GH Exclusive: Chris McKenna On Laura Wright, Jack And Carly’s ‘Delicious’ Romance!!!
Disney/Bahareh Ritter
In a surprise move, General Hospital‘s original Jack Brennan, Charles Mesure, opted to exit the show in February, and GH tapped One Life to Live/Young and Restless alum Chris McKenna to replace him. As Jack’s romance with Carly Spencer continues to build, Soap Opera Digest checked in with McKenna for his take on his character’s deepening bond with Carly, his working relationship with Laura Wright (Carly) and more.
Soap Opera Digest: You stepped into the role of Jack Brennan on the heels of his first kiss with Carly. What has it been like to jump in and work with Laura on furthering this budding relationship?
Chris McKenna: Well, obviously, I know it was jarring to the fans, the timing of the way I came in here, but Laura and I have known each other for decades and it was a really, really special thing as soon as we started working together in the chemistry read [during his audition process]. She’s such a powerhouse — the best actress that I’ve worked with. It’s so easy and I love working with her, so that was a dream right away. I remember hearing her laugh in the chemistry read. I had not heard her laugh in 30 years, and I remembered it immediately. I was like, “Oh my God, Laura’s laugh! That’s right, it’s this infectious laugh that takes over the whole room!” We shot some things out of order, so the first thing we had to shoot was the Valentine’s Day episode and we immediately had to go right into the heavy romance. That could have been a challenge, but it was so much fun and she made it great.
Digest: What is your perspective on the Jack/Carly dynamic?
McKenna: As far as Jack goes, I’ve played CIA agents before — and FBI agents and DEA agents. I’ve worked with the technical advisors. I’ve worked with CIA operatives. So, you know, when I’m approaching this role, [my take is that] Jack has been in the WSB for decades, which means he’s got darkness in him. He’s had to do terrible things. He’s had to harden himself. He’s got scars on his soul. And that’s what makes the stakes so high, and what makes the romance so much fun and so delicious, because if someone can get through that and get to his heart, then he’s in for the fight of his life! So, it’s really fun to do that, and we’re having a blast plumbing this whole relationship and we have a unique chemistry.
Digest: One of the obstacles that the show has injected into the relationship before it even truly gets off the ground is this whopper of a secret that Jack is keeping from her about her daughter, Josslyn, who he has enlisted to secretly join the WSB. Tell me a little bit about that aspect of the story and how you think Jack is managing it.
McKenna: I don’t know what the hell he’s thinking! Carly is not gonna like this, obviously. Working with Eden [McCoy, Josslyn] has also been fantastic, and she’s great. I’ve been really lucky who they paired me with here, but yeah, Jack is really getting in — well, I hope, not over his head! But he clearly needs Josslyn for some particular reason and she’s uniquely suited for it. So, for the greater good, he has to do what has to be done, even if that means quite possibly risking [his future with Carly] or betraying Carly. We can all see where that might go and the possible explosion that could happen at the end of this trail. I don’t know where it’s going myself, but I’m excited to find out.
Digest: This week, Carly and Brennan went on a date and Vivian, a woman from Brennan’s past, interrupted. Carly wound up cutting the date short, but Brennan went after her and wore his heart on his sleeve a little bit, professing that he doesn’t want to let her go. This was an unusual display of vulnerability from him.
McKenna: Yeah, Vivian shows up and we see Jack go into his old routine. He’s had to have unattached romantic entanglements and he’s had to do things under the WSB umbrella, things that had to be done — including romances and whatnot. So, when Carly sees that, sees how easily he slipped in and out of that mode, she’s no longer comfortable. It’s a habit for Jack. He does what he has to do. He’s a chameleon. This is why it’s so hard to trust him; he can change based on whatever the situation is. That’s how intelligence officers are. But it comes to a head and even he knows he’s going to have to change that, or how is he ever going to be able to earn Carly’s trust? He had a great line where he said something like, “I know how to handle a woman like Vivian. It’s a charm, it comes by nature. But I have no idea how to behave when I’m with you.” Something about Carly is different, and he can’t play her, he can’t fool her. He’s at her mercy — and that’s not a place he’s comfortable being.
Disney/Bahareh Ritter
Courting Disaster? Jack is keeping a whopper of a secret from Carly even as their romance deepens.
