General Hospital
Interviews

It's not a rumor and it's not a publicity stunt: James Franco is really coming to General Hospital.

In an interview with TV Guide Magazine, show writer Bob Guza confirms that the actor didn't sign on just to research a film role and that Franco was "fantastic" during his first day of shooting.

As for the character he'll play, details have finally emerged about him: appropriate, his name is Franco and he's connected to the mysterious C077X graffiti tag that's been popping up around Port Charles.

Franco (the character) is a psychotic, albeit self-deprecating, artist; fixated on death and connected to Jason Morgan, the mobster played by Emmy-winner Steve Burton.

“Franco is fascinated with Jason and what he does for a living - he thinks they both love death and are essentially the same kind of guy,” Burton said. “But then Jason refuses to meet with him and that’s when things start to go south.”

The movie star debuts on the soap opera on November 20.

As previously reported, General Hospital has pulled a switcheroo:

Greg Vaughan has been let go from the role of Lucky Spencer; while Jonathan Jackson, the man that originated the character, will come back to the series on October 27.

In a new interview, Jackson speaks to TV Guide Magazine about his return to Port Charles:

On playing an older version of Lucky: I’m coming back to play the character as an adult, but because I don’t know what that really means yet, I’ll be like a child, coming into it with a sense of wonder and curiosity because it’ll all be so new. I have no idea what this is going to feel like.

On returning to the role he hasn't played in a decade: I guess I always felt like there was a possibility somewhere, just because of the connection the audience has with Lucky, and with me playing him. So, yeah, I always felt it was a possibility. I was determined to work with Tony Geary again no matter what. It’s shocking how everything has aligned.