Adrienne Barbeau, known for her screen work in horror movies like The Fog and co-starring in MAUDE on the small screen, showed an unexpected side of her GENERAL HOSPITAL character, Suzanne Stanwyck, when she slit Theo's throat to keep him from corrupting their grandson, Lucian. Here, Barbeau shares some cutting remarks about Suzanne's trip to the dark side.
Soap Opera Weekly: Why did Suzanne decide to kill Theo right there in the home of Lucian's adoptive parents?
Adrienne Barbeau: She was so distraught over losing Aleksander, she was being contrary to whatever he was thinking about his grandson. And the parents were due back at any moment…
Weekly: Killing the Balkan in cold blood made Suzanne more interesting as a character; it makes her a real badass.
Barbeau: Well, it depends on how you look at it. I mean, she did the world a favor, didn't she? I certainly don't think she's a badass from Brenda's point of view, or Lucian's!
Weekly: Still, she killed him in a very hands-on way.
Barbeau: Suzanne walks in, completely unexpected, because he thinks his people have killed her. He's seated in a chair and she's massaging his shoulders, and says, "Now I'm in a position to give you everything you deserve…" And I slit his throat with his straight razor!
Weekly: That was a brutal scene, even if it was bloodless.
Barbeau: It's the John Carpenter style of filming, where what you don't see is more effective than what you do.
Weekly: You were married to Carpenter in the early 1980s and starred in several films he directed. Did you have fun returning to your horror roots — if only a little?
Barbeau: Oh, I had a great time. The hard part was, I had to get the straight razor out of my pocket and get it open in one hand while keeping it hidden from him — and keeping it oncamera and remembering the lines I was going to say while working with this piece of equipment. But it was a fun scene to do.
Weekly: I'm guessing Daniel Benzali had less fun, seeing as his character was offed?
Barbeau: I think Daniel was sorry to be leaving the show. He really had a good time! He enjoyed being on the show, and I think he enjoyed the character and was sorry to be going.
Weekly: I suppose he could be back — the Balkan's neck wasn't oncamera when Suzanne allegedly slit it!
Barbeau: Yeah, but I think it was implied it is pretty permanent. When she later shows up with Lucian at Sonny and Brenda's house, she eventually says, "Theo's dead; I took care of it." I don't think Daniel will be coming back in any form that's recognizable — at least, not as Theo. But, I'm not writing it, so you never know!
