GENERAL HOSPITAL Interviews
Cook-ing Up Something Special
— By Joe Diliberto
Jason Cook and Kirsten Storms had a successful collaboration playing lovers Shawn and Belle on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, so when he got a job on GENERAL HOSPITAL as Dr. Matt Hunter, it seemed a foregone conclusion their characters would pair up. That didn’t happen, and with the Maxie/Spinelli relationship gaining steam, she does not even seem to be on his radar. Which suits Cook just fine.
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Jason Cook and Kirsten Storms on GH
— Adam Larkey/ABC
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Soap Opera Weekly: Do you feel like fans are pushing for Matt and Maxie to couple up?
Jason Cook: The fans are split. A lot of them appreciate the work Kirsten and I did on DAYS, and they're anxious for that to happen. Then there's this other half — who are completely valid — and they're like, "So what? This is a different show; different characters. Don't tell me these people are 'supposed' to work together. If it works, great, but if it doesn't, it shouldn't matter." I think those people have a great point.
Weekly: Was the idea brought up before you accepted the role?
Cook: We talked [when I] decided to come on the show. [Head writer Robert Guza Jr.] didn't want to force it together, like, "Boom!" He wanted to acknowledge [their DAYS days]; I think that was the purpose of the very first day, where we just ran into each other. Have Matt and Leyla have a little thing and conversation, and let's see if there's any chemistry there. Bob wants to have a lot of fun with it.
Weekly: It's also complicated because Maxie and Spinelli continue to grow in popularity.
Cook: Absolutely. I mean, there's no doubt that Bradford [Anderson, Spinelli] is awesome. He's created a unique character, and it's a great duo with Kirsten and the way that she plays Maxie. I don't think there's ever any intention to destroy that or replace it. More dynamics on the show create better drama, which ultimately is why you watch a soap. [You have] to have chemistry with someone — be it romantic or the exact opposite kind of relationship, where you love to watch these people hate each other. You watch it for the fireworks. That's what I think soaps are about.
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Cook and Storms on DAYS
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Weekly: Do you feel like you still have that chemistry with Kirsten?
Cook: I love working with her. When you work well with somebody, you [do so] whether on a football field or oncamera. Kirsten's always looking for some kind of spontaneity, which I was a big believer in on DAYS, as well. We were always trying to look for what was going to make a scene interesting and different from the last [one], because on soaps you talk about what [you're going to] do, you talk about it while you're doing it and you talk about what you just did. It's about how you make it interesting. That's the challenge of a soap: Every single day, you've gotta try stuff out. And she's not afraid to try things out.
RELATED RESOURCES
Matt and Maxie rule!
I love Spin and Maxie so much, but Jason Cook seems like a good guy.
These two still have the magic that they did on Days, and the GH writers should take better advantage of that. They really do bring out the best in each other on screen, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with for Matt and Maxie.
Spinmax are perfect best friends. You never see a good legitimate friendship on soaps anymore. I wish they'd stop ruining their friendship by having them sleep together. Matt & Maxie have more sexual chemistry than any of the other young characters on the show and hopefully they become a real couple soon. Maxie deserves a boyfriend that doesn't die, and its awesome to watch Matt keep her in check. I didn't watch these two on Days but they definitely work well together and I think it was a great idea to bring Jason Cook on GH.
both jasons have good chemistry w/each other. i love the drake brothers. cook was a perfect pick for patrick. you cant write or make good chemistry. its either there or its not. cook has it with storms & thompson
Kirsten and Jason have amazing chemistry, sure they have there DAYS past but their characters on GH are so different to Shawn and Belle i think a pairing between them could be really cool, plus i love the fight flirt stuff they do it's really entertaining to watch.
i love the fact that there is finally A Male counterpart for maxie who keeps her line and dosen't take the crap from her, cause he can see thru her act and calls her out on it....I also think that he/Matt can hadle all of who H axie is and why she is that way and i love fact that it's is Jason Cook even more
i love the fact that there is finally A Male counterpart for maxie who keeps her line and dosen't take the crap from her, cause he can see thru her act and calls her out on it....I also think that he/Matt can hadle all of who H axie is and why she is that way and i love fact that it's is Jason Cook even more
Thanks for a great interview! Matt and Maxie are the best new potenial couple on GH right now. I just love them!
Matt and Maxie have got it! Not because they had it on Days, but because they're awesome on GH. Jason Cook seems like such a cool guy!
Awesome interview! Jason sounds adorable! I love Matt and Maxie and they have such great potential for an amazing pairing! Maxie and Matt for 2009!
Maxie and Matt are perfect...Chemistry is on point....Spin and Maxie should just stay friends....
This interview should be made into a book and called "How to do interviews 101" and read by all soap stars! Very impressive and diplomatic! And JOE you better check your radar again and check a few current Maxie polls out at the sites because Matt and Maxie are taking the GH fans to the moon and back! The tide is changing!
What Linda said! LOL
Thanks for that great little interview, Joe! Jason and Kirsten are my only reason for watching the show these days. I long for the day to see Matt and Maxie properly tested together as a couple. Just as Shawn was the boy-next-door to Belle's all-around good girl, Matt is the cocky male to Maxie's snarky vixen. I still see sparks between Cook and Storms whenever they are given a bit of screen time together. My screen would probably explode if/when the-powers-that-be decide to pair these two up.
I agree, they compliment each other very well and would love to see the sparks fly, the goody goody is gone, should be very interesting.
I just love Jason Cook and Kirsten Storms together! It reminds me of when I was in High School and all us couples would meet at my house to watch Salem's teen scene! Those are great memories! Thanks JC and KS! It was awesome! There chemistry is the best in soaps! We've been watching GH only to be disappointed that they won't even give Matt a storyline. GH stinks! Thanks for a great interview! I'm glad I came across it. I LOVE CLASSIC SHELLE FOREVER!
Thank you for the wonderful interview! I love Jason Cook! Shawn and Belle will always be remembered in my household. Now please GH do something with Matt Hunter!
What a shame that GH is wasting Jason&Kirsten's amazing chemistry by not giving them more scenes together. Maxie&Spinelli are funny together, but definitely not romantic. We know from their time on DAYS that Jason&Kirsten have chemistry to spare! I hope GH will catch on soon.
Jason has been in the back burner for too long on GH. It's time to give him a good story. There's so much talent being wasted. I'd love Jason to reunite with Kirsten and see their characters as Matt and Maxie take an unexpected twist.
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