex appeal than both put together. I guess differing opinions are part of what makes life interesting.
I hear you, Soaphound. I do think it’s an individual ‘thing’….we like who we like, as it were, albeit, I never saw the attraction for Clooney either.
I just like James’ aura, always have.
They put a very good actor in an interesting role and it worked well. So why do they bring back a bad and expensive actor(Steve Burton) in what will surely be a dud of a role. One step forward two steps back.
WRONG! Steve is playing a role, “Stone Cold!” You want bad acting, I can name names but won’t be cruel!
James Patrick Stuart is a phenomenal actor. When he is on stage , he’s the only one I focus on at the time. He is the new Anthony Geary. I hope he is on for a long time. Michelle Stafford and he really compliment each other. He’s also fantastic with Finola . Cheers to Valentin.
AGREE 100%…..HE IS THEE REASON TO WATCH GH!!!
I remember JPS way back when, on All My Children, as Will Cortland. WOW. He is incredible as Valentin Cassadine. I love how is he able to bring such vulnerability to such a complex and complicated character. There is a sensitivity to Valentin, underneath all of the hurt and pain. Charlotte and Nina have been able to bring out the best in him. & THAT performance at the Nurse’s Ball, WOW! I downloaded that song off of I-Tunes soon afterwards. What a brilliant and beautiful performance! So talented.
I think James is perfect as Val. A seasoned actor with so much talent, what a gift for GH. Too many fave scenes to mention. He and Nina most certainly should reconcile as it was too easy to write in a quickly divorce which was not true to her character. Love that JPS mentions the character will not forget Ana however he is smart enough to keep his distance. It’s smart of to leave this open ended perhaps they can become true friends one day. Why does everyone hate Val and seem to be on a Mora high horse when in fact you have characters like Dante playing the hypocrite after all isn’t his dad a monster? Ok good one. Where is your moral compass? It is a novella after all. All I know is the acting on GH was awful and I only came back to watch Finola and now that I witnessed the Nina/Val storyline I’m hooked. Thank God Frank V. sees the potential in these great actors and possibilities of storylines. Please kill off the bad talent or write them off as you have a way to go with some boring folks. For please sake hire some Latino actors and do not type cast. I’m free.
I agree with your every sound word, and theory, Willya. We have a like vision. Loooove Val, looove Nina….together, they blow my mind. And, superlative actors, to boot.
General Hospital
Cassandra James Set To Appear in Second Season Of GH Alum Vinessa Antoine’s ‘Diggstown’
In another exciting bit of casting on the Canadian drama series, Diggstown, General Hospital’s Cassandra James (Dr, Terry Randolph) will soon be seen alongside former GH star, Vinessa Antoine in the second season of the CBC series.
Cassandra first announced the news on her Twitter, expressing “Surprise! “Shooting DIGGSTOWN with my GH sister Vinessa Antoine.”
Antoine responded in kind sharing a photo fo the two together on the set of the show relating: “Just a couple of gals making history. First black person to lead a dramatic show in Canada and first trans woman on a soap together. Wow! Welcome, sister. So proud to have you here.”
On GH, Vinessa exited her role of Jordan Ashford back in September of 2018, and was later replaced by Briana Nicole Henry, after making Canadian TV history when she landed the lead role of Marcie Diggs on Diggstown. James first came onto the Port Charles canvas as Liz’s childhood friend, back in June of 2018.
Now shooting Diggstown’s second season, no details yet on what role Cassandra will play, or when her episode will air, but MFTV will keep you posted when that Intel becomes available for Canadian fans, and how U.S. fans may be able to view it.
Just a couple of gals making history. First black person to lead a dramatic show in Canada and first trans woman on a soap together. Wow!Welcome sister. @diggstowncbc @cassandrajames_ So proud to have you here. #diggstowncbc #GH56 #GeneralHospital #OGJordanAshford #terryrandolph pic.twitter.com/EmT8IVXA5i
— Vinessa Antoine (@VinessaAntoine) August 19, 2019
So, what do you think of Cassandra and Vinessa appearing together on Diggstown? Would you like to see more of Cassandra on GH? Missing Vinessa Antoine? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GH’s Roger Howarth Chats On Shifting From Franco To Drew & The Stunning Story Twist
In one of the most intriguing plots of 2019, General Hospital’s Franco Baldwin was morphed into Navy SEAL Andrew Cain following a harrowing mind-mapping procedure. In all went down thanks to Shiloh (Coby Ryan McLaughlin) and Dr, Cabot (Time Winters), taking the life and memories of Drew (Billy Miller) from his flash drive and transferring them into Franco’s brain, wiping out his past and his present. That followed the tearjerker moment, when Franco sacrificed himself to free his kidnapped stepson, Cameron (William Lipton) from the twisted procedure; that could have left the teenager with Drew’s memories or even in a vegetative state.
The recipient of this storyline – and who would be taking on another persona in his storied daytime drama career – is none other than Roger Howarth. The Daytime Emmy- winning actor is no stranger to changing fictional identities on GH. Howarth, played OLTL’s Todd Manning over in Port Charles, later switching to Franco (previously played by James Franco) following the legal dispute between ABC and Prospect Park.
Last week, viewers got their first glimpse of Howarth taking on the traits of Drew circa 2012, and in short order, it has caused emotional upheaval for Franco’s wife, Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst), Drew himself, Jason (Steve Burton), and Kim (Tamara Braun)… and that’s just for starters.
Michael Fairman TV chatted with Roger as he started his journey transforming his work from playing Franco to Drew and the challenges it presents, plus the ripple effect the change will have on the canvas for many of the characters. In addition for One Life to Live fans, Roger chats about his appreciation for his time on that iconic series in a candid, self-effacing, and special conversation. Here’s what Howarth shared:
Courtesy/ABC
When you were told that they were going to put Drew’s memories into Franco, what was your initial reaction to learning that news? Did you think it was a great twist?
ROGER: Yeah, I think it’s a great idea. I really do. Good story needs a lot of things, and this checks a lot of the boxes. It brings people together; it provides obstacles. There are a lot of places this could lead to. I just think it’s really smart and interesting. I look forward to it a lot, and I can already tell by what I have shot thus far that it’s going to be fun.
If this story is written well, what has happened to Franco will be life-altering and crucial to so many people’s lives in Port Charles.
ROGER: What I like about it, and this isn’t lip service, is that it’s a great story because it affects a lot of people. Those are the good stories. Elizabeth has got to deal with this, the boys have to deal with this, Scotty’s (Kin Shriner) got to deal with it, Jason is confused by this information, and now this person in interacting with Drew, and Kim, and Shiloh. All of the sudden, the canvas is interacting completely differently. So, I think the writers are having fun with this as well.
Photo: ABC
Then, there is also the character of Kim played by Tamara Braun, who Drew shares a past with. It will be interesting to see how that relationship plays out, we already witnessed Franco’s Drew instantly smitten and attracted to her.
ROGER: Yes, the person in this body is running under a certain set of assumptions that no one else shares. So, yes, it’s confusing to everybody, I am sure, including Kim.
Do you see Franco eventually flipping back and forth, and having personality traits of both he and Drew?
ROGER: No. One hundred percent, no, and that provides a real obstacle with a couple like Franco and Elizabeth. They are always looking for obstacles to prove to the audience that these two people really do care about one another, and that’s the purpose of a story like this. I’m guessing and hoping that it will provide the character of Elizabeth with a particular objective because it would be nice to see Becky be able to play all of those beats.
Right, and to have to fight for something…
ROGER: Yes, it’s very tragic. This is a character that is accustomed to tragedy, and to see Becky play the role of Elizabeth dusting herself off, trying to get what she wants is going to be really cool.
Courtesy/ABC
The tragic twist had Franco saving Cameron from winding up with Drew’s memories and being the vessel for Shiloh to use. What did you think about how Franco sacrificed himself in order to protect Elizabeth’s son? It was quite heroic.
ROGER: I think the other beautiful part of this is that this was motivated by love. I don’t see it as heroic. I think as an actor, you’re always looking for the heart of the story, and the writers made it really simple. He does this because he loves this kid. Yeah, they’ve had their ups and downs, and they are struggling to figure out how they can get along, and they have a lot of things that they feel about one another, but push actually did come to shove, and I think that the character of Cameron is going to be deeply affected by that.
Courtesy/ABC
This now puts Franco deep within Shiloh’s storyline and past with Drew, because Shiloh desperately wants a key piece of information locked in Drew’s memories. So, in theory, this kind of ranks among one of the better stories you’ve probably ever gotten to tell in your daytime career. Everyone is hoping that it lives up to its expectations in the execution of it on-air.
ROGER: It is certainly a high concept story. It’s asking a lot of the audience. So far, we’re all in. It’s a good cast. I work with really good actors, so I’m not worried. It is asking the audience to suspend disbelief for sure. The good stories do. I think Erika Slezak (Viki) on One Life to Live, getting to play Dissociative Identity Disorder as Niki and Viki that was a large ask. She never blinked. She did everything that was asked. I’m trying to follow her example.
Exactly, and she played more characters. She had more alters after that.
ROGER: (Laughs) Yeah! She’s better at this than I am. I’m having trouble with the one. (Laughs)
Photo: ABC
What do you think about how Scott and Franco’s relationship will be affected, now that he is in essence “Drew”?
ROGER: There’s no part of that relationship that hasn’t changed because there is no Franco. Franco is not around … Franco has left the building.
He is a completely new person for all intent and purposes.
ROGER: For sure. This soldier doesn’t appreciate being called by somebody else’s name. He is not compassionate to the people who mistake him for this somewhat tortured art therapist that he no longer is.
Photo: ABC
What is also interesting is that this should put you right into conflict and scenes with Steve Burton, because now you are essentially playing Jason’s twin.
ROGER: Yes. For me, as an actor, to get a chance to work with Steve, and to play a like-minded person, is intimidating frankly, but it’s exciting.
Also, the audience knows how Franco and Jason are such enemies, and now, he is really in his mind his twin.
ROGER: Yeah, Franco sees in many shades of gray and other colors, and from what I can tell, Franco as Drew sees the world much simpler. He thinks more clearly, he finishes his sentences, he thinks before he speaks, he knows what he is going to say. His point of view does not waiver. He is determined.
Courtesy/ABC
That’s got to be so exciting for you to get to play after all of Franco’s psychological baggage and issues.
ROGER: I’ve got to say, it’s been a bit of a challenge for me to play someone with a different set of speech patterns and who stands differently. Because Drew thinks and feels differently about everything; his body is the same, but his body is behaving differently, and it speaks differently, and he thinks at a different tempo. They’ve been very patient on set giving me chances to do it badly, so far. (Laughs) It’s not uncommon for me to get halfway through a scene and to have to start over. I am essentially figuring it out as we go along. I am very appreciative of the fact that they have been giving me a few extra takes to try and figure out how this guy stands. He relates to people with a different set of space and time. It’s cool. It’s a cool set of puzzles. It’s been really fun. I’m a lucky guy.
When I first learned of the story twist, I was like, “Oh! Roger will be great in this.”
ROGER: I don’t know, man. I could be stinking it up pretty badly. (Laughs) I think there’s a trap as an actor who has been asked to play twins, and the trap is that this guy is only acting the way that he acts. The trap is frankly to act too much because the audience is being told that he is a different person. If I go too far to try to demonstrate that he is a different person, then it slips into parody or overacting. Over the years, I have definitely been guilty of overacting, so, I’m a little frightened of it. (Laughs) I don’t like the way it feels. I know how it feels to go too far. I have been getting notes like, “You could pull it back a little bit.” (Laughs) It’s pretty funny.
Courtesy/ABC
In the past, I have heard you say you’d rather go to work and feel unsettled about what you are asked to play. Does that still hold true?
ROGER: For sure! I’d rather go to work and leave my job knowing that it was terrible and that I get to come back the next day and make it a little better. The best thing about daytime is how much it will stretch you and pull you and ask as much of it as you are willing to put in.
Now speaking of Franco, what did you think about the wedding reception on the yacht with Elizabeth? Did you think that was a nice payoff for Friz fans?
ROGER: Yes, for sure. I thought it was a really sweet culmination to a sweet story about these two people finding one another. I’m glad they incorporated a large part of the cast. It was a really good idea.
Photo: ABC
What did you think of how all of Elizabeth’s boys (Cameron, Aiden and Jake) performed a song for Franco and their mom at the reception, and how Franco relates to all of them?
ROGER: I think it was a really important story point, and it was nice, and it was easy to play. They’re really good kids, and they’re also terrific people.
Franco really stepped up as a stepdad to Aiden, who had been bullied at school. I loved the cooking scene, where Franco was baking with Aiden. What do you think about their relationship? I love that Franco is being very understanding.
ROGER: I think he’s trying to be understanding. I don’t think he’s really great at it. I think he’s a human being just trying to figure out how to make the best use of his time here, just like the rest of us.
Photo” ABC
General Hospital needed a big jolt with an umbrella story like this that turns the canvas a bit upside down. How does it feel to be at the epicenter of it?
ROGER: I really don’t think I’m the center of the story. I’m not even kidding. The story is that this piece of information is worn on the shoulders of Franco, but the people who are most effected by that piece of information are Kim and Elizabeth.
It will be interesting to see what the reaction is like from the GH audience. You’re not on social media. Will you check out what they are saying … or the feedback?
ROGER: I’m not on social media. But, I believe there is a guy whose job it is to track that initial criticism/support. I think it is kind of cool that we will get real-time reviews, you know what I mean? I actually thought about that because with the character of Franco, it took us a while to figure out who the guy was. There was a lot of blonde hair and some missed cues, and we weren’t sure which relationship would be featured, whether it would be Franco and Ava (Maura West), or whether he would wind up in Carly’s (Laura Wright) arena again. It took a while to figure out the best way to put that guy in the canvas, and I imagine that it will happen again. I didn’t dye my hair for this, but I did cut it. (Laughs)
Photo: ABC
How was working with Billy Miller in this storyline twist? Were you there on his last day on set?
ROGER: Yes, I worked with Billy not on his last day, but on his last show. He was remarkable with dignity and with class, and I wish him all the best. He did a great job. He is a good actor. I’m sure he will find somewhere to go be an actor.
Throughout your soap career, has there been a story that you initially pooh-poohed, but when you did it, you thought, “Oh, this is great!”
ROGER: There was a story when Carly and Franco were together, and they wrote a story where Franco gave Carly a gift that wound up being a camera…
Photo: ABC
The evil-eye necklace!
ROGER: Yes, this small seeing rye. I just thought, every time Franco would come in and say something like, “Oh, you’re wearing the necklace. It’s so beautiful,” while we were doing it, I was like, “Wow. The audience is really going to hate this.” (Laughs) However, my real-time Twitter is the subway, and while it was airing, I got on the train and sat next to this really amazing fan, who just told me how much she loved that story, and I was honestly surprised and pleased. I am often wrong, and it doesn’t surprise me now when I am wrong … because I was really wrong then.
You mentioned Franco with Ava which was a potential pairing. I think you and Maura West have always had great chemistry together on screen.
ROGER: Yes, she’s a pretty great actor. She’s great with everybody.
She is. You knew Maura’s work first when she was at As the World Turns, while you were there, also?
ROGER: I didn’t know her well at As the World Turns, but I knew who she was. She’s a hard worker, and Jack (Michael Park) and Carly always had a lot to do. She was pretty focused when she was there, but I spoke to her. I didn’t feel like I got to know her until I got to work with her on GH.
Photo: JPI
Last month on July 15th would have been the 51st anniversary of One Life to Live. I saw a lot of people commenting and remembering the show on social media that day. I put together four photos on a post I made about that show featuring some of the remarkable actors who were a part of it. From there, I received hundreds of comments of how people were just missing the series, the characters, and actors they loved in it, including you. When you look at the list of people from yourself to Judith Light, to Robin Strasser, Bob Woods, and of course Erika Slezak – it’s such an unbelievably talented group who spent time in Llanview. Do you ever think about what an incredible experience that was, and how the fans still miss that show so much?
ROGER: All the time. I mean, I’m a lucky guy. I think it really was a special building to work in, and the people who we are talking about: Erika (Viki), Bob (Bo), Robin (Dorian), and Phil Carey (Asa), and Clint Richie (Clint), and John Loprieno (Cord), the people who made it possible for me to work there set an environment and a tone that made it a really special place. It was a really good cast, like you said, and there was a lot of opportunity for them to write a really cool story. I wasn’t a part of the AIDS quilt storyline, but to realize that they told a story like that and incorporated that into our show was wonderful.
Photo: JPI
Such an amazing story and One Life was telling socially relevant and important issues of our time, always.
ROGER: I can’t say for certain, but I do believe that the original concept of the Todd, Marty (Susan Haskell), and Powell (Sean Moynihan) storyline was kind of supposed to be initially an effort to bring awareness to a horrible, violent crime. That was a long time before the #MeToo movement. I think it was a show where the writers had a social conscious as well and really brought awareness to a lot of different things. That’s a great legacy and something that show should be very proud of.
Once the character of Todd Manning took off on One Life, and how they found ways to redeem him, and how it spoke to how much the network, the show, and the audience responded to your performances, did you ever feel you had a bit of a safety net as an actor, or were you like, “I’m going to be fired tomorrow?”
ROGER: This is truth: I am so grateful to have a job, and I don’t take anything for granted. I don’t think anybody is safe in this business. I just don’t. I just don’t think anybody gets to say that they’ve arrived. I just did a roundtable, and I shared this with people who have a lot more clout and opportunity than I do – that actors are by nature, the good ones, are aware that every day that you get to go to work is a privilege, and don’t waste it.
Photo: JPI
In soaps, for the most part, when someone is stepping into someone else’s role as a recast, or actor who played one role is changing to another, there seems to be this reactionary period of adjustment, and then, there is acceptance from the audience over time … unless you really stink it up … as you say. (Laughs)
ROGER: Here’s the thing, and this is why I think this is such a great idea, it’s not about me playing this part, it’s about how Elizabeth, who has been on this show for twenty-something years gets to react to it, and giving her the ball. It’s flashy that Franco is Drew, but it is really and Elizabeth/Kim story. I may be the one overacting and stinking it up, but it’s theirs. Do you know what I mean? It’s not my story.
Photo/ABC
What do you want to say to the fans about this new “role” you are taking on at General Hospital?
ROGER: I want to say that I really do appreciate the fans. Here is the thing, they’re down for everything. I hope they’re down for this. It’s a big ask, but I really hope that they like it.
So, what do you think of Roger as Andrew Cain thus far and how the storyline is beginning to take shape? Are you excited to see how Franco becoming Drew (through the mind-mapping procedure) shakes up the canvas? Do you hope Drew returns to be Franco sooner than later? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Franco Looks In The Mirror … And Believing He Is Drew Kisses Kim
This week on General Hospital, viewers have seen that when Franco (Roger Howarth) awoke from his mind-mapping implantation (thanks to Shiloh and Dr Cabot) he woke up saying that he is “Drew Cain”. Thus, as far we know, Franco now carries the life and memories of Drew from 2012 and back, and as of now, has no trace of Franco’s memories.
When Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) and Drew (Billy Miller) try to make Franco understand in his confusion what transpired, Liz brings a mirror to Franco to see his face, which makes this all the more terrifying for him. Liz insists to him that she is wife, but he tells her that he is sorry but he does not recognize her. Franco insists he is going to leave town and Drew asks him to please stay put, as Liz promises that they can reverse what happened to him. But can Liz really promise that?
Later, Scorpio (Tristan Rogers) fills Sam (Kelly Monaco) and Jason (Steve Burton) in on what happened and how Franco now was implanted with Drew’s memories, which leaves them stunned. That means Franco, who is one of the people Jason loathes most in the world – now believes he is Jason’t twin brother.
Meanwhile, as Kim (Tamara Braun) and Julian (William deVry) prepare to leave Port Charles for Manhattan and start live anew, (so Kim can not be haunted by her life in Port Charles from the recent death of her son, Oscar) things are about to make a shocking turn … for her.
Back at GH, Liz is upset when Franco decides he must get out of his hospital room. Liz is scared he will just skip town knowing he feels he has no ties there. Drew reassures her that because he is a version of him, the pull will be way too strong for him to exit Port Charles.
Courtesy/ABC
Kim is now at the hospital getting ready to turn in her resignation letter and runs into Franco. He recognizes her and calls her “Kim!” You can tell he is quite smitten with her. Kim is not sure why Franco is acting that way. She announces she is leaving Port Charles to which he says he is going to come with her. She sees he has a hospital ID bracelet on, so she thinks something has happened. Just then, Franco tells her about the first time Drew Cain and her met up! This shocks Kim … and the next thing you know … he moves in for a major kiss and lip-lock as Drew and Liz look on.
So, what do you think of the story turn thus far that has Franco now with Drew’s memories and with no trace of Franco? Share your thoughts on the twist via the comment section below!
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General HospitalAugust 18, 2019GH’s Roger Howarth Chats On Shifting From Franco To Drew & The Stunning Story Twist
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RecapsAugust 10, 2019THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Hope To Steffy, “I’m Taking My Daughter & Don’t You Dare Try To Stop Me”
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General HospitalAugust 13, 2019Kelly Monaco Addresses Billy Miller’s Departure From GH
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Days Of Our LivesAugust 13, 2019DAYS Stacy Haiduk and Eric Martsolf Talk Kristen & Brady’s Twisted Relationship : The Mask, The Deception, The Sex
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Breaking NewsAugust 13, 2019Constance Towers Returns To GH As Helena Cassadine … But Just How Does She Appear?
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General HospitalAugust 11, 2019WATCH THE TRAILER: Dominic Zamprogna Stars In New Short Film, ‘To The Moon and Back’
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General HospitalAugust 15, 2019GENERAL HOSPITAL: Franco Looks In The Mirror … And Believing He Is Drew Kisses Kim
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NewsAugust 14, 2019The Bold and the Beautiful Ratings Winner With Phoebe is Beth Reveal