General Hospital icon, Genie Francis (Laura Collins) is making a rare appearance in a sit-down style conversation with her longtime co-star Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) on his mental health You Tube series, State of Mind. Part one, which drops tomorrow on November 16 will be Genie in a one-on-one raw interview with Maurice. However, part two airing the following Sunday on November 23 will include Genie’s husband, Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Jonathan Frakes.
While we have already previewed Genie talking about her Daytime Emmy Lead Actress snubs and an upcoming key scene between Laura and Sonny that will air a few weeks from now that included how Francis was able to connect to the material because of a previous real-life trauma; ahead of the part one premiere, Michael Fairman TV can share some additional sneak peek clips and topics.
General Hospital icon, Genie Francis (Laura Collins) is making a rare appearance in a sit-down style conversation with her longtime co-star Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) on his mental health You Tube series, State of Mind. Part one, which drops tomorrow on November 16 will be Genie in a one-on-one raw interview with Maurice. However, part two airing the following Sunday on November 23 will include Genie’s husband, Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Jonathan Frakes.
While we have already previewed Genie talking about her Daytime Emmy Lead Actress snubs and an upcoming key scene between Laura and Sonny that will air a few weeks from now that included how Francis was able to connect to the material because of a previous real-life trauma; ahead of the part one premiere, Michael Fairman TV can share some additional sneak peek clips and topics.
In a key moment with Genie and Jonathan, Maurice reads a question from none other than Sarah Brown (ex-Carly, GH et al) about how Genie feels now, decades later, about Laura being raped by Luke (Anthony Geary). The moment happened in story back in 1979. During State of Mind, Genie shares her stance: “As a kid, I was following directions… I played rape.” At the time, Genie was just 17 and she recalls Anthony Geary being a gentleman with her about having to play this tough material.
However, Genie remembers that on-camera, “It was just us dancing and then us dropping down out of frame.” But she added, “Looking back on it as an adult, I won’t defend it… It was wrong.” The legendary star who debuted on the soap back in 1977 also revealed she is writing her memoir and that she has new insight on the hot topic flashpoint in soap opera and television history that she will revisit. Speaking on how the Luke and Laura love story played out and looking at it through a different lens, Genie expressed, “If you were truly raped, I don’t see you fall in love with the guy.”
On Sunday’s show, look for a heart-tugging moment when Maurice asks Genie to reflect on those they have lost from GH history and the cast which included: Tristan Rogers (Robert Scorpio) Leslie Charleson (Monica Quartermaine), Jackie Zeman (Bobbie Spencer) and Tyler Christopher (Genie’s former TV son, who played Nikolas Cassadine).
Francis said of Tristan Rogers: “Delightful… so talented… a very bright star. Brighter than where he landed. He deserved to land in the movies.” For Leslie Charleson, she recalled, “Sweet, warm. My first time ever in live television having the other actor go up was with Leslie Charleson, and watching the terror in her eyes, she forgot her line and I knew she forgot her line. When the scene ended she wept and we held each other and I cried. Utterly terrifying.”
Genie spoke of the great Jackie Zeman: “I loved her so much. And I was so afraid when she asked me to go out for lunch or to do something. I had this weird abnormal fear of somebody. She was like on a pedestal, she was like a cool big sister, I wanted to be like her. I yearned to be close to Jackie but it was also, my thing (social anxiety) came up and I was scared, and at some point she stopped asking. And that’s my thing. Missed opportunity.” And sadly, how life came to a tragic end for Tyler Christopher: “A beautiful angel. So beautiful and so vulnerable,” recalled Genie. “He was not equipped to live in this world. He was so pure (that) he couldn’t live in this dirty place.”
So, what did you think about Genie’s comments on Luke and Laura’s controversial 1979 rape scene, and that she is now writing a book, where she will reveal more of her thoughts on the subject, plus her touching remarks on those we lost from GH? Let us know in the comment section.
