General HospitalComings & Goings

It’s been a hot minute since we’ve seen Kristina Wagner on General Hospital as Felicia Jones. Well fans, the wait is over and you can expect to see Felicia back in Port Charles on Friday, May 21, as first reported by Soap Opera Digest.

The last time she was mentioned was in late December 2020 when Maxie invited Britt to join her, Peter, Mac and Felicia for a New Year’s family dinner. Prior to that, she was spotted at the Floating Rib in May 2020 with Robert, who was drunk and trying to wrap his head around the news that Hollie was dead, which he couldn’t believe — and Anna later confirmed to Felicia that she believed there was more to the story as well!

Back to Wagner’s upcoming return… as you may recall, in April the show announced it would be airing a special episode that day as a tribute to the late John Reilly, who passed away on January 9 of this year and had played the role of Sean Donely from 1984 to 2013.

In other neat news surrounding the upcoming special, Reilly’s real-life daughter Caitlin Reilly will also turn up in the role of Sean’s daughter. Given how loved Sean was by so many in Port Charles, and the mark the actor left on daytime viewers, we cannot wait to watch what the ABC soap has planned for May 21.

We invite readers to take this time to remember other soap opera stars who we’ve lost this year by viewing photos and details about their careers in our memorial gallery.

— Amy Mistretta

We’re about to see a new face in Port Charles beginning the week of May 10. Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Guiding Light alum Kimberly J. Brown (former fashion designer Marah Lewis) has been cast on General Hospital in a new, mysterious role.

This will be the second daytime role for Brown, who told the magazine, “I haven’t done a soap since Guiding Light, so I’m just thrilled to be doing something in daytime again.” The actress will be reunited with former Springfield castmates Laura Wright (Carly), who played Cassie, as well as Cynthia Watros (Nina), who appeared as Annie.

Our Hallmark fans might recognize Brown from her role as Angela in 2019 during the third installment of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Crossword Mysteries series, starring All My Children alum Lacey Chabert (Bianca).

However, the question remains… What brings Brown’s character to Port Charles and who will she be involved with? Will she be wrapped up in a storyline surrounding former All My Children actor Cameron Mathison’s General Hospital debut? Or maybe she’ll turn up during one of the many May Sweeps plots?

Whatever the case, we’ll be eagerly awaiting her daytime return! For now, join us as we look back on various soap opera stars who went on to do movies and primetime then returned to their daytime roots in our photo gallery.

— Amy Mistretta

Fans have been beside themselves since the fatal murder of Port Charles’ Franco Baldwin. Though the character will not return from the dead, as so may have before him, Roger Howarth will be returning to General Hospital at the end of May, as reported in the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest — and the much-anticipated return will be “extremely memorable!”

As fans recall, Howarth assured his followers he would not be leaving the ABC soap opera but in fact would be returning as another character. While a lid has been kept on the details, the actor voiced not only his excitement but faith and trust in how the powers that be would handle his comeback.

Since Franco’s fateful March 9 death, with a bullet to the chest at the hands of Peter August, Jason has been sitting in lockup faced with a murder charge while Franco’s killer runs free. Carly has vowed to help her BFF Jason, while Anna, Valentin and others continue on their quest to take down Peter for good.

Liz has been devastated, as have all of those who loved Franco. Cameron’s been on edge ever since his stepfather’s death, and Scottie wants the person responsible for killing his son to pay.

So, the question remains… if Franco isn’t coming back, how will everyone react when they see the face of a dead man — and who will he turn out to be? Someone we’ve met before or someone totally new?

Many have thrown around ideas as to which character Howarth will play, and we know he can return as any number of characters that the show wants — except for one. Join us as we talk about the who and the why.

So, keep your eyes open in the coming month as we wait with bated breath for a soap opera icon to make his return. Until then, take a look through our gallery showcasing photos of Roger Howarth’s epic run on General Hospital.

— Amy Mistretta

If ever a part was made for an actor, it was this one: Caitlin Reilly, the daughter of beloved General Hospital alum John Reilly, has been tapped to play the daughter of his character, Sean Donely, in the ABC soap’s upcoming tribute to the late scene stealer.

In reporting the news, Variety quoted Caitlin as saying that “words can’t describe how honored I am to be playing my dad’s daughter on the show. I grew up on the set of General Hospital, watching him work for years, so it’s exciting to dive into a new character in honor of him.

“He’ll absolutely be by my side in spirit on set rooting me on,” the TikTok star added. “It fills my heart with gratitude to be a part of this tribute to him, and to feel so close to him working on a show he loved so much doing.”

Born in 1995, Sean and true love Tiffany Hill’s daughter was named after their good friend Anna Devane — but now goes by Annie. She was last seen in 2013 when her dad had been stricken with polonium poisoning courtesy of the nefarious Jerry Jacks. (At the time, Courtney Halverson played the part.)

Sean, you may recall, also has a son, Connor Olivera, from a past relationship. But the former Outback manager hasn’t been seen around Port Charles since the early 1990s.

While we wait for more details on the soap’s tribute to Reilly, who passed away in January, pay your respects by perusing the below photo gallery, a collection of images of the stars we’ve lost already in 2021. (Sheesh — and it’s only April.)

Could General Hospital fans be about to get, ahem, Lucky? The character’s original (and longest) portrayer Jonathan Jackson suggested that it wasn’t out of the question when he recently taped an episode of Dishing With Digest.

“When I left in 1999,” the five-time Emmy winner said, “I always had it in my mind to come back periodically, so I’m always open to that.

“I’ve never really been of the mentality of closing that door,” he added.

Already, the actor has returned to the role of Luke and Laura’s son twice, for a two-year run from 2009-11 and again for a visit in 2015 to facilitate the retirement of on-screen father and off-screen mentor Anthony Geary. But even if the show was ready to welcome Jackson home to Port Charles — and he was ready to come home — there would be a new kink in the works: He now lives in Ireland with wife Lisa Vultaggio (ex-Hannah) and their three children.

“It is a strange thing,” he muses, “that Lucky left for Ireland, and I’ve ended up living here.”

That obstacle probably wouldn’t be insurmountable for a vagabond like Jackson, who’s lived in Washington, L.A., Nashville and now abroad. But a taller hurdle remains: the workload. When he originally left the soap, he told the podcast, it was in part to tackle other roles but also in part to relieve the exhaustion of trying to finish high school while taping the soap. In 2011, “it was a combination of the amount of work and the type of work…

“It was a bit relentless the dramatic situations that were happening,” he added. “I remember in the ’90s — I could be wrong — it seemed as though you’d have a three-month story of massive intensity, then it would shift and you’d have a bit of time to recover from the immensity of it.”

More: General Hospital’s Laura, her life and times [PHOTOS]

Not so in the 2000s. It was, he recalled, all intense, all the time. He’d actually wanted to re-sign back then but had been just too depleted to do so.

While we wait — and hope — that the show and Jackson can come up with a scenario that would make it possible for him to reprise his beloved role, check out a photo gallery of other characters we want to see back in Port Charles. At least a couple of folks on our wish list are already back in the mix!

Fans of General Hospital‘s Alexis got a real treat via the April 8 episode, in which the much-loved character at long last addressed her deep-seated issues before heading off to Pentonville to begin her three-year stint behind bars.

The episode was entirely Alexis-centric, ending with the character beginning her new life… which left some fans fearing that both she and portrayer Nancy Lee Grahn were being written out. After all, the outing did seem to neatly wrap up some of the character’s longest-running stories, especially where Alexis’ history of choosing wildly-inappropriate romantic partners was concerned.

Just please tell us the rumor is not true that you left GH! I can not go on watching if you are not a part of anymore. Today’s episode brought me to tears!

— Angie Marie (@AMJ0416) April 8, 2021

Fortunately, this was one cliffhanger which was quickly resolved as Grahn — who was live-tweeting the episode with fans — set the record straight. “I’m not going anywhere,” she assured concerned viewers — more than once — even going so far as to joke that “they’ll have to drag me out kicking and screaming.”

They’ll have to drag me out kicking and screaming. ❤️ #NLG25

— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) April 8, 2021

Grahn  then went on to share some backstage details about the episode, which was designed to celebrate her 25 years on the show (although her actual anniversary isn’t until September). Among the tidbits? That when it came to picking scenes for the montage highlighting Alexis’ many storylines, she was able to provide some input; that she was loving the storyline… and that she wasn’t necessarily looking forward to her prison wear, as “beige is not my color.”

As it turns out, not only is Alexis not going to spend her sentence sitting on the back burner, but she’ll be, as Grahn teased, meeting a few new folks while at Pentonville. This, we presume, is in addition to Sydney Walsh, who popped up the next day as Alexis’ cellmate Maggie.

Since we’re all here breathing a sign of relief, why not join the celebration of Grahn’s anniversary by checking out this special photo gallery chronicling some of her many adventures as the one-and-only Alexis!

Sydney Walsh has landed a role on General Hospital as a prisoner named Maggie and will appear in scenes with Alexis beginning on Tuesday April 13, as first reported by Soap Opera Digest. Daytime fans may recognize the actress from playing Judge Delores Anderson on The Young and the Restless.

As we all know, even though Dante testified that Alexis wasn’t in her right mind when she attacked him, she pleaded guilty and is on her way to Pentonville to do a three-year sentence. Just yesterday, Alexis met with a consultant named Irene, who Diane arranged to help her friend prepare for prison. Though Alexis tried to keep the conversation light, Irene warned for her to keep the humor at home because it could make her enemies on the inside.

Upcoming spoilers reveal that Alexis and Maggie will cross paths in Pentonville, but their meeting appears to be beneficial to the former Port Charles lawyer, as Alexis will open up to the other inmate.

In other jailhouse news… last week we reported that Sean Blakemore would be returning to the ABC soap opera as Shawn Butler, who is currently sitting in Pentonville himself. Not to mention, Jason is also being housed there since the judge denied his bail for the murder of Franco. Even though the men and women are separated in the penitentiary, you never know who Alexis will cross paths with next…

However, fans will get a clearer picture this week when the storyline is heavily played out as Alexis is forced to answer some hard questions as to how her life ended up where it did. Get details about the special Alexis-centric episode here, then check out the photo gallery that follows the tell-all — a celebration of Nancy Lee Grahn’s 25 years in the role.

— Amy Mistretta

In late March we reported that Cameron Mathison’s Home & Family had been canceled on the Hallmark Channel, and now we have great news to share with soap fans. The All My Children veteran actor is heading to General Hospital!

Our sister site Deadline has exclusively learned that Mathison will join the ABC soap opera in a new, mystery Port Charles role. Other than that, no details have been released surrounding his return to daytime. (That said, we do have a few ideas about who the heartthrob could be playing.)

General Hospital jumped in via their official Facebook page to confirm, “The rumors are true!”

Mathison has co-hosted Home & Family, alongside Debbie Matenopoulos, since 2013 and played the role of Pine Valley’s Ryan Lavery from 1998 to 2011.

We will be sure to keep our readers updated on any emerging details surrounding this casting news. Until then, take a look into the personal lives of some of the soap opera actors in our gallery filled with photos of the stars and their real-life kids.

— Amy Mistretta

General Hospital, it would seem, is about to make our favorite kind of mess — a big one! Into the combustible situation in which Jordan, Curtis and Taggert are entangled, ABC’s one and only sudser is about to drop Shawn Butler, according to Soap Opera Digest.

More: Dumbest things our faves have done… lately! [PHOTOS]

Sean Blakemore, who bagged a 2016 Daytime Emmy for his work as TJ’s biological father, is set to reprise the role that he played from 2011-15. And the timing couldn’t be more spectacular. Jordan and Curtis’ marriage is on the rocks, and she’s got Taggert crashing on her couch. Add to the equation Sonny’s former hitman — who served more time than the don or Jason ever have, and for a crime he didn’t even commit! — and the stage of set for some major drama.

More: 58th anniversary tribute to General Hospital [PHOTOS]

Since Shawn was sent up the river for shooting Liz’s half sister Hayden — again, he didn’t do it — his portrayer has nabbed recurring roles on Devious Maids, CSI: Cyber and Greenleaf, and he was a regular on the BET drama The Quad. He also played the POTUS in an episode of MacGyver. (Of note: Greenleaf creator Craig Wright told our sister site TVLine that he has further plans for Blakemore’s spineless character — but that he wouldn’t reappear until Season 3 of the in-the-works spinoff.)

While you’re here, no doubt cheering Blakemore’s imminent return to Port Charles, stay a while and check out a photo gallery of other characters we’d love to see back in action.

Amanda Setton will be resuming her role as Brook Lynn Quartermaine on General Hospital very soon, as reported by Soap Opera Digest. The actress has been on maternity leave and gave birth to her third child. She first appeared on the ABC soap opera in November 2019, eight years after a two-year stint on sister soap One Life to Live as Kimberly Andrews.

In August, it was announced that Briana Lane would temporarily fill in for Setton, who last appeared on Tuesday, August 4. Lane turned up as Port Charles’ recast two days later and exited the role on Monday, November 16, when Brook Lynn returned to Bensonhurst with a huge secret.

Buzz began about what this secret could be, considering she had a one-night stand with Valentin, and many wondered if Brook Lynn could be pregnant. This led us to hope that another storyline could emerge from Brook Lynn’s return. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking but who wouldn’t love to see Brook Lynn’s mother Lois Cerullo come back to town with her!? Oh, the drama that would ignite, and could you imagine the tense encounters between Lois and Olivia? Never say never when it comes to our soaps!

In the meantime, look through our massive gallery of rare General Hospital photos and precious Port Charles memories throughout the years.

— Amy Mistretta