General Hospital
GH’s Roger Howarth Talks Franco’s Childhood Abuse, If Friz Can Be Happy, And Bad Guys On The Soaps
He’s an original, respected by his peers, beloved by the fans of the soap opera genre, a Daytime Emmy winner, and can make any scene he is in intriguing and draw you into wanting to know what will happen next. We are talking about General Hospital’s Roger Howarth (Franco)
This soap veteran who played One Life to Live’s Todd Manning and As the World Turns, Paul Ryan, has a history of portraying complex bad boys who have done some dastardly things, while yet, at times, displaying a heart of gold.
In Port Charles, Franco has had a violent and dark past (yes, the character had a brain tumor which explained most of his heinous acts), but with that comes an underlying danger that often rears its head for the character, as well as others. Earlier this year, GH viewers witnessed Roger’s heartbreaking performances as Franco came to grips with, and recalled the sexual abuse he suffered as a child by his abuser, Jim Harvey (Greg Evigan). This added yet another layer to Franco’s tragic past, while as fans know, the show has tried to find ways to redeem the character and make him someone to root for; which Howarth does a mighty fine job at doing any way, no matter what material is sent his way.
Coming up this fall, “Friz” fans are anxiously waiting for the nuptials of Franco to his lady love, Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst). Can Franco get out of his own way and find some peace and love as Liz’s new hubby? Only time will tell! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Roger to talk about: his recent tough and impactful storyline, his love and commitment to his craft, and the importance of bad guys on your favorite daytime dramas, and more. Here’s Roger!
You delivered Emmy-worthy performances during Franco’s storyline where he remembers his childhood sexual abuse. How did you feel going through that as an actor? Were you hoping that it was going to help explain more about the emotional make-up of Franco?
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
ROGER: I’m very proud of the work that we did, and I think everybody pitched in. I liked being a part of a story that encompassed several different characters and everybody’s different points of view, and I think everybody was pretty well-represented. In terms of an explanation … I just think it was my job as an actor to put myself in that situation and have the character live through it. Whether it explains something to the audience, or not, isn’t something that I can control, so I didn’t really engage in that. I do believe that their intention might have been to offer an explanation to Franco’s behavior, and his impulsiveness, and his deep-seated anger and his desire to control. Historically, I think real people do kind of repeat behavior, until they remember.
Courtesy/ABC
I always felt GH has tried through various storylines to humanize Franco in some way, because of the horrible things that the character has done in the past. They obviously want Franco to also be this leading man on the show. With that, does it get muddied up, or problematic for you when trying to play the character?
ROGER: It doesn’t get muddied up for me, because I’m pretty much a worker-bee in that I get a script, I learn the script, I perform the script, and the other actors and I are responsible for just our acting. I do think that it might have presented a problem for the writers, and that they were trying to address what you’re talking about. But, I don’t think that fish know that they’re swimming in water, and Franco doesn’t know that the audience thinks he’s a bad guy. (Laughs). You, know what I mean?
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
There was this recent scene where Franco is kind of pulled in to the situation at Ferncliff by Jason (Steve Burton) in an effort to help free Carly (Laura Wright). It’s clear Franco doesn’t want to be there, and he is going back in forth with his conscious on this, and the right thing to do, and whether he should help Jason out. Franco doesn’t know how far to go with it. What do you think those of those kinds of moments?
ROGER: Well, I wasn’t there when Franco and Jason were interacting, because it was a different Franco (played by James Franco). I know that when Steve came back, the writers knew they had to address the fact that while Elizabeth and Jake (Hudson West), and the other Jason (now Drew, played by Billy Miller), had a perception of Franco, that they couldn’t necessarily ask the original Jason to see Franco, differently. From Jason’s perspective, Franco was, in fact, the old Franco. So, from what little I know about the old Franco and the old Jason relationship, I think Franco has a real need for Jason’s approval. In those scenes, I thought that here was a guy who was doing something and he wasn’t sure what was motivating him to do these things. I thought that it was kind of cool and beautiful in that the pleaser and the killer are kind of different parts of the same person. I think on a very basic level, he really wanted this other man (Jason) to like him. I thought that was very human, so I liked that part. It’s like, everybody else thinks he’s a changed man, so why does this one person just not see him for who he really is?”
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
What do you think about the relationship Franco has with Drew, who was the brother he grew up with as a little boy, before Drew was taken from the family?
ROGER: I think that is an important relationship for Franco to have. Drew was a key to his past. I think moving forward these two will have a bond, despite themselves.
Courtesy/ABC
Do you think that if Franco found happiness and actually married Elizabeth, and it actually worked out, that he could deal with it?
ROGER: I don’t know if that’s a Franco issue, or a human issue. I think that people say they want intimacy, and they’ll do everything they can, and when they’re actually confronted with the possibility of it, they do sabotage, and they do run away, and they do find a way to screw it up. I think that’s part of the hook. Her perspective is something that I would hope would be written into the story, also. Elizabeth has her past, and these two people are complicated. I do think there’s something really sweet about the way that these characters feel about each other. What I hope is that we’ve set up a dynamic that the audience is hoping that they can manage to be together. I hope we are appealing to the part of the audience that doesn’t want to screw up their own lives. (Laughs)
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Franco is great with Jake, and Liz’s other children, as well. Why do you think that is?
ROGER: I think there’s an honesty and spontaneity to him, and I think Franco’s developed those survival skills, because of his own history. He relates to kids on a really honest level that I think some children appreciate.
What was it like working with Greg Evigan in Franco’s childhood abuse storyline?
ROGER: Greg was fantastic. He did a great job, particularly when Franco actually got to confront him. I think he was very successful in having his character’s point of view be heard. For as dark and twisted and perverse as Jim Harvey’s thinking was, that character didn’t know that. What they wrote was a man who said that he really loved these children, and that’s really difficult to write, play, and be a part of. I think Greg owned it and did a really good job, and I think he was committed.
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Would you have liked to have had a scene with Franco and his father, Scott Baldwin (Kin Shriner), where Franco went to his dad, and told him about the abuse he suffered as a child?
ROGER: I do think that different roles provide different flavors, and there were some scenes in the park for instance, where Franco did tell Scott what had happened to him, and Scott’s reaction was very generous and supportive. Franco told him what happened to him off-camera, because I’m guessing that the network thought there were some sensitive issues, and they never actually said the specifics of what happened to Franco, which is tasteful.
Courtesy/ABC
With what is going on in the world today with the news cycle, stories of sexual abuse are sadly more commonplace. Do you think they wouldn’t get into more specifics about the abuse, because of this being a daytime soap opera and its audience?
ROGER: I can’t tell whether they can’t say it, or they know who their audience is, and they can just point to it. I think with the Bensch/Kiki storyline for example, they left things to the imagination.
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
I thought that it was so sad what Franco went through. That a molestation of a little boy happened over and over again. It must have affected you when playing out this story.
ROGER: I did get upset and sad. I just can’t imagine that one person would do that to another person. As an actor, I’ve played characters that have done horrible things, and it’s surprising to me that people are so resilient. It’s just so sad what we do to each other.
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Do you want to see your character progress in his life, or continue to be tortured by his past?
ROGER: I think that the dramatic tension of it all is: “Will these people figure out their stuff?” I think that is intensely human and beautiful. Every relationship is problematic for one reason or another, so I really hope that there’s a rooting value. I don’t think that there can be a rooting value without an obstacle.
Have you ever gone to the powers-that-be to tell them what you’d like to do, or see happen next with your character?
ROGER: No, I don’t get involved in any of that. I’m not the best judge of what we do. I’ve learned over the years that we have to commit to everything, because sometimes the things that you think are problematic wind up being the fan favorite. So, I’m more of the: “Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it, and I’ll try not to screw it up.” (Laughs) They shouldn’t let the inmates run the asylum. (Laughs) Because then you get into a weird situation where you’re saying, “My character wouldn’t do that,” and that’s really limiting. That’s the whole point of what we do. It’s supposed to be challenging and out there and large-scale. We are supposed to be really brave and accept the challenge. We aren’t supposed to control where these people go.
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Will you tweak the lines of dialogue in small ways to fit your character, if necessary?
ROGER: Very rarely, and honestly, not as much as people think. I work really hard to make it appear spontaneous. By the time it comes on air, I’ve said it forty-five times. You just have to see that character think that thing for the first time on the TV, because Franco didn’t get a rehearsal. He doesn’t know what’s going to come out of his mouth, and the stimulus are supposed to happen to these characters, and you’re supposed to watch them react in real time. Franco is a spontaneous human being, and I do think there is a responsibility for some characters like Nina (Michelle Stafford), and Franco and Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) to have a different set of synapses. I’ll give you an example: Elizabeth is going to the stand for the Kiki (Hayley Erin) trial, and they wrote a line where she says, “I’m going up there,” or something like that, and Franco says, “Good luck,” and then he turns downstage and says, “Me too.” They didn’t know that the guy at the “Me Too” trial can’t say, “Me too,” so I told them that I would like to say, “Me also.” So, there was a conversation about it, and they just wrote a different line. I didn’t just tell them I wasn’t going to say that. So, there are some conversations. There are fewer conversations now than there were in New York at One Life to Live, because our head writer at the time, Ron Carlivati, was physically in the building. At GH, there is a three-hour time difference between L.A. and N.Y. where most of our writers live, while we are taping on the west coast. So, who do you talk to? For the most part, it doesn’t happen. There’s a luxury for me to even change “Me too” to “Me also.” I do think that we are supposed to come up to the floor with a set of ideas and a way to get it out of our mouths. I do think that they give me a bit of a longer leash, primarily because they understand that I kind of can’t do it another way.
Courtesy/ABC
What do you think of Franco’s relationship with Obrecht? What does he really think of her?
ROGER: I think he really appreciates her support. I don’t think her at times, insanity, bothers him. I think he appreciates it. I think he doesn’t want Obrecht to do harm to people, but expects her to be peculiar.
How would you feel if they wrote that Franco did harm people again?
ROGER: Great. Then we will do that. It could be. It is a little strange, and it seems to me, that they’ve grown reluctant to have some of the primary characters on the canvas behave poorly. I think we do ourselves a disservice when we bring in a fantastic actor to play the bad guy. I don’t know why the child abuse of Franco wasn’t from his actual father, Scott Baldwin. How cool would that have been? I do think that soaps need bad guys.
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
What do you think about the journey you’ve had as an actor? Do you feel that you’re a better actor now at this stage in your career? You started out, I believe, when you were found by an ABC casting search and development program.
ROGER: There was something that brought in to ABC: Michael Weatherly, Laura Wright, Rebecca Gayheart, and Roger Howarth. We all came onto Loving at the same time, and I was terrible, and they fired me immediately. I really thought that it should be played the same way that you play Shakespeare. (Laughs) I was abysmal. I look at it that I am half-way through. I made it to halfway in my career. I’ve got another twenty-five years in me. I don’t know what that will ultimately look like, but I just like acting.
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
You’ve never lost the passion for acting? Some in your profession often sound jaded about it after doing it for a long time. Do you still get the same thrill when you hit the set?
ROGER: Every time I walk on a set, I think it’s amazing. It’s cool what I do. I love it. I love what I do 100%.
So, are you looking forward to Franco and Liz’s upcoming nuptials? What did you think of Roger’s performances earlier this year when Franco recalled his sexual abuse at the hands of Jim Harvey? What did you think of Howarth’s comments about how key bad boys are on the soaps? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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I have admired Roger for many years. He is a very gifted actor. The pairing of Franco and Liz. Roger and Becky are fabulous together. Looking forward to their wedding!
I love his facial expressions.
Great interview. Roger is my favorite soap actor .
Excellent read! That’s for posting this interview Michael. It’s always great to get perspective for someone as talented and intelligent as Roger Howarth.
I never saw Roger do an interview like this
He rarely does any interviews. When he does though, it’s always a great read.
The best actor on daytime.
What a smart dedicated actor Roger is. I am in awe of his talent and his dedication to his craft
I’m so happy you did this interview because Roger rarely does them. Franco & Elizabeth are hands down my favorite characters on GH. I’ve loved Becky since she first appeared 21 years ago. It never dawned on me that they could pair Becky & Roger but they are like lightning in a bottle together.
They can seamlessly handle the angst, the banter, the romance, the comedy. The journey of Friz falling in love was truly rare for today’s soaps. They had the classic slow build which is unheard of now. Six months before a kiss & 18 months before they slept together. I can not wait for their wedding.
Great interview but I wish you’d asked him about the partnership he has working with Becky. Maybe you can get an interview with Becky closer to the wedding.
Franco seems to be a polarizing character, but I like him and think Roger Howarth is a dedicated, creative actor. I hope they continue Franco’s evolving friendship with Drew; Roger and Billy are dynamite together. But heck, when is this wedding going to happen? Their engagement is lasting longer than many marriages.
Roger brings up some issues. He is a marvelous actor whom I have admired for a long time.
Still prefer Todd…
I love Franco. Bad guy or good guy you just like him. He is such a wonderful actor that he draws you into his character and you react. Remember Him from As The World Turns and I felt the same way. Like His new Haircut
Thank you for this article it’s so great to hear Roger’s perspective on his character and career. It’s easy to see why he is so well liked and respected in the industry, he really understands his craft. I would love to see a joint interview with Becky for the wedding!
Such an insightful interview! Roger’s answers go beyond the usual talking points and bring a unique perspective from the actor’s lens. I am hopeful that his fabulous work this year is recognized at the Daytimf Emmys.
Thx for sharing and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for an interview with his acting partner, Rebecca Herbst, soon!
Fabulous interview, fabulous actor! Never tire of watching what he does.
Roger is one of my all time favorites. I loved him as Todd Manning, which was my introduction to this actor. I won’t say That the cleansing of Franco has been easy on the fans of JaSam, which I’m unabashedly one. I often think that we all suffer from PTSD from the original storyline. I was never happy with the “brain tumor” story and the get a free pass from accountability, that was given to the character. Nor was I thrilled when they paired him with Elizabeth for two reasons, one, she is a rape survivor and two it grates that he is helping to parent Jason’s son. The last thing that bothers me about this storyline and character is that his victims (pre removal of said brain tumor) are expected to just “just get over it”. It will take time and smart and gentle writing for the fans to reconcile this. All that said, I can think of no other actor on this planet that could humanize and redeem Franco better than RH. Roger is the ONLY reason i am even giving it a chance.
Franco is too mushy wussy..
Roger can play a great edgy bad boy with a heart of gold.
This powder-puff Franco is a stale bore, he needs to get his darker bad boy side back and still hold onto his good side.
Putting Franco with Liz (the mother nun) was a bad move.
He was 100% more interesting/colorful/vivid/intruging with Carly and Nina; Franco and Liz are like toe-nail clippings BLAHHHH.
Franco should never ever be a mushy wussy stale bore, never.
I agree I have always loved RO HO wen he plays bad guy.. he doesn’t play a good goodie two shoe.. I 2ould love to see him to go back to being Dark again.. I don’t feel he should be paired with Liz who is a Rape Survivor.. I liked Franco with Nina and Ava him and honestly O Brecht would be great together.. my fav with him was Blair on OLTL.. please bring the Dark side back out of Franco..
Roger is a great actor but i would like him better with nina or ava.i am hoping franco and liz break up
I agree
I like his attitude very much–and he is articulate about the way he works–and candid and upfront with his opinions. I like that; however, he came on to play a character that he “set” the character before he got that. A bit unfair for him, granted.
BUT the violence that the writers have done to the true (evil, black and white) character is a barrier he can’t get over. So he does the best he can with what he is given. Too bad. They should have let the evil Franco lie–and brought him on in a totally new character on a blank canvas that he could put his own imprint on. He’s a talented and dedicated actor. But I don’t/can’t ever root for the current storylines (haven’t watched BUT will when Genie returns) that he is playing. Again, too bad. I love the humor bits that he throws in and his spontaneity. The totally dark original character along with the violation of the character by reviving him exemplifies a lot of what is wrong with current GH.
I am really unhappy with this interview! The majority of Roger’s scenes are with Rebecca Herbst but he didn’t pay her one compliment! He talks about Franco has changed but admits he doesn’t know much about the old Franco. Roger says he thinks the show is reluctant to have the primary characters behave badly – is he on another show? No way can he be talking about GH with their nonstop redemption arcs! Roger thinks the show does itself a disservice when they bring in great actors to play bad guys – the disservice is to the audience who gets stuck with a character who isn’t likable and again, those nonstop redemption arcs! I didn’t like the interview but the part that bothered me most was Roger suggesting that Scott should have been Franco’s abuser because that would have been cool! Cool for who? Not for Kin Shriner who would have had his entire character re-written into a scumbag! Not for the audience who have watched and loved Scotty since 1977! We have seen Scotty as the sweet and earnest young lawyer who was crazy in love with Laura Webber and devastated when he lost her to Luke. We saw Scotty become bitter after losing Laura and begin scheming. Scotty always competed with Luke and Scott entered into some shady activities but they were always about money or nailing Spencer and/or Corinthos. Scott adored Dominque and was crushed when he lost her to a brain tumor. Scott loved his kids; Serena, Karen and Logan and we NEVER saw any indication that he was an abuser! Roger is being horribly disrespectful in wanting to re-write the story of a GH LEGEND! Especially a legend portrayed by Kin Shriner who seems to be a friend and mentor to the entire cast!
I agree with you, Tracy. I have mixed feelings about this interview. First, it seems to me that the actors (I don’t know how many but judging from Laura Wright’s and now Roger’s, don’t take the time to learn the history of their character. They seem to play to whatever’s happening in “their” time. On a soap, particularly a soap which is a genre of continuity, a genre where audiences spend YEARS with certain characters, the actors should know who they’re playing and what happened in their character’s past. I’m still reeling from Laura Wright not seeming to know that AJ and Carly had a confrontation on the stairs years ago when she was pregnant and to this day Carly tells the lie that AJ pushed her. Laura Wright AS Carly has told that story, but yet in an interview I read with her when the interviewer asked if she thought it karma or interesting the way the writers repeated history; having Carly being the one accused of pushing Nelle down the stairs, Laura brushed over it, said she didn’t know about that and went on to another thought. Here, we have Roger saying, “So, from what little I know about the old Franco and the old Jason relationship, I think Franco has a real need for Jason’s approval. In those scenes, I thought that here was a guy who was doing something and he wasn’t sure what was motivating him to do these things. I thought that it was kind of cool and beautiful in that the pleaser and the killer are kind of different parts of the same person. I think on a very basic level, he really wanted this other man (Jason) to like him.” Ummm; yes. He did. He does. I mean, the whole thing about Jason and Franco WAS their history, how Franco tortured Jason and Sam, took Sam, made them think he raped her, made them think he ordered the rape on Michael, etc. So, I think Roger should know a lot more than “what little” he says he knows. And I think that Franco wanting Jason’s forgiveness, understanding and approval is obvious. Whatever happened to actors discussing motivation for their character’s actions, thoughts, etc? I know there are a lot of lines to learn and much more work than in a weekly show or a film; but before accepting a role (or upon accepting it) it would seem they should be fully aware of their character and their character’s journey. Since when was there “different points of view” in Franco’s childhood abuse story?” I don’t see Jim Harvey as having a “point of view.” He was a perv child molester and I didn’t get the sense that he was some innocent, deluded creature that thought he really “loved the boys.” No, all along they played it that he kept Franco’s mother scared to do anything because Harvey was menacing; we saw what a criminal he was. This wasn’t some sick, misguided soul. Yes;… Read more »
First, Roger mentioned Scotty as an example of using characters on the show as villains, not that specifically Scotty should have been one.
Second, he was hired to be a completely different version of Franco than James Franco was. They obviously were trying to erase most of the traces of that character, so not sure why Roger should have studied James Franco’s performance. Plus James Franco’s character was a disgusting person, created for buzz, not for story.
I think as horrible a person as Jim Harvey was, he did think he was doing something out of a perverted sense of love. His controlling Betsy was just part of the bargain.
As fro Becky, he said several times how the two of them had created this sweet story and that he actually thought Liz should get more of a POV.
Actually, if you reread the interview, Roger specifically said “I don’t know why the child abuse wasn’t from his actual father, Scott Baldwin, How cool would that have been?” There is no misinterpretation there.
Second: I know who he was hired to play. I know who Franco was in James Franco’s version and I understand how they redeemed the character in order to keep Roger on the show. I am a huge fan of Roger’s and was thrilled that in the midst of a bad decision to cast him as Franco, they found a way to turn it around (although there are fans who can’t seem to let go of the first version and won’t accept the explanations for his redemption.) Be that as it may; still not my point. I didn’t say he should have studied James Franco’s performance. What I DID say was that actors should know the HISTORY of the characters they are playing.
I don’t agree regarding Harvey’s twisted sense of love. If he was a great guy in all other respects; the last guy you’d suspect because in all other areas he was a stand-up, good guy, I’d say maybe. But he came to the show taunting Franco, he tried to make Franco think that nothing had happened in their past, he tried to turn Drew against Franco and told him that Franco had always been trouble even as a kid, he schemed against Ned and the city of Port Charles for his own gain. So, I don’t buy the poor, misunderstood pedophile. He was just a creep.
Can’t comment on Becky; that’s for Tracy to address if she feels like replying.
As for Roger? Loved him on OLTL and love him on GH. I also think he sounds like a very down-to-earth, intelligent person. Still think he needs to brush up on “his history.”
I did not say nor mean to imply that Harvey was misunderstood or anything but a horrible person. What I said was in his head he thought he was not a creep.
I
I agree with Tracy and with Rebecca1 as well. If not knowing history is the only way for these actors (and Roger is highly likable, no doubt) to navigate these scripts, that’s a red flag for this show.
Thank you for this interview. Personally I believe Roger plays better dark and not the goody, goody. He doesn’t sell good well at all. You see him light up when he is plays the darkness. I hope they let him go back to playing dark. No Friz wedding for me not a Friz fan at all.
“… He’s an original, respected by his peers, beloved by the fans of the soap opera genre, a Daytime Emmy winner, and can make any scene he is in intriguing and draw you into wanting to know what will happen next. We are talking about General Hospital’s Roger Howarth (Franco)” this is all very good and nice. TO A POINT . it’s a lot of “fluff” and “FOLD” I am once again throwing in the towel… on Roger Howarth’ Franco – AND – Michael Easton’ Finn. BOTH of them buoyed marqueed a star
END
they both once again… WERE stars in their previous respective show : “One Life to Live
Finn and Anna look like mother and son. this is the most disturbing part of thee show. that Frank Valentini , Shelley, and Chris ACTUALLY believe this pairing to be ????? !!!!! they are like brother and sister… the writing is not cute enough… for Anna… the come hither… the direct approach by Finn … the dalliance and word play are just so nauseatingly sweet.
Franco is always being catered to… no matter what the story.. be it timely… the molestation story came and went too quickly…
every since the Nurses Ball and RH return from vacation he’s on the front lines continually.. his person @ the hospital … nothing is working in and around him… save for Rebecca Herbst who, had Roger Howarth not had in his corner…
there’s so many disjointed story or lack thereof with no depth and no acting out of character to offer any meaning to this show
let me also add… this whole debacle with Laura Wright … HAVING THE OPPORTUNIY ????? to finally act something out ?????? she didn’t… she was safety netted and rescued by Jason. ALL the aura mystery ie: Laura Wright acting talent… has left the building… she’s once again ensconced with Sonny and Jason… these three amigos who are overly heralded as thee show.
this show stinks
there’s something wrong with General Hospital – Frank Valentini you are now nearing the end of your 4th year at the helm. YOU NEED TO BE FIRED or do your job and replace Shelley
I didnt know much about Roger coming to GH. I liked Todd. I was glad when James Franco and Franco died. THEN to resurrect him, WHY? So, I have always had a bad taste in my mouth for Roger’s Franco. BUT, him and Scotty are magic and him and Greg Evigan were the best! Now, as I read this interview, I see that this guy Roger LOVES what he does, respects his craft and lets the writers write and does his job! I admire that!
i have adored roger since his early days as teenage todd on oltl – no matter what character he plays he does not ever disappoint……………..very talented actor!!
Great interview! Roger has such an appealing way of speaking. He really draws you in. What a terrific actor and beautiful personality. Can’t wait to meet him in November. Totally stoked!
“…I think that’s part of the hook. Her perspective is something that I would hope would be written into the story ”
GEEZ – at least we may be seeing a glimpse of Roger Howarth “championing” Rebecca Herbst.. HIS only reason for existing on this dire show. ham any one
so much ^^^^ wordy went in to his discussion about his relationship or LACK OFF .. with either Jason or Drew. I mean really … with RH schmoozing hamming and “courting” the audience if you will.. is all that he’s doing. WHEN he helped Jason rescue Carly with his car… Jason basically dumped him off at the hospital… where Franco tried to offer his presence… she said nothing and they drove off !!!!! I was so floored and livid that this is what is going to continually happen… WHY would the writers extend any emotionally bonding with Jason ??? or Drew ???? Drew certainly has the emotional depth to trigger something between he and Franco… otherwise it’s easier for the writers to give Jason a punching bag. this threesome that’s been building A YEAR NOW .. since Steve Burton returned… has gone nowhere…zilch expectation . so much for the twins and older brother.. however one looks at… i’m just glad that this threesome is NOT WORKING… dag all the overload sucking up any and all airtime as it is… WHEW ! Jason and Sam and Drew SUCK… it’s apparent that this went south… couldn’t be happier. Shelley and Chris NEED to be held accountable. especially all the garbage they are writing about Anna and Finn
Loved this interview. Roger Howarth is so talented and so much fun to watch. So happy w the way Franco is written & I love his pairing w Elizabeth.
Roger is such a giving and intelligent actor. It’s no wonder why his cast mates speak so highly of him. He’s an actors actor. He’s unpredictable about how he’ll approaches a scene. But totally predictable that he will treat the scene and his acting partners with respect. Not many actors could have taken the character of Franco and not only humanized him but made him root worthy. The love story he and Becky Herbst are playing for us fans is unlike any other couple in daytime. My only complaint is we don’t get enough of him.
This interview is way too focused on storylines and fictional characters (in the big scheme of things, who cares?) than in what he THINKS and FEELS about the job. That would have been way more interesting than whether or not he believes Franco’s tumor could come back and make him behave badly.
I like the character Franco. He loves Elizabeth and the kids and wants them to be his family. Roger howart portrail of Franco for me is very good. I think it was a very good idea to bring up Franco’s childhood abuse because abuse of young boys is often forgotten in the media. GH has to be very careful about political correctness because if taken too far would destroy the essence of GH altogether. I’m not big on homosexuality and there has been more time given to those characters than usual.Keep as much normality in the show as possible please and GH could go on for a very long time.
Roger, Becky, Billy, Jon, and Greg. Were great in these scenes. Especially Roger. The man is brilliant when it come to delivering dialogue. They don’t come any better than him.
General Hospital
GH’s Eden McCoy Chats on Tackling the Role of Young Carly, Josslyn’s love life, and Her Co-Stars
The rivalry between Carly (Laura Wright) and Nelle (Chloe Lanier) has deep-rooted history in the past, not just the present, as viewers learn today on a special episode of General Hospital. In it, we go back to the 90s, before Carly stepped foot in Port Charles. This gave Eden McCoy, who usually plays Carly’s on-screen daughter, Josslyn Jacks, the chance to play a young Carly as fans of the ABC daytime drama series also see that the episode sheds come clues to a story that will play out in the present in the weeks and months to come.
McCoy got the opportunity to work with a different set of players than her normal scene partners in Port Charles in the episode – Cynthia Watros (Nina), James Patrick Stuart (Valentin) and young Willa Rose (young Nelle), who comprise the Benson ‘family’ in the flashbacks.
However, while Eden got the chance to travel back to the 90s, Josslyn is also in the dark in the present to that kiss shared by her best friends, Trina (Sydney Mikala) and Cameron (William Lipton). If that lip-lock came to light to Joss, will that finally get her to admit she may feel more than friendship with Cam?
Michael Fairman TV chatted with Eden to discuss: the opportunity to play young Carly, having Laura Wright as her on-screen mom, and going to battle on-screen with her good friend, Chloe Lanier, plus if she would like to share more screen-time with Josslyn’s dad, Ingo Rademacher (Jax), and of course, the burning question, who has Josslyn’s heart? Is it Cameron? Find out when you read on as to what Eden shared below.
Photo: JPI
On today’s April 8th episode of GH, we see you portraying a young Carly. Tell me when and how you found out that you were going to play Carly, and what the experience was like for you taping those scenes?
EDEN: It was really one of my favorite experiences at GH, hands down. I think if I had to choose favorite episodes, this would be this one for sure. My other favorites prior to this have been: the fight scene with Nelle, the dance scenes I did, and the fake drunk scenes with William. Those were all so great. I found out that I was going to do this episode and play a young Carly from Laura Wright. I ran into her on set for blocking. We weren’t even working together that day, and she’s like, “Oh, I’ve been told that you’re going to play a young me in an episode,” and then she literally walked away – because she had to work. So, I was like, “What?” It was kind of this thing hanging in the air, and I rushed to tell my mom, because I was so excited. I didn’t get the script until maybe a month after Laura told me. I didn’t want to ask more about it before then, because I kind of wanted to be surprised, too. Then, when I got the script and read it, I was completely blown away. Then, when I got the news that Cynthia Watros was going to play Carly’s mom and that James Patrick Stuart was going to play Carly’s dad, I mean, I just about had a heart attack! Those are two actors that I’ve watched and admired so much and haven’t worked with a lot. So, it was this perfectly gift-wrapped opportunity to get to know my fellow castmates and dive into a whole other character. Everyone was so involved in that episode. Look at the set design, for one thing. You can totally tell that it transported us into the 90s. Everyone did an amazing job with that style of architecture ….everybody had been researching it …everybody pretty much except for me as I lived through the 90s! The wardrobe was one of my favorite things ever, because the 90s, for me, is my favorite era of fashion. I feel like my own wardrobe is heavily inspired by the 90s. I have vintage pieces; my favorite jeans are 90s Levis. I watched Friends and obviously was obsessed with it. The wardrobe team did an amazing job focusing on all of the 90s trends with the cardigans and the clogs and the jelly shoes and all of that. I have three outfits in the episode, and we literally named them “Monica”, “Rachel”, and “Phoebe” after the women on Friends. It was so much fun.
Photo: JPI
What’s your take on what happened in the episode; as we learn about Carly’s troubled-past with her adoptive parents, and her past with Nelle?
EDEN: It starts as a look into a young Carly’s everyday life. She gets home from a job interview. She is looking for work, and she gets the job, and Virginia and Carly are talking. However, the conversation turns into how Carly wants to leave home, and have a very different life than Virginia, but she needs money to do it. So, she leaves her mom, Virginia, to go find Frank, her dad, who, by the way, is a complete turnoff of a dad. She thought he was going to have some money, and she could be rich, and get it from him, and move to New York, and see the world because that’s her overall goal. Carly is a very passionate, goal-driven person as we know, so she goes to see Frank. It will be a heart-wrenching moment for Carly as a character; and you will see how Nelle factors into this. All of this in the past shows the internal conflict that Carly has towards Nelle as a person and as a character. It’s not just that Nelle came into her life and hurt her kids and hurt her family, but it’s because it’s that desperate need for validation that Carly had growing up. I think, she has had this resentment towards Nelle, because of it.
How old were you supposed to be in the flashbacks as young Carly?
EDEN: I was playing like 18-19 years old, and Nelle was around 6. Willa Rose was such an adorable little actress. She and James were so cute together, and James was phenomenal. He just went 110% on this, and it was so, so fun to work against that. Every take was different. James was walking at this pace, or he was eating in this scene, and he totally took it to the place that I knew that he would take it. Same with Cynthia! Cynthia was amazing. I’ve watched them together since Cynthia first came on the show as Nina, and I’ve watched James forever, so I totally scored.
Photo: ABC
Has Laura Wright seen your portrayal of Carly yet?
EDEN: I’m super excited to see what she has to say about it. Frank Valentini (executive producer, GH) and I were discussing it day-of taping. We were kind of dissecting Laura’s mannerisms so that I could kind of plug them in to my performance. We used when Laura as Carly tucks her hair behind her ear, and Frank was like, “Oh, yeah! Do that!” I’ve grown up with Laura, and watching her, and acting against her, and people clearly compare us all the time and are like, “That’s insane. Do you try to do that on purpose?” It’s like, “No, I’ve just been with her since I was 12, almost every day.”
You realize when working and talking with Laura that she truly gets and understands her art and acting in this genre. She’s really one of the best there’s ever been in soaps. She can dissect a scene and understand it from different points of view, etc.
EDEN: Oh my God, I know. She’s phenomenal to watch, and I am not immune to that whatsoever. It hits me every time I see her act. She’s just been the best teacher. The comments I get the most are: how much I resemble her looks wise for one, but also acting wise. So, I’m so excited to see what people have to say following the airing of this episode.
Photo JPI
What do you think about Josslyn’s combative relationship with Nelle? I loved on today’s episode that we got to see the scenes where Josslyn clocked Nelle again!
EDEN: I would love to slap Nelle again! Chloe is one of my closest friends on that set. Even though we haven’t worked together as much as we used to, we are still very close, and I learned a lot from her. Scenes with her are always so juicy.
Photo: ABC
Where do you think Josslyn is at this point in her love life? Is she still really into Dev (Ashton Arbab)? Does she truly loves Cameron, but can’t admit it to herself?
EDEN: I think that’s it. With Dev, he was an intriguing character with a very different background than Josslyn. They say opposites attract, and I think that goes along with this story a little bit. He’s just something that’s new, and someone who she is intrigued by, and I think that’s realistic. I know that’s happened to me in my love life before. I’m not sure where it’s really going to go between Dev and Josslyn. Then for Cam, I think she doesn’t want to admit the feelings that she has for him to herself because that’s a whole big can of worms. I think she feels that once she admits that it might – not necessarily ruin their friendship – but taint it. Cam is such a safe place and such a home for Josslyn. I feel like if she were to admit that to herself, she’d be like, “Oh, no. I’m going to make this uncomfortable and weird, and I can’t lose Cam as a friend.” That’s always kind of been where her head is at, but I think as she spends more time with him, her feelings become more and more clear. You never really know what’s going to happen, and I don’t think she’s set on anything. Teenagers are just all over the place with feelings, and one day they feel this and one day they don’t. So, it’s always such fun to play because I know some fans are dying to see Cameron and Josslyn get together that and some people don’t want to see that. It’s fun to hear everybody out and to hear everyone’s opinions on it. For me, I just hope it can be something fun to watch. That’s always the goal.
Photo: ABC
So now Trina has shared a kissed Cam, and Josslyn doesn’t know that yet. What do you think her reaction is going to be when she finds out?
EDEN: It will be interesting to see how the writers do that when she does find out, because Trina has been a great friend to Josslyn, and Josslyn wants to be a great friend back, and of course, Joss is a great friend to Cam. These are her two best friends. She doesn’t really want to be anything but supportive. I feel there is going to be a lot of internal struggle with that because I think that action is probably going to make her realize, and come to terms with some feelings that she has probably been avoiding, for sure.
Do you think that Josslyn has truly moved on with her life following her last boyfriend, Oscar’s heartbreaking death, so that she can welcome and accept new love into her life?
EDEN: I think she’s moved on, at least I hope so! That’s a pain that she’ll take with her for the rest of her life, and an experience that she’ll always have in her back pocket. That’s great as an actor … to have had a deep, influential experience because you can bring that into certain scenes and make them stronger. Right now, I think she’s just trying to be normal and feel normal things, and that’s where I hope that her story will continue to go. Life goes on, and we have awesome teenage characters that I’m happy to be a part of and working with.
Photo: ABC
Whenever the fans have seen William Lipton and you together, they have noticed that you get along so well. What can you say about William?
EDEN: We do get along so well. William is the best. He’s really like a sibling.
Would you like to see more scenes between Jax and Josslyn? Don’t you think he should be more involved with his biological daughter’s life?
EDEN: Yes! From day one of meeting Ingo five years ago, he just made it so comfortable for me. We have had a complete connection. We share so many similar traits. For instance, we both love the beach and we have a similar drive. I will say that our relationship outside of the scenes is what makes those scenes what they are and what makes them fun to watch, and why when you’re watching, you feel like, “How is this not real?” So, that’s why he is one of my all-time favorite scene partners.
Photo: JPI
Your mom was, and is, a big GH fan, right?
EDEN: Yes, she grew up watching GH in her sorority house, and her two crushes were Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Jax (Ingo Rademacher), and I’m their kid on the show! I remember when I auditioned for Josslyn. I was given a fake script with a fake character name on it, so, we didn’t really know what my family tree looked like, or anything. When my mom saw Maurice and Ingo in person for the first time, and I remember her freaking out. I can’t even imagine what it was like for her. My mom was just as excited as me to have this opportunity.
Are you at home quarantining, and taking care of yourself during this COVID-19 pandemic that we all find ourselves facing together? How’s that been going for you?
EDEN: It’s going good. I’m not complaining about staying in bed. (Laughs) No, it’s been fun just trying new things and spending time with the family. You know, I’m usually so busy that it’s nice to have a little down time for a minute, but I naturally like to stay present and connect with people on social media, et
What are the fans saying to you most on social media that they want for Joss?
EDEN: I am hearing a lot about Cam. It’s a big, “Is that going to happen? Is that not going to happen? Team Cam/Team Not Cam.” That’s always fun because I love to have rivalries. That means that people are invested in the story. I get a lot of Jax things, like, “Where’s Jax? We need more Jax and Josslyn,” and I completely agree. However my dream, (and I think what a lot of people want to see) is Josslyn’s rebellion and gearing away from the goody-two-shoes person she is for a minute.
Photo: JPI
That would be in-line and typical for the daughter of Carly, right?
EDEN: Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. When I hear about what Carly had done at my age and in the past, I’m like, “I have that DNA.” Carly had a very painful upbringing with not a lot of parental supervision and support. She had no father figure growing up, and Josslyn has had two. That really shapes a person and makes them who they are, but I do feel like with all of the pain the Josslyn has gone through; some kind of off-the-rails moment would be fun to play and will be hopefully in her future.
So, what did you think of Eden’s performance of young Carly on today’s episode of GH? Do you want Josslyn to end up romantically with Cameron or someone else? Do you think Josslyn should display a more rebellious side given that she is Carly’s daughter? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nina Has a Feeling She Has ‘A Daughter Out There’
The latest promo for this week’s episodes of General Hospital has been released and from the looks of it – and a key episode set to air on Wednesday April 8th – the mystery surrounding if Nina’s (Cynthia Watros) biological daughter is alive, and if so who is it, looks to be kicking into high gear.
There is that necklace that Nina is looking at in the promo, Nelle (Chloe Lanier) who seemingly now is being given an opportunity to work with Nina thus getting closer to her who notices the necklace, and then there is Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), who many have thought could actually be Nina’s daughter given their original tense relationship.
And coming up on Wednesday, look for a special episode where the show looks at Carly’s (Laura Wright) past with her adoptive parents Frank and Virginia Benson before she came to Port Charles in 1996.
Look for Eden McCoy (Josslyn) to play a young Carly, Cynthia Watros to play Virginia, James Patrick Stuart to play Valentin, and Willa Rose to play a young Nelle. What will we learn from that episode?
Now below watch the latest teaser from GH, and let us know if you think Nina will finally figure out who her real bio-daughter is via the comment section below.
“Nelle is evil. Promise me you’ll stop her.” #GH pic.twitter.com/g5NrFe8OcD
— General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) April 6, 2020
General Hospital
Happy 57th Anniversary Today to General Hospital
ABC’s daytime drama, General Hospital turns 57 today, and remains the current longest-running soap opera on the air. GH debuted back on April 1, 1963.
The show was created by the husband-and-wife team of Frank and Doris Hursley. Originally, the soap was not given a name of a particular town in which the drama of the hospital was set in. However, that all changed in the 1970’s when GH was set in Port Charles.
GH expanded from a 30-minute show to a 45-minute show on July 26, 1976 and eventually went to a full-hour where it has remained back on January 16, 1978.
Throughout its decades on the air, GH was the impetus for two spin-offs; Port Charles, (which aired from 1997-2003) and primetime’s GH: Night Shift (2007-2008),
The show went through many ups and downs over its history, but things changed dramatically for the better, when by the end of the 1970’s and facing cancellation, ABC brought in executive producer, Gloria Monty to steer the ship. Monty created supercouple Luke and Laura played by Tony Geary and Genie Francis, and opened the show up with exciting location shoots, and from then on GH has remained a firm mainstay in the daytime line-up.
Today, Frank Valentini is the series executive producer, and the soap is co-written by the head writing team of Dan O’Connor and Chris Van Etten.
As 80%, as of now, in the US are reported to be homebound due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the latest ratings for the week of March 23, 2020, GH drew 2.57 million viewers,- its strongest week since March 19, 2018. So, more eyeballs are tuning-in to the drama in Port Charles.
Share your congratulations and well-wishes to the cast, crew, and creatives at General Hospital for 57 years of drama, romance and intrigue via the comment section below.
But first, vote in our poll for your favorite storyline or moment of all-time on GH. If your favorite is not one of the choices listed in the poll, let us know in the comment section which is your favorite, or if you voted for one of the selections, let us know why, too!
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