Josslyn made the surprise decision to end things with Dex this week on GH. Digest checked in with Eden McCoy about her character’s bumpy love life and more.
ABC
Over Time: At least for now, Josslyn (Eden McCoy) and Dex (Evan Hofer) are a done deal.
There are some very passionate “Jex” fans out there. What do you think it is about this couple that their fans connect with? “I think they like to see them naked [laughs]! Just kidding — but I mean, that is a big part of it, I’m sure. I think they are a classic soap trope; he’s a good guy in a bad situation and it’s a Romeo and Juliet situation. People like to watch a couple that has the odds against them and rebel against those odds. It’s one of those tales as old as time. And it has an element of danger, which is always exciting for people. It’s really complicated because when you zone in on their actual characters, this [relationship] is a first for Dex and a first for Joss in different ways. This is Dex’s first real love and experience with that and figuring out how to navigate that. And then for Josslyn, this is her most high-stakes adult relationship by far. I think people get wrapped up in it because there are a lot of firsts for them both and people eat that up, watching people learn and discover new things about themselves and what they’re like in a relationship and what they’re like as a partner. That’s always interesting. So there’s that, and then, you know, there’s a sex scene every episode! So there is that as well.”
I’ve seen some resistance to Joss and Dex online from fans who feel like Joss got off a little too easy for breaking Cameron’s heart by cheating on him. What’s your take on that? “I mean, it’s interesting because until that happened, I felt like people were bored with Joss and Cameron as a couple and they didn’t really have a passionate fan base. And personally, William [Lipton, Cameron] and I found it a little boring toward the end because we were kids and we grew up together and we had been on the soap for years and nothing was really happening [in our storyline]. We were together for a million years in soap opera terms, as I call it. I found it interesting that people were super-reactive and were like, ‘How could Joss do this to him? How could she possibly?’ I totally understand that Josslyn [messed] up and that’s on her. I’m very aware of that. But it’s soapy and it’s campy and it’s great and poor Cameron — I totally get that, but I’m like, ‘Isn’t that what people kind of want? Don’t people want the messiness [in their soap storytelling]?’ It wasn’t always going to be kumbayah forever! You just can’t please everyone. I love the mess of it all, I love Joss being a mess. I am sort of a Joss defender, but me, as Eden, I totally see all of her mistakes and I just kind of laugh at them. We’re all just doing our job! I’m just doing what’s written. I loved working with Will on the breakup stuff. We had a blast together and it was so bittersweet and emotional for both of us. That’s what mattered to us and to me. Cameron for sure deserved better, but that’s the story we were telling. It doesn’t have to be everyone’s cup of tea, of course. But, you know, I hope Cameron finds love and happiness and not a cheating girlfriend! And you can quote me on that one [laughs]!”
How excited are you for Will’s new series? “Oh my God, I’m so happy for him. I’m dying over it. He is so deserving! He works so hard and he’s so talented. He’s a superstar! I’m his number one fan.”
So, in the wake of their split this week, people will be wondering, “Is this really the end for Joss and Dex, or is there a world where they could get back together?” Would you be surprised if this was the end end of “Jex”? “Listen, it’s a soap. There’s no end to anything! Not to be that person that gives the most stereotypical answer, but there is literally always a possibility for anything to happen and we have to leave those doors open. I don’t think it’s like they’ll never see each other again. I know that is not true, and impossible, probably. My answer would be, ‘Never say never.’ ”
As an actress playing a newly single soap character, do you start looking around the studio, like, “Hmm, who’s available?” “I mean, sure, but I don’t think there’s anyone [viable] on the canvas right now. Hopefully that will change and we’ll have some new blood in the young adult [set]. You know, there’s been a lot of changes at GH, a lot of pairing changes. And it’s an exciting time on set because nobody knows what’s happening!”
On a separate note, what has it has been like for you to have Steve Burton back on the show as Jason? “Oh, my God, I was just so excited to see him. I mean, I hadn’t seen him in years — he probably probably didn’t recognize me! He just makes the set different; everyone just adores him and his presence is so important to us that it just elevates everything. And he’s such a comfort — he has such a comforting energy, at least for me. It just reminds me of my childhood when he’s around. I can’t wait to work with him!”
We’ve been seeing a lot of anti-Sonny sentiment from Josslyn of late. Do you enjoy getting to play that contentious dynamic with Maurice Benard (Sonny)? “I do enjoy it, but I have to take Eden out of it because I can get really frustrated with Josslyn. It’s a fun challenge as an actor to kind of just suck it up and put your own thoughts away. But I always love working with Mo. He makes it easy and just his presence gives me an extra layer [to pull from for my performance]. Our stuff is powerful; I can feel it. And I have a blast with it. This is what I love to do! But I would love for a time to come where Josslyn feels differently about him, eventually. What I think would really interesting is if something happens that forces Josslyn to see his side of the business and have that moment of, ‘Oh, God, I get it now.’ I think that would be really interesting, especially for a character as stubborn as Josslyn is, if they got her to a point of maybe even getting more involved with the mob than she ever thought she would be. I don’t know what that would look like, but that’s Eden’s hope for it because that would be refreshing.”
