What Happened When General Hospital Took Over The Jennifer Hudson Show

It was a Port Charles bonanza on the Wednesday, February 5 episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show, which featured multiple interview segments with General Hospital stars Maurice Benard (Sonny), Tanisha Harper (Jordan), Finola Hughes (Anna), Cameron Mathison (Drew), Donnell Turner (Curtis) and Laura Wright (Carly). The actors dished about everything from their memories of late co-star Leslie Charleson (Monica) to how lucky they feel to be part of such an iconic show to how many of them can claim that their characters have an evil twin. Hudson was a gracious host, noting that GH is “a part of our culture, it’s a part of our homes, it’s a part of our upbringing — it’s just a part of all of us.” Click through the gallery to find out more, and to watch the cast dancing their way to the stage, click here!

Chris Haston/Getty Images

Jennifer Hudson (c.) couldn't help but gush over her guests, (clockwise from l.) Cameron Mathison (Drew), Finola Hughes (Anna), Laura Wright (Carly), Tanisha Harper (Jordan), Maurice Benard (Sonny) and Donnell Turner (Curtis). "This is a dream for me," she beamed. "Thank you so much for being here! It is an honor."

Chris Haston/Getty Images

The cast members received a warm welcome from the cheering crowd as they were introduced. To make their way to the stage, guests of the show walk down what has come to be known as the Spirit Tunnel, where staffers of the show hype up the talent with a customized song. The "tunnel dances" have become a social media sensation!

Chris Haston/Getty Images

Laura Wright had the crowd in stitches as she recalled how a rumor had once begun that she was dating co-star Donnell Turner after the two commuted together to a Daytime Emmy party. After an article was written, Turner wondered if Wright was mad, and she responded, " 'Are you kidding me? Look at you! No, I'm not mad....' I go, 'We can feed those rumors, I don't care!' "

Chris Haston/Getty Images

Cameron Mathison opened up about losing his home in the recent California wildfires, describing the experience as "one of the most unimaginably overwhelming, logistical and emotional traumas that you can imagine." Later, he drew chuckles when he asserted that his character has an evil twin. "I mean, I think Jason's evil!" he teased.

Chris Haston/Getty Images

Wright revealed that the first day she and Mathison worked together after his home burned down, she had to scream at him in their scenes. "I had to go up to Cameron and I'm like, 'Can I please hug you? Because I'm getting ready to start yelling in your face.' " "My character has got reason to be yelled at at the moment," Mathison chimed in.

Chris Haston/Getty Images

When talk turned to the cast's recent loss of beloved veteran star Leslie Charleson, who played Monica beginning in 1977, Finola Hughes (Anna) shared, "She was an amazing professional, like she came on set, she was word-perfect; she never went up [on a line of dialogue], ever." Off-camera, said Hughes, "I never really had a serious conversation with her because anything that I would start talking to her about, she would suddenly say something irreverent! So that would make you laugh, and then she would laugh and then before you knew it, you'd just be laughing about whatever it was!"

Chris Haston/Getty Images

Donnell Turner divulged that during an encounter with Snoop Dogg, the beloved rapper — who made a handful of guest appearances on One Life to Live — expressed a desire to do a cameo on GH. "I worked with Frank [Valentini, GH's executive producer] and we tried and then Snoop got busy, so hopefully — we'll keep our fingers crossed!" "That would be amazing!" exclaimed Wright.

Chris Haston/Getty Images

Maurice Benard described Sonny, his long-running alter ego, as "the mobster who's bipolar," and voiced his appreciation for having been on the show for so many years. "Early on, for a while, I took it for granted," he admitted. "But lately, you know, you see how many actors are out of work and everything, and you say to yourself, 'Man, I'm lucky to have a job.' "

Chris Haston/Getty Images

Tanisha Harper described her first day in the role of Jordan as "absolutely overwhelming and incredible. My first day on the show, I was working with Maurice, Finola Hughes [Anna], Genie Francis [Laura], as well, and I didn't really realize the magnitude of, and the scope of the show, just how big it was and how many amazing and talented actors have come through the ranks at General Hospital. So that being my first day, I was just like, 'Wow, okay, I need to be on my game. I've got a lot to live up to!' "

Chris Haston/Getty Images

The topic of Sonny's days as amnesiac Mike living in Nixon Falls came up, and Wright polled the crowd about whether they were fans of the amnesiac-Sonny-falls-in-love-with-Nina arc. "He thought he was somebody else and came back loving Nina instead of Carly," she reminded, then turned to the audience and asked, "What did you guys think about that?"

General Hospital

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.