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GH's Michelle Stafford Speaks On Becoming Nina And Working with Michael Easton & Kelly Monaco!

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: DuffImages.com

Photo Credit: DuffImages.com

This week, Michelle Stafford will become more a part of the General Hospital canvas as Nina wakes up from her coma and then begins the road to reclaiming her life and reconnecting with those she loves and those who have wronged her!  Just how will it all play out?

Stafford spoke with noted soap journalist and columnist Carolyn Hinsey in a new interview out today about her arrival onto the Port Charles scene, where she talks about being the new kid on the block, working with Kelly Monaco (Sam) and Michael Easton (Silas) and working with head scribe Ron Carlivati and executive producer Frank Valentini to make Nina come to life!   Here are a few excerpts below!

Michelle on being a hit character on one soap (Y&R’s Phyllis) and then coming to another soap and creating a new character and the challenge of it: “Sometimes an actor makes a splash on one show and then comes onto a new show expecting they’re going to make another splash. But you have to start each new job anew. I’m the new kid on the block. I am at GH to aid story.”

Michelle on what are her thoughts on working with Michael Easton:  “Amazing. I took his parking place one day and I want to publicly apologize for that. They gave me his spot; I think they just saw the ‘M.’ He’s really smart. He’s a writer himself… God, there’s so much I want to say about our conversations but if I tell you it will give away the character. There’s so little I can say.”

Michelle on the story with Sam (Kelly Monaco) and Silas:  “It’s OUR story, not my story. It’s important that they kick ass and I kick ass. I already told you about Michael, and Kelly is amazing. I really like my scenes with her. I haven’t seen them yet. I hope they’re good.”

Are you looking forward to seeing Michael Easton, Kelly Monaco and Michelle Stafford in scenes together?   And what happens when the the character of Nina causes some major problems for her loved ones and family?  Weigh-in below!

 

 

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Well I think Phyllis should not come back to Y&R at all . That part has been played out. Nick does not need that

The role of Phyllis was recast last week.

What we need is flashbacks to twenty years ago showing Silas and Ninas relationship from its beginning, their marriage and when she fell into coma…cant feel for her good or bad unless i know more about their relationship and why Silas cheated on her…flashbacks would help immensely. But im ok with this storyline…we know Silas and Sam…we just dont know Nina!!!

I would think as this mystery unravels, we will see some staged flashbacks, but for now, they are leaving us guessing. For a major plot devised outside the core GH world, it is really working.

I also hope GH does flashbacks of Silas and Nina’s relationship.That way we can see how they were back then instead of just hearing them talk about it.Plus it could be interesting if Silas and Nina remember things differently.

Is this really Nina or Natalie Buchanan in a rubber mask…kidding aside how long has she been out of a coma…did she just wake up and know everything…could she even function normally: walk and drive a car after being in a coma for so long…or has she been out of coma for some time now…just curious!!!

She woke up for the I Phone 6.

@ jmh not real impressed with the entrance of the character I have a feeling she is going to turn out to be a little bit on the creepy side! I am going to reserve judgement to be fair but right now not sure MS is going to have the chemistry with ME that KM does.

I can’t wait to see Michelle Stafford full-time on GH.Plus as much as Michelle knows she was great on Y&R she knows been on GH is a whole new ball game so to speak.Plus it sounds like she wants to be a team player on GH and not be the star or try to take it over.

More Michele less Rafe, TJ, Jordan, and that annoying Zen dude that hangs with Maxi!

I love your idea of flashbacks to twenty years ago,so that we can feel invested in their relationship. I would go even further and suggest flashbacks to when they met in College but then they may have to hire actors in their late teens early twenties to portray them, I hate when they use the same actors but they film it hazy so you are supposed to believe you are seeing the younger versions of the characters.

Well in the case of GH, for flashbacks they can always use Spenser as Silas, Emma as Nina and the new Jocelyn as Ava…i just had to say it before someone else does…lol…but seriously i wouldnt mind whoever would play them in flashback…i would love it if D.M. came back as Madeline as well to do the flasback…i think flashbacks to tell the story of their relationship would make for some high entertaining drama as well help us invest in their relationship…just a thought!

At least flash them back twenty years. Both actors look good for their age. They could pull it off. What I would do is go back twenty years and rehire a former actor that was on GH and have him or her have history with these two characters and then bring that old GH character back to Port Charles in 2014. No one comes to mind but you can look up what happened on GH in those days and write someone back into the show that was a fan favorite.

Now, Sam’s husband Jason needs to come back and be played by Michael Muhney. Talk about a four way love triangle. HOT, HOT, HOT

THAT would put the kibosh on so many things, perhaps

and solidify a quantum leap… for GH

doesn’t it seem… it needs to be a part of the conversation…. that RC/FV are trying to encompass long time fans and newbie… with surcharged euphemism… that change is imminent in this genre of 2014. this crap shoot.. juggling of demographics

I don’t know… imagine

Michelle Stafford
Michael Muhney.. YES.. in any platform… he’d culls his all and be
Michael Easton
Kelly Monaco

this is right up there with superlative

as reiterated…

if Carly and Franco left the canvas…

would they be missed?

for all the bait and hook/switch… and on going derision of cast miss

I don’t think so…

heck i’ve even thought… would Roger Howarth and Laura Wright
not… be a good EJ and Sami for Days of OUR Lives

even tho.. i’d love Trevor St. John… Michael Muhney… Brandon Barash… even Josh Kelly.. as the new EJ

and Kelly Sullivan as the nuSami

all being temporary recasts.. should James Scott and Alison Sweeney want to be home.

it’s a wrench to be sure

TPTB has us in a headlock

LOL… yet I’ll soapbox… with

MM in a black leather jacket. Cool.

No offense but SB is Jason leave the character dead unless SB wants to come back. Just like Phyllis on Y&R should have stayed in the coma we have now deaged her character almost a decade. You hear me RC leave Jason dead.

I’m looking forward to Siam overcoming the obstacles and hard times Nina will bring them. I truly believe Silas and Sam’s love will overcome NIna. Silas loved Nina 20 years ago. He’s a changed man now and in love with someone new. For myself, I am invested fully in Silas and Sam not a couple that happened offscreen 20 years ago, flashbacks or not. I do believe Nina will try to wreck as much havoc on their lives as possible though.

I’m also looking forward to seeing how Sam and Silas deal with Nina’s arrival.Plus as you point out the Silas Nina knew 20 years no longer exists.Silas moved on with his life and fell in love with someone else.What happened to Nina was not her fault and she was robbed of 20 years of her life but she’ll have to accept that she can’t go back and recapture what she lost.I do think Nina will be a villain but she might also have parts that could get sympathy from the fans.

Guess I’m weird. Not familiar w/the actress that plays Nina ~ but not liking the Nina character at all. It’s way too crazy and silly ~ the writing, the plot line, think they should have left Nina dead !!!!

I knew GH would cast Michelle Stafford as Nina Reeves-Clay, she is one of my favorite soap actresses.

I wish her luck on GH. Loved her on Y&R. I just hope the show doesn’t cram her down our throats now. That never goes over well with long-time fans.

Michelle is a very smart lady I think she knows bringing on a new character is a tough sell I am for one curious to see how all this plays out and I hope RC writes a good story for all three of them. She is right just because you are a hit on one show does not mean you will be on another I think we are seeing that with SB on Y&R!

I didn’t care for MS on Y&R, and I’m not looking forward to her on GH. There are enough actresses on the show now. What they need are a few more single men.

THANK YOU

that’s why I already posted…

what if… : Carly and Franco leave Port Charles and go to Holllywood
Yeah, right?

LOL

and this salary cap… is left to Brandon Barash.. and Ingo Rademacher… ex’s Johnny and Jax.. return to mix, fire, whet, and drive it ALL home

I’d rest and go with

I really just don’t care. Ugh-more montone Sam and Silas time. The only part of the storyline that I like is Madeline and Dr. Obrecht’s scenes as sisters, making digs at each other. They are a great comedic team!

you have a lot of point.

please do NOT show ME Silas in a tank top any more
try to reinvigorate Kelly Monaco’ Sam… with energy surplus

in a lot of ways… this does not bode well… for a powerhouse.. to mow shovel… and push aside… a big part of RC/FV trying to forge new ground

I am certain… MS’ Nina… will not break any new ground… and crack Silas and Sam… she should just gun for… any one else.. to whet her stimuli… and Franco isan easy but HOT target.. thereby giving LW’ Carly some unnerving drive… she could lose all her vigor

Donna Mills has never looked good… till .. Kathleen Gati happened on the scene… if she rocks it… and pulls… Madeleine and Nina.. then.. it’s a whew… OK…

it really amazes me… that the GH production.. hasn’t offered Kathleen Gati.. a contract… she’s expressed her wish

it’s with reservation… as I don’t think they have the cast pull off to begin… Michelle Stafford…

she’s magnanimous… delivers… rocks… salivates… satiates… ON FIRE : PULLS

I hope

Amen to that, dmr. I am actually dreading the entrance of Nina….I don’t care a whit about her character and having MS portraying her makes that disinterest ten-fold. I do not like her style of acting and I truly hope she doesn’t end up detracting from the already established dynamics of Dr. O. and Britt, plus Madeleine and Nathan. Just exploring that newly discovered family unit was more than enough to provide new blood and angles to an already existing drama, plus, I am totally in for Sam and Silas….which means not only do I express a distaste for Nina’s return, but Jason’s, as well.

I am so happy Phyllis, er, I mean Nina, is awaking from her coma and coming back to reclaim her family. I have missed Phyllis so MUCH! I mean, I have missed NINA so much!

I’m a bit late in this discussion but I agree with you Shay. I like Sam and Silas together and prefer that neither Nina nor Jason come between them. Obviously we all have history with Jason…Jason and Sam…so I think depending on the recast the fans will be split as to whether they’re on team Silas or Jason.

As for Nina, I found her a bit more interesting the second episode and a bit more sympathetic…but I’m sure she’ll be trouble moving forward. Her mom responsible for her coma…supposedly killing her baby (which I think will turn out to be Rafe), her husband having a child with Ava and in love with Sam. Yep…she’s gonna be one vengeful chick as the days go by…

Love love love Stafford! I hope this is the kind of soap triangle where I can’t decide who Silas should be with!

I do not like Nina – wasted space IMO – I FF all of her scenes – she is a crazy person and knows everything that has gone on in Port Chuck – total deceitful person – get her gone quick please

Sam and Silas definitely need something to liven them up IMO.

I do have some problems though with how Silas first cheated on the wife he claims to have loved and then just left her comatose self to rot in a nursing home for the next 20 years.

I know the backstory is that it was all the mother Madeline’s doing but it doesn’t seem like Silas did much to enforce his own rights to act on her behalf as her husband. That could make it a little hard to find Silas rootable in a triangle or quad.

Donna Mills/Madeline will be involved in the story..
this story holds some really powerful actors!
Looking forward to this story!!!

GOOD points

did Silas medical field “expertise” lend itself credibility..

and he left home… after being supported.. by… and paid for.. his doctorate

altho… the banger… up… is he didn’t know he was a father…

I hope ME and MS chemistry “together” is a must

if not… they have to bring back ex’s… Johnny and Jax.. to bring so much energies to : Nina… Carly… especially LW.. as it seems i’ve given her the let go… but… Olivia needs change… even AVA… with that lustful…. charged amped up … Johnny (with any one).. just to be near…

I still believe… that the writers need to delve in to a potential Sam and Patrick pairing… the missing in action… supposed better half… they have so much in common.. it’d tear up and guard this paring

Fans have so much enervating ideals

I stand by… that we are to be acknowledged

Sam and Patrick are great together…but she’s in love with Silas who’s on cavnas…Jason will be coming back…I think she’s got enough love for now. LOL. And, I think no matter how she tries to understand, she’ll be pissed at Patrick for not telling her Jason is alive.

welcome to GH Michelle, looking foward to seeing this story unfold,and looking forward to you interacting with other cast members. let the fun begin.

And did you catch that picture of Silas and The Nina? (At another board they are refusing to treat Nina as anything other than a plot point so are calling her “The Nina” which I like).
The Nina is supposed to have been in a coma for 20 years, right? They might have filmed Michelle Stafford through three closed doors but she STILL looked at least 40ish in that picture. And Silas looked like his own grampa. So did The Nina suffer from rapid aging syndrome, and did Silas catch it from her, or did Silas sneak into her room over the years, tape her eyes open, put clown makeup on her and pose for pictures?
No matter what, she looks a lot more like Alexis’ older sister than the resurrected wife of Silas McBain whateverthehellhisnameis.

“… And Silas looked like his own grampa. ”

I never laughed so fast and readily…. LOL… I so agree

that’s why I emphatically state…

Nina… with : ex-johnny
Nina… with : ex-Jax

perhaps… with Patrick
perhaps… with Franco

I just don’t see it yet… on the canvas

why not… Kevin… tnis is my best bet

I was thinking the same thing! A twenty+ year old picture? C’mon, use a little PhotoShop or something. Geesh! Next thing you know she’ll awake from her 20 year coma, grab her smartphone and check Silas’ Facebook status. Puhleeese.

Love Michelle Stafford so excited for her joining GH wishing her the best of luck❤

I really liked Michelle Stafford on Y&R. I hope she can bring some interest to this incredibly boring storyline. I’ve been FF through the Sam & Silas scenes since they came back from Ryan’s in NYC. ZZZZZZZZZZ.

Maybe she’ll liven up the rather wooden Nathan West too. He’s grown on me since his scenes with Maxie and Britt. (Not to mention he’s very easy on the eyes.) I’d like to keep him around to see his relationships develop with Maxie and his family.

My only hope is that the launching of “The (Good Ship)”Nina” is not as overdone as the previous ones featuring “The Ava” and “The Santa Sabrina.”

I watched Thursdays episode best part Liz & Patrick!

I have to say, that I liked the end of Tuesday’s episode where Sam and Silas walk back to Danny’s party and see Nina playing with Danny. I like how this was not drawn out, having Nina alive, following Sam and Silas around town or in hiding. I like how they wrote her to be out in public at a public outing. Obviously, Nina has been doing her homework behind the scenes. I think she will be an interesting character, looking for the life she lost with a lot of resentment for those that left her behind. As much as I don’t care for Sam or Silas, Nina could be what makes them interesting to watch.

Michelle Stafford is LOADED with EVERYthing

her embodiment – her being… is FULL of EVERYthing

I thought, like you… that it was a good entrance…

there was no acting… over acting… or downplaying… just there….

her presence

you could here her voice… as Silas walks towards the “party” and she turns

scene end

it’s not like it was “ITS Phyllis”

it was… there SHE is

Michelle Stafford

Nina’ ON

I feel a riveting… a bubbling… an ease… of FUN… dare… play with… play out… there she goes

an anticipation

I’m glad Michelle Stafford is back

ps: WITH Kevin!

till johnny or jax return

I have to say.. she was good today.. did not watch her on previous soaps… There is something about her that is keeping me intrigued…….Time will tell…though I was suprised how she was brought into GH storyline … thought it would have been different… .. I was thinking it was a dream for the for 15 mins.. then realized.. she really is at the Birthday party..

So sorry but Sam/Silas and/or Nina/Slias not working for me. Every time, I see Michael Easton. I only see John McBain. Silas Clay doesn’t hold a candle to John McBain. It’s painful to watch. ABC settle the lawsuit and get the rights back to OLTL.

As for Kelly and Michelle, both are lovely ladies; however, no one has better on screen chemistry with Michael Easton than Melissa Archer. Watch online videos of them. I haven’t ever seen a better soap couple, including Luke and Laura.

For Jolie fans, some great fan fiction out there to resolve the mess that GH and Prospect Park made of John and Natalie’s love story. Frank and Ron, perhaps you should take a read. Ratings gold.

If a viewer can’t get over an actor playing a different part, that’s on them. It’s not the writers’ responsibility to cast parts, or create characters, because one fan can’t suspend their disbelief. Even if the lawsuit was settled, you still wouldn’t be satisfied until your favorite couple was replaying their old storylines ad nauseum. Did you ever think maybe these actors are glad to be using their talent to create different characters? That is the definition of acting, after all.

I’ve only seen Ms, Stafford act occasionally because my Mom, (who got me hooked on all the ABC soaps back in ’69), had switched from ABC to Y&R ,B&B and all the other network soaps on TV; I became familiar with the actors and storylines but not on a regular basis.
I cannot say MS would have been my choice as Nina and I don’t know really know enough about her acting chops except for watching her portrayal of Phyllis from time to time on Y&R where I thought she was good to better on a sliding scale.
I was not impressed with her first real appearance ( Danny’s birthday party)because she didn’t act as someone who just came out of a 20 year coma (had I not known I never would have imagined that )and frustrated at the less than tepid acting job done by all in the scene but especially ME and KM, after realizing it was Nina sitting there. (and I am a huge fan of ME and KM but especially ME). Here was an opportunity to really use their acting skills -not over the top, but captivatingly. The same lackluster, forced conversations between ME and MS continued at Sila’s apartment. MS seems to be forcing her words and her smile is as well; regardless of whether she may have something up her sleeve, she is annoying. Me is completely flat. I understand he is shocked and not in touch with his feelings, but he needs to modulate. I hope this gets better .
It also strikes me that I don’t know why soap actresses who are in their late 40’s early 50’s think that it is ok to act as if they are in their 20-30s and that it is flattering to themselves- do they actually think they look that young enough to pull it off? I don’t, no matter how much botox, fillers or plastic they get. I couldn’t stand it with Susan Lucci and feel that way about quite a few actresses on GH including Maura West, Jackie Zeman, and Kristina Wagner and now Michelle Stafford. Yes I know Nina went into a coma 20 years before, but that still would have made her 29 and not 19 or 20. jmo

Just a thought here MS is trying to come off as someone that mentally is still in their 20’s remember she was in a coma for 20 years and yet her body looks like she has been working out at the gym every day for the last 20 years. Lol! I watched for three days now I am done nothing left to see. Amazing that I read the daily updates on the soaps see I am missing nothing so my DVR is still not recording. I feel like my Dad who use to tell me they don’t make cars like they use to they don’t make soaps like they use to either.

I agree with you that soaps (particularly ABCs ) aren’t written or produced as they were back in the early days. They all became practically unrecognizable after a head write named Megan McTavish systematically destroyed AMC ( breakdown writer 87-92, Head-writer ’92-95, 1997 – early 1999, 2003- 2007, OLTL ( Head-writer 1999 – January 2001 and finally GH (Head-writer April 2001 – June 12, 2002) I mentioned that I’ve been watching all ABC sudsers since ’69 so I recollect and compare as you do. The reason I originally loved the ABC shows so much was that individually they were trendsetters, edgy, pioneers and models in story treatment and production for other soaps (i.e super-couples, location shots, controversial topics of the day, great writers created character driven stories whose histories and integrities were kept in tact no matter what .until Mctavish changed that with a vengeance. My mother switched to all the other soaps particularly to Y&R, B&B and DOOL while I kept/keep hoping things will get better on GH. Wasn’t surprised that AMC and OLTL were canceled but GH is the last hurrah and I would be sad to see it go down the drain- I do think we need a miracle.

I can’t wait for Nina to leave GH

I agree. I don’t like this character at all, and since the storyline is so sudden, I don’t know her or feel connected to her. I don’t care about her. Besides, instead of helpless and “fragile,” she seems manipulative and sneaky. Like her mother.

I think the writers are insulting our intelligence to expect us to believe their version of someone who just came out of a 20 year coma. That being said, in a comment I made earlier I wasn’t positive about MS or Nina. I still don’t like Nina, but I softend my opinion MS after watching her scenes on the second day.

Michelle Stafford adult (female) at one point in her life, lived and functioned as a (male). John aka Michael Easton shared kisses with Nina aka Michelle Stafford…Is Michael Easton Bi-Sexual or was he even aware that she once was A man??? Many of us want to know?

huh?

I will never watch grneral hosp I cant stand michelle staffords acting now or when she was on yand r

I love MS, but don’t they have psychiatric therapists at GH,
for people who have been in long-term comas? You know,
to help Nina adjust to her new surroundings & all the years
she lost.

Really, shouldn’t Nina be in professional counseling rather than
running wild all over PC, thinking she’s still an ingenue ?? lol

There is absolutely no one who can play RED but Phyllis I’m so sorry for the lost of Y&R!!!

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric

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Dominic Zamprogna

General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).

On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.

Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”

Courtesy/ABC

HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT

Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”

Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”

Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”

Dom and Liz

Photo: ABC

DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES

In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”

Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”

You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.

Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guy  for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.

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General Hospital

GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

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Patrick J. Gibbons

At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.

However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.

Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Photo: ABC

FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG

Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!

Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”

MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL

Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).

Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”

Photo: JPI

PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY

Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”

It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”

A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”

Photo: PGibbons

IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS

As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”

He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”

Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.

So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Admits That He Didn’t Expect the Role of Michael Corinthos to be Recast, and Would Consider Working on Another Soap (Exclusive)

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Chad Duell, the Daytime Emmy-winning actor, who stepped away from the pivotal role of Michael Corinthos on General Hospital, opened up about: his previous decision to leave the series after nearly 15 years, where’s he’s at now after time away from the demands of a daytime soap opera, and took a stroll down memory lane with some of Michael’s most-acclaimed storyline during his run, during a livestream chat on August 19 on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.

Viewers last saw Duell on-screen as Michael in January of 2025, and with his successor in the role, Rory Gibson making his debut at the GH Nurses’ Ball in episodes that aired later in May. It was clear that during the conversation, Chad was a bit surprised that the GH brass decided to recast him when he thought he was just taking some much needed time off.

Burn-out of the daily grind of being on a soap was definitely a part of Chad’s decision to take a break. Duell explained “People know when you’re doing something for so long or your character is kind of in the same place for so long or doing the same stuff over and over again, you do get a a little burnt out, you get a little stiff, stale, a little stiff at times. I didn’t want that to be any sort of lasting impression. I have 15 years of a body of work of I’ve done on that show, which is fantastic.”

Chad Duell

Photo: ABC

WHILE CHAD WAS AWAY GH RECAST MICHAEL CORINTHOS WITH RORY GIBSON

Chad shared, his mindset when leaving GH was, “I’m taking some time away, we’ll see what happens.” Then he added, “Obviously, they decided to go in a different direction with Michael when I was gone. I didn’t think they were going to bring somebody back in my place. But you know, it’s the business. You never know what can happen.”

Duell also shared he has not watched a single episode of General Hospital since he left the series, but now feels he reenergized following the loss of his father and stepping away from the GH, “I’m in a place now mentally, where I’m ready to sink my teeth into it again.”

Courtesy/ABC

Even though he is no longer Michael on GH, Chad was very happy with his final storyline where Michael was set on fire when a bomb exploded at Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) penthouse. “It was fun to put him in a dangerous situation, because I was wanting Michael to be in something scary instead of trying to be a hero character or just things happening around him, but to be the center point of tragedy happening to him. (I always saw) Michael as the heart of the (Corinthos) family.”

When Michael was badly burned the show chose not burn his face, which normally a soap does when they are recasting role and switching actors. Chad weighed-in, “They didn’t burn my face because I told Frank Valentini (EP, GH) I’m willing to come back. It was just a little bit of a break. So, I assumed that if they would have burned my face, they could have brought somebody back looking different than me… if that’s what their plan was.”

Courtesy/ABC

MEMORABLE MICHAEL STORYLINES

One of Chad’s most memorable performances was the in the storyline of Michael’s rape while he was sentenced to prison in 2010 and the confession of it in 2011. “It was so well-written and I was very nervous,” recalled Chad. “When I get really nervous about something, it ends up being really good when I do it, because it just means I care a lot about it”

“I have to put a lot of effort and work into it, and I really want it to be good.  I was working with Dominic  Zamprogna (Dante) and Steve Burton (Jason) a lot during those scenes, and Laura Wright (Carly). It was great working with Steve and Dominic, especially, during that storyline.

A NEW SOAP ROLE FOR CHAD?

As to a future soap opera role, Chad is open to the idea and would love to jump back in to a juicy role, “I know people over at The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Young and the Restless. They know that if they’re interested, I would love to come in for a screen test or something, and they can see what I’m doing.”

Meanwhile, Chad has been busy putting out new music under the moniker Duelly and during the interview he explains how he creates his EDM tracks and much more. You can stream his latest single, Static in the Quiet Room on Spotify, Apple Music and You Tube Music.

You can check out the full conversation with Chad Duell below.

Now let us know: what show would you like to see Chad cast on down the line? BTG, DAYS, B&B, Y&R, or a new role on GH? What did you think of his thoughts on the casting switch while he was away in the role of Michael? What was your favorite Michael storyline during Chad’s 15-year run on the ABC soap opera? Let us know via the comment section.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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