Okay, sure, that might be a bit of an overstatement, but the way ABC has been promoting the return of GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo’ — and her uber-popular alter ego, Brenda — it’s hard not to think that the network has put a whole lotta eggs in her basket. And next week, the gorgeous creature at long last hits the airwaves.
“It’s safe to say that pretty much everybody is hoping GH will be able to recreate the magic that was Brenda and Sonny,” says Soaps In Depth executive editor Richard M. Simms. “Or Brenda and Jax. Or Brenda and Jason. The common denominator is Brenda, who was one of those rare soap characters whose very presence was somehow exciting.”
So what has Brenda been doing since last she left Port Charles? “When we first see her on Wednesday, August 11, she’s in Rome,” previews Simms. “In the tradition of such height-challenged beauties as DALLAS’ Lucy Ewing and ALL MY CHILDREN’s Erica Kane, Brenda has become a pint-sized supermodel. But of course, where she goes, trouble follows!”
And at the same time, back in Port Charles, Mob boss Sonny Corinthos suddenly can’t stop thinking about the woman who was his first true love. “At the moment, Sonny’s pursuing a woman named Claire, which is a little awkward since she is a federal prosecutor who came to town looking to have him thrown behind bars. But before she does that, she wants to have his baby. Because when it comes to Port Charles, that’s kinda the hip thing to do,” jokes the editor in reference to the made man’s tendency to impregnate every woman he beds. “He’s sort of the male, soap version of Octomom.”
Brenda’s thinking about Sonny. He’s thinking about her. We see where this is going! “The big question is how their paths will cross, and when!”
For more on what’s in store for Brenda, check back on Wednesday, when we’ll post our exclusive interview with her portrayer!
Elsewhere in the mag, look for a feature with ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s Nicolas Robuck, whose James is causing a major stir among fans. “People either love him or hate him,” says Simms. “On the one side, he’s hot. On the other, he’s coming between Starr and Cole, one of the most popular couples in Llanview!” Plus, GH’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis) answers questions submitted by readers on everything from Twitter (on which she is notoriously outspoken) to her alter ego’s romantic future. 