My co-worker Tricia (shout-out to Tricia! You rock!) informed me earlier this week that a new character would be coming to the daytime soap General Hospital next week. No, it’s not some regular on the soap circuit traveling from one show to another, nor is it some new ingénue joining the cast. It’s movie star James Franco. Which leads me to think…“Huh?”
Franco’s career is currently white-hot, coming off of major roles in Pineapple Express (for which he received a Golden Globe nom) and Milk and currently filming the Eat, Pray, Love adaptation with Julia Roberts. So I ask not only how he can fit the show in his schedule, but why?
As most of us know, plenty of now-famous actors got their start in the soap world: Tommy Lee Jones, Alec Baldwin, Meg Ryan and Kathleen Turner are among the legion of actors who graduated from the daytime academy. More recent stars like Jason Biggs, Josh Duhamel and Eva Longoria have also put in their time.
And there has been a recent crop of successful actors who’ve migrated from primetime to daytime in the twilight of their careers. Patrick Duffy of Dallas and Step By Step is now on The Bold and the Beautiful, as is Wonder Years mom Alley Mills. Bruce Weitz, an Emmy winner for Hill Street Blues, plays a mob kingpin on General Hospital, affectionately known as GH. Corbin Bernsen of L.A. Law has spent time on GH and even joined his mother Jeanne Cooper, the reigning diva of The Young and the Restless. And as Mark, pointed out last year, Michael Gross – Steven Keaton of Family Ties – has even spent time in the Restless locale of Genoa City. But none of these actors’ careers are on the rise anymore. Performers can have thriving careers in daytime, sure, but isn’t it odd for a movie star to visit the genre?
My guess is he is either friends with someone at GH or is just doing this as a lark. Franco’s arc sounds short: he plays a mysterious man who comes to town to settle some unfinished business with mob man Jason Morgan (Steve Burton). (His character’s name? Franco. That’s either impressively meta or supremely lazy.) It can’t really hurt him; most of his fans likely won’t even know about the stint.
But does the stunt really help? Maybe it will give the soap a shot in the arm during November sweeps. Still, I’d have preferred the writers focused on their core stable of actors and provided them with an exciting front-burner story. Actresses like Nancy Lee Grahn and Rebecca Herbst, for example, are capable of greatness but rarely get the chance to show off their chops, locked as they are in storylines revolving infidelity and love triangles. And if such a character as “Franco” really is necessary, I’d have preferred to see the role go to an actor that needs the work rather than a household name with his pick of top material.
What do you guys think? Is this stunt casting a good or bad idea? Does the idea of Franco playing Franco make you want to tune in?
8 responses so far ↓
1 Tricia // Nov 13, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Look I’m in your article!
My opinion: This stunt makes no sense… why would Franco feel the need to lower himself to a soap opera. I also feel like he’ll make all the other actors and actresses look terrible in compairson.
2 Laura Mc. // Nov 13, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Who cares where he turns up just so long as he turns up? That man is beautiful
3 Robyn // Nov 13, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Is it weird that I liked him even more when I heard about this? I think it shows that he’s not a snob about his profession.
I read that he and Steve Burton share the same agent, so that could be how this came about.
4 Ripley // Nov 13, 2009 at 8:50 pm
I heard it was research for a movie or something.
5 Della // Nov 14, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I am a fan of GH in limbo because the show is in such disarray these days. Personally I am not interested in the Franco s/l. It is another example of stunt casting and writing. GH needs to write compelling stories for it’s existing canvas. They cannot bring in new viewers or hold on to the ones that they have at this point. Stunt writing get people who may view the show for a few days if that long.
6 Gonzalo // Nov 16, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I agree with Robyn on this. I think it’s commendable that he wants to see what it’s like to act in an environment that is obviously very different from movies, prime-time TV, or plays. While I don’t watch any soaps, the fact that they do 5 scripted shows a week is impressive. Most big-time Hollywood actors would never chose to work with that rhythm, and I suspect many would not be able to – so I have to commend Franco for jumping into it.
As far as this whole thing being stunt casting? It reminds me of Britney guest-starring on How I Met Your Mother… did I love it? No. But if it brings a lot more eyeballs for a few episodes (and in that case, it certainly did), there’s always bound to be some that will stick with the show if they like what they see.
7 Doug // Nov 16, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I agree wholeheartedly about the discipline required for daytime TV — it’s as intense as repertory, and is sink or swim. Anyone who can excel at it is aces in my book.
What’s different to me is that while guest stars like Brit-Brit in primetime are a dime a dozen, it’s a rare thing in daytime (perhaps the biggest one of all was Liz Taylor on GH for Luke and Laura’s wedding?). I wonder if this will start a new trend?
8 Sheena // Nov 16, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I’m a perfect example of why this was a good idea. I haven’t watched GH in over six years and I’ll probably turn it on for this.
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