Actor Jason Thompson has settled into his role as GENERAL HOSPITAL's very own Dr. McDreamy, Dr. Patrick Drake. It's been a fun ride for Thompson, thanks to the backstage friendships he's forged.
Soap Opera Weekly: Who have you bonded with on the show?
Jason Thompson: Everybody, from the crew to the cast. They are a genuine group of people. It's a nice feeling knowing that everybody's there to get the job done in the best possible way. I knew Greg Vaughan (Lucky) before I [got on] the show, and Kimberly McCullough (Robin) has been very supportive since we first met. Steve Burton (Jason) has been very nice, too. He's taken me under his wing a little bit. Everybody's been great and made me feel comfortable.
Weekly: What about the old favorites? What's it been like working with some of them?
Thompson: I basically try to watch and learn. They know what they're doing for sure, and they're so good at it. It's humbling to be in scenes with people like Genie Francis (Laura) and Tony Geary (Luke). Everybody knows who Luke and Laura are.
Weekly: How did you find out that you would be playing Rick Springfield's (Noah) son?
Thompson: Actually, Mark Teschner, the casting director, told me the day I was testing. I thought, That's odd. That's cool. I fixed my hair a bit to look like him. We definitely look a little bit alike. He's great. He brings an energy to scenes. It works so well with the two of us.
Weekly: Was it hard for you to jump-start a father/son relationship? Did you talk it out?
Thompson: We didn't, actually. It was kind of like, 'Let's go,' and we did it. Rick is a really busy man. If he's not [taping GH], he's still touring and doing all that stuff. When we get onstage, we talk about the scene quickly with the director. Other than that, it's go time. He's got kids and I've got a father, so we can imagine where the situation might take us. We just trust ourselves and go with it.
Weekly: What does your family think about your GH gig?
Thompson: They're excited. My parents have seen me struggle. They're happy that I have a job. They don't have to worry about me eating rice and tuna every night. I can afford groceries now. My grandparents were big Y&R fans, but I think they change the channel every once in a while to watch me on GH. I don't know if they full defected. I don't know if I can get them totally away from Y&R. They're big fans of that show.
Weekly: Is it true that, aside from acting, you would like to pursue writing and directing?
Thompson: I feel very fortunate to be in this industry. A lot of people don't get this opportunity. I'm looking forward to the next couple of years on GENERAL HOSPITAL. I do write. I still want to develop something — a TV show or a movie or whatever.
Weekly: Do you write on your own or with a partner?
Thompson: I have a couple of buddies, and we meet every once in a while on projects that we're trying to get off the ground. I'm always thinking and writing things down. Whether they go anywhere or they don't, the passion is there.
