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Jonathan Jackson Interview: His Daytime Emmy Nom as GH's Lucky & Role in New Primetime Soap, Nashville!

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

What a week this has been for Jonathan Jackson!  First, the already four-time Daytime Emmy winner gets nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role as Lucky Spencer on General Hospital when the 39th Daytime Emmy nominations were announced on Wednesday. Then Friday, his primetime soap pilot, Nashville, gets picked up and is going to series and will premiere this fall on ABC!  Nashville stars Jackson along with a stellar cast of Connie Britton, Powers Boothe, Eric Close, and Hayden Panettiere!  And to top it off, he celebrated his birthday yesterday!  Lots of great gifts we would say, for probably one of the finest actors to ever grace the soap opera genre.

Jonathan Jackson’s work on GH in 2011 was transcendent.  Storyline after storyline he delivered in spectacular fashion; acting acrobatics and realism, and such emotional depth to the life of Lucky Spencer that we the viewers cried right along with him.  If any nominee up for this year’s Daytime Emmy had a banner year, it was Jackson.

On-Air On-Soaps caught up with the talented young star to get his take on all the good fortune and great news!

Jonathan, here we are again!  Congratulations on your Daytime Emmy nomination, in a year when you delivered one powerhouse performance after another, after another!  How do you feel about the nod this time around?

JONATHAN:   It is pretty cool!  I am thrilled and very thankful.  Each year has its own unique set of circumstances.  I am excited for all the nominees as well, and especially the GH family.

Courtesy/ABC

In my mind, you had a bunch of episodes to choose from.  It was almost an embarrassment of riches, but all of the performances were knockouts!  Which episode did you go with for the Emmys, and why?

JONATHAN: There was a lot from the amount of storylines and episodes, and from the intensity of what they asked me to do.  It was way more than usual in terms of serious choices to look at.  But, I ended up going with the episode at the Haunted Star where Lucky told Luke that he was the driver who hit Jake.  It was when Lucky was asking him how much he had been drinking.  And, there were six or seven scenes with Tony Geary (Luke) and I.  There were a lot of different shows to look at, but that particular one just was a really special show for me and for Tony, as well.  Something just happened when we were doing those scenes, so that is why I went with that.  It just seemed like a complete show, with a beginning, middle and end to it.

You had so many great moments on GH last year, but I think my favorite was your scenes in Luke’s intervention.  Was that in the running as one of the final choices?

JONATHAN:  I did consider it, absolutely!  There was Luke’s intervention, the material with Tony when Luke was at the Bordello, and the episodes with Jake dying.  There was also Lucky getting drugged up for two days.  I mean, there were so many, it was literally like there were a lot of different options.  The intervention was really powerful and that was another one of those moments I will cherish with Tony.  But in terms of an entire episode, this one that I chose had the same quality as the intervention, but it has six or seven scenes in it, as opposed to the one big scene in the intervention.

How did you find out you got nominated?

Courtesy/Jim Warren

JONATHAN:  I got a text from a friend, but really did not make much of it, and fell back asleep. But then my kids came in and told me, “Congratulations”.  I guess they had talked to someone and found out.  And so I found out from them, which was cool, and really sweet.

Did you and Tony Geary contact each other on Emmy Nomination day and offer each other congrats?

JONATHAN:  We did not speak in person, but we did leave each other messages.  But I was super excited for him.  And like I was saying, this last year on the show really meant a lot because of the amount of stuff he and I got to do together.  It was something we had been talking about during the years I had been away from GH … that we wanted to work with each other again and do some great work.  That is one of the reasons it is so special.  I feel I did honor what I wanted to do with Tony, by picking this episode for Emmy contention.

I spoke with the fantastic Jason Thompson (Patrick) your co-nominee from GH.   He said, “Listen, I am going to take out all the supporting guys from GH before the Emmy ceremonies!” (Laughs)  He also gave you praise when he said he had an episode that he liked of his work, when Patrick was in scenes with Lucky when Jake died.  However, since you were in it and doing such incredible work, he wouldn’t submit it! (Laughs)

JONATHAN: (Laughs) I love Jason.  I think he is an incredible actor and I was really excited for him to get his nomination.

You have been very busy since you left GH.  You landed Nashville, which was just greenlighted by ABC to go to series this fall!  Did you get the break you wanted from GH, with all the emotional sturm and drang of the day in and day out of playing Lucky Spencer?

Courtesy/Enation

JONATHAN:  Well, I have been working really hard on my band, Enation, and I have been doing quite a few writing projects and also Nashville.  It’s been pretty busy, but it’s been a different kind of busy than GH, which I think was healthy.  The GH grind, mentally and emotionally, got too intense there.  It’s been great now.  I feel like I have a whole other part of my brain available for my kids and for other projects.

The big question is, now that Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati are steering the ship at GH, would you consider a return to the series?

JONATHAN:  I have been staying in touch with GH.  There is always a possibility to come back and do some more work there in the future.  I just love everybody there.

Tell me about Nashville!  Fans will not only get to see you act in the new primetime series, but sing as well?

JONATHAN: Yeah, the character is a singer/songwriter.  I am so glad it got picked up and it’s really exciting!  It’s an amazing group of people.  Callie Khouri is the writer, and R J. Cutler is a wonderful director to work with.  He really has a passion for the characters and the show.  We are combining some amazing music in the Nashville scene with really great story and character-driven drama.  It just has a very authentic feel to it, and I think they are committed to making a very high quality show.

Is the character you play on Nashville, Avery, a good guy or a bad guy?  Or, we don’t know yet?

JONATHAN:  That is the one of the good things about the way that Callie developed the characters.  And that is that there really aren’t too many black and white characters of good guys and bad guys.  There are people who make bad choices, and more troubled people who end up making really good choices.  I think that as the show progresses it will keep the audience guessing, and keep them interested as to who these people are.  My character is a little bit of a narcissist, but I would not say he is a bad guy.  I would say he is a little troubled and sort of arrogant on the surface.  However, I think there is a lot of depth to him and a lot to explore with the character.

One of your long-time co-stars, Becky Herbst (Elizabeth), got nominated for Supporting Actress for her work in Jake’s death.  I am very thrilled for her. 

Photo Credit: Steven Bergman

JONATHAN:  Oh me, too!  I am so excited about that!  She did some incredible work.  I am grateful that she got recognized for it.

So Jonathan, you could win your fifth Daytime Emmy.  Do you have a mantle to hold all of this gold?  When you look at the trophies, what does it mean for you?

JONATHAN:  It’s pretty crazy! (Laughs)  I guess for me, they all follow memories I had with amazing people.  Like last year’s Emmy and submission, it was the stuff with Becky Herbst and Tyler Christopher (Ex- Nikolas).  That holds a very special place in my heart.  Acting is a team sport.  So when any of us gets recognized, we can only give credit to the people that we worked with … and I have worked with some incredible people!

 

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He is so talented and seems like such a genuinely nice guy! Very happy for all of his success and hope he makes it back to GH sometime. By and large the GH cast just seem like very nice normal people with very little ego or diva stuff. Cngratulations JJ! Good interview Michael as usual!

This man from the get go got my vote, anybody that young working with a Soap Opera Great Tony Geary you knew Jackson was good. Same with Miss Alderson working with another great Howarth. Anyway thats what I think.

Me to.

JJ is a class act. Miss him terribly on GH, but wish him well with Nashville and his other projects.

I love Jonathan’s acting, but I just took a listen to his album, Soul & Story: Volume One, and it’s incredible. Beautiful, soulful acoustics – he’s got a great voice. He said he’s put hard work into his band and what he’s created has so paid off. Check it out folks, very impressive!!!

You always publish the best interviews with JJ. Thanks for asking all the right questions.

Great Interview. Thank you. Mr. Jackson is right his work with Tony Geary, and in the past Genie Francis…. well is in a league all of it’s own….and The Triple L are still golden each nominated for an Emmy this year. Congrats to Jonathan, Genie, Tony, Becky…. I so need a Spencer family redemption/reunion before GH ends!!! I was lucky to meet Mr. Jackson a few times and he is a class act all the way around. So excited for both him and us regarding his pilot being picked up, and the success of his music career. Can’t get enough of this man’s work…or interviews with him… so thanks Mr. Fairman for sharing this with us.

I’m so excited for Jonathan Jackson and plan on watching his new show, Nashville. I’m also a big fan of his music and was lucky enough to see him perform live and meet him. He is such a nice guy and very appreciative of everything in his life and that is always evident in any interview he does. Another great interview. Thanks

Jonathan Jackson is one of those rare acters who is so in the moment when he works, that you forget you are watching an acter in a scene. So happy for his Emmy nomination and for all the nods for GH, OLTL, and AMC! Thanks for another great interview!

Did someone say Connie Britton? I’m there! LOVE her!

Another great article. He picked a great scene to submit to the Emmies, too. Very powerful and emotional scene between him and Mr. Geary. Can’t wait to see Nashville when it comes out!

Incredible acting, the drug induced storyline was extremely emotional. Kudo to Jonathan Jackson for his superb acting. Enation has been touring and blessing the east coast with heartfelt meet and greet concerts. Wonderful music with lyrical depth He is a humble, spiritually driven young man. It is a joy to watch him succeed.

I am soooo happy for Jonathan Jackson – love him on GH and I think his band is great. Good news that the pilot for his new show, Nashville, got picked up. Would love to see JJ return to GH on occasions and continue his role as Lucky. He and Tony Geary are so wonderful together – just like a real father and son. I also love his scenes with Rebecca/Elizabeth – they make a really good couple. Add to that his Emmy nomination for supporting actor – this is the icing on the cake!!! Congrats to you JJ/Lucky – you deserve all of the above kudos!!!

Congratulation on the emmy nomination and the new show.I returned to wathing GH when you did,and I can understand your leaving. How much emotional storyline can a body take.
Congrats also to your beautiful family,and hope your singing career picks up because of the show.
Will be rooting for you.

General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Learns Britt Died and Tells Anna He Has Been Working For Cates Since November 2021

On the Tuesday, March 26th of General Hospital, Anna (Finola Hughes) and the viewers learn about where Jason (Steve Burton) has been for over two and half years. However, Jason gets some news of his own.

Anna is visiting Jason at the PCPD interrogation room. She asks him if he shot Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), which he flatly denies. Anna believes him, but she tells Jason it doesn’t matter, because video footage shows him on the roof at the time of the shooting

When talk turns to Jason not willing to speak without his lawyer present, Anna can’t grasp why Jason would instead spend an hour alone talking with John Cates (Adam J. Harrington).

Photo: ABC

It is then that Anna brings up that John went by “Jagger” and that the two of them knew each other in high school. Jason doesn’t recall much of his time in high school following his brain injury, but then he gets furious realizing John knew about “Jason’s” past. That is when Jason slams the table and tells Anna, “I’ve been working for John Cates since November 2021.”

Next, Jason explains further that he has been working as an informant for the FBI. Anna wants to know how this came about and he tells her that after the tunnel collapsed, and he couldn’t make it to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud)… all of a sudden he sees Anna’s face drop.  Anna is the first person to tell him that Britt died and was murdered. She tells Jason the killer is in custody, but he continues to be shocked, overwhelmed with tears welling up in his eyes. Realizing he has to pivot to save his life, Jason continues telling Anna how he wound up working with John.

Jason explains that after the tunnel collapse in Greece, FBI agents grabbed him and placed him under arrest and took him to Quantico where he met John. At Quantico, John played a recording of RICO violations and offered Jason a deal if he agreed to be an informant against Pikeman, the illegal arms dealer.

Anna hears from Jason that he thinks Pikeman is selling illegal arms to anyone flagged by the NSA but has ties to the WSB which they needed a civilian to infiltrate their organization as a military soldier, a mercenary.

Jason tells Anna he was a part of the team brought into eliminate Sonny (Maurice Benard). Every time an attempt was made on Sonny’s life over the last two years, a different team was sent to do the job. Anna gets furious when she learns that John told Jason his job was to kill Sonny and she was with John at the warehouse that night. Jason ensured the sniper missed Sonny and left the rifle behind. However, they were supposed to meet an extraction team. Before he was shot, Dante saw it was Jason on the roof and when he turned around with his hands over his head, Dante was shot by the other guy. Jason says if Dante dies, he’ll be charged with capital murder and then will be useless to the FBI.

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, John visits Bobbie’s and runs into Carly (Laura Wright). She learns Jason is in custody and is going to head to the PCPD. Before she does, Carly has some words with Cates when she learns not only does John have a vendetta against Sonny, but Jason too.  Carly tells John he should recuse himself from the case.

So, what did you think about the moment when Jason learned Britt died? What do you think of Jason’s return storyline thus far and what we learned about Jagger/Jason and more? Comment below. But first, check out a moment from today’s GH with Jason and Anna.

 

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