Soaps In Depth

GH's Liz Speaks Out: Life Without Lucky As previously reported in SOID, Jonathan Jackson will exit GH this spring. ABC now confirms. The actor, who currently can be seen on the big screen with Michelle Pfeiffer in The Deep End Of The Ocean, is leaving to pursue a film career full-time. While ABC won't reveal how Jackson will be written out a the end of his six-year stint, his departure no doubt will throw a crimp into the budding romance of Lucky and Liz. But you don't have to tell that to Rebecca Herbst, Liz's portrayer. "It's going to be a big turning point for Elizabeth," she suggests. "I don't know if it's going to be a negative or a positive one - I just know it's going to be very different without him.
Having worked side by side with Jackson since Aug. 1997, Herbst knows that she too will miss her leading man. "Even on those rare days when I've gone to work and not had scenes with him, it was a very empty feeling," she sighs. "Because when I get up on-set and turn into Elizabeth, she want to know where her Lucky is."

GH Young Love Jonathan Jackson and Rebecca Herbst on why their alter egoes have won the hearts of GH fans.     They say you never forget your first love, that roller coaster ride of emotions ranging from euphoric highs to catastrophic lows. But for GENERAL HOSPITAL viewers looking to relive those moments vicariously, who better to do so through than Lucky Spencer and Liz Webber?    "What's been portrayed is what people want to see," says Lucky's alter ego, Jonathan Jackson, of the couple's incredible popularity." A kind of pure romance and pure love."
    Rebecca Herbst (Liz) agrees that the story is unlike most unfolding on today's soaps." There aren't very many couples of daytime who have an innocent, honest and truthful relationship - which is everything that Liz and Lucky have," she says.
    And though Liz and Lucky have declared their love to one another, don't expect them to make the leap from friends to lovers anytime soon. In fact, unlike most soap teens, Lucky and Liz have decided that they are not yet ready for such a step." I think it demonstrates a few things," says Jackson of his character's decision." It shows that they take their relationship very seriously - they don't want to jeopardize it; and that they are experiencing the kind of true love that not everyone experiences."
    The decision also reflects the willingness of the couple to accept responsibility for their actions." They're more mature than most adults," says Herbst. "A lot of adults tend to let their hormones get in the way of things, and they decide to rationalize it when it changes things."
    The power of love also has given young Ms. Webber back something she once thought was lost - her belief in a bright future. "I had a scene where Liz said that she never looked past the say she was in because she didn't think she had a future," says Herbst. "Now, all she thinks about is a future with Lucky."

General Hospital Emmy Nominations 3-30-99     [Tony] Geary was thrilled that so many of his co-stars were nominated, especially screen son Jonathan Jackson (Lucky) and Rebecca Herbst (Liz). And despite snagging his fifth nomination, Jackson, who won in '95 and '98, says the Emmy stuff isn't getting old." It's definitly still exciting," says the actor, who the night before the nominations were announced attended the premiere of his new film, The Deep End Of The Ocean.    Jackson notes that this was an especially pivotal year for his GH alter ego. "Lucky just went through a complete transformation, leaving his parents, changing the whole relationship, and building a really strong one with Elizabeth, so I think for me, I did my best work this year."
    And while Jackson is ecstatic that Geary and Herbst were singled out, he was disappointed that Steven Burton (Jason) and Tyler Christopher (Nikolas) were overlooked.
    For the most part, Herbst was bouncing off the walls." I don't think I've ever felt this good at 7 o'clock in the morning," the actress told Soaps InDepth just hours after learning that she received her first nomination in the Younger Actress category. "I am not a morning person."
    Herbst, who was asleep when her parents awoke her with the news, immediately asked whether Jackson was nominated, too." And of course," she says, "he was. And then my next thought was, 'Oh do you think they'd give me the day off from work? I'm so tired'".

No Deal Yet For Jackson 1-5-99     Rumors that Jonathan Jackson (Lucky) is staying on GH have bee greatly exaggerated. Despite reports to the contrary, according to his manager, Tony Monziotti, the two-time Emmy winner has yet to sign a new contract with the soap.    "Jonathan has, at this point, decided to stay with GH if all of the things can be worked out," Monziotti tells Soaps In Depth. "But until we see it in writing with all of the terms and conditions, and everyone agrees that they are what they say they are, the issue is not closed. But there is a tentative agreement."
    Jackson, who was planning to enter college this spring as a freshman, was forced to make a decision between school and soaps, Monziotti reveals. "It wasn't possible for him to take the college curriculum that he wanted if he stayed on GH," he says. "So at this point, if he stays with GH, he won't be going to college.
    "We made that decision based on some concessions that GH made," Monziotti adds, "but we haven't seen them in writing, so as it stands right now, as of January 13, Jonathan's gone." That's his last tape day until we see and sign a contract."
    Monziotti believes that the holidays are to blame for dragging the whole process out. "The Christmas holiday screwed everything up," he says. "People have gone on vacations, Jon's gone right now until after the first of the year. So it's just one of those things."
    ABC remains confident, however, that Jackson isn't going anywhere. "Jonathan is staying," insists the show's rep.

Up-Close & Personal: Homebody 1-5-99 By all definitions, Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth) is a grown woman who's making more than enough money to support herself. But the 21-year-old actress admits that she isn't quite ready to leave the nest. "I don't have a problem with living with my parents right now," says Herbst, who shares her folks' home near Los Angeles. "I get along with them great, I have everything I need, I'm npot paying bills, and they want me there." Not that Herbst doesn't have plans to fly solo eventually. "I'm saving my money up so that when I do get a place, I can have exactly what I wat," she says. "I'd like to have something near the ocean, because I love the beach and enjoy Rollerblading there. However, I'd hate to move out before I have enough money and have to compromise by living in a one-room shoebox of an apartment. I want something safe and clean." There's one more thing Herbst is certain about: When she does make the big move, it won't be a trial ru! "Once I leave my parents' house, it will be forever," she maintains. "Two more years at home is nothing compared to the rest of my life."

Until Next Time... Behind the Music 1-5-99 Having your boyfriend pour out his affection for you in song is something that every young girl might dream about, but for Elizabeth, that dream came true! Fortunately, beau Lucky's portrayer, Jonathan Jackson, has some talent in the music department. "It had been a couple of years since I had pitched the idea of me singing on the show [to GH brass], and they always sounded interested, but it never got to the point where it could happen," he recalls. "I think they were just waiting for the right time." And although Jackson does perform regularly with his real-life band, Scarlet Road, he didn't want to become a GH singing sensation like Wally Kurth (Ned) did as Eddie Maine, frontman for The Idle Rich. "I'd rather just do acting here," Jackson admits. "I didn't want [music] to become a professional thing for Lucky, with a record contract and performing and all that." But when it came time for Lucky to reveal his true feelings for Liz in a breathlessly sweet, sentimental song, Jackson was much less apprehensive. "I liked the way they did it," he says, "because it was just an intimate thing between him and Elizabeth."

Up-Close & Personal: Political Animal 9-22-98 "He's an awesome dad," Jackson says of his candidate-father. You may have heard that in his spare time, Jonathan Jackson (Lucky) performs in a band called Scarlet Road. But if you are hoping that he'll do a concert in your hometown, don't hold your breath. The group won't be touring anytime soon because the drummer -- Jackson's father, Rick Jackson -- is running for Congress. The young actor has been travelling from his job in Los Angeels to his family's home state of Washington every weekend "to do campaigning for my dad and hand out stickers and flyers at hometown parades," he says. "It's a very grassroots effort right now." Not that Jackson minds the extra work. Actually, he enjoys it a lot. "I'm really interested in politics -- in fact, my whole family is -- so I like that aspect of it," he confides. Plus, of course, he thinks his dad would do a good job. So, what happens to Scarlet Road is Dad wins the election? "That's what we're wondering," admits Jackson.

Agony & Ecstasy: Lucky and Liz Kiss 9-22-98     Elizabeth and Lucky's tender romance goes full bloom this week when they finally face their feelings for one another. And, ironically, the person who prompts their revelation is Nikolas!    After Liz, Lucky and Emily clear the air about their fight at the Nurses Ball, they agree to resume their friendship. But when Nikolas shows up, Liz finds a creative way to keep the peace: She lures Lucky away with a request for a date.
An Evening of Romance
    Arriving at his boxcar, Lucky is surprised to find that Liz has created a romantic atmosphere and is waiting for him with a gift: a decal-covered acoustic guitar. Stunned, he is unable to refuse when she asks him to play "Elizabeth," the song he wrote for her. Swept away by the moment, the two put away their inhibitions and share a sweet kiss. "The relationship between Liz and Lucky started out as a friendship, but after the rape, she began looking at him as her hero, her savio. Lucky was everything to her -- she felt like she couldn't breathe without him," explains Rebecca Herbst (Liz). "Now that she's getting stronger, she's realizing that her feelings for him run deeper than friendship."
    Groping for a way to share his feelings with Liz, Lucky goes in search of something special for her and returns with a hand-picked bouquet of wildflowers. "Most of the time, you meet someone you like, and you get a romance going. Then, over the months or years, you might become deeply connected," offers Jonathan Jackson (Lucky). "But Liz and Lucky are completely backward! These two felt like they were souldmates before any romance happened."
New Hope for Laura
    When Laura observes Lucky with Liz, the worried mom notes how happy he looks. Later, Liz tells Laura that she finally can look forward to waking up with hope for a future with her son. The news boosts Laura's optimism and sparks her belief that since Lucky is no longer isolating himself from affection, he soon might find room in his heart for her too. "Elizabeth is the one who's keeping Lucky from breaking down right now," sums up Jackson. "Even though their relationship is causing a lot of new feelings for him, it's also what's keeping him sane."