GH: April 2024 Discussion Thread

[Contessa Donatella]

Excuse me then. I mistook it for the folks saying Jason & Carly are like siblings. 

[Vee]

It's sounding like they may be on the verge of announcing a hire allegedly for Trina. But I'll let other people investigate on that one. Not sure it isn't just fans being crazy online over what could merely be possible dayplayers.

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Edited April 17, 2024 by Vee

[Contessa Donatella]

Spoiler

Yes, member of the Cerullo family, young man, 18, named Gio. 

 

[Contessa Donatella]

I was thinking about the idea that Vanessa Marcil is an enemy of Frank's. As I understand it it's not that there's any level of enmity or antagonism. It's just that he has no use for her & no intent to cast her unless Maurice decided to retire. Because supposedly MB sees Sonny & Brenda going off together into the sunset, Ultimate EndGame. 

[titan1978]

Reading through comments and actually watching the show, and one major issue that I hope is finally addressed is the focal point. This show is dominated by performers not on contract. I know this is a hallmark of the Valentini era, but it has to change.

Blaze has a story about her. Kristin is in stories that she is not the focus of- I can’t remember if this Molly is recurring or not. That also includes TJ, who is on even less than Kristina. Laura is stuck trying to keep Heather on the show with her recurring husband Kevin.

Don't get me wrong- I think there is room for the recurring players. I don’t want Lucy to disappear again. But it’s way over the line with them we look at the focus of the show.

[Contessa Donatella]

You make an interesting point. 

Recurring: Molly, Valentin, Lois, Kevin, Blaze, Olivia, Diane, Felicia, Lucy, Natalia, Marshall, Robert, Brennan, all of the kids, TJ  ... just a whole helluva lotta people. (This is also true on DAYS.) 

[carolineg]

But that alone to me shows he has little regard for Vanessa and for Brenda as a character.  Frank can't find a place for Brenda unless she rides off into the sunset with Sonny?  When Lois, Sonny, Jason, Jagger, Lucy, and Deception are currently driving story on canvas?  If he can find a way to "fit"  3 Michael Easton and 3 Roger Howarth characters, he can figure freakin Brenda Barrett out if he wanted to.

I am not trying to negate what you heard or know, but at this point it's clear FV doesn't want Vanessa on the show, not that he can't find a place for her.  Frank may not hate her or Brenda, but he certainly doesn't like her lol.  I always thought the rumor about him not liking Vanessa or her behavior during the anniversary run a decade ago sounded pretty true.

 

[BetterForgotten]

What was her behavior during the anniversary run for Frank to be so against her?

[Contessa Donatella]

I don't feel negated at all! I think what you say is true. You're just expanding on my saying he has no use for her. And, we as fans know that this is despite the fact that most of GH fandom regularly wonders if Brenda is coming back & also think that she'd cause one of those much desired bumps in the ratings if she did!

[Vee]

My assumption has always been he took umbrage in her being vocal about her story BTS, which VM often is especially in recent years. Frank also got pissed when John Stamos didn't just want to come back in 2013 to play drums and do a gag with Demi Moore (who probably would've said no) vs. having a meatier appearance during the anniversary, and was not pleased about Jack Wagner's complaints. If people don't show up and just do what they're told FV tends to ice 'em out in my experience.

Edited April 17, 2024 by Vee

[carolineg]

This is all rumor and I have no insider info, but the gossip was Vanessa was a bit of a diva and/or demanding.  Nothing awful, but I think Vanessa was used to a certain level of treatment in her previous runs and Frank basically didn't really care lol.  I get the sense neither like one another very much.   I haven't heard Vanessa or Frank say anything negative though obviously.

It could be nothing but the lack of Brenda for a decade and very few mentions of the character lead me to believe there is 0 interest on Frank's part.

I could see Vanessa having issues with Brenda fake sleeping with Michael.  That was a bit much.

I always heard "demanding" which vocalizing issues with story falls under that.  

Edited April 17, 2024 by carolineg

[Vee]

I didn't have a problem with it but it doesn't surprise me that she might. And the implausible insta-engagement to Jax offscreen (which went nowhere and ended immediately) was stupid. They did the same thing with Laura and Scott that same year. Some performers are big enough to have an audience impact where you might want to listen to some of their character concerns, for the same reason VM cracked down on the Dante storyline. From what I've often heard, FV historically does not do that. Especially back then when you couldn't tell him or Ron anything.

Edited April 17, 2024 by Vee

[Contessa Donatella]

Yes. She is perceived as "high maintenance" aka "a problem". It is typical that actors get these reputations. This is the bad rep. The good rep would be "easy to work with" also funny, bright, sense of humor. Like that.

Personally I also think there is a kind of culture clash. Soaps today are so different than they were before. 

[carolineg]

I have a bit of a problem with the Michael/Brenda stuff mostly because she wasn't there to really play any fall out from it.  Sonny was mad for a few days and then made out with her.  They left the whole thing on a cliffhanger, IMO, with Brenda on the plane recalling the incident which made viewers (at least me) think more happened than she said.

The Jax engagement was supposed to more of a story, but Ingo got Dancing with the Stars and could not commit like he thought he could because of that.

 

I can see her being high maintenance, but overall Vanessa has worked quite a bit and we haven't heard she was much of a problem.  Her co stars all speak pretty highly of her on GH.

I do think there is something there about soaps being entirely different than when she was in her heyday.  I know Vanessa mentioned the pace was difficult.  I still tend to think of Vanessa as someone who knows her worth and her character and that might rub people like Frank and Ron the wrong way.

[Vee]

It's no secret she can potentially be high maintenance or eccentric. But she's earned it at GH. And I am inclined to agree about the above. If an actor is powerful enough to advocate for themselves or the character it often turned FV/RC off, unless it was TG or MB where they couldn't fight it due to the network. Look how many times Frank has tried to dump Genie for wanting a contract.

Me too. Typical Ron tbh.

Edited April 17, 2024 by Vee