Comings and Goings: Nicholas Alexander Chavez Says He’s Out At GH
UPDATED as of 5:35 p.m. ET to include a quote from GH’s executive producer.
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While many in the media have written about Nicholas Chavez not returning to the role of Spencer on General Hospital, neither the actor nor the show released a comment — until now. The actor himself took to social media to give his official statement on his status.
“I’m so appreciative of the opportunity that GH gave me, and I wouldn’t be as busy as I am professionally if it weren’t for the talented producers, writers, directors and fellow actors,” he said. “Frank Valentini is a mentor and a friend, and we’ve had some pretty extensive conversations about my future on the show. While there are no current plans for me to return, we are still talking very openly about future possibilities for Spencer in Port Charles. Beyond the people I’ve already mentioned, I want to take some time to thank and honor the GH fan base… especially the Sprina fans… who must be THE most loyal and kind fan base in the universe of entertainment. Words fail to show the depth of my gratitude, thank you, I love you all very, very much.”
Frank Valentini, GH executive producer, also weighed in. “When we hired Nicholas four years ago, I knew he had something special. Not only is he a very talented actor, but he is also a good person and dear friend. While we are very sad to see him go, we are very proud of him and look forward to watching his next act. We wish him all the best.”
Viewers already knew the actor had left the role to film Season 2 of Ryan Murphy’s Netflix anthology Monster, titled Monster: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, in which he plays the role of Lyle. The actor said goodbye to Spencer on January 31 of this year when Spencer stepped up to save the love of his life Trina from Esme’s wrath, sending both Spencer and Esme over the side of the boat. Neither character’s body was found.
Speculation began almost immediately online that he wouldn’t return to the ABC soap but then eagle-eyed viewers noticed that his name was no longer in the credits. Digest learned that is pretty standard for an actor’s credit to be removed when they are off filming something else, but rumors persisted. Neither the actor’s camp nor anyone official at GH would comment about the actor’s status on the soap.
Now that his departure is official — for now, the question remains what will happen to the character if Chavez doesn’t return down the line? The other half of this supercouple, Trina has been left in limbo and fans know that Tabyana Ali deserves so much more than she’s been given to play since his departure. The show has allowed glimpses into her pain but not nearly enough to satisfy having “killed” off his character.
So will the character remain dead or will/should the show now put effort into recasting the role? Ali’s contract will be up for renewal in about a year. She has a bright future to look forward to but will the show be able to hang on to her at this rate? Time will tell.
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