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It will be the shot heard around the soap world. Today on General Hospital, Dante gets a bullet from the barrel of a gun when Sonny pulls the trigger. And as the blood soaked Dante lays on the floor, secrets and lies begin to unravel and are revealed. For month’s the General Hospital powers-that-be have formulated a story of Sonny’s biological son by Olivia, Dante (known to most in PC as Dominic), who originally comes to town working undercover for the Feds to put Sonny away for his crimes. As the story has played out, we have seen a closer bond develop in a very interesting way between these two strong titans from opposite sides of the law. It’s mostly due to the fact that Dominic saved Morgan and Sonny’s lives, which elevated the young cop in Sonny’s mind as someone who can be trusted! Oh boy!

Newcomer Dominic Zamprogna has proved his mettle in the role of Dante (AKA Dominic). With high praise from fans, his cast mates, and the show’s producers and writers, he has stepped into a very high-profile soap opera role and done it justice. Zamprogna has the right mix of tough guy with a heart; the edgy look that makes him a modern day soap hero, and the acting chops to pull off this very complex and compelling role.

In this revealing interview, Dominic Zamprogna talks about working with his GH co-stars, Maurice Benard (Sonny), Julie Berman (Lulu) and Lisa LoCicero (Olivia) in the high stakes February sweeps storyline that is set to play out over several weeks, and previews the fallout when Dante actually realizes that the man he has sought out and worked to have arrested, is actually his real poppa!

Listen to the audio: The Dominic Zamprogna Interview

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MICHAEL:

Dominic, first off, did it ever get confusing that your character is also known undercover as Dominic and your real name is Dominic? Or was that an easy part, even though now you are also known as Dante? Confused? I am. (Laughs)

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DOMINIC:

The only confusing part was when I first started and I got my first script. They told me my name was going to be Dominic and I was going up for the part of Dante. I called up Bob Guza (head writer, GH) and went, “What is my character’s name?” (Laughs) He said, “You are undercover. It’s Dominic!” And I go, “Oh. Ok, then.”

MICHAEL:

Has this role turned out the way that it was promised to you, since you were going to end up being Sonny’s biological son? Did it live up to the hype?

DOMINIC:

Probably more. I did not know what to expect. We treat things very different in Canada. (Laughs) You see, I am from Hamilton, a city outside of Toronto, and I had been living in Vancouver for the last eight years before I came to LA. You get a different kind of attention down here. As far as the role goes, GH definitely held up their end of the bargain. They told me what it was going to be, how crazy it was going to be, how demanding it was going to be, and how important it was going to be, and hopefully, the way things have played out they seem happy with me.

MICHAEL:

Yes. You have been so heavy in story, and working with Maurice Benard in many of the episodes. How is working with him? Other GH actors tell me, “You have to be on your game with Maurice.”

DOMINIC:

Courtesy/ABC

Maurice was in my corner from day one. I feel like I had him on my side, and I did not need to win him over or impress him. We had a good audition experience together. Working with him is awesome! Maurice really gets into it, and he is an amazing actor. I am a bit out of my mind right now; because I just watched our big reveal show with Lisa LoCicero…

MICHAEL:

…Oh, you got a Sneak Peek. What did you think of it?

DOMINIC:

I thought it was awesome. Laura Wright (Carly) always says, “You are never as bad as you think you are or as good as you think you are,” and I think that is a very fair statement. I felt really awesome on the day we did it. You always pick things apart in an unfair way when you watch it as an actor who is looking back at their performance. You can’t dictate when the producers are going to cut to what shot, or really know how you are going to look. You just hope it turns out well. I am having a hard time putting into words what it is like working with Maurice, because I just watched our big scenes and it worked so great. He came up to me before we taped these pivotal scenes, and he said, “Let’s do it. Let’s kill it.” And we did, and the scenes were written so well. And Maurice is the kind of guy that if you stay with him throughout the scene it will be a roller coaster, and that is what it’s supposed to be. When I first came on the show, because our characters were feeling each other out, as well as we as people, like, “Who is this guy that can just walk into my house and tell me how it is?” So, I don’t think Sonny has ever had to deal with a character like that. So it’s kind of interesting to be in a kind of fake position of power, because in reality, I am scared out of my pants going up against this guy. He could pull out a gun any second and shoot me. But as an actor, I felt like this was my best way to play it, even if it’s false bravado. I was to be able to come in and be the tough guy with Sonny.

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MICHAEL:

It’s been great to watch, because you are one young actor who can actually go toe-to-toe with Maurice, and the character of Sonny Corinthos.

DOMINIC:

I have heard that, and I thank you for saying that. Over the course of seven months, it’s been my character working sort of underneath this guy. Maurice is such a supportive, amazing person who truly wants what is best for the show. So when you are working with him that is what you get, someone who wants to do well and wants you to do well, and sparks will fly.

MICHAEL:

Going into Friday’s episode, Sonny’s is supposed to be going to Jocelyn’s christening and Dante does not want to put him away yet. Why is Dante conflicted? And, what is driving this guy?

DOMINIC:

Basically, the knowledge of what he is about to do is going to crumble a lot of lives and he does like Sonny, and that is the truth of it. He is trying to not like Sonny, because he does not want to be compared to the guy, but Dante kind of sees himself as the same type of guy. They do behave alike. One is on one side of the law, and one is on the other. Dante knows he has a job to do, but he really does not want to do it. He wants to give another peaceful moment to the family before he lowers the boom, because it’s going to be an earthquake…

MICHAEL:

He is going to have Sonny arrested?

DOMINIC:

Yes, that was his goal. Dante is going to arrest Sonny, that is for sure. But it happens prematurely and it all goes awry.

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MICHAEL:

So, are we going to be on the edge of our seats?

DOMINIC:

The way they cut it is… it’s juxtaposed against the christening of baby Jocelyn where Sonny and Dante are supposed to be at. But, Dante is at Sonny’s and so the build up to the christening and the build up to my getting shot are dramatic. And that is not why I am at Sonny’s at that moment. Sonny calls me over to do a job and I go, not really knowing that I was going to have to pull my badge at the time, but you have to wait and see!

MICHAEL:

Have you even shot the big emotional Sonny/Dante father/son come to terms scenes? If that’s even possible! (Laughs)

DOMINIC:

I don’t think we have shot that yet, because I am still technically in the hospital in bed. And Dante does not do too well. He is shot in the chest and it’s going to be a battle for him.

MICHAEL:

How is working with your on-screen mom, Lisa LoCicero?

DOMINIC:

Lisa and I have been tight since day one. She showed me around the first day I got here, and I live five minutes away from her. She is unbelievably supportive and she has got Beatle’s Rock Band, which is cool (laughs). Working with her is great and we generally have fun together. From day one, Lisa and I working together was natural, even though people were saying we looked more like lovers than mother and son. We still felt really good about the mother and son relationship and we worked really hard to shape it.

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MICHAEL:

Not only is Sonny going to be devastated that Dante is his own son, but when will Dante actually realize Sonny is his father?

DOMINIC:

One of the first things that happen when I wake up in the hospital is I talk to Lulu and she tells me, “All may not be well.” (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Then do you have a talk with Sonny?

DOMINIC:

There is, but it’s not going to be one of those, “Oh, that’s what you meant? It’s cool.” It’s a mess, and unfortunately, the way Sonny is, he would not dream of harming anyone who is his own kid. Even though I am someone who betrayed him, when he finds out I am his kid, all of a sudden I am under that umbrella… you know, the really protective thing. So, Sonny is coming at it from a wonderful nurturing place and is really torn up by what he did. But for Dante, he feels, “This just proves to me who you are. And whatever we had before, friendship and possible palling around, is going to be null and void.”

MICHAEL:

Can you see Dante ever working for the mob?

DOMINIC:

He will always be on the other side of the law. I think my character has such strong principles and values, that I think something would have to go south in his world or in his life for him to not be a cop. If he was not a cop, I don’t know what that would be to bring him into the mob. I have been thinking about this for a long time, because this is the great debate: would I ever kind of flip and decide to work for the bad guys? However, I don’t see a scenario where he would do that, unless it was like between a rock and a hard place and there was no right answer to something, and he was forced into something that no matter how you look at it, this would be his only choice.

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL:

And Lulu becomes unhinged when she finds out Dante has been shot, and that he is Sonny’s son! Why do you think you and Julie Berman are working so well together on-screen? Do you think the Dante/Lulu romance works?

DOMINIC:

Oh, it works, totally! Julie and I have a ridiculous amount of fun together. We laugh in the hallways. Julie is a talented actress as well. I am blessed in my storyline to have three ridiculously talented people to work with. Each are ridiculously talented and soulful people who give a ton and more, in every scene they are in with you. Regarding Dante and Lulu’s romance: at first you feel pressure to make the chemistry work because everyone is going, “Oh, this is going to be your love interest on the show.” So you really want it to work. You feel you are pushing hard on the gas to make sure it works so everyone is happy. And then what you realize, “It’s out of my control!” You just have to play these scenes and have fun. Julie and I have a mutual respect for one another.

MICHAEL:

Lulu is going to be a mess over you!

DOMINIC:

Not necessarily a mess, but freaking out over what happened. The nice thing about Dante is that he has someone who has got his back, and he trusts that she has his back. With Olivia, his mother, he thinks that she does not really have his back. He knows she loves him, and he knows all the things she did; not telling Sonny or Dante, and even telling her lover Johnny, who knew Dante was undercover. Olivia always has a reason. Unfortunately, this is the first time you are going to see the bending or shift in their relationship because of how he was deceived by her. He thinks she was coming from a place of concern and care, but it might be misguided. Dante is going to look at it that way, no matter what. With Lulu, the first thing he is going to do when he wakes up is ask for her. She now is the only person that Dante trusts. She has proven it and will continue to prove it.

MICHAEL:

Should we expect to see Michael Corinthos continue to be a thorn in Dante’s side? After all, it was he who blew Dante’s cover to Sonny. In other words, Sonny’s biological son, Dante, and adopted son, Michael, fighting for their father’s approval, and with each other?

Courtesy/ABC

DOMINIC:

We actually see a different side to Michael. He tries to be real with Dante for once. It’s tough because when I see him after the shooting, instead of him coming to attack me, which is what I expect him to do, he actually seems like he is coming from a genuine concern for his father, Sonny…. who is now both our father!

MICHAEL:

So will Dante forgive Sonny? Does he still want Sonny arrested after this reveal that will change the course of their relationship?

DOMINIC:

There is so much confirmation for Dante that he goes back to what he came to town to do and the final few days when he goes to arrest Sonny, it gets wiped away. Any kind of progress he made in the enjoyment of being undercover and getting to know these people, pretty much gets wiped away by the fact that he gets shot. Dante is not a bad person or an insensitive person. He is a sensitive person. He will listen to you and let you speak, and take in what you have to tell him. He is a stubborn person, and it’s probably not going to change his mind if you just shot him.

MICHAEL:

How much of Dominic Zamprogna is Dante?

DOMINIC:

Originally not so much, but as you play a character and the writers see you in the character, things become a bit more blurred; where a lot of you become more like the part you play. I also think that is the nature of daytime soaps and how they are written for actors.

MICHAEL:

Will you be submitting yourself for Supporting Actor this year in the race for a Daytime Emmy nomination?

Courtesy/ABC

DOMINIC:

I was talking about that the other day. I don’t know. I guess I will.

MICHAEL:

You have plenty material.

DOMINIC:

That is the thing I am happiest about. I did not think I would be in 130 some episodes. I am definitely blown away with that. And going back to your earlier question, the people that make the decisions are obviously happy with the way things are going and utilizing me, and I am very happy the way things are going.

MICHAEL:

You were involved a bit in the Co77x storyline with James Franco. How was the James Franco experience for you?

DOMINIC:

I did not have a lot of experience working with him. The story was always going to be James Franco’s and Steve Burton’s (Jason) story. There was an association between “Franco” and Dante, but it wasn’t anything more than that. I think it works out better for my character and the story. I think it worked out better for Dante in this story for having his cover get blown with Sonny. So I am happy how everything shaped up. But I think James Franco is a great guy. He did great work, and from what I hear he had more lines than anyone would want to dream of having in a day. James came in here and kicked-ass!

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL:

To sum this all up, why should GH fans not miss Friday’s’ must-see episode and the weeks to come? Will we need hankies?

DOMINIC:

You will be blown away, and you will need hankies if you care about Sonny, Dante and Olivia. If you don’t give a damn about them you won’t care. (Laughs) You may need to get in front of the TV with a drink and some popcorn for this. (Laughs).