LOVE, OF COURSE, Cameron Mathison, TV movie, (aired October 20, 2018), 2018. ph: Steven Ackerman / ©Hallmark / courtesy Everett Collection
Credit: Hallmark Entertainment/Courtesy of the Everett Collection

“It may be a little bit scary… “

Although General Hospital tried to keep a lid on exactly who Cameron Mathison will be playing when he joins the soap, smart money (including ours) was on the missing-and-presumed-dead Drew Cain. Now, Entertainment Weekly has revealed that All My Children‘s former Ryan will, in fact, be playing Drew… although his entrance may not be exactly what people expected.

Given that when last we saw Drew, he’d stepped into an elevator at General Hospital, many assumed that he would return in much the same fashion. Imagine if the elevator doors opened and there stood Drew — looking different and perhaps uncertain of his identity. Not only would that be a callback to the character’s exit, but General Hospital viewers will recall that when first Drew was introduced, he was an amnesiac who eventually came to the mistaken conclusion that he was Jason. (In reality, Drew turned out to be the until-then unknown brother of the hitman.)

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This time around, however, Drew won’t be showing up at the hospital or even appearing on screen when Mathison debuts on Monday, August 16. Instead, he’ll be a voice on the other end of the line when Sam does something most of us never do: takes a call from an unknown number. (Telemarketers must love her!)

“I actually call her to say I’m in trouble,” Mathison tells Entertainment Weekly. “He reaches out for a good reason. She’s obviously incredibly important to him. They’ve got a child together, which the audience already knows, and that daughter is everything in the world to him. He reaches out to Sam because he really believes that help will follow.”

As for stepping into a role previously played by Billy Miller, Mathison admits “it may be a little bit scary,” although he adds that the character wasn’t on the canvas for all that long. I feel like there’s enough that has been sort of untapped. There is an opportunity for me to bring my own take and version of this great character.”

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As is so often the case on soaps, Drew’s timing is downright perfect. Not only have Jason and Sam gone their separate ways, but she’s started getting closer to Dante. And while Mathison won’t say how long he’s expected to say, he does confirm that it is a contract role.

What do you think about the finally-confirmed news that Mathison will be playing Drew? Hit the comments section with your opinions — ’cause we know you’ve got ’em. Then take the quiz below to see if you know Sam well enough to help fill in the blanks should Drew come to you with questions about her past!