Exclusive: GH’s Van Hansis On Lucas’s New Man — And Their Real-Life Connection
After ex-hubby Brad broke his trust (again), General Hospital‘s Lucas drowned his romantic sorrows in Miami and made the acquaintance of a handsome stranger named Marco (Adrian Anchondo). They kissed, but the evening took a less-than-sexy turn when Lucas got sick from too much drinking. Still, the pair parted ways on a promising note, with Marco giving Lucas his number and encouraging him to keep in touch — and now Maxie is pushing Lucas to reach out to this possible new paramour. Soap Opera Digest checked in with Lucas’s portrayer, Van Hansis, about his character’s new love interest.
Soap Opera Digest: How did you find out that there was going to be a new man in Lucas’s life?
Van Hansis: Around the holidays, the writers came into town — a bunch of our writers live in places other than L.A. — and they had us come up, one by one, to sort of have a little chat. I had a really nice talk with them, and they kind of let me know what was going to be happening and that Marco was coming onto the show. And then I actually got to be a part of the process [of casting Marco]. It was me and Laura [Wright, Carly] who did the screen tests opposite the final guys [in contention for the role]. So I knew maybe a month in advance that this was all going to happen for Lucas. There’s so much complication and history between Brad and Lucas that having a new love interest coming in is really fun and exciting.
Digest: And you actually go way back with Adrian Anchondo, who got the role of Marco.
Hansis: I have known Adrian for 20 years! It’s pretty crazy to say I’ve known him for 20 years and realize I have been an adult for that long [laughs]. But my very first professional job ever was at the Williamstown Theater Festival. I was, like, right out of college, and I was part of the non-Equity [actors’ union] crew, so we played, like, the spear carriers in the background and if we were lucky, we had a couple of lines here and there. When I was there, Jean Smart was there, Marisa Tomei [ex-Marcy Thompson, As the World Turns] was there, David Hyde Pierce, Michelle Williams [ex-Jen Lindley, Dawson’s Creek] — they were all coming in and doing the lead roles and it was a really awesome experience. But Adrian was there, too, so we met 20 years ago. We didn’t keep in touch or anything, but we followed each other on Instagram when social media started popping off. I was living in New York and he was living out here in L.A., but we had a lot of mutual friends, so whenever I would come to L.A., we’d run into each other at parties or events or whatever. And he’s the sweetest guy, such an awesome dude. The day of the final audition [for Marco] before the screen test, when there were maybe still 10 guys left in the running, I just happened to be working, and I had a break, and Frank [Valentini, executive producer] was like, “Hey, do you wanna come up and just read with the guys?” I didn’t even know they were coming in that day, and I was like, “Yeah, of course! That would be awesome!” So Mark Teschner, our casting director, gave me the script. He was like, “You don’t need to memorize it or anything, you’ll just be off camera reading with them.” So then I walk into the waiting room and all the guys are there — and Adrian was there! I was like, “Oh, my God, Adrian!” We hadn’t seen each other in so long. I think he knew that I was on the show because he didn’t seem that surprised to see me; I was already airing and I’m sure he’d done some research. Anyway, when we screen-tested the final guys, everyone was good, but there was just something really special about him, and I’m just so, so happy he got it. And even though we’d never been close friends, just having somebody I’ve known for that long was nice because there was a level of comfort that was really awesome — and, as you know from watching it, we kind of jump into it pretty quickly!
Digest: What has it been like working with him thus far?
Hansis: It’s been really great. I’m getting to know him so much more now, and he’s just such an amazing, amazing guy and so fun to work with. I’m super-stoked! It really is crazy how worlds overlap and collide and all that stuff and that we’ve known each other for 20 years. I’m sure there’s a photograph somewhere of us as babies at Williamstown! Our first day on set, the first thing he shot, was us making out — or I was drunkenly kissing him. And then on the second day, he had to be shirtless. So he really just jumped into it.
Digest: When Lucas and Marco first meet, Lucas is reeling from finding out that Brad was blackmailing Portia. How would you describe what his frame of mind was?
Hansis: Drunk [laughs]. Very drunk. And his drunken frame of mind was really fun to play because it’s very different than who he is when he’s got his wits about him. I think Lucas is generally a very good guy, but I think in his drunkenness, he was kind of like, “Scorched earth! Burn it all down!” The writers had told me when I had the meeting with them, “We’re going to think it’s going to be a hot and heavy thing and then you vomit all over him.” And I was like, “I love that!” I’m just sad that it happened off screen, because it’s such a spin on what would normally happen — instead of it being this sexy moment, he literally pukes all over the guy! Especially with how drunk Lucas was, that just felt real to me. I think it took a lot for Lucas to trust Brad again, and then for Brad to break that trust…. I really loved those scenes I had with Brad in the hotel room and even before that, at the club on Valentine’s Day, where we started to sort of see them reconnect. I think that Lucas really genuinely thought, “Brad has come around. He’s changed.” So, for him to sort of allow Brad back in, and then for the same stuff to happen again, the same kind of heartbreak — aside from Sam dying, Lucas was at the lowest place that I’ve ever played him. So he was ready, I think, for some hedonism and to let loose and then the stuff with Marco happens — and I think he catches feelings pretty quick.
Digest: Whatever happens between these two men, this is sort of the first Lucas relationship since you assumed the role last year that you’re getting to build from the ground up. Are you excited about that aspect?
Hansis: Oh, I’m so excited about it and I’m looking forward to it so much. What we’ve been shooting has been really fun and again, I just love working with Adrian. What I really like about daytime in general, but I think specifically, General Hospital, is that Lucas is so tied into so many different stories and families and I get to work with so many different people and get to do so many different types of things — I do doctor stuff one day, and then the next day I’m yelling at Willow, and the day after that I get to be drunk and puking on people [laughs]. And now, getting to play a love story, there’s just so much variance in what I get to do that I get really excited when I get a new script and find out what’s happening next. But romance, especially, is such an important part of daytime. So, being able to build this and also to build it with somebody who I’ve known for so long and who I totally trust is really cool. As Van and Adrian, we don’t have to go through the sort of “getting to know you” phase of things, and I’m excited to see where it goes between Lucas and Marco.
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