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Marine Vet Chris Van Etten Talks Tackling The Role Of GH’s Chet, Life As A Double-Amputee, And How He Hopes To Inspire Others

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: Jason Marshall

In a two part video interview released today on The Michael Fairman Channel, Chris Van Etten, the actor/model/war vet who plays GH’s Chet Driscoll, and who shares the same name as GH head writer, Chris Van Etten, chatted with Fairman in an very inspiring and enlightening conversation.

Van Etten talks about: being cast as Amy’s war vet brother, Chet, filming his first scenes on a soap opera, and working with GH cast members: Kirsten Storms (Maxie), Risa Dorken (Amy), Ryan Paevey (Nathan), and Michael Easton (Finn) in key scenes where fans were introduced to his character.

In story, Amy pulled off the “Ask Man Landers” stunt to pay for Chet’s medical care, since the VA was not taking care of all his medical bills since he came home from the war. In real life, Chris was enlisted with the Marine Corps, and in 2012 was deployed to Afghanistan.

On one harrowing night, Chris stepped on an IED (improvised explosive device) and the explosion caused Chris serious injuries resulting in him losing both of his legs.  The blast also killed his best friend in the battalion.  In a candid moment, Chris recounts the details of the event that would change his life forever, and the weeks and months that followed as he tried to cope with his new reality.

Courtesy/ABC

There are so many war veterans and people who live every day with chronic pain and PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) and Chris talks about how he has managed on a daily basis, when some days are not as easy as others.  Chris reveals how his service dog, Harley who began as a bomb dog in the war, has been by his side through his whole ordeal and beyond, and been a constant ray of light and support.

Before his appearances on GH, Van Etten first became known to the mainstream when he was chosen for Jockey Underwear’s ad campaign, “Show ‘Em What’s Underneath”.  Through fitness and facing any challenges thrown at him, Chris has made great strides in turning his life into an inspiration for others, who have suffered great personal tragedy, loss, or have an undergone a significant change to the life they have known.

We hope you will take the time to watch the two-part interview after the jump, and learn more about Chris’ real life story, and his successes coming out of his numerous challenges.

Would you like GH to write a larger story for Chet? What did you think of Chris sharing his struggles and war story with us in our interview?  Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

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I kind of like Chet and i believe he will get a major story with him attracted to Maxi…but the character of Amy just doesnt work for me on GH but i believe the actress would be better suited for a prime time comedy show appearances…other characters not working for me are Nina, Nathan, Franco…Dr,Brandt…Alexis…The two Jasons-story was done twice on OLTL with Jessica/Natalie and Todd/Victor…twin stories were done on Dark Shadows and Return To Peyton Place…Edge Of Night had lookalike Laura Hillyer/Julie Jamison-Laura was killed off after murdering lover Rick Oliver…Julie was her lookalike Riverboat singer accused of murder too…married laura’s husband Orin and she later died in a plane crash…then her cousin Elly Jo came to take care of Orin with plans to kill his pregnant daughter Liz hoping to inherit the Hillyer fortune…miss EON-daytimes only crime/mystery soap!!!

SO VERY RIGHT Jimh….EON….BEST CRIME/MYSTERY DAYTIME DRAMA EVER….

I wish those early episodes had survived…bugs me they wiped those and reused those tapes and it never will be seen again ecpet for the episodes from 1979 to its last episode…the 60s to mid 80s was its golden era and when the show was at its best!!!

meant to mid 70s-not mid 80s

@jimh…..I like Chet, too….I would love to see him become a regular GH character, provided Nurse Amy doesn’t come along for the ride! She…is…just…too….much!!! The “Man Landers” storyline so overexposed her and highlighted all of her annoying qualities that even small doses of her are impossible to handle. Quite frankly, Kiki would make a perfect mate for Chet, especially since her relationship with Dillion has hit the skids. Given Ms. Jerome’s emerging medical interests, it would make total sense for her to get together with this brave vet as he continues his rehabilitation at GH.

You know i mentioned that two under a different post…Kii and Chet…this Kiki has actually grown on me…well some so i dont mind her at all!!!

Sorry for typos…trying not let CFS get the best of me…Chronic fatigue is horrible-i feel like im constantly sedated!!!

I love ALL the characters you don’t like, jim…except Dr. Brandt. It’s not that I don’t like him…he just hasn’t been on enough or fleshed out. Perhaps his only purpose was to mentor Kiki and show interest in Alexis. Either way I think they did a disservice to James DePaiva who was so great years ago as Max Holden on OLTL.

Love Amy. Not her introduction…too obvious an attempt to recreate Amy Vining which was a fail. But once they gave her her own personality I just adore her. She’s too cute…and heart of gold.

I think her intro was a bit turn off to me..it might have been easier if she was somehow related to the original Amy…now i like the actress and think she could work greatly in prime tie comedy shows but i just cant get into her Amy character…i also like Nancy G but i dont like Alexis…James is just a filler moment to keep Alexis and Julian apart-i wish he had played Jeff Webber instead since i doubt Richard Dean Anderson would reprise the role…im sure Dr.Brandt isnt all he appears to be and will have a dark side…my opinions could change…wasnt too big on this Kiki and now i like her!!!!

Can we cut to the chase here?? Chris Van Etten is hired as co head writer of GH. Then a completely different CHRIS VAN ETTEN is cast in a role in the show. I’m not sure about Hollywood, but where I come from, Van Etten is not a very common last name. John Smith….sure!!! Frank Williams…okay! Chris Van Etten…two of them, both being hired by soap opera General Hospital?!?! Not a chance!!! Lol.

GH would be smart to keep Chris Van Etten and Chet on the show long term. He’s a good actor, very good looking and sexy!

Vet Chris Van Etten is a Marine , he is a survivor.
The journey he had, losing both legs, is unimaginable.
For him to become what and where he is, that folks is a hero in itself..

He has fought his battles and won his war, he will do well in all he does..
Hope to see him again, in GH .. He did very well !

Amen, su!!!!! Mr. Van Etten represents “The Few, The Proud” with honor and dignity!

You’ve lost your edge bro!!

I agree su0000, very impressed by Chris Van Etten!

What a beautiful person he is!

Agree!

Fantastic interview, Michael! Chris…you are beauty and grace. Your candid talk was so incredibly real, your smile so warm and your feelings so beautifully expressed. You truly are an inspiration…not to mention quite the looker! 😉

Agreed, and I want more of Chet. Sure beats more of this depressing drug story (despite the excellent Jessica Tuck). Kiki is free again, or soon will be.

You are right, more of Chet would be great for GH!

I really like Amy ! I wish people would just appreciate her more ! I find her quite funny and a welcome addition to the show…..

I agree, Brian. I’ve said so on other posts as well as above.

REFRESHING TO SEE A REAL PERSON AND A REAL HERO ON A SOAP!!!! HOPE A GOOD STORY LINE WILL DEVELOP….GH IS ON FIRE RIGHT NOW…..JUST DROP THE LATEST NEW SAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD STORY.

Thank you so much for interviewing Chris Van Etten, a true hero! It also doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome! So glad GH has had him on, I hope to see more of him and Chet on GH, how about on contract?

I LOVE the idea of Chet and Kiki together! He’s a refreshing character, please write more for him GH. I also really like the dynamic between he and his sister, love Amy too.

I appreciate his story, but GH pretty much skipped over his PTSD story and has moved him aside, it seems. I didn’t see signs of good energy that I like to see in an actor. Perhaps his GH role hasn’t been the best of fits for him. I’d like to see James DePaiva get more camera time and get in the forefront of some storylines. He’s my kind of actor.

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GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Carly and Lulu Make Plans to Rescue Their Children; Anna Looks Determined to Secure Her Freedom

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This week on all-new episodes of General Hospital, the race is on! Can Lulu (Alexa Havins) and Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) get to Rocco (Finn Carr) and Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) in time to ensure their safety from Cullum (Andrew Hawkes)? Can Carly (Laura Wright) with the help of her brother, Lucas (Van Hansis) rescue Josslyn (Eden McCoy) from captivity at Wyndemere? These questions may be answered, plus the return of the one and only Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) are on tap!

In the just released General Hospital spoilers video for the week of June 22-26, Lulu tells her mother, Laura (Genie Francis), “Dante and I have to get to Rocco before Cullum!” Meanwhile, Rocco (Finn Carr) looks angered and emotional as Britt walks through their cabin hideout. Does Rocco know his parents are on the way to find them, or has Cullum already tracked them down to the British Virgin Islands?

Back in Port Charles, Carly is informing Lucas that his niece, “is a WSB agent.” She knows Josslyn (Eden McCoy) is being held against her will at Wyndemere, and she has to find a way to get her out. Lucas agrees with Carly’s plan of, “We go in and we don’t leave without Josslyn!” Elsewhere, Josslyn is looking worried for her future as she is stuck in captivity thanks to Cassius, Cullum and Sidwell!

Courtesy/ABC

FINOLA HUGHES RETURNS

The final moments of the teaser promo reveal Anna in a psychiatric clinic in France. We have not seen her for months after Cullum, Sidwell and Pascal fed her hallucinogenics to make her believe her arch nemesis, Cesar Faison was alive!

Now, the doctors walk towards her hospital bed, where we see the super spy calmly knitting. Is Anna back to normal and playing everyone to get out of her predicament, or does she still remain deeply traumatized … or both?

Take a look at the rest of the official GH spoilers for the week below.

MONDAY, JUNE 22
Willow gets an unwelcome surprise. Trina sticks to her guns. “Nathan” wants reassurance. Ethan advises Ava. Brook Lynn receives an update.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23
Dante cautions Liz. Laura learns a secret. Brook Lynn confides in Michael. Sonny challenges Ava. Chase makes a decision.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
Anna meets with her doctor. Carly makes a stunning confession. Britt extracts a promise. Cullum pulls a fast one. Gio and Emma hit the pool.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25
Josslyn clashes with Cassius. Lulu and Dante make a discovery. Chase receives a warning. Jordan seeks help. Alexis is summoned to the PCPD.

FRIDAY, JUNE 26
Anna takes a huge risk. Britt is in grave danger. Willow is in disbelief. Danny must act fast. Curtis jumps to the wrong conclusion.

Check out the latest General Hospital promo entitled, “Rescue Mission” below.

Now weigh-in: Do you think Anna is still mentally off-balance, or OK, and just pretending to be troubled to get out of France and get back to Port Charles? Will Josslyn finally be rescued, or will Carly and Lucas find themselves locked up with her? And, who will get to Britt and Rocco first? Cullum, or Dante and Lulu? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.

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Maurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric

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With the highly-anticipated returns of Finola Hughes (Anna Devane) on this week’s June 24 episode of General Hospital, Steve Burton’s (Jason Morgan) upcoming return on July 13, which also serves as the ABC daytime drama’s 16,000 episode, things are about to fire on all cylinders in the story, as noted today by series star, Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos).

On Father’s Day, the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning actor and mental health activist took to his Instagram and expressed in a video that he has some unbelievable upcoming senes with the aforementioned Burton and Hughes. Add to that Nazneen Contractor (Justine Turner) and Rick Hearst (Ric Lansing), where Benard gave credit where credit is due to the GH writing team, which is led by co-head writers, Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten..

In this video, Benard said, “I just want to get on here and say that I did some work with Steve Burton, Finola Hughes, Rick Hearst, Nazneen Contractor, and they’re all just fantastic. Truly fantastic. But, I want to say the writing was just exceptional. It truly was. It was exceptional. So, thankful for that kind of writing. I know writers don’t get the credit a lot, but I just want to say to the General Hospital writing team, keep rolling!”

GENERAL HOSPITAL PREVIEW

So now the question becomes, with a major tease like that, what is about to go down between Sonny, Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric? Will we finally get to the end of the line for Sidwell (Carlo Rota), as previously teased by the GH co-head writers? Will we learn what happened to Jason and Anna, fully? Will Justine and Sonny becomes closer or stop their liaisons? And what of Ric? Will he be true blue to his brother or double-cross him? There is a lot at stake as we move further into the summer and one that looks like it could be one of the more exciting ones in years!

FINOLA HUGHES CONFIRMED AMAZING SCENES WITH MAURICE BENARD

As a punctuation point to his video, Benard also shared this written message in the post: “I just did some wonderful scenes with Steve Burton, Rick Hearst, Finola Hughes and Nazneen Contractor and  and unbelievable writing, freaking amazing scenes that you will see in the near future on General Hospital.” In fact, Finola Hughes jumped in the post comment thread and responded, “I loved our scenes so much xxx”

Fans will most likely see all the scenes Benard referred to later in July, since GH tapes approximately six weeks ahead of air.

So, are you excited to see what Maurice is talking about? Are you hyped for what’s to come on GH? Any clue on what you think will go down between the main characters on the soap with the returns of Anna Devane and Jason Morgan to the mix? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Announces Upcoming Release of His First Single, ‘If You Need Me’

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In a surprise move, Daytime Emmy winner, Chad Duell (ex-Michael Corinthos, GH) is getting ready to unveil a new chapter of his career in music.

The former GH star, where he played the son of Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) for 15 years, has announced his new single, “If You Need Me” will drop on Friday, June 26. The single is now available for pre-order on Spotify and major music streaming platforms and is distributed by DistroKid.

Taking to his Instagram story over the weekend, to announce the pre-save of his new single, Chad expressed, “I’ll make a full post about what I’ve been up to and my music once it goes live next week, but you can pre-save my first single so it goes straight to your Spotify once it drops next week.”

Photo: CDuellIG

SINCE LEAVING GENERAL HOSPITAL

Previously, since his departure from the ABC soap opera. Chad starred alongside Zach Mendez in the world premiere of of Yum Yum at Annapolis, a new play written by Bruce Reisman. Duell last appeared on General Hospital on the January 21, 2025 episode.

The part was recast with Rory Gibson who debuted as the new Michael in May of 2025 during the Nurses’ Ball episodes and who has remained in the role since that time.

In an interview earlier this year on The Able Show, Duell said on his decision to exit the soap opera, “I was blessed to be part of that (show) for as long as I have, but what happens sometimes is if you’re doing the same thing, especially in a creative field for such a long time, you can get a little burnt out in a way. It can make you a little depressed, so that’s kind of what happened. On top of that, I had other things going on in my life at the time. My father passed away recently and I just needed a reset. So, I stepped away. A lot of times you have to go through some stuff to really step into that next level. I needed to kind of feel uncomfortable.”

So, what type of musical genre will Chad’s new song be? Country? Pop? Rock? Dance/Club? Something else? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below, and if you are eager to hear the new single next week via the comment section below.

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

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Finn Carr & Dominic Zamprogna as Rocco & Dante

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