Emma Samms, known for her iconic role as Holly Sutton on General Hospital, is gearing up for her much-anticipated return to the beloved soap opera this September. As she prepares to step back into the spotlight, the 64-year-old actress recently opened up about her long-running, intermittent presence on the show and shared intriguing insights about her character and the show’s history.
In a candid interview with Variety, Samms teased “interesting twists” in Holly’s storyline, describing her character as both a “good girl and bad girl” in the upcoming episodes. “It’s so fun, and really interesting,” she said. “Holly has such depth and complexity, and it’s exciting to explore all those different facets of her character.”
Samms originally joined General Hospital in 1982 and quickly became a fan favorite. After making a name for herself on the daytime drama, she transitioned to prime-time soaps Dynasty and The Colbys. Over the years, she has made several notable returns to General Hospital, with multi-episode arcs in 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2022, and 2023.
Her latest appearance will coincide with the return of five-time Daytime Emmy winner Jonathan Jackson, who will reprise his role as Lucky Spencer. Although specific details about their storylines remain under wraps, fans are eager to see what the duo will bring to the screen.
Interestingly, Samms has never shared a scene with Jackson, who joined the show in 1993. However, she expressed her excitement about working on the same project as the talented actor. “It’s such a gift that [executive producer] Frank Valentini has given me, working with Jonathan,” Samms said. “He’s not only a very, very good actor — that’s undisputed — but he’s also really nice. We have a very similar approach to our work, and I think that’s because we were both trained by Tony Geary.”
Tony Geary, who portrayed Holly’s love interest Luke Spencer, remains a significant figure in Samms’ career. Reflecting on her early days on the show, Samms revealed a surprising fact: she was the third actress considered to play Luke’s new love interest after Laura (Genie Francis) went missing. The role had initially been offered to notable names like Janine Turner and Demi Moore.
“I didn’t realize when I started that I was the third attempt to find somebody for a new romantic relationship for Luke,” Samms shared. “They had tried really amazing people, like Janine Turner and Demi Moore. So I was sort of the last-ditch attempt in that regard.”
Despite the pressure, Samms approached the role with a sense of innocence and determination. “But I had no clue, which is probably extremely valuable and helped me a lot,” she continued. “I just came in sort of innocent, and ‘I’ll do the best I can’ sort of thing. And I just somehow got away with it. I was very fortunate.”
Samms’ return to General Hospital comes amid a series of recent cast changes. Adam J. Harrington exited the show on August 30, while Michael Easton departed in June. In addition to Samms and Jackson’s reappearances, Bryan Craig also reprised his role as Morgan Corinthos in an August episode.
For Samms, her more sporadic appearances on General Hospital in recent years have been partly due to her ongoing battle with long COVID. Since contracting the virus in March 2020, the actress has struggled with symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, blood pressure fluctuations, and tinnitus.
“It’s an ongoing mass disabling event, and it’s been frightening to witness,” Samms told PEOPLE in October 2022. “For me, it’s been a battle of the wills to accomplish anything.”
Despite these challenges, Samms remains positive and grateful. “I love where I live, I have a fantastic husband, my kids are grown and lovely,” she shared. “Even with long COVID, life is very good.”