Disney/Ricky Middlesworth
Back on the August 28th episode of General Hospital, marrieds Laura and Kevin (Jon Lindstrom) set out for Africa on a mission to track down her missing-in-action son, Lucky (Jonathan Jackson), who Laura fervently hoped would be a compatible donor for her daughter, Lulu, who is in desperate need of a liver transplant. This signaled the start of beloved actress Genie Francis’s annual summer hiatus from the show. But especially in light of Lucky’s recent rescue from the evil clutches of Janz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) by Anna (Finola Hughes) and Jason (Steve Burton) and his subsequent touchdown back in Port Charles, fans have been left wondering not only what the heck Laura and Kevin have been doing with themselves, but when they can expect to see Laura back on the canvas.
Reunited And It Feels So Good
Happily, Soap Opera Digest can report that the wait is just about over! Francis has been back filming for several weeks and her first episode will air this coming week — on Wednesday, October 9, to be exact, barring any unforeseen preemptions.
As for the long-awaited mother/son scenes between Laura and Lucky that viewers have been longing to see, well, we’ve got good news about that, too: Francis’s very first scenes upon her return are with Jonathan Jackson, and they will play out deeper into the week. Expect a very emotional encounter between Lulu’s mom and brother, as Laura’s return will occur at a pivotal point in the unfolding family crisis surrounding the comatose Lulu’s failing health. (GH is still staying mum about precisely when the new Lulu, Alexa Havins, will debut.)
Francis and Jackson first began working together back in 1993, when Francis returned to the show alongside Anthony Geary (ex-Luke) and the show introduced the supercouple’s son. Jackson was only 11 years old at the time he landed the coveted role. Jackson exited in 1999, and by the time he returned as an adult in 2010, Francis had left the show. They overlapped briefly when Jackson popped back in 2015 for a handful of episodes in conjunction with Geary’s retirement, but the arc kicking off next week marks their first sustained overlap on GH in 25 years.
Francis made it clear how much she was looking forward to once again sharing the stage with Jackson when news of his return to the Port Charles landscape first broke, cheering on X (formerly Twitter), “Dear sweet Jonathan Jackson, this show is so lucky to have you back. I am overjoyed! Can’t wait to work with you again.” Jackson echoed the sentiment in an interview with TV Insider, noting, “Working with Genie was a big personal incentive to come back, because when I was there in 2010, 2011, Genie wasn’t on the show and I always kind of felt like I missed out on working with her as an adult, so I’m very excited about that, obviously.”
ABC/Craig Sjodin
In The Beginning: Jonathan Jackson started playing Genie Francis’s son back in 1993. Also pictured: Anthony Geary (ex-Luke)
