General Hospital comings and goings: Soap alum Daniel Cosgrove joins cast as new Port Charles politician  

Daniel Cosgrove has found a new soap home on General Hospital. The All My Children and Guiding Light alum will make his first appearance on Friday, March 21.

Daniel Cosgrove moves to General Hospital

TV Insider first reported the news of Cosgrove's casting. The actor is not reprising his role as Scott Chandler, Stuart's (David Canary) son, but rather he'll be playing the newly created role of Ezra Boyle, who's described as a "consummate politician."

He was approached by the show at the beginning of the year. Initially, Cosgrove came in to read for the recast role of Jack Brennan, which went to Chris McKenna. "They told me a little bit about [Ezra], and one or two people I’d be working with, but they kind of kept things tightlipped," Cosgrove said of his new daytime alter-ego.

Recently, the actor had taken on some non-camera work as an acting teacher and a car salesman. “I thought I was going to have so much rust that memorization was going to be difficult, but not at all,” he said. “I’ve been able to completely focus on what I need to do. And the way I learn lines, I adlib, I sing them. I do everything.”

The PC political pool

Watch for Cosgrove's Ezra to wander into the orbit of the General Hospital's other political characters, Drew Cain, played by Cameron Mathison, and Laura Webber Collins, played by Genie Francis.

The East Coast-based actor will commute to the West Coast for his new gig. “We’ll see how it goes,” he said. “I’ve commuted in the past, so it’s just part of the job. I’m excited when the next script comes for my next show. It reminds me of waiting for the Sears Roebuck Christmas catalog when I was a kid. I can’t wait to see what’s next for my character.”

Cosgrove is known for his many other soap roles, too. He played the diabolical Aiden on Days of our Lives, as well as Bill Lewis on Guiding Light. He also spent two years in TV's most famous zip code as Matt During on Beverly Hills, 90210. The actor played opposite Jennie Garth's Kelly, but poor Matt didn't stand a chance against her true love, Dylan (Luke Perry).

The performer's other credits include And Just Like That..., Law & Order: SVU, Elementary, Bull, Billions, Blue Bloods, and the film Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life.

Catch all-new episodes of General Hospital on ABC and Hulu.