Catching Up With … Antonio Sabato, Jr.
Antonio Sabato, Jr., played GH’s brooding boxer, Jagger Cates, from 1992-94, and reprised in 1995 and then again in 2008 on the GH SOAPnet spin-off, NIGHT SHIFT. Currently, he’s looking for love on VH1’s new reality series, MY ANTONIO, which you can read all about in the 8/18/09 issue, on sale 8/11. Here, Sabato reminisces about his GH days … and whether he’d consider a return trip to Port Charles.
Soap Opera Digest: Antonio, how would you rate your GH: NIGHT SHIFT experience?
Antonio Sabato, Jr: It was great. The writing was excellent. Every show was better than the one before. They even extended it to 14 [episodes] from 13. That made it even better. It felt like a primetime show.
Digest: Were you surprised NS wasn’t picked up for a third season?
Sabato: I’m sorry they didn’t bring it back. I thought it had a great ending. Behind the scenes, it was one of those situations you just loved going to work. Everyone felt that way, and it was an amazing cast.
Digest: Jagger resurfaced as a federal agent/single dad who had to cope with his son Stone’s autism. Were you pleased with Jagger’s arc?
Sabato: Oh, yeah. That was very emotional. I could relate to Jagger in so many ways, like the fact that he loved his son more than anything and he would do anything for him.
Digest: Did you like the way the show ended?
Sabato: Yeah, because there’s so much more you can play with from that point on, because Jagger had to go back home [for custody issues]. And, they left it a cliffhanger: Who was the mother?
Digest: Who would you choose to be Stone’s mom?
Sabato: I’d pick Vanessa Marcil and have Brenda be the mother. You could even have Cari Shayne, who played Karen [from 1992-94, 1995]. [The character] passed away [on PORT CHARLES in 2003] but you can always bring her back. It’s a soap!
Digest: What were some of the highlights from your first experience at GH?
Sabato: To me, on GH, the best years were the early years. The stuff I was able to do back then was really special to me. I miss working with Tony Geary [Luke] and Vanessa and Steve Burton [Jason]. It was a different time then. Things have changed a lot in daytime over the years.
Digest: Would you ever consider “coming home”?
Sabato: I tell you, if GH wanted Jagger to come back, well, anything is possible. If they could continue the storyline that was set up with the son and find out who the mother is and get me together with Vanessa, I think it would be phenomenal.
Digest: I think fans would be happy to hear that.
Sabato: I think the fans would like it more than anything. All they’ve got to do write to GENERAL HOSPITAL and if you have enough fans who want this to happen, it could open up some doors and make these characters come back. It’d be fun. I’d love to work with Vanessa again. I hope she’d think the same [laughs].
For more on Sabato’s search for love on MY ANTONIO, go to www.myantonio.vh1.com.
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