Fan-favorite General Hospital star James Patrick Stuart (Valentin Cassadine) took to Twitter over the weekend to give soap fans an update as to when he will be back filming new episodes of the ABC daytime drama.
The actor is currently shooting episodes of the new live-action Disney series Villains of Valley View (previously titled Meet the Mayhems), which follows a family of supervillains who ran afoul of the League of Villains and now must somehow beat a path to normalcy in a small Texas town. The series is scheduled to premiere this summer on Disney Channel and Disney+ platforms worldwide.
"Currently filming the 8th episode of the new Disney+ comedy 'Villains of ValleyView,'" the actor shared. "Missing GH very much and happy to report Valentin will be back in March."
Currently filming the 8th episode of the new Disney+ comedy "Villains of ValleyView" (previously "Meet the Mayhem's.") Missing GH very much and happy to report Valentin will be back in March.
— James Patrick Stuart (@japastu) February 26, 2022
Fans who have been missing the actor during his recent absence aren't alone: Stuart's GH co-star Maura West (Ava Jerome) shared that she's been mourning his absence from the soap, too.
"I miss you, Patrick!" she commented on the actor's post. "So happy for your success....can't wait to watch your new show with Birdie ... see you at the factory soon!!!!!"
As Soap Central previously reported, Villains of Valley View centers on teenage Havoc (Isabella Pappas), who stands up against the leader of all villains, which forces her entire family to change their identities and relocate to a Texas suburb where Havoc now goes by the name Amy. With the help of her effervescent new neighbor Hartley (Kayden Muller-Janssen), Amy must somehow hide her superpowers and quell her villainous nature in favor of something she's fought against all her life -- being "normal."
Stuart plays the role of Kraniac, who goes by the name Vic in his new life. Meanwhile, Lucy Davis plays Eva/Surge, Malachi Barton plays Colby/Flashform, Reed Horstmann plays Jake/Chaos, and Patricia Belcher will recur as Celia.
When news first broke about Stuart's Disney+ series, the actor assured fans that they did not have to worry about him permanently walking away from GH.
"I am currently working on a Disney Channel comedy pilot," he shared. "We film 15 minutes from the GH stage so, should the show get picked up for series, and while it would create scheduling headaches for some very cool people, I have no plans to hang up Valentin's dancing shoes any time soon."
Stuart has been playing the role of GH's Valentin since 2016. Some of his other credits include Amphibia, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Monsters vs. Aliens, Supernatural, 90210, and The Closer.
UPDATE (March 17, 2022): James Patrick Stuart promised that Valentin would return to GH in March, and he has fulfilled that promise -- sort of! While fans were hoping that the character would be back on-screen in March, it turns out that what Stuart meant was that he would be back in March to resume taping, which means that Valentin will likely return to the screen sometime in April.
Stuart shared a tweet on Thursday, March 17, that revealed he is thrilled to return to the fictional world of Port Charles. "After weeks of filming Disney's new 'The Villains of Valley View,' blessed to be back on the 'General Hospital' stage this week," he wrote. "LOVE that place. Amazing and gracious people who achieve the impossible all day long."
Stuart gave several of his GH colleagues shout-outs in his tweet, including executive producer Frank Valentini and actors Finola Hughes (Anna Devane), Cynthia Watros (Nina Reeves), and Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis).
Are you relieved to hear that James Patrick Stuart will be returning to GH in March? What do you hope the show's writers have planned for Valentin once the actor returns? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
