Soap Opera Update
May 11, 1999
Written By: Robyn Flans
Over the years, dedicated fans of GENERAL HOSPITAL have watched the character of Lucky grow into an extraordinary young man, just as readers of Update have watched actor Jonathan Jackson mature before their very eyes. As the child of Luke and Laura, who were on the run from Frank Smith, Luck had to learn how to take care of himself at a very young age. Luke and Laura had drilled their son to know what steps to take in the event that their Canadian hideaway was discovered. Indeed, that did happen one day while Lucky was at school and he had to make his way to Port Charles all on his own. He was just nine years old at the time.
Jonathan Jackson's Lucky found his way back home and straight into our hearts. Throughout his years on GH Jackson has said he learned a great deal from Anthony Geary and Genie Frances. As his craft has evolved, through, he has been in increasing demand as an actor, most recently playing Michelle Pfeiffer's son in The Deep End Of The Ocean. Each time Jackson had been tapped for a film project, there has been speculation as to whether he would remain on the soap. In his effort to carry the very popular storyline between Lucky and Elizabeth to completion, Jackson postponed leaving the show. The fact that Jackson's exit has been ineventable does not lesson the blow of his imminent departure. But the storyline that is now beginning is a brilliant one that no soap fan will want to miss. So get out your hankies and start taping!
During the very last days of work as Lucky Spencer, Jonathan Jackson was understandably filled with mixed emotions.
"It's a little surreal at this point," Jackson says, "It probably isn't going to hit me until I have a few weeks off with no lines to memorize. Some of my last scenes with Tony and Genie reflected a certain reality of what's going on in real life, too."
The reality is that this is Jackson's moment to fulfill his acting destiny beyond soaps. That is why he's leaving. Overall, Jackson is pleased with how the writers dealt with the character's exit. :there's no really good way to deal with a situation like this. I would have liked Elizabeth and Lucky to take off together, but that wasn't possibility," says Jackson."And I would have liked my last scenes to have been with Genie and Tony, but it didn't work out that way." Some of his initial work with the actors who have played his parents is among his most memorable.
"My first big scenes were when Luke and Laura were getting into a fight and Lucky entered just as Luke punched through a wall." Jackson recalls. "I learned so much about acting that day. It really affected me. Up until then, I didn't know a whole lot about preparation for a scene, but I remember entering at the end of the scene and seeing Tony being so upset. Genie was behind me with her hands on my shoulder ... and it was a true, honest moment that I was part of it. I didn't prepared for that - it just happened because I was looking at what was going on. It gave me a taste of what it really felt like to trust instincts and to believe what is going on in front of you. Then it became a gradual process learning how to manipulate those kinds of emotions and place them in the right place."
Rebecca Herbst, who plays the love of Lucky's life Elizabeth, says she benefitted from the evolution of Jackson's craft. "I really got blessed. He's the best acting partner I cuold ever have asked for," Hebst says. "He challended me - he's such a good actor and I stive to be on his level. I studied him, watched the choices he would make, the things he would come up with and I learned so much."
His departure, however, hit the actress hard. " A month before he was going to leave, I thought, "Well, he has a month left," Hebst says. "Then it was, ‘He has three weeks left,' and then, ‘He's down to his last week,' The last day we worked together, I had some scenes to do after he had already left, so I really didn't get to sit down and talk to him. It was so weird and I half-expected to see him the next day at work. It didn't really sink in until the funeral and all the tears that Elizabeth shed partly came from me."
Jackson says his most profound memories will be of the people that he's grown close to on the show, particularly the intimate conversations with co-star Anthony Geary.
"I've has so many debates with him that has been so much fun - political debates, religious debates, acting debates," Jackson says with a great deal of warmth. "During thos long days, Tony and I would just sit and talk for the whole day."
Now for Jackson, those days on the GH set are over. But he says he hopes the fans will stay tuned to his work beyond the soap.
"The fans have been terific," Jackson says. "I hope that I can continue to entertain them and give them a good product whereever I go. And hopefully they won't forget my days at GH, because I won't."
Jackson's Mentor Anthony Geary
Anthony Geary (Luke) is understandably filled with mixed emotions abuot Jackson's departure. While he is absolutly supportive of the young star's career decision, he knows he will miss the sctor who has played his son for nearly six years now.
"I'm sad that I won't be working with him, but I think it's great that he's leaving. I love the kid and I think he's a great actor. He's 16 year old and this is just the beginning of his career - he's got to go," Jackson's performance in "The Deep End of the Ocean" I was really impressed with him." Geary raves.
In answer to the question if he thinks Jackson will ever return to GH, Geary says, "The firt time you leave, you never think you'll come back!" Geary, himself, left GH after several year and returned, "but I do think it'll be different for Jonathan," Geary says, "I believe that it's his time."
Over the years, dedicated fans of GENERAL HOSPITAL have watched the character of Lucky grow into an extraordinary young man, just as readers of Update have watched actor Jonathan Jackson mature before their very eyes. As the child of Luke and Laura, who were on the run from Frank Smith, Luck had to learn how to take care of himself at a very young age. Luke and Laura had drilled their son to know what steps to take in the event that their Canadian hideaway was discovered. Indeed, that did happen one day while Lucky was at school and he had to make his way to Port Charles all on his own. He was just nine years old at the time.