News
Jason Thompson Talks With ET Canada About His New Y&R Gig, Playing Billy Abbott, and Upcoming Fatherhood!

Courtesy/ETCanada
The Young and the Restless Jason Thompson (Billy Abbott) received a visit from ET Canada, when they stopped by the set of the number one American soap opera to catch up with the Canadian-born soap star!
During their video segment, Thompson shared his enthusiasm in stepping into the role of bad boy- gambler-drinker-father-businessman-lover, Billy Abbott, and all that comes with that. Jason also shared that in a short amount of time he is already learning from his new A-list Y&R castmates.
Jason expressed that what he is loving about playing Billy thus far is that he has a really big heart, and that the guy, “doesn’t always make the right decisions sometimes, but he tries to come from the right place.”
As soap fans know, Thompson and his beautiful wife Paloma Jonas are expecting their first child. ET Canada asked Jason if he is ready to be a dad to which Jason replied: “It’s something I have always wanted, and I have an amazing woman to do it with. This kid has already hit the jackpot with her.”
Watch the ET Canada visit with Jason Thompson here.
So, what did you think about Jason’s thoughts on the character of Billy Abbott, and that he is happy in his new soap home? Are you excited for him that he will soon be a first-time real-life dad? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric

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?”

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.
Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’

While Smitty tries to hold the fort down in his marriage to congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) and their two teenaged children, Samantha (Najah Jackson) and Tyrell (Jaden Lucas Miller) on Beyond the Gates, Emmy-winner Mike Manning has also landed another feature film role.
According to Deadline, Manning has joined the cast of Deify with 6 other new cast members for the indie psychological horror film starring Neal McDonough and Skeet Ulrich, which was previously announced last week.
Joining Manning as the latest cast addition are: Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Greene, Casey Harnett, Kirk Avecdo, Anji White, anf Nicholas Chimera who’s directing the pic also has a part in the film.
WHAT’S THE STORY OF DEIFY?
Taking to his Instagram with the news of his casting, Manning shared, “A movie about a cult? What could possibly go wrong? Come for the enlightenment. Stay because they won’t let you leave. DEIFY is coming…”
The movie is currently shooting in Chicago and in story, “a cult leader is put on trial after causing his devoted followers to be burned alive. The film is inspired in part by events surrounding the 1993 Waco, Texas, standoff between members of the Branch Davidians church and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, one of the largest civilian firefights ever recorded on American soil.”
MIKE MANNING IS A DAYTIME EMMY NOMINEE
In addition, the multi-talented Manning is a producer on the feature. Previously, Mike was nominated last month in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. He previously won an Emmy for his role on The Bay and for being a producer on the digital drama.
Mike’s previous credits include the role of Charlie Dale on Days of Our Lives and the Manny on This Is Us, plus various primetime and screen credits.
So intrigued to find what role Mike will play in the upcoming horror/cult film, Deify? Enjoying him as Smitty on Beyond the Gates? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)

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.
-

General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Maurice Benard Talks: New ‘Sonny’ Storyline, His Contract, and Three Characters He Would Want to See Back in Port Charles
-

Days Of Our Lives1 week agoHow John Oliver’s ‘Days of Our Lives’ Guest Star Turn as ‘Devlin St. John’ Came to an End
-

Days Of Our Lives6 days ago‘Veronica & Julian’ Feature Starring ‘Days of Our Lives’ Alums Nadia Bjorlin and Kyler Pettis Releases Key Art and More (Exclusive)
-

Breaking News7 days agoJohn Oliver Recaps His ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’ Soap Opera Experience on ‘Last Week Tonight’
-

General Hospital5 days ago‘General Hospital’ Alum Bryan Craig Cast in ‘The Weapon’
-

Breaking News1 week agoHayden Panettiere, ‘Guiding Light’ and ‘Nashville’ Alum, Dead at 36
-

Recaps1 week agoTHE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Sharon, Nick and Marie Struggle in Aftermath of a Relapse; Jade Harlow Shares She’s ‘Really Proud’ and ‘Grateful’ to ‘Show How Addiction Can Touch Anyone’ (Exclusive)
-

News1 week agoB&B’s Don Diamont Recalls His Soap Start on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and Confrontation with Exec Prod Al Rabin (Exclusive ‘Soapy’ Preview)

















He was probably licking his chops AND shaking in his boots to play Billy Abbott. First, as an actor, how fun would it be to play Billy with so many quirks? His character on GH became stale. They just didnt have anything for him to do until he and his family sadly left the show. Now he gets to play a character where there is always something going on and his cast of characters are legends. Thats the shaking in the boots part! Not only being recasted as a popular character but he has to act with Jess, Eric, Peter,ect. That had to be nerve racking BUT Jason is a pro and he MAY just end up being better than Billy Miller. Give him some time but MAYBE?
I agree.
And actually, I know it is early and all, but I already
do like Jason better than Billy Miller in the role.
Billy Miller was great as Billy BUT Jason Thompson is a way better actor. Sometimes that doesnt matter, sometimes you are successful because of the character but JT’s strength is working with kids and you saw, day one, him and Delia’s scene was great!
Me,not so much.Where,all of a sudden,did he get that deep voice!Nope,don’t like him
I think JT’s already better than Miller as Billy Abbott. JT is a really good actor and he’s charming. Miller also is charming, but his acting skills are fairly limited. In fact, Miller has really been struggling since the Jason reveal and it’s painful to watch him.
I’m happy for JT that he has such a juicy role, and happy for me that I get to see him in a role that already gives him more to do than he had at GH.
Trudy, I was going to go there about Billy Miller over at GH but I didnt. BUT, since you brought it up, I agree, Billy Miller has been sleep walking though his scenes. I dont know if he is bored or what but it has been tough to watch. Maybe its a writing issue? I do know that this has turned out as bad as the whole Fluke fiasco!
hi Timmm..
I feel bad for Billy Miller under the snooze writing of J&S of the Jason character..
He has been written into a coma, he can only act/do what they give him and the material J&S have written for Billy/Jason is horribly dull/lackluster..
At times I can imagine RC writing for Billy/Jason and it would be total high suspense drama not this snore fest he has been given..
Poor Billy probably falls asleep on set, and I don’t blame him, I fall asleep too..
Timmm
I think that Billy Miller just isn’t a good fit for Jason Morgan. Billy has a lot of charm and energy, so much energy that he’s often jittery on camera. All of that worked reasonably well as Jake Doe, but doesn’t work at all as Stone Cold Jason Morgan.
I think that the writing doesn’t help – dragging out the reveal and still dealing with his memory loss more than a year into his tenure is just painful. He needs more story. They could start with him finding himself as a father with both boys and looking for the truth about what happened to Jake on Cassadine Island and to himself, as well.
It looks like it’s painful for him, too. He just hasn’t found a way into this role, but I don’t think it’s a lack of trying. He seems like he’s trying hard to me, but just not finding his character. I think soap acting is a very tough job: lots of lines to learn; one or two rehearsals, one or two takes; and a new director every episode. Reading JT’s exit interview on this site gave me a new appreciation for hard these actors work. So I feel sorry for Miller and wish that the GH writers would just start writing him as Jason 3.0 and target the character to Miller’s strengths as an actor.
@Timmm… I’m in complete agreement with you in regards to Jason’s
stellar performance on Y&R, his character Billy is multi faceted.. He’ll
be juggling quite a few balls at the same time, which will keep it interesting
& Jason interested. Unlike Billy Miller on GH who has been dialing in his
performances of late…
really nice post, Timmmm
1. i’m just so happy to see the Abbotts in front row seats again… Jason Thompson has brought game on… The Abbotts are in full force! I LOVE IT. dang the tired Newman
2. just seeing the pedigree and high brown from which to cull;
Jess Walton : Jill Foster Abbott Chancellor….. whodathunk! ? ! ? her alone is more than enough energy for Jason Thompson acting chops
LOL… I still can’t believe it tho… he’s been awake … since??? last Wednesday … and still no sign of Jill?
Y&R has to rectify this…. so damaging to their own show
otherwise… I’m loving the excitement this is generating… and Y&R needs this
they are #1 by default….
* high brown ; HIGH BROW
Thanks Patrick. They do this on GH to. You;ll see a character and then for no logical explanation they are missing and NEED to be there! Get Jill on set!
Timmm, Nanci, Trudy, su, Fanny,
I have been saying basically the same since the Jason reveal that Billy Miller is not even being Billy Miller on GH (that was when many were saying no one could touch his performances as Billy Abbott). I went back to GH because he was there, but I gotta tell ya, as much as I love Emme (went there for her too), Billy, and of course Maurice, they just can’t keep me tuning in. They have completely ruined any potential that Roger Howarth and Michelle Stafford had for any kind of characters as their characters currently are deplorable at best and horrible together.
I love GH but if ABC was looking to get out of the soap business, now is the time! There is not ONE story that I need to follow now or would be eternally scratching my head wandering how it ended if the show went off the air. THAT is a crime!
I disagree. Nina and Franco are doing just fine for me. I don’t care if I’m in the minority. Michelle is ‘doing’ much better as Nina than Gina as Phyllis. However, no one complains about that…..matter of opinion, I guess. I would much rather see Sam disappear than Nina. But, that would be unreasonable. In my opinion, Stafford is a much better actress.
As far as Jason Thompson, I was one of the first to sing his praises. But, he is not the Billy Abbott we knew. And, that’s fine. Jason Thompson is ‘tops’! Love his acting, in any role. Whereas, Billy a Miller is drowning as Jason Morgan. He is a different person, with a different personality and attitude. He will, therefore, bring his own kind of ‘WOW’.
I feel the same, Chrystie. The ones who have gone to GH just seem
so wrong there…never would have imagined before now that Billy Miller
could literally lull me to a nice catnap while watching him. But on GH,
the times I tuned in ( never watch GH), to see him or Michelle Stafford
for that matter, I am totally bored.
Timmm, Nancy, Trudy, Su, Danny and Christie,
I think that Jason did a good job as the nuBilly. I still don’t see him as Billy. I still see him Dr Patrick Drake. The scenes that Billy Miller had with Michael Muhney, during the time leading up to Delia’s death, were amazing. Of course, we agree to disagree. Cheers!
Give him time, give him time. BUT, you may never see Jason as Billy and thats okay to. I just know this, you will enjoy his acting. He is really good!
Abruzzfan – Before I forget, my Italian roots are in Abruzzo (Pescina)!!
I still see him as Patrick Drake – how could you not after his being on there for 10 years, but I see him as a BETTER Billy Abbott then the last two. I was just warming up to David Tom as Billy again and then they yanked him, but I never warmed up to Burgess Jenkins. I see Jason Thompson taking Billy Abbott to new heights (if the soaps continue). I know with Jason Thompson that he can play multi-faceted and that is what we are getting. It will be good. Just give it some more time.
I agree the final scenes with Billy Miller and Michael Muhney were incredible. Billy Miller was so good at playing Billy Abbott because he was able to be charming and naughty yet be a good father. He bores me to tears on GH.
Hi Timmm – Yes, I agree that Jason Thompson is a great actor, and I will eventually adjust and love watching him on Y&R.
Chrystie – Wow! My roots are from L’Aquila… neighbors and hard headed. LOL 🙂
I was starting to warm up to David Tom too just before they yanked him. It was very sad to see them yank the original. I thought that Burgess did a good job playing the darer Billy. Billy Miller won 2 Emmys for Billy Abbott in 2010 & 2013. He was such a great Billy! Even though I think we need new writers at GH, I could watch Billy Miller anyday, regardless of the slow writing.
I love my soaps. Hoping for a turnaround. It is so nice to share with fellow soap friends. 🙂
HE’S A GOOD GUY AND DESERVES NOTHING BUT THE BEST. Y&R definitely hit the jackpot with him!
That was a cute little video. I am HOPING that Y&R will live on for years to come so that we can see Jason Thompson sink his teeth into the character of Billy Abbott. Billy has been on this merry-go-round for a few years now. He is kind of a loafer that does not have a steady job. One of the worst storylines was burning down Gloworm (thereby ejecting the fabulous Judith Chapman from our screens) in favor of that stupid On the Boulevard restaurant that Billy bought and then it just kind of disappeared.
Add to the fact that we used to have Victor refer to Billy as “Billy Boy” every once in awhile, but now it is just about every freaking scene. The time is WAY overdue to let Billy Mature into a gainfully employed father/brother/husband and stop with the gambling. Or if they are going to continue with the gambling then at least show him getting therapy for it otherwise Billy just becomes Sharon (who never heals) and Kevin (who never grows up). Y&R it is time for some character development!!
I agree Chrystie – (thereby ejecting the fabulous Judith Chapman from our screens). We also don’t get to see too much of Michael now either – very sad indeed! Y&R it is time for some character development!!
Jason Thompson is a fantastic multi faceted actor. He will make Billy his own and will be so memorable.
I agree with you, Michele. We all, I would think, had our doubts. Mine have been dispelled, after waiting and watching with trepidation. Jason’s reception has been positive, indeed. This proves that an actor/actress needs to connect with the audience, as do cast members. Jenkins did not….never would have, regardless how much he tried. Too languid for my taste…just my opinion.
Another character who needs to take a hike is Dr. Anderson. Now, I understand that her villainy does not help her much, however, even the most diabolical character, sometimes (Faison; Dr O) find a little place within us, if not our hearts. But, this Anderson woman offers nothing redeemable. Again, this is another nonsensical storyline, where the viewer is treated as an idiot. Why did Nick and Sage have to go through such lengths to delve into the doctor’s past? Golly Gee, in this day and age, where everyone’s life is public knowledge, they cannot find the doc’s maiden name? Ask Dylan…he’s a cop now, right? Ask Victor….the guy can swim both the Red and the Black Seas, reaching the other side hale and hardy……Victor can do anything; has the world at his disposal; he’s invincible ….C’mon!!!! I think Nick and Sage have bitten more than they can chew. Enough of this, please!!
He’s at the mercy of the worst head writer currently writing for daytime. Good luck Jason.