Film Star James Franco Joins GENERAL HOSPITAL Thursday, October 01, 2009 Posted by Roger Newcomb
Golden Globe winner James Franco is joining the cast of GENERAL HOSPITAL for a short run. Jillian Michaels tweeted about it on Monday which immediately made soap fans think they were being Muhney'd again but it looks like this one is true. Steve Burton confirmed on his own Twitter account last night. When asked if Franco is joining and Vanessa Marcil is returning to GH, Burton responded: "Franco is..dont know about Vanessa."
UPDATE: ABC Soaps in Depth has added more information on their website: "We hear that Franco will work a few days a week on the GH set, taping several shows a day. A source says that Franco 'wants to do everything' and would take on his GH role as research for an upcoming film project."
Discuss.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: east/west,
Posts: 5344 | Location: New York/California | Registered: September 30, 2006
Given all this casting news I say it has been a vote of confidence in the genre. James on GH is crazy in a good way and will definitely get the show some press. Now it is what they do in that writing room I am worried of. The team is good, but the fearless leader's vision is one that is not so, but I am going to see how this goes. James Franco? Wow!
Posts: 5344 | Location: New York/California | Registered: September 30, 2006
WILLIAM PETERSEN: Well, this is a shock. The only explanation for this is that somehow in the last year, every one of you tried to act with rubber gloves and tweezers.
Posts: 6617 | Location: NY | Registered: December 01, 2002
I like James Franco, but I wonder what the hell he's doing going to "General Hospital." Soaps are in such dire straits that it's odd to think of a major film star -- and not a former or faded film star -- wanting to join up, even for a short stint, especially on a train wreck like GH. I wonder what convinced him to join up. As long as they don't cast him as another of Sonny's illegitimate children, I guess this could not-suck, but that's as much optimism as I'm willing to extend the show these days.
"A movie is not good because it arrives at conclusions you share, or bad because it does not. A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it: about the way it considers its subject matter, and about how its real subject may be quite different from the one it seems to provide." - Roger Ebert, from the introduction to "Awake in the Dark" (2006)
From what I have heard, Franco approached GH, for research for an upcoming film, will be on for a two month stint, and coincidently is good buddies with the actor who plays Ronnie, Dante/Dominic's partner to bring down Sonny. From what I have read, the role is not mob related, and it may help bring back Vanessa Marcil, who says she would consider coming back if she can work steadily with Franco.
Posts: 353 | Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan | Registered: July 21, 2006
Vanessa Marcil is a real piece of work. I don't blame her if she doesn't want to work with Maurice, but does she think she's still some hot commodity (outside of GH)? Please. Never understood the fascination with this actress.
I remember in an interview he said that he always wanted to try a soap because he heard it was very challenging. As for Vanessa, I hope she doesn't think she is in his league all of a sudden.
This is actually a great ratings ploy on the part of the EP. This show has been in the toilet for so long they can only go up. When Liz Taylor was on GH the ratings were astronomical. The same happened on OLTL when Sammy Davis Jr. was on. James is a good actor. He held his own against Sean Penn in MILK. I look forward to seeing if he can add some life to this mess.
I just saw this bizarre news headline and knew to jump over here immediately!
All I can say is WOAH! Didn't see this one coming... AT ALL! Is it April 1st already?
I really don't know what to think of this. This will for sure bump the ratings for this show, but I just wonder why on earth he would come to daytime television (nothing against it), but when's the last time we saw a huge movie star at the top of their game pretty much drop everything just to be on a Daytime Soap Opera?
2010 Oscars FYC:
Lead Actor - Joseph Gordon-Levitt, (500) Days of Summer Lead Actress - Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire Original Screenplay - Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer
Posts: 4920 | Location: Why Do You Want To Know? | Registered: November 21, 2006
