GH's Co-Head Writer Chris Van Etten Dishes On The Jason and Drew Reveal, Tamara Braun, Maura West, Future Of Julexis, And His Passion For The Soaps! (2024)

In late summer, following the news that General Hospital co-head writer, Jean Passanante had announced her retirement, the ABC daytime drama series promoted one of the most passionate and creative voices in the genre today, Chris Van Etten as the series new co-head writer to work alongside GH’s other lead scribe, Shelly Altman.

For daytime audiences who pin their hopes and wishes for their favorite characters on the writers of the show they love to love, having someone at the creative helm who is both a longtime fan of the medium, and has the perspective of the viewer, as well as looks out for the good of the show and its constantly evolving story, can often make for soap opera at its best that everyone can enjoy.

Chris Van Etten has just that background. First, getting his foot in the door with One Life to Live and working his way up the writing ranks. Van Etten was part of the team led by former One Life head scribe (now DAYS head writer), Ron Carlivati through to the beloved soaps final episode that aired in early 2012. Following its conclusion, Chris headed over to Port Charles and has remained at General Hospital ever since.

On-Air On-Soaps chatted with Van Etten in our first interview together to get his perspective and insight on all the hot storylines in Port Charles as we head into 2018. From: how the decision came about in the tale of the two Jasons story to have Steve Burton turn out to be Jason, and Billy Miller turn out be Drew, Tamara Braun’s return to GH as Kim Nero and what that means for everyone in her orbit, to what the future might hold for Ava and Griffin, Finn and Anna, Franco and Liz, Julexis, and more. Chris weighs-in, and fills us in on how he views certain stories and characters, how he came to love the soaps, plus plenty of teases along the way of what’s to come on GH. Here’s our conversation below.

Congrats on becoming the co-head writer of GH!

CHRIS: Thank you. I am thrilled to be here, and humbled to be doing the job.

I know you have been a very big soap opera advocate, love the genre, and over the years brought a lot to the table at both One Life to Live and General Hospital. How have things changed for you now that you hold the co-head writer position at GH?

CHRIS: It’s more terrifying, absolutely! I was a soap opera fan before I was a comic book fan, but I think that the Uncle Ben line from The Amazing Spider-Man sums it up: “With great power comes great responsibility.” I feel very responsible, and it scares the hell out of me.

You have become very active on Twitter, and have offered up your sense of humor, and illustrated how irreverent you can be with the GH fans. Many viewers feel that since you have been promoted to co-head writer that they have seen a major difference in GH. The show has really been firing on all cylinders with the two Jasons storyline, and the fallout.

CHRIS: I will say first of all, that any writer in daytime who takes credit for the direction of a show is a liar. It is a team effort from the start to the finish. Beginning with the ideas of the head writers, and then what the breakdown the writers come up with together. In addition to the cast, and the crew, and Frank Valentini (executive producer, GH) who refine all of that, and make it into a good show in the end. The only thing I think I bring to the table is my love for GH, this genre, and as a fan of this show. I grew up on ABC Daytime from All My Children, and on. I never saw Ryan’s Hope.That show was over, or never entered my consciousness, but everything from Loving and on is all part of my subconscious, where GH and soap operas are concerned. So that is who I am as a writer, basically. I’m still a soap fan, and I am trying to selfishly bring my fan dreams into reality on the show (Laughs). I am so lucky to work with Shelly Altman, and our breakdown writing team, Elizabeth Korte, and with our script writers, as they all bring something amazing to the table.

Speaking of fandom, have you seen some of your wishes up on the screen, yet?

CHRIS: Oh, for sure! We were handed a great story when we learned that Steve Burton would be coming back to the show. There is no way anybody can take credit for that. He decided to come back. His return provides years of story for him, and for his counterpart, Billy Miller. Both are twins, and thus Quartermaines, and as such heirs to very important pieces of General Hospital history. Steve and Billy are both fantastic actors, and work with so many people in the cast.

Deciding which would be Jason, and which would be Drew, was that ultimately a difficult decision to make … or did you know once Steve Burton was coming back he would indeed continue as Jason, and Billy Miller would wind up being Drew?

CHRIS: We played out many different scenarios – one of them being Drew, and one of them being Jason. We played it out the other way, and then we even played out what if one of them is neither of them? My go-to is that one of them is actually Casey the Alien! (Laughs). I love to utilize all parts of GH history! It was definitely difficult in that we had to take time to play out each scenario, and figure out which one would give us the biggest bang for our buck, and at the same time honor the story we are telling and honor the characters. It was also about which one was going to give us the most fallout to play. I think we have that now.

What has been your reaction when you have watched the scenes featuring Steve and Billy in this story, and how they are delivering the material the writers are scripting?

CHRIS: I am so thrilled. I think we have the opportunity, in particular with these two characters and the actors who play them, and their on-screen friends and family, to see a rainbow of emotions on both sides. What is interesting with Steve Burton is that he communicates a lot with a single look. So, when he returned and he had those scenes with Sonny (Maurice Benard) and with Carly (Laura Wright), it really gets you right in the heart. Then there is Billy Miller, who I think has done things in the last couple of months, (and I know he will do things moving forward) where he has had a giant trough of stuff to play. I can’t wait to see him and Steve play it, because they are two of the most exciting actors on daytime, or any of my DVR shows, to watch.

Maura West (Ava) has once again delivered phenomenal work with her performances in 2017, being some of her best yet on GH. How do you feel about this romantic pairing of Ava with Griffin (Matt Cohen)? Do you think it’s viable long-term?

CHRIS: I think they’re hot! (Laughs) I think Maura breathes fire, and she lights everybody up with whom she plays. Griffin is going to really be a challenge. We will see what incarnation of Ava is revealed, sort of looking through the lens of Griffin. She has got a transformation underway in more ways than one, and we will see if it takes. When I think about actresses like Maura, it reminds me of the interview I did when I was a college student at NYU. I was interviewing for an internship at One Life to Live. I was asked by one of the producers, I think it was Jen Pepperman, “Why I liked OLTL?” I said, “I liked One Life to Live, because of Viki and Dorian, and Tina.” I like soaps in particular OLTL and GH, because of their strong female characters, and that is what Ava represents to me. She has got a lot of messed up things about her, but I watch her and I understand her. She is someone who, despite all of the horrible things she has done, I could root for. It helps that she is played by a very formidable actress, and someone who reminds me of the Dorian’s and the Viki’s, and all of the other women on All My Children and One Life to Live, and General Hospital that I grew up watching, and in a way idolizing.

Speaking of OLTL, it has been no secret to everyone who knows, or follows me that One Life to Live was my all-time favorite soap opera growing up, and beyond. Was it for you, as well?

CHRIS: I think I became conscious of soap operas via General Hospital, and my Aunt Joan who was big fan, but the show I really cottoned to first was One Life to Live. I think that was because that is the time I would get home from school, and my babysitter was watching it. I had a toehold with GH, but jumped right in with OLTL.

You have a huge fan base contingent of the Julexis Army, who want to know what will happen now to their favorite duo with Julian (William deVry) out of prison, and how, if at all, the writers can find a way to get the him back with Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn), after all of the horrible things that happened between them in the past. What would you say to them?

CHRIS: Julian was a bad boy, and there is no cutting around that, and Alexis is a modern woman, who is a stand-in for the audience, if you will. She is self-made, and created a life for herself, and ultimately fell in love with someone who is not good for her. Now, we can argue back and forth about who did what, and why things were done, or what the extenuating circ*mstances were. But any women who respects herself as much as Alexis does, is not going to fall so easily back in love for anyone. Now, complicating that is the fact that she loves the hell out of Julian, and she is trying to go forward in her life, and trying to reconcile the fact that he did these awful things. However, those awful things have not necessarily extinguished every bit of feeling that she has for him. Will they get back together? Who can say? But I will say, if they do, there will be many obstacles to traverse before it happens. I can assure the Julexis Army of one thing; these two are not necessarily done with each other by any means.

Franco (Roger Howarth) has been duplicitous in the two Jasons story. He has been ‘Paranoid City’ through this ordeal. Where is he headed now that he is engaged to Liz (Rebecca Herbst)? Will we continue to see him be deceitful, or should he watch his back because Jason is out to get him and make his life miserable?

CHRIS: I think Franco will live in fear of what Jason and Drew will hold him into account for moving forward. The reason that he lives in fear is because he has become human in a way that he has not been before that tumor was removed. Franco has something to lose. He loves Elizabeth. He honors Elizabeth in his way and he loves those kids. I think it’s understandable why he will, in the course of the next couple of months, not opt for full transparency with Elizabeth. There will be repercussions from that. Franco is a tortured person, and we will be exploring the source of his torture.

What can you say about the teaming of Anna (Finola Hughes) and Finn (Michael Easton)? Can you see these two headlong in love?

CHRIS: Hard to say. Finn can be a little straight-laced, and he is not really familiar with Anna’s world of adventure and espionage. She definitely has her moral compass that points north, and we all know from Anna’s history that she is not afraid of bending, or breaking rules, as is necessary for the greater good as she sees it. Anna was one of my first loves as a soap opera viewer. She is a woman who kicks ass, and yet who is vulnerable, and who always gets her licks in. We don’t often see Anna in a romantic milieu, but I would not bet against Anna and Finn.

What do you think of having Jessica Tuck, ex-OLTL now on GH as Cassandra? You must be happy about that casting coup!

CHRIS: That has been a dream come true! We had a couple of opportunities when I was at One Life to Live to see Jessica Tuck back on the show. It’s one thing to write Jessica Tuck as an angel, but it’s another to get, as a writer, that ballsy character she played on OLTL, to work with. Jessica is playing a very different character here at General Hospital, but I do see shades of Megan Gordon Harrison in Cassandra. That character suffers no fools, and she may have a bit of a blind spot where some men are concerned, but she will see things clearly eventually. and watch out for the people that have crossed her! (Laughs)

Sam (Kelly Monaco) is really going to struggle with who she is going to love, and how she is going to navigate through this as she tries to stand by her man, Drew, with Jason now being alive and well. What can you say about what’s to come for Sam?

CHRIS: We can safely say that the end of Sam’s romantic journey is very far off. There is simply no way to easily reconcile her marriage to a man she loves with all of her heart, and then reconciling that with the fact the man she thought she lost has returned. She is in love with two men, and you don’t simply choose one, and abandon the other in any sense. Sam has a very hard road ahead of her.

How did the idea of Tamara Braun returning to GH to play Dr. Kim Nero come about, when she previously played Carly? What can you tease on what viewers can look forward to with her new character now that she has a connection to Drew, as last Friday’s cliffhanger had her revealing to him that Oscar (Garren Stitt) was his biological son?

CHRIS: The plan was to introduce Oscar’s mother in the mid-early stage of the story; after the audience had gotten to know Oscar a little, after he and Joss (Eden McCoy) had more or less cemented their relationship; and after he’d grown on Carly and Sonny. We knew she’d connect to Drew, and we wanted to further flesh out the hospital staff. At first, we figured her for a nurse. None of us had given much thought to who might play her. That’s Mark Teschner’s (casting director, GH) department, and he never fails to deliver on quality, inspiring performers. To my recollection, it was Frank Valentini, though, who suggested Tamara Braun. As soon as he dropped her name I personally could think of no one else. Tamara’s chops, and personality formed all our decisions about the character. The idea of Tamara taking on the role suddenly brought Kim into sharp focus; she’s scrappy, smart and empathetic. And, no longer a nurse; this woman definitely wears a white coat. But what kind of doctor should she be? We had our brain guy in Griffin; our disease-y fellow in Finn; Monica (Leslie Charleson) is the big boss lady and does cardiology when she’s not tearing up the singles circuit; Lucas (Ryan Carnes) is our go-to in the ER; Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) is our mad scientist with a heart of gold (yes I know she’s not currently on staff at GH, but never underestimate an Obrecht); Bensch (James DePaiva) does it all. What kind of doctor are we missing? Of course! Get GH a urologist, stat! Just kidding! What we really needed was an OB/GYN; especially with a Maxie/Nathan baby on the way – and possibly others?? Frank kept us on tenterhooks for weeks and weeks about whether Tamara was available, and interested. I was thrilled when he finally confirmed she was in. And my expectations have been plenty exceeded. She and Garren warm my heart; and she’s so much fun opposite Maurice Benard, and Laura Wright, and Steve Burton, and Billy Miller and … a certain someone who shall remain nameless for the time being. Let’s just say that Kim’s dance card does not go unfilled for long. Beyond that, I can tell you that Kim shares at least one characteristic with any good soap character … she comes to town bearing her own share of secrets.

Is the plan for the writers to reveal who perpetrated, and who was responsible for the mind-mapping and kidnapping of Jason and Drew, in the coming months into February Sweeps? Will viewers learn who did this to the brothers?

CHRIS: Oh, for sure! The evil-doers will be revealed to the audience, but the characters themselves will be a bit behind the audience. It is not going to be a happy ending for everybody. The audience will find out sooner rather than later, and rest assured, the audience will begin to get their answers in layers.

Let’s talk about Nelle! (Chloe Lanier). She has done some horrible things.Where do you go with the character? Viewers just learned that she says she is preggers with Michael’s (Chad Duell) baby.

CHRIS: I personally find Chloe Lanier incredibly engaging as a character with very grey morality, and she has a deliciously wicked smile. Now that said, Michael loves her, and she generally loves him back. She is not without feelings. However, she has been burned really badly, I think. A lot of it finds its roots in Carly. Nelle is not going to give up on Michael. She is willing to take down anyone who gets in her way. I think that if I were Carly, I would be very careful not to underestimate her. When you put Nelle and Carly next to each other, I think the audience might think that Carly is going to eat this person alive. But Nelle has claws of her own, and she has a big appetite.

In an ironic twist, GH hired your namesake, actor/model/war vet, Chris Van Etten to play Amy’s (Risa Dorken) much-talked about brother, Chet. You even had your photo taken with him that made its way on to social media. How do you think Chris did on-camera with the very emotionally-charged role?

CHRIS: I think he had been a breath of fresh air on-camera. He had been great in scenes with Amy. We will see Chet again in the coming months. He is not outside the Port Charles orbit.

Is there any intention on bringing back on to the canvas, Kristina (Lexi Ainsworth) and Parker’s (Ashley Jones) romance, since they were written out of the show as of now?

CHRIS: Never, say never. We hope to have them back at some point.

What is the collaborative process like for you, and Shelly Altman as you map out the show as head writers?

CHRIS: I can imagine it’s not so different than from what she and Jean Passanante (former co-head writer, GH) were doing on a purely technical level. We lay out with the other breakdown writers Monday through Wednesday’s episodes, and at some point in that layout we discuss an episode that I am going to write. Then, Shelly and I will double back and meet on Thursdays, and discuss a broader outline for the five or six episodes we are going to write in the coming week. On an artistic level, we sit across the table and bat ideas back and forth. I think our sensibilities, so far, have married really well. There are times when I want to go crazy with story. Shelly is really good at stopping me and pulling me back, and finding the right balance to strike between getting all of the humanity right in a way that will temper the crazy plot twists that I veer towards.

Since you have been a big fan of GH through the years, what can you say about getting to write for the vets of the show: Genie Francis (Laura), Leslie Charleson, Jackie Zeman (Bobbie), Kin Shriner (Scott), etc, who fans always like to see on their screens?

CHRIS: I love writing for everyone on GH, but I get a special thrill when writing Bobbie and Laura, and Monica and Felicia (Kristina Wagner) – and Mac (John J. York) and Scott, and Kevin (Jon Lindstrom) and Ned (Wally Kurth). These are some of the characters who drew me into the show in the first place. I was a kid when Laura and Luke’s pickup truck got bombed, and sent them on a path back to Port Charles; I was on the edge off my seat when Lucy (Lynn Herring) bet Damian Smith (Leigh McCloskey) he couldn’t seduce Bobbie. I was all, “Bobbie would never.” And then of course she did, which ultimately led to me openly weeping when BJ’s life support was turned off and Bobbie had to tell Felicia. Good lord, I tear up just thinking about it. And Monica! I think my first memory of Monica is her throwing canapés at Lucy and Alan (Stuart Damon); or maybe it was her shagging Ned. Either way, she had me from the start. A good soap looks to the future while drawing from and honoring its history. Every day, I think about how to make GH’s past its present. I want to stay abreast of all the lives of our characters, to advance their stories, and utilize their history to enrich today’s show. Bobbie and Monica and Laura, and the rest – as far as I’m concerned, their stories aren’t over, and we’ll continue to see them.

In a broad stroke, as 2017 comes to a close, what should GH viewers look for in the coming weeks?

CHRIS: We are quickly coming to one of the reveals of who is involved in one of the “Jasonings” of 2017. We will see a lot of family togetherness over the holidays, and we will see some dastardly plots begin to take shape, and a lot of romance.

So, have you been enjoying GH since Chris became co-head writer with Shelly Altman? Who do you think will ultimately be found out to be the responsible party or parties of the great “Jasoning” of 2017? What are your hopes for Anna and Finn, Ava and Griffin, Sam and Drew or Jason, Julexis, and other pairings as we head into the New Year? Are you glad that someone who has such a rich history to mine with his love forOne Life to Live,General Hospital, and ABC Daytime is currently helping map out the future of the citizens of Port Charles? Weigh-in in the comment section below!