The news took daytime by storm: after a 10 year absence, Jonathan Jackson came back to GENERAL HOSPITAL in the role he created as a youth back in 1993, as the son of legendary supercouple Luke and Laura. Here, Jackson talks about what he’s been up to, and why he still feels “Lucky.”
Soap Opera Digest: Are you excited to be back?
Jonathan Jackson: It’s beautiful. I felt like this could be cool, that it could be a fun adventure to come back and work with some of the people I love and that I love to work with.
Digest: How long are you back for?
Jackson: I can’t really say, but I can say I’m back as a regular for a time.
Digest: Any trepidation about picking things up 10 years later?
Jackson: I think one of the most exiting things is working with people like Tony Geary [Luke]. He’s great. It’s exciting to work with him again. It’s been like that with Becky [Herbst, Rebecca] and Tyler [Christopher, Nikolas], which has been going great. I’ve worked with Steve [Burton, Jason] already. A lot of stuff is subconscious, but I do feel that 10 years of doing other things and growing up and having a family and all that, I think that subconsciously plays a part in terms of the newer dynamics of things. That’s all under the surface, but everything still seems very connected.
Digest: How was walking back into the studio for the first time?
Jackson: It was great to see the crew, the hair and makeup people. It was really cool.
Digest: Have you kept in touch with your on-screen parents, Tony and Genie Francis [ex-Laura]?
Jackson: Yes, I’d kept in touch with Tony a little more regularly but I have talked to Genie here and there. There’s a really strong connection there, so even if there’s a long time in-between when we talk to each other, it doesn’t affect the relationship. I would love to get to see her again and possibly work with her again.
Digest: Anyone else you really want to work with?
Jackson: I’ve heard great things about [Lucky’s] sister [Julie Marie Berman, Lulu]. I’d love to work with Maurice [Benard, Sonny], as well. I think great stuff would come out of that. They have so many great actors on the show that pretty much everywhere you turn there’s someone great you get to work with.
Digest: You have an independent film due for release called Kalamity. Tell us about it.
Jackson: That was a project with Nick Stahl [Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines]. He was fun to work with. It’s an edgy independent film. We shot it in Virginia. It was an intense role and script, a lot of really great acting stuff in there. I look forward to having it get out there.
Digest: What’s new with your band, Enation?
Jackson: We’re still making music and pushing forward. We’re mixing a live album that we’re going to release probably around Christmas time. We’re always making new music so we’ll probably start the next album soon after that.
Digest: Are you an actor who plays music or a musician who acts?
Jackson: I have to be a real politician there and say neither [laughs]. I guess the way I look at it is who I am inhabits both of those things. I don’t look at myself as a musician or as an actor. I look at myself as me and whatever I end up doing, I put my heart and soul into that, whether it’s writing or acting or music or directing or whatever. To me, it’s all pretty much the same sort of expression.
