General Hospital
Michelle Stafford Joins The Cast Of General Hospital!
Photo Credit: Duffimages.com
If you have seen today’s episode of General Hospital, there is a big reveal at the end of it! And for those that haven’t, the news has broken by now!
None other than Daytime Emmy winner Michelle Stafford (Ex-Phyllis, Y&R) has indeed joined the cast of the ABC soap opera as had been rumored for months. She is playing the role of Nina Clay, the “presumed” dead wife of Silas Clay (Michael Easton)!
Daytime Confidential spoke with GH head writer, Ron Carlivati about the secret scene that was filmed to usher in Stafford’s new role! “GH has been on hiatus for the past two weeks and Michelle doesn’t really start taping until we resume. But we realized that as soon as she did, the news would be out there long before her episodes began airing. It was actually Frank’s idea to try to slip her into an earlier show that had already been written and shot, so we could take everyone by surprise. So he snuck her into the studio recently, at the end of the day, to tape the one scene you just saw. That was inserted after the fact. We’ve been sweating it out ever since that it would stay under wraps!”
So, what do you think of Michelle Stafford finally coming to GH as Nina? Let us know your thoughts as this surely will cause trouble for the Sam (Kelly Monaco) and Silas relationship and more!
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Dante and ‘Nathan’ Have It Out, Valentin and Carly Share Passionate Moments Which May Be Their Last
On the June 16 episode of General Hospital, the PCPD under acting police commissioner Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) is in a bit of mess and does not go unnoticed by ADA Turner (Nazneen Contractor).
First, there is the whole Chase (Josh Swickard) defending Willow Cain (Katelyn MacMullen) over Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot), who he arrested for allegedly tossing Willow in the waters next to the Quartermaine boathouse. Turner has had it with Chase’s good guy act and how he tampered with evidence in her case against Willow for shooting Drew.
Later, Dante and Justine question “Nathan” (Ryan Paevey) about Sidwell’s escape while in his custody. Turner is not buying his cover story that he was ambushed by Sidwell and his men. Once “Nathan” left the interrogation room, Turner went in on Dante about having “Nathan” on the force after seven years away, and Chase she views as a “dirty cop.”
However, Dante defends both of his officers, but Justine warned that “Nathan” and Chase’s behavior would reflect poorly on Dante as commissioner and she should really think about that. Later, Dante has a terse confrontation with “Nathan” on how he botched a prison transport and that he better watch his back as Justine is one step away from turning this over to Internal Affairs.
COP MADNESS
Next, “Nathan” apologizes for the way he handled the situation with Rocco and says he feels badly. But then in the twist, Dante said that he was grateful that “Nathan” had been there for his son in his time of need (referencing after Rocco shot Cullum and covered it up).
Then, there’s the newest police officer in the precinct, Joe Fitzpatrick (Jonathan Bennett). He may actually be on to “Nathan’s” double life when he questions him about a syringe found in Britt’s room at Bobbie’s. “Nathan” made up a story to counter Joe’s, that he was not aware that his sister was taking anything for her Huntington’s disease diagnosis. Joe called the forensic department lab wanting to know what drug was exactly in the syringe.
Courtesy/ABC
BEFORE YOU GO
At Carly’s (Laura Wright), Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) tells her that he must travel to Geneva to speak to the head of the WSB, named Z. Valentin feels it’s the only way to save Josslyn if he informs Z about Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) being a double agent. Valentin shares with Carly that he has to stop Cullum from bringing his dangerous cold fusion device online. Carly is beside herself. She doesn’t want Valentin to sacrifice himself by turning himself into the organization who has made him a fugitive in the first place. Valentin stands firm that he must meet Z in person.
Knowing that revealing himself to the WSB meant he was likely going back to prison, Valentin asked Carly if she’d get in touch with his daughter, Charlotte so he could say good-bye to her. Next, Carly and Valentin make their way to the bedroom to make love, which may be for the very last time, if Valentin is caught and put back in Steinmauer Maximum Security Prison.
Courtesy/ABC
CAUGHT BY CULLUM
At the same time while at Wydemere, Cullum is talking with one of his WSB operatives. Now, he is pondering if Valentin and Sidwell were working together all along. Next, Cullum entertains the idea of involving the FBI to locate Britt and Rocco. He says he plans to kill them both once he knows of their whereabouts. Cullum sees the only other threat to the completion of the cold fusion project to be Anna Devane.
Cullum wants to track the location of the unidentified person who called the private clinic in France trying to get in touch with Anna, while pretending to be Kevin Collins. When the agent came back with a report, he says it emanated from a cell tower near Shoreline Road. It’s in the that moment that a light bulb goes on for Cullum! Valentin is in Port Charles and hiding at Carly’s!
So, what do you think of the PCPD cops, Chase, Joe and “Nathan?” Who should Dante fire? Do you think Valentin will go the run?Are you digging Carly and Valentin’s relationship and want it to continue, especially with Finola Hughes on her way back as Anna next month on-screen? Weigh-in via the comment section, and in case you missed it, you can check out our latest interview with Dominic Zamprogna below from his appearance on the Michael Fairman Channel, where he talks the PCPD cops, Rocco on the run, and more.
Days Of Our Lives
GH and DAYS Alum Brandon Barash and Wife Isabella Welcome Son ‘Sebastian’ Into the World
Congratulations are in order for General Hospital and Days of Our Lives favorite Brandon Barash (ex-Johnny and ex-Stefan/Jake, respectively) and his wife, Isabella Devoto Barash, who welcomed their newborn son, Sebastian Antonio Barash back on June 5.
For the first time his Sebastian’s birth the couple is posting and beaming with pride at the new addition to the family. This is Brandon and Isabella’s second child and second son together following the birth of Joaquin Lee Barash back in September of 2023. Barash is also the father of Harper Rose Barash from his previous marriage to General Hospital star, Kirsten Storms (Maxie) who is now 12-years-old and big sister to do younger brothers!
In his heartfelt post on Instagram accompanied by several photos of his growing family, Brandon expressed, “The heart is indeed a muscle, and boy, can it stretch. We welcomed our newest addition Sebastian Antonio Barash (Antonio after Isa’s dad) on 6.5.26. Lil Seba, I vow to love you with undying ferocity and without condition. As for our new family of five, we have all already evolved for the better as we rise like the lotus through the muck of sleepless nights, soul-tingling baby whimpers, and yes, poopy diapers. These babies teach us a clinic on love…all we need to do is saddle up, be still, and take em in. Isabella Barash, you’re my hero. Thank you for the gift of your love. House is full, hearts fuller.”
Photo: BBarashIG
BRANDON’S BUDDIES CONGRATULATE HIM ON WELCOMING NEW SON
Several of Brandon’s former co-stars have already jumped in the commenting thread including, Rob Scott Wilson (Alex, DAYS) “Congrats my brotha!!,” Dan Feuerriegel (EJ, DAYD) and Eric Martsolf (Brady, DAYS), with whom Brandon appears with in the Day Players Band and more.
Back in April of this year, Brandon was granted an emergency restraining order against his ex-wife, Kirsten Storms claiming that the GH favorite was exhibiting concerning behavior and he feared for the well-being of their daughter, Harper. They each now live separate lives in Tennessee.
We send our well-wishes to Brandon, Isabella and their new son, Sebastian as they build their burgeoning family unit.
Take a look at Brandon and Isabella’s new little bundle of joy in the snaps below.
Now, share your congratulations to Brandon and Isabella via the comment section!
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Controversial Luke and Laura Rape Episode: Writer Sheri Anderson Reveals Behind the Scenes Decisions and Admits ‘I Was Wrong’ to Defend It (Exclusive)
It’s one of the most controversial storylines in soap opera history, when Luke (the late Anthony Geary) raped Laura (Genie Francis) back in an episode that aired in 1979. In the story, one fateful night while believing his latest assignment for the mob would get him killed, Luke drank heavily, and confessed his love to Laura. She had been working at the disco at the time and tried to comfort him.
Luke said, “I’m not going to die without holding you in my arms just one time. Dance with me.” As Herb Alpert’s “Rise,” played in the background, Laura tried to leave as she was getting fearful of Luke. The camera panned away as Luke forced himself on her and Laura screamed, “No!” The aftermath also became a huge problem for the series years later. GH tried to pass it off as a seduction, while viewer outcry, and as the world evolved over the decades called it then and now what it was, “rape.”
The script writer for that episode was prolific soap opera writer and three-time Emmy winner, Sheri Anderson. The popular scribe is best-known for her work on Days of Our Lives and also her tenure as its co-head writer, but she also spent a few years at General Hospital smack dab in the late 70s and early 80s, under then legendary executive producer, Gloria Monty.
Photo: JPI
During her visit last week to the Michael Fairman Channel, where Anderson opened up about a specific moments throughout her storied writing career, as well as the state of the soaps now in our culture, she recalled the events that transpired before and after that led to her scripting the infamous rape episode on GH.
ABC NETWORK EXEC DECIDES LUKE SHOULD RAPE LAURA
Sheri began, “What happened was Pat Falken Smith (then head writer, GH) came in from a meeting and she was stoned-faced, and we said, ‘What’s going on?’ She said Jackie Smith, who was head of the network, wants Luke to rape Laura and we were like, ‘What? We can’t do that!” She said that’s what we were going to so, because we were exploring ‘date rape’ at the time.”
“So, on General Hospital, or any show that I’ve been involved with, we would get as much research as we could on the subject, especially when I was writing,” explained Anderson. “I would always send the script to a therapist and say, ‘is this accurate? Is this emotionally correct?'”
Anderson shared from the writers viewpoint what the story was about at that time: “Luke was from the wrong side of the tracks. He was trying to prove himself to the mob and they said to prove it, you have to go kill a senator Mitch Williams. Luke couldn’t go through with it, which meant he was a dead man. He went back to the Campus Disco which he owned and Laura was there. She was waiting for her husband (Scotty Baldwin). So, when Laura was trying to comfort Luke, things started to get out of control.”
THE COINED “SEDUCTION”
“The script which I wrote was 110 pages, which was typical at the time. Gloria Monty, who was a brilliant executive producer and director who changed daytime, was the director of that episode,” explained Anderson on the writing for the soap back in the late 70s. “They probably cut 30 pages of material, because she was so intent on the rape and making it as brutal as she could. So, we were just going forward and thinking, ‘Oh, my God! That was really awful.'”
Over decades, the moment was called as aforementioned, “a seduction,” a “date rape,” and then as GH viewers recalled, it was in 1998 that Luke admitted to his son Lucky (Jonathan Jackson) that he actually raped his mother, Laura.
Photo: ABC
ANDERSON COULD NO LONGER DEFEND THE STORY POINT
It is not lost on Anderson, how GH at the time, tried to pass off the on-screen incident, “In retrospect, and I believe Michelle Val Jean (creator, head-writer, executive producer of Beyond the Gates) once said that it upset her, that we would say it was really a ‘seduction’ and all of those things, because it was not. It was rape, and (back then) I would try to, in a sense, defend it, and frankly, I was wrong,” revealed Sheri.
“I wrote the rape episode and I actually wrote the episode after it and we had Emily McLaughlin who played nurse Jessie Brewer who came to me later and said, ‘thank you.’ Because she said, ‘I wrote the aftermath of it so poignantly for her and Genie,’ recalled Sheri. “Then, we had Irene Kassorla, the real-life therapist come in, and on the show do group therapy sessions. So, it was really fascinating for me I thought that we were doing it extremely well, and I still think we did it extremely well. But, yes, it was rape, and it was wrong.”
Photo: ABC
GLORIA MONTY SWORE SHE WOULD NEVER MARRY LUKE AND LAURA
In an ironic twist, when Pat Falken Smith and Sheri left General Hospital to return to Days of Our Lives, suddenly Luke and Laura were getting married, after Gloria Monty swore she would never let them tie the knot. As soap fans know, the wedding remains the most-watched episode in soap opera in history with over 30 million people tuning-in on November 16 and 17 of 1981.
“People talk about that story thinking Luke raped Laura, and then they got married. No! Luke raped Laura, but it destroyed their lives with the secrets that they carried. Laura would not tell anybody that Luke was the one who raped her, and their lives were altered in so many ways. It took a long time to bring them back as a couple because they had such chemistry personally, so it was just the obvious way to go,” explained Anderson of the writers mindset at the time. “Gloria Monty said to us, ‘We’ll never marry them.’ Then, when as a writing team we left and went to Days of Our Lives, she married them two months later.”
You can catch our full informative chat with Sheri Anderson below.
So, what did you think about what really went on behind the scenes at General Hospital when the decision came down to have Luke rape Laura in the controversial scenes? Did you appreciate the insight provided by Sheri? Is it still one of the more troubling plot points in the storied history of Luke and Laura to you? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Dante and ‘Nathan’ Have It Out, Valentin and Carly Share Passionate Moments Which May Be Their Last
Phillip Boyd Makes His Debut on ‘Beyond the Gates’ in Recurring Role of Dr. Miles Arnold
GH and DAYS Alum Brandon Barash and Wife Isabella Welcome Son ‘Sebastian’ Into the World
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Fabulous!!
I’m not big fan of GH but I do love michelle stafford. I think this is just another big rumor which has happened more than once with Michelle and GH. Back in February there was rumor Michael Munhey was going to GH.
she’s on GH as Nina. The previewed showed her waking up…Shocker. I had hoped she would be on Y & R but with “Ava” and now “Nina” they will be my favorites. Now if they could only get Michael I’d be over the top. All three are great actors…
Chuck, it’s not just another big rumor. Stafford was on yesterday/
I really try to avoid spoilers, and I was shocked to see Stafford. Well done, GH! To all those criticizing Carlivati for creating new characters, hey – at one time there was just Robert Scorpio all by himself. For years. Now, evidently, Robin is considered a “legacy” character. Then, Sonny & his crime family were the interlopers. Now, they are considered GH history. Every soap needs new blood to mix w/other families or else it gets old fast. Faison has been part of GH history for a while. I think its ingenious the way they’re mixing his daughter, Britta, to have connections w/Silas’ situation. Connecting everyone is what soaps have done for decades.
Fabulous for who? No one cares about Nina and this whole new concocted family that has been forced on to the canvas. And why would General Hospital fans care about an actress from Y&R?
On a day that TIIC totally destroy the beloved 30 yr legacy character of Robin Scorpio in service of the laughable Sabrina and their agenda to kill all that GH was, we get yet another newbie and it’s supposed to be a big deal. Why?
How about a story for Kristina Wagner? 30 year GH Vet, Stunningly beautiful Aztec Princess, married to a Scorpio with ties across the entire canvas and the mother of the very popular Maxie Jones? Nothing there, huh guys?
Let’s just keep overrunning the town with newbies and actors from other shows as we decimate GH core families and destroy veteran characters and their legacies.
Maybe some of those Emmy voters, in addition to being able to recognize quality or lack of it, are long time fans who don’t like watching their show being destroyed either.
Fabulous for gh since michelle is an intense talented actress and will squeeze every ounce of life out of this character. I am thrilled she is on gh and they are lucky to have her!
Lol Kristina Wagner is sweet she should have more story. I agree!
ITA…What kind of person takes a show that has lived with legacy and history for up to 50 yrs and pushes out all those families so that they can start NEW families? I don’t get it. I’ve watched GH for 50 yrs FOR those iconic families and characters. GH doesn’t need more new families and it certainly shouldn’t be NOT writing for GH characters that have been there a long time. It’s like watching the Empire State Building being torn down to build a HIGH RISE. It just shouldn’t happen..period. Someone allowed this nightmare and is continuing to allow it. Obviously, it isn’t someone who watched GH, knew GH or understood GH and it’s true fans.
Well said GH50! As a 35-year viewer I couldn’t agree more. I had such high hopes for Frank and Ron. There’s so little on GH that I care about right now.
I TOTALLY agree. GH seems more interested in attracting new viewers than keeping their old ones.
GH50, I can’t say that I disagree with you regarding Silas Clay, his wife, and the prolonged mystery. I do like the addition of Donna Mills. I’ve always been a fan of hers, love Madeline’s scenes with Obrecht.
GH50–all I can say is, damn you’re good.
If I wanted to watch Michelle Stafford I would have turned on Y&R. I’m SO not interested in this story, NINA, Donna Mills 80’s style acting and bad pronunciation of words and more newbies hogging up the show. We have Kin Shriner, Kristina Wagner, Lynn Herring, Ian Buchanan; all these actors are on for a minute and have a much richer history with the show that I’d rather be watching!
Sam being so involved in Silas’ ex-wife is damn creepy anyway ….. be careful how involved you get Samantha because She’s Alive and you’re going to be left in the dust!!!
BTW: I think Sam & Patrick should hook up 😉
I’ve posted as such….
Madeline & Dr. O = sisters
Nina
Nathan
Britt
connected to Silas… and Nina may hava a child… : please don’t let it be kiki
Rafe
this is a huge family
I really think it was GH intent all along…(just, like, Y&R)… like whole new casts
GH went the bait and hook and recall glory days with a few vets sprinkled here and their… and wallah… we should all have been enamored by now… all these new characters… with ties and connections
they are good actors… sans Nathan… at times
I wonder if he has naturally curly hair… wouldn’t that be a treat… he’s too perfect… his hair is too done up….. it would make his character relax… he is acting, in and around some fierce women
Dr. O, Madeline, Nina, Britt… that’s a lot of Women
If you’ve really been watching GH for 30-some odd years, it should come as no surprise that they, like other soaps in the past, introduce new families and new storylines that intertwine them with other long time actors on the show. I just recently started watching GH following the characters I loved on OLTL (who have since been rebooted as other characters) and I love the way the writers are creating interesting stories that are keeping me hooked in. Not being a long-time viewer, I’ve had to do some catching up, but what’s happening is nothing new. Soaps do it all the time. I think this will be for the better of GH if you hang in there and watch.
MS looks related to Lynn Herring. They could play sisters. Well, GH didn’t need to add MS to their cast. You’re right–why not better use who they have had. I imagine MS is acting very sweet right now about being welcomed there, but in time she’ll take over and jokes will be made about the hands-flapping over-the-top look-at-me macho Phyllis II taking over GH just like Phyllis did Y&R. She’s always Phyllis. In her online show she is just more Phyllis. Let her try playing the part of someone sweet–I don’t see it lasting.
I thought Michelle Stafford went off Y&R to do her own thing..I love Michelle Stafford, but I am just wondering why..if she was coming back to the soaps, why she didn’t return as Phyllis on Y&R..?????? That is what I was hoping for!!!
Yes, I thought the same thing, if she really wanted to stay on with soaps, why not return to the Y&R ? I loved the stafford project but miss her terribly on the Y&R along with Adam and Billy 🙁
My bad. Soon after I commented on that it was a rumor I found our she was actually on GH. Great for GH and it’s fans. I’ve been in out viewer of the show. I am huge fan of Michelle. I’ve starting recording the show and hope I can get back with it.
No, not so great for GH fans… nothing against Michelle Stafford but I am sick to death of new characters coming on to GH. I am believing that Tony Geary is right, the writers DO get residuals for the characters they create for as long as the character is appearing in the show. Combined with the fact it is much easier for a writer to write a character from scratch than from history, it allows the writers to make a good living while ABC can cut even more costs out of the GH production budget. They certainly don’t care they’re ruining an iconic legacy.
I called this more then 6 months ago Phyllis went into a coma on Y&R and was going to wake up on GH as Nina!
So ironic isnt it…She’s leaves Y&R in a coma and wakes up from a coma on GH…lol
It made be ironic, but I suspect it was planned. All the rumors of her joining GH began just before her exit on Y&R must have been based in some reality and RC knew they had put Phyllis in a coma, so he wrote Nina being in coma to wake her up— a finger gesture to Y&R if you catch my drift. It could have been a coincidence, but it seems too perfect to be that– knowing RC he could have Nina say something like I had the strangest dream that I was fighting with some blonde lady and fell down some stairs– and then I woke up.
Bottom line MS was unhappy at Y&R she was not getting to dictate story so she walked! Steve Burton was no longer getting to dictate story over at GH he walked! Now hopefully they are working where they can call the shots neither one would be working for me if I was EP I call the shots actors read the lines that are written for them. Neither show as I can tell is suffering because they both chose to leave so good luck to them. Word to JFP leave Phyllis in the coma and move on! Sharon Case & Kristoff St. John have had horrible storylines for years and they took their lumps and went on and they get nothing but hate mail it is just a job no more no less! Rant over!
LOVE That Michelle is at GH!!! so happy 🙂
Love love love this addition………..It speaks volumns.
I knew she would not go back to Y&R, way too much drama behind scenes. IMO she did not like JFP! Now if Michael M would go to GH, I would try & watch.. never have watched GH..
I was under the impression she was done with soaps, guess not!! Glad she is gone from Y&R never liked her anyway. Way too much arm waving and repeating lines over & over..
Usually when a soap actor leaves a show to “pursue other career paths” or ” wants more time with their family” that is just code for ” I don’t like my boss- story line– hours–or wage” pick one, or all of those truths as the actual reason for the departure. However they cannot give the real reason because you don’t want to be labelled as difficult to work with or burn any bridges or create new obstacles for themselves. So I suspect your opinion is correct, she was finished with JFP not the soaps.
Well said Mary!
Mary you are so Right about that!!!
Had to reply here, Mary…you could be right about Phylis/Nina comas being more than a coincidence…and have Nina say she had a strange dream about some blonde woman pushing her(Sharon, Y&R) down a flight of stairs? That could be possible and Silas and others would think she was talking about Ava!!!
General Hospital has the same issue; I feel as though I watch the same scene over and over again, with Ava, Sonny, Carly, and Franco about AJ’s death and Sonny really being the one who murdered him, etc., etc., etc. Too many recurring characters, characters and storylines being dropped for weeks on end. It’s just too bad. It’s a hot mess right now with way too many new faces with no real connection to Port Charles.
As much as I love Michelle, and wish her the best, her exit once again proves the show does go on. Not one actor makes a show. Y&R has been on FIRE lately, yes I wish Michelle would have returned to Genoa City, but she is not missed. General Hospital hopefully will give her good material. Look at what happened to the return of Ryan Carnes. Creatively, Ryan must be bored out of his mind, and re-thinking his decision.
Same. While I would’ve loved her to return to Y&R, which is on fire, she obviously felt she wanted to spread her wings elsewhere. Guess that means that a recast on Phyllis can finally happen in the future. And Ron’s writing is inconsistent and wishy-washy at best, hence their failure to secure a nomination as a show.
No kidding. No disrespect to Michelle Stafford, but the LAST thing GH needs is another soap’s star to join the already bloated cast. RC and FV are so desperate to try anything to get more viewers for GH (thus the never-ending effort to bring in big names from other soaps) yet the writing is all over the map and never encompasses any depth, or character development, or reality. And why is it that they have all sorts of money for new actors but they can’t seem to strike a deal to bring back Genie Francis?
I’m a longtime Y&R fan and also watch GH, but have to admit that I am somewhat relieved that she will be on GH and not Y&R. I think Y&R is much more balanced now, whereas when MS was on, Phyllis was involved in almost every storyline. Hopefully Nina won’t consume GH in the same way.
“why, couldn’t it have been Days of OUR Lives”
What a powerhouse
move over Laura Wright
I hope Michelle Stafford and Roger Howarth STEAM – bubble – entice
if not , Franco…. Julian would rise to the occasion
Wouldve loved her in the Q mansion with A.J.,…she’ll probably end up with Sonny or Julian…maybe!!!
She will be great with…. Julian, Silas, Sonny, Patrick, Nicholas, even Morgan – she is a great addition!!!
Sweet! Take that Y&R!!!
She’s a great actress. Let’s hope she doesn’t only have scenes with that over the hill scarecrow Silas!
Hahaha I always thought of him as a pirate for some reason. Scarecrow works though!
Silas and Sam are very boring. Sam-lose the monotone, black jeans, white t-shirt, and black boots. I don’t find anything about the couple appealing. Very boring.
This is good news–bad news— It is great she’s is back on daytime and has what promises to be an interesting role. The bad news is the cast is so large already that many deserving actors are not getting the air time and attention they deserve, so another new character is not going to help that. Looking forward to see her play someone other than Phyllis, but not sure long time viewers will find all these new faces a welcome sight, no matter how talented they may be.
I find them welcoming; however, you are correct. Too bad GH couldn’t do a two part mini-series to catch up on all the s/l’s that we’ve all been waiting on, and get a jump on new s/l’s! I think that would be so, so, cool
So true…
They could get rid of many recurring players that are underused or mis-used. People like TJ and Shawn could be written out, and several other places could be taken out. Ron has “new character syndrome”. When he gets bored with what he has, he makes someone new.
He wants royalty credit for new characters. 🙁
I could do without her. Would just as soon they had left her dead but since she’s coming back would rather it not be MS. Have never liked her that much.
Was hoping for Melissa Archer to play Nina Clay and then I’d be interested enough to watch GH again. Still missing John & Natalie from OLTL. This triangle does NOT do anything for me.
same here
I was hoping that they get Melissa Archer to play the role of Nina I would loved to have seen a Natalie and John reunion.Not a big fan of Michelle Stafford I think they could of did better.
Not a fan either Ruby!
Tali, I feel your pain. I also was hoping for Melissa Archer to join. Missing John and Natalie incredibly.
Me too, Tali. And Melissa Archer fit Silas’s description of Nina. As Silas waxed poetic about Nina, with tears brimming in his eyes, he never once described Nina as being reptilian.
I would have much preferred Melissa Archer in this role not Michelle Stafford.
The music played during the Scene where Silas was reminiscing about Nina was the same as when John and Natalie recited their vows at their wedding interrupted by Marty. In agreement was hoping for MA.
Surprise surprise I say sarcastically.
I don’t see her coming between Sam and Silas… as they are connected
it’s with the other menfolk… that id like to see her co-mingle
Franco
Julian
Ric
have an affair with Dante
she’s such a big presence…
man… I loved when Jack, (who’s comparable) would call her “Red”
Y&R has lost so much
Michelle Stafford is a bull dozer – a train – a rocket (C’mon AT ya)
Y&R hasn’t lost much! IMO
Hasn’t lost much?? are you for real?Lets see where do I start?
Kathrine chanclor, De De,Billy ,Michael , Phyliss, That is a lot to lose,as a fan of Y&R for over 35 yrs I can’t stomach the loss of soo many great actors that are gone now, So I decided I would not watch anymore As it has changed way to much to keep my interest. I haven’t missed it one bit.
I know Sonny gets all the chicks but Ava is eventually going to pay and Maurice Bernard and Michelle Stafford would act their asses off together!
This better be good…i wont hold my breath because GH is an up and down soap for me…it had a few good episodes then some boring ones…and im sick of waiting for sweeps months…back in the 60s and 70s you didnt have to wait for something good to happen…soaps had you always tune in the next day or youd miss something…they should still be that way…Days kind of still that way but not always…GH has good ideas but messes up too often!!! Im looking forward to M.S. as Nina…You got a great actress GH…dont screw up!!!
I agree and such great villians who didn’t run in PACKS!!!..Remember when Meredith Wolek went out on that snowy balcony..when Talbot and Karen ran down pat’s son..when Sadie Grey clocked Carla’s game..when Olympia descended the Buchanan grand staircase..when Barbara Rodell was fabuloso as Joyce Coleman and that darkened shooting of the Hughes brother..Olive Gordon causing John’s death running around in a to this day classic location shoot with those gas cans…”hee hee..goodbye ALICE”…remember Alma and that big raggedy ann/clown..cecille..charlene…and on and on…ahhh the true GOLDEN DAYS…Roger was simply bad news along with Diane like heather used to be when she burned her hands in a pan of hot oil…climbed down that pier pregnant and miscarried…wow wow wow
And don’t forget when poor old Mary Kennicott was being a good samaratin..or when doug snatched frannie and kim..and lily was floored to learn who her parents were..and meg meg meg either one..love of life or the first on as the world turns..I LOVED ME SOME MEG SNYDER…and John and Susan..who could stand toe to toe with the best of them.
I remember…especially Another World with Olive, John, Alice and Larry, Clarice, Alma, Blaine,…no soap today will ever be as great as AW and those other classic moments you mentioned!!!
Thats when soaps were at their best…
If I cant have her as Phyllis on Y&R, Ill take he as Nina….Awesome!!
Annoying just Annoying…….I never cared for her….she should have went back to YR….I got a feeling that she ‘s gonna eat up the show, and be a thorn in Sam and Silas..who is my favorite couple…Put her with new Jason or somebody else
I wanted Sam and Silas to have a baby….but what are the gonna to write…..Some people are happy she’s commiing some people are littlebit peeved…Keep her in
Carly orbit and let the 2 yentis argue…But keep her away from Sam
Why should Sam and Silas have a baby? Sam is never seen with her son and Silas rarely interacts with his daughter.
Agreed so ridiculous. Give them a baby and then what?
LOVE HER and so excited for GH! Y&R WHO? Take that Jill Farren Phelps.
Take that Y&R!!!
Seriously, huh?? That seems like a serious shot at Y&R. I wonder what was happening behind the scenes.
All the big names are jumping the Y&R ship! You have to look at JFP.
Who cares? Where is GH getting money for her? I remember FV stating when Kimberly first came back as long as they have the money. So a GH vet can’t come back unless GH Has money but they have money for MS. Story don’t believe FV and his lies or TIIC with their favorites. They don’t car about GH viewers who want their GH characters they grew up with. . No reason FV couldn’t make KMc recurring and they DONT need to constantly try and throw Robin under the bus for Patrick to move on or for their newbie pet Ms Perfect Nurse. Patrick can just understand for a change and did her really expect her to drop everything for the MsPerfect Nurse baby. Just maybe Robin can’t and Victor isn’t telling the truth, they are ruining characters and don’t care about GH fans who watched and know the characters better than they do. Glad GH didn’t get many nominations for show, writing, directing etc, they didn’t deserve them.
I’m sure if KMC wanted to be back on GH full time and on contract GH would find the money but that’s not what she wants.So GH has to move on without her because they can write stories depending on one actor’s availibility.
Your right. Kim wanted to leave the show to direct.
Agreed, I am thoroughly bored with GH right now because they ignore the characters I love and give front-burner storylines to newbies from other shows.
KMc wants to direct & went to directing school…. It was not about the money.
Oh great–another scene chewer. Her and Maura West are going to be the mouths which ate Port Charles. Maybe they’ll cannibalize each other.
Two of the best actresses on television.
BINGO!
Absolutely!
Ugh. Y&R doesn’t know the good when they have it and then they waste the actors.. Maura West, Michelle Stafford, Michael Muhney, the famous couple from AMC who played Sarge and Devon’s mom, Emme Rylan.. and we get stuck with Steve Burton who was much more amazing on GH.
Honey, Maura West and Michelle Stafford will eat Y&R alive, not GH. They’ll make GH the MUST WATCH soap going forward. Talk about dynamite in the afternoon! These two will make GH explode!
What fun this is going to be!
I totally agree! GH doesn’t seem to waste the talent they have. They let the actors do what they are best at, aside from maybe the guy who played AJ that was upset that his character’s main focus was swindling Tracy out of the relish recipe. Lol. But they’ve made enough room for Carly’s big personality, Ava’s, and hopefully Nina’s now. I wouldn’t want to see MS playing some “shrinking violet”. Ugh. I’m so disgusted with Y&R right now. It’s my soap, but TPTB totally deserve this. Unfortunately the fans don’t. GH’s gain though.
depends on why you watch soaps. I watch for Love, Romance, Relationships, Core Famiies. NOT mob drama, or to watch divas chewing the scenery. GH was at its best last year when it was bringing back characters we loved like Robert and Robin Scorpio and Frisco Jones. When I turn GH on (occasionally now) I don’t even recognize anybody.
And every other actress in their age range will be collateral damage. If we didn’t have so many new characters I would applaud this hire. But for this viewer: more newbie overload. I am kind of past the point of caring about GH anymore, so I don’t even know why I bothered to post.
wish there was a “like” button 🙂
Kudos in pulling off this major surprise!!! I actually find Michelle Stafford, Maura West and Laura Wright to all be very similar in character (strong, powerful women, who want everything their way or no way), and it will be interesting to watch them all “duke it out” on GH !!!! Great show, great storylines, and a very strong cast indeed!!!
Yawn .. I want some LOVE stories!
As long as they don’t put Stafford’s Nina in the same frame as the hyperkinetic Lucy Coe….with their similarly wild gesticulations, someone could get really hurt in that battle of elocutions!
Why? Why is GH and Y&R trading places, She wasn’t that great on Y&R
Dee are you deaf or off your meds, Michelle Stafford is a wonderful actress.
At least she wasn’t the snore fest that is Avery constantly baking and making out with Dillon. Yaaaaaaawn.
Unfortunately I have to agree. I didn’t like the way she played her role on Y&R and I have serious doubts that she will be able to play any role that is not written exactly as the role she played there. If GH makes this a remake of the Phyllis character I for one will not like it and I have serious doubts that Michelle Stafford would be able to play any other type role. I have really been enjoying GH for the past year and I am very apprehensive about this move being a good one for the show.
Michelle Stafford was the sole reason to watch Y&R for the last decade.
No one actor or actress makes a soap Y&R is still #1 it has and always will be an ensemble act when you start thinking otherwise is when you get into trouble.
I stand by my statement. That show has been a mess for over a decade and Stafford’s performances were the only reason I kept tuning in (’cause heaven knows it wasn’t the story).
Michelle has been off the show for months and her character is still on the front burner.
Ugh, which means we’re going to get stuck with a fake Phyllis that will ruin the show just as much as losing and replacing Billy Miller :*( and soon to be Adam. Ohhhhh why am I even watching anymore? *sob*
SO AWESOME! Michelle will be an incredible asset to GH, no matter how big the cast is. I had her pegged as Nina months ago, so glad to see that it really happened! *goosebumps*
I think it’s going to be interesting, and now they need to find someone to play Jason to really put a spin in the mix!
Michael Muhney. He and Michelle schemed on Y&R together and had mad chemistry!
Awesome news! Now hire Billy Miller or Michael Muhney and GH will have a powerhouse cast!
Yes!! that would bury whats left of Y&R. It would also put GH in the 1st place rankings. Hire Michael & Billy !!!!!
I’m not joking, if they did, I’d totally fully ditch Y&R. The only reasons left to watch would be EB and MTS.
There wouldnt be GH today if things like this arent done to keep the show intersting as well as bring in new viewers.
Michelle Stafford is one of the most popular soap stars ever. She could be a huge draw.
Love them or hate them, Frank Valentini, Ron Carlivati and the OLTL cast re-invigorated this show and gave it what it needed to continue and thrive.
They play this right, GH will be the top soap.
No bringing back vets is what brought people back. Now that we see it was bait and switch, we’re leaving. Good luck and congrats on all the Emmy snubs. The show is horrible. Fans know it and people in the industry know it’s a joke. Here’s just another stunt. How about trying to write and produce a quality show and draw viewers with that, not trying to bring in some unwitting fools who might follow an actress and then realize when they get here what mess they’ve gotten themselves into.
Watch the ratings continue to drop in the months ahead. For every person they might bring in with stunts, they will lose just as many who are fed up.
Kudos GH50
Kudos Rob.
MS is an amazing actress….Y&R lost a true talent…never mind the character of Phyllis…. good luck with replacing her as well.
I can’t imagine we would have her long term as she also has her own show, so this may be just a temporary role as well. Either way I welcome the talent….
Hope the TPTB take a serious note on the DISS today on Daytime Nominations! GH was not even in the running…that says something considering a terrible show like the B&B has been, was nominated…. time to wake up GH or you will find yourself yet again on the chopping block!
Hats off to Patrick Thompson who deserves the nomination…it will be a challenge however as Billy Miller was nominated as well. Too bad Michael Muhney had no hat in the ring. No matter what happened and how it happened, he was/ is a wonderful actor who may need to work on himself for a while and hopefully come back with a roar!
I’m thrilled it’s definite that she won’t be back at Y&R. I’ve always found her to be plastic and over-the-top and too old-looking for the men she’s involved with (including Michael Easton if her new character should get back together with him) and could never see how we were to turn a blind eye (it wasn’t like watching an older opera singer from a distance as she played the role of someone younger). All that stuff (still said over and over again by her fans at the YR forum) about how she had so many more important things to do with her life sure didn’t last–of course she wanted and needed a real job again, and here she is back to the soap life where she could one. I pray it’s not true that Michael Muhney is going to GH. I was all set to start watching if he did head there, but I’d forgo so as to avoid having to put up with the flappy pink banshee again.
The GH cast is so big already, I am glad an actress of her caliber on there. I hope her and Ava share scenes, let the fireworks begin!! I wish they would used this opportunity to cast her as Skye Quartermaine instead and rejuvenated that family. Uggh! Now that she def isn’t returning to Genoa City, time to cast Jamie Luner( ex-Liza, AMC, ex-Lexi, MP) as Phyllis, she would be dynamite!!!!!!
So Happy need Donna Mills to stay so I can see them working together as Mother and Daughter!!
Brilliant!!!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!! How did I miss this rumor? Shame on you, Ashleigh, you’re always so up on your soap casting spoilers! Well, they certainly got me. One more nail in my Y&R coffin. What creepy redhead is JFP going to shove down our throats on Y&R? Any guesses guys?
I can’t stand watching Silas!!! This just means he will get more airtime!
Silas cannot hold a candle to the rawness of McBain! At least as McBain he was working and fit in his police role. This oncologist role is stupid.
I don’t think the role is stupid; I buy him as Silas. But physically he looks as if he’s lost a lot of weight. I love thin, sinewy bodies but he is looking way too thin and scraggly these days. Don’t get me wrong…I’m a big fan of Michael Easton and I get the impression he’s a great guy. I just can’t help but notice the change in his appearance.
I agree with Andrea,. Easton was made for the role of McBain. AlI I see him do now is walk around GH in his street clothes. When remembered and convenient he is an oncologist. Sorry not working for me and I really enjoy the actor. I agree his appearance has changed as well.
Was hoping she would go back to Y&R – can’t believe she took GM over YR. She was perfect for the part on YR and I really enjoyed her character – she has disappointed a lot of fans. Don’t care what she does now.
JFP has disappointed way more fans than any other single person could ever do.By letting MS,BM,MM and little De De go has destroyed the Y&R I had loved for so many years.
Dee…I agree. Also…that VERY HORRIBLE Jill Farren Phelps will CONTINUE to destroy Y&R…unless one of those spineless and clueless CBS suits (aka the bosses) grows some B-A-L-L-S and FINALLY FIRES that FIRE-BREATHING W-I-T-C-H. Hopefully. that’ll happen one day soon. I mean…NEVER SAY NEVER!!!!!
Take what YR?
Just look at the Emmy noms this morning.
I LOVE Stafford and have since she came to YR. But I won’t be watching her on GH.
Eileen Davidson going to DAYS + Michelle Stafford going to GH = Y&R going down.
If Patrika Darbo shows up at Y&R, look out!!!
As far as I’m concerned, the VERY AWESOME Patrika Darbo would NEVER EVER allow herself to get mixed up in any of the current Y&R craziness (behind-the-scenes and all). But…I get what you’re saying. Yes. And, yep…Y&R CONTINUES to go down…FASTER AND FASTER…LOL!!!!! Beyond sad.
I think those 26 Emmy noms beg to differ, and the show is coming up on 26 years at #1.
Certainly no coincidence!
I kind of knew Michelle Stafford was eventually going to be on GH but i wasn’t expecting her to be on today.So that was a good job by everyone keeping it quiet.
What a wonderful surprise! I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the executive offices at CBS. If Phelps wasn’t already in trouble over Y&R’s falling ratings numbers, this is just another nail in her coffin. Stafford sends a big FU message to JFP and her lousy show.
Congrats ABC, GH and Ms. Stafford! Move well played!
My thoughts exactly!! So yes Take that Y&R and JFP
Great! Now can Y&R hire Jumie Luner (ex-Liza, AMC) as the new “Phyllis” already?
ayyyyyh!
Love Michelle Stafford, a great actress! ..
I hope Michelle Stafford is under contract !!!
Also– I text FV to bring on Michael M , a great talented actor!!
With all the legal issues ABC is dealing with now you really think ABC would do that?
Michelle Stafford is an “A” level actress, and to add her into the cast with all of these other “A” level actresses, like Maura West and Laura Wright, just to name a couple, can never hurt the show!
Not so surprised by this, it was rumoured for the past year. And while I would’ve loved to have seen Michelle come back to Y&R as Phyllis, she obviously felt the need to spread her wings and portray another character. I hope Nina is written strong and confident, Ron’s writing is known for being wishy-washy. But we knew this one was coming. So I’m hoping for the best and expecting the worst.
Don’t know her work…was hoping for another OLTL actress to make her way over…I’ll hold judgment til I see her.
So, it seems Detective West is Cassadine’s son with Dr. O…which would make him Nic and Alexis’ cousin…which is why she probably gave him up; because he wasn’t Faison’s. Although…are Brit and Nathan supposed to be fraternal twins? Maybe Brit is a Cassadine too…which would make HER Nicolas’s cousin as well! Greek tragedy still possibly on the horizon…
I would have rather seen them hire Melissa Archer as Silas’ ex-wife, she and Michael Easton already have established chemistry from OLTL! When he said Nina was a redhead, I was hoping it would be MA. That would have definitely made me tune in. As it is, there is not one storyline or couple that interests me on GH right now (unless you count Patrick and “phone Robin”)
Casting Melissa would’ve been highly controversial and really bad.
Agreed maddie. I hope we get to see Archer and Easton again at some point. Damn, missing them!
IKR? RC and FV had a perfect opportunity to recreate the magical chemistry of MA and ME, and they wasted it! I give up on those two fools!
WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN MA AND ME AGAIN. THOSE TWO DEFINITELY HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS TOGETHER,
Hell yes! When Silas was describing Nina he was describing MA perfectly.
Can we send these tweets to Cartini?
Now we need to find out that Nina’s child is alive and that he looks a lot like Chandler Massey
Yawn. Another newbie with only ties to other newbies. Stafford is a good actress, but this is not earth shattering to me. It is just another example of beloved vets being ditched and replaced and supplanted on GH. This is hardly an example of reinvigorating the show with a few new key roles…this is a wholesale reinvention with a bunch of evil new characters and the people they torment. To hear Carlivati talk, he thinks viewers are positively salivating about the arrival of Nina…and waiting with bated breath for the ultimate bitchfest between Ava and Nina. As I said before…yawn!!! We have seen Ava bitchfest with just about every female on the show already. As Shanna Twain would say..”That don’t impress me much.”
agreed
Well said!
Shania
It’ll be very interesting to see her play a new character. I hope Nina is not a carbon copy of Phyllis. We already have several women in that age group who are in your face types.
Ron acts like a new “core family” just kind of sprang up willy nilly, not by intention or design???? I think the tequila he mentions has wreaked havoc on him. If he had any plan on fulfilling his origin promise to rebuild the Q’s he had a prime opportunity in hiring Stafford as a recast Skye, and having her and AJ take over ELQ. That would have been something more approaching epic.
Too late now, but a good idea.
,
RCV/FV wanted to rebuild the original Q’s by bring them back..
He tried but they had no interest or moved on..
There are no Q’s.. they left GH, moved on or out..
FV can not rebuild a cornerstone family with new actors and have the Q’s still be the Q’s..
All good things come to an end..
AMC lost the core family the Chandlers, leaving one or two behind..
The Chancellors Y&R are all but gone too..
Soap families die off 🙁 and writers/producers let them go..
but– yes.. it would have be nice to have the Q’s back 🙂
With all due respect Su… That is the biggest load I’ve heard…well…since I read Ron’s interview this afternoon. They had Tracy, Monica, and a dynamically returned AJ along with his son Michael. Ned popped in for visits. There were no attempts made to recast Dylan or Brook Lynn. Jimmy Lee Holt is out there at large and could have any number of fun children or grand children kicking around. There are no excuses other than Ron thinks his new grotesque creations are better. And about the Chandler’s, there were never only one or two on screen at any time, even during the rebolt, and they were not systematically and gruesomely murdered one by one. The ones who left left town but usually still returned for visits. And the Chancellor’s were never what one would call a core family, as it consisted mainly of Katherine. The actress passed away. So no….what started as a bloodbath under the Phelps Guza regime has continued ad nauseam under Cartini. I don’t know which soap families you are referring to that just happen to die off. Name one other family (popular core family) in soap history who in the span of ten years had so many characters be killed off…NOT by the actors choice. And name one other long running soap character who has been treated so cruelly and viciously by the writers as Monica Q. To have a woman lose all four of his children to brutal murders…three which are directly traceable to Sonny Corinthos…is just sick, twisted, and disgusting.
DAYS’ Horton family is still going strong after 48 1/2 years!!! The DiMera and Brady families-34 years!! The Johnson and Kiriakis families-29 years!
Days of our Lives – Not just great soap opera but also great family drama!!!!!
The character of Skye was created on AMC.So there might be a question of whether GH can use the character or not.As for RC maybe he did have plans to rebuild the Quartermaines but things changed.I love the Qs too but they may have taken over from another family when they first appeared and now it’s happening to them in a way.
I’d rather have her as Phyllis on Y&R!
Yes, Yes, Yes!!! GH is going to rock this year with Michelle on the show!!
Old NEWS we over in NYC knew this for Hours. Why didn’t know this Yesterday Michael?
LOL
Maybe he did not want to ruin it for the west coast the HW had to post it on twitter what a child!!!