James Franco is doing a story arc on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, a network spokeswoman confirms. His first of three scheduled tape dates is Oct. 30 for an arc that begins airing on Nov. 20. ABC Daytime spokeswoman Jori Petersen says Franco’s storyline will last a few months. “The only thing I can tell you about his character right now is he is playing a mysterious person who comes to Port Charles who will be Jason Morgan’s worst nightmare,” Petersen said. Franco and Steve Burton, who plays GH’s Jason Morgan, share the same manager.
Franco’s resume includes the films Pineapple Express and Spider-Man. He also appeared on the 1990s television series Freaks and Geeks. “I’d to like add that there’s open invitation to any of his A-list costars to come on GH and try their chops in the soap world,” Petersen quipped.
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whaaaaaaat?????
Exactly. I really don’t understand why he’s doing this. Maybe he’s just bored.
baaawhaaat? is he hard up for cash now that he’s taking grad classes? does his manager have some dirt on him or something?
and “acting chops” and “soap opera” don’t really mix, do they?
I concur!
This is very interesting. I stopped watching GH in February after approximately 16 years because the writers were pissing me off. If this character seems to pose an actual threat, I may start watching again. At least for a while.
I did the same. Stunt casting is not going to fool me into tuning in, however. Best of luck, James Franco and may you escape this soap ASAP.
WOW!! I dig it, but it’s totally random for a B List star to do a soap. I hope this starts a trend!
WTF????
GH is like an armpit for the worst actors in Hollywood and I’m talking about the everyday actors!
Franco is above this.
^But, doesn’t that describe ALL daytime soaps?
Gh has some good actors!
WTF???????
He’s a good actor, why in the heck would he appear on a friggin soap opera?
Franco has always marched to his own beat, so who knows? It’s certainly not out of necessity, given his talent. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s probably just curious and itching to stretch his skills in a new direction.
The whole premise for General Hospital is ridiculous these days. They’re now trying the Soprano’s route by glorifying living in the mafia!
That idiot who plays Sonny has to be the worst actor on the face of the Earth! He can barely get through a scene without hesitating to read the teleprompters!
I’m hoping Franco’s character opens up a can of whoop @$$ on that idiot who plays Jason.
Glorifying the mob on GH is nothing new. They’ve been doing it for over a decade.
Is Alan still a ghost?
Haha.
What number Edward are they on now?
What number Carly are they on now?
There’s some hot women on that show! I was surprised Kelly Monaco didn’t jump ship after ther DWTS win.
I agree with you about the actor who plays Sonny. He is the reason I stopped watching General Hospital – well him and the girl who played Emily Quartermain. I could not bear to watch either one of them anymore.
Wow! no suprise that there isn’t a single actual interesting or real comment on this story except for Torin.
This is a random thing to do and I hope it works well. I would like to assume that James saw potential to experiment and that a good story was offered but I was let down once already when Shirley Jones was on Days. She hadn’t done anything in awhile but she is an Oscar winner for chrissakes! So I was pumped and then TOTALLY LETDOWN by how horrible the story was.
maybe because some of the best actors have appeared on them? Honestly we wouldnt have Tommy Lee Jones, Julianne Moore, Demi Moore, and so many more if it wasnt for soaps without them the only discovered talent would be reality stars like Spencer Pratt.
But they appeared on them when they were just starting out, not once they were already famous and had turned in acclaimed performances, as James Franco did in Milk and the James Dean biopic. This is extremely unusual. I wonder if he’s doing it out of curiosity for how the whole process works.
I’m guess it has more to do with the fact that James and Steve Burton share managers.
Agreed!!! Whoe else? Hayden panettiere, brittany snow,paul wesley, chris carmack, ryan phillipe, lindsay lohan, jason biggs, kevin bacon, morgan freeman…list goes on…
Don’t forget Nate Fillion on One Life to Live.
this. is. awesome.
Wow!! glad I got my dvd just in time!
WTF? Why throw a lifeline to Guza and company. This is sickening.
OMG. He couldn’t actually watch the show. It’s a cess pool where everybody kisses up to the misogynistic mob boss. Get out while you can, James!!
I thought Soaps were passé?
WTF is my thought exactly.
How bizarre. If he got his start on GH, I could see him coming back to do a guest thing. (Like Nathan Fillion did on One Life to Live.)But didn’t. Hmm.
It amazes me how people turn their noses up at soaps when if you look at network primetime schedules they’re pretty much airing soap like shows at night. DWTS, AI, SYTYCD, all these types of shows air multiple nights a week 1-2 hours a nite and people eat those up! At least soaps have a story to them.
Please, somebody explain this??!! It’s like Michelangelo wanting to become a house painter.
Ha bbixler…this is exactly right. Though Michelangelo was the best of the best, and James is definitely not on that level, but still better than this.
He’s a student of arts and entertainment so may be he wanted to explore a different genre. At least he’s not turning his nose on daytime TV. I just hope he’s written a strong story.
So weird. And he actually asked to be on the show according to a piece on TV Guide. *shakes head*
I thought this was a joke when I first saw the item.
Maybe he’s a fan of the show? Established stars have made guest appearances on various soaps (Elizabeth Taylor on All My Children comes to mind) because they were fans of the show.
I grew up watching All My Children and One Life To Live, so I have much love for stars who came from soaps (I will ALWAYS love Sarah Michelle Gellar because she was the awesome (original) Kendall on AMC), but I have to admit I find it so odd for a young and rising star to do a story arc on a soap.
Elizabeth Taylor was on GH as the original Helena Cassadine.
I’m SO gonna watch this!
He does it as a research for a futur role on a movie. I think it’s awesome : it’s the unusual process in acting career, humble and interesting move like that he can see how work soap opera medium with lot’s of pages of text to learn,almost never rehearsal (why there is often bad acting..)
And for GH it’s a master-stroke for major high ratings in period of november sweeps. It’s a win-win !
Kudos to James for being curious and open-mind (acting-wise).
Holy Cow!!!
Wow, between Ellen joining Idol and now James Franco joining GH, I’m totally shocked…and delighted! This will bring me back to watch GH after not watching for 10 years. The show is so bad right now between the mob and my favorite characters being killed off. Although Franco’s character will be mob related, it’ll be a hoot. Jonathan Jackson is returning as Lucky too. Loved his Lucky!
What? hot lucky is leaving??
Yep, they fired Greg Vaughn…the 3rd actor to play Lucky. Vaughn was indeed hot but GH never wrote for him like they did for the mobsters who have taken over the show. Jonathan Jackson was the original actor to play Lucky when Luke & Laura returned in 1993. He won like 2 Emmy’s for the role. Jackson left for greener pastures 10 years ago. I loved his character with Rebecca Herbsts Elizabeth. Maybe GH will get if right and reunite them…although having Elizabeth sleep with Lucky’s brother might throw a roadblock up to that. I just wish all this good stuff was happening with a better creative team behind the scenes.
Someone obviously lost a bet…
I find this a completely fascinating choice on Franco’s part. No, GH isn’t the best soap out there and no, soap opera’s aren’t considered a particularly high art form, but I like that he follows the beat of his own drummer.
It’s three days of taping, it’s not the apocalypse.
Since I’m a huge fan of GH and have watched for more years then I’ll admit since it would give my age away I’m always happy to see a star come on who dosen’t normally do soaps.