Genie Francis Is 'Overjoyed' To Have Jonathan Jackson Back As GH's Lucky

Disney/Ricky Middlesworth

A week after General Hospital revealed the bombshell news that five-time Daytime Emmy-winning actor Jonathan Jackson is returning to the show as Lucky Spencer this summer, his on-screen mother, Genie Francis (Laura), is letting her excitement be known.

On X (formerly Twitter), Francis commented about the announcement, writing, "Dear sweet Jonathan Jackson, this show is so lucky to have you back. I am overjoyed! Can’t wait to work with you again."

The actors began playing mother and son on GH in 1993, when an 11-year-old Jackson first won the role of Lucky. Francis raved to Soap Opera Digest in 2015, "I loved when little Jonathan Jackson was working with us and it was the three of us [Laura, Anthony Geary’s Luke and Jackson’s Lucky]. That was a fun time, really enjoyed it."

For his part, Jackson has always praised Francis as an incredible mentor to him as he developed as an actor over the course of his original GH run, which lasted through 1999. In 2023, he told Digest that in his early days on the Port Charles scene, " I was just working day in and day out with Tony and Genie. The best place that a young artist and actor could have been placed was in their sphere and their care. They were just incredible teachers and mentors and examples. They very quickly became just Tony and Genie, my TV parents, people that I grew very, very close to [as opposed to Luke and Laura, their iconic characters].” He also fondly recalled, "I remember times feeling like I was coming into my own as an actor in [Geary and Francis's] presence. I also remember some of the funny improv moments. Tony was always ad-libbing, and Genie would, as well, so sometimes, even at a young age, I would throw some ad-libs in, and I remember Genie laughing so hard, just enjoying that this 12-year-old was throwing these unexpected moments into the scenes.”

In a video he posted on social media addressing his imminent comeback, Jackson enthused that he was "excited to see Genie Francis [Laura], obviously." Though Jackson returned to the show from 2009-11, Francis was not a GH cast member at the time. They last overlapped during Jackson's brief reprisal of Lucky in 2015, but this will be their first time working together on a long-term basis for over 25 years.

Are you excited to see Francis's Laura with Jackson's Lucky together again? Sound off in the comments below!