Five Minutes With … Scott Clifton
On GENERAL HOSPITAL, the Quartermaines bid their beloved Dillon farewell as the young man headed West to roll the dice in Hollywood. In real life, Scott Clifton plans to give his musical ambitions a go, but we’ll let him tell you…
Soap Opera Digest: Scott, what did you think about your final scenes?
Scott Clifton: You know, I haven’t seen them. I’m thinking about it, but I don’t know if I should [watch] or not. Usually, if I watch the show, I have something to learn, but I’m debating. I don’t even know how I’d get ahold of them now because I didn’t actually turn it on the day it aired. I heard really good responses about them, though.
Digest: Well, you and your on-screen mom, Jane Elliot (Tracy), did get Digest’s Performer Of The Week.
Clifton: Really? Both of us? That’s so cool! I’d love to read that!
Digest: How does it feel to be gone?
Clifton: It’s a little empty, and I imagined it would feel that way. I’m back to the drawing board. I’m literally living the legacy of a starving actor. I’m auditioning. I’m working on my music, as presumptuous and self-righteous as that sounds.
Digest: What kind of response did you get from your last CD, So Much For The Nightlife?
Clifton: That’s been good. It came out at the last Super Soap Weekend [in November 2006]. Like every CD I’ve ever done, it was never finalized or mastered the way we really wanted to do it. We just threw it out there for the timing and because people wanted to hear it and I knew then that it might be my last Super Soap Weekend and my last chance to publicize it.
Digest: So, you are focusing on your music now?
Clifton: I am. I’m putting together this band and I’m also going back into the studio and hopefully, I’ll be able to start selling the CD and shop record deals and labels with this band, so that’s really exciting. It’s the first time in my life I’ve actually ever had the time and energy to pursue music. I never thought of myself as a music person. I always thought it was a fun thing that I did on the side. I’ve always said acting is what I’m here for, but now I’ve done acting. I’ve become more and more passionate about music as we go.
Digest: What will you miss most about GH?
Clifton: I already miss the Quartermaines, that’s for damn sure. I’m going to miss the people. There are crew members there I might very likely not see again. These guys were in my life every day. It’s true that it’s like a family over there, so to say good-bye is hard.
Digest: It was nice that they left the door open for a future return.
Clifton: That was the biggest thing on my mind! My No. 1 priority was to leave amicably and leave it so I could come back. [Head Writer] Bob Guza was really cool. He called me up to his office and said my exit was really nice. He said he would always leave the door open and not kill off the character. That was so validating. I got to leave and still love them at the same time, and have them love me. What more could you ask for?
Digest: So you’d be willing to come back?
Clifton: I hope they do ask me back. I’d be willing to any time. If Dillon ever wants to come back for weddings and funerals or emergency situations for a couple of days, I’d love it. I don’t ever want to stop being a part of the Quartermaines.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Soap Opera Digest does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.