General Hospital (Gh) spoilers reveal that their characters may be feuding onscreen, but in real life there’s nothing but love between Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos). Benard interviewed Burton in the latest episode of his YouTube series, State of Mind, and their convo was enlightening, refreshing, and entertaining. Here’s what to know.
General Hospital Spoilers – Steve Burton Talks About His Career
Sunday’s episode was part one of a two part interview and in it Burton talked about the early days of his Gh career. Burton’s daytime debut was as Harris Michaels on Peacock’s Day of Our Lives. The actor returned to Gh this year after a return stint on Dool.
Burton left Gh rather than comply with ABC’s mandatory Covid vaccination policy. He left the show on good terms unlike his colleague Ingo Rademacher who sued the network after he...
General Hospital Spoilers – Steve Burton Talks About His Career
Sunday’s episode was part one of a two part interview and in it Burton talked about the early days of his Gh career. Burton’s daytime debut was as Harris Michaels on Peacock’s Day of Our Lives. The actor returned to Gh this year after a return stint on Dool.
Burton left Gh rather than comply with ABC’s mandatory Covid vaccination policy. He left the show on good terms unlike his colleague Ingo Rademacher who sued the network after he...
- 6/6/2024
- by Tanya Clark
- Celebrating The Soaps
General Hospital spoilers tease that the saga of Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) has been ongoing for several years now. After spending twenty years in a coma, Nina finally woke up to a world that had changed.
She was quite unhinged at first and did some terrible things, most notably when she cut Ava Jerome’s (Maura West) baby right out of the womb and kidnapped her.
Nina eventually got help and became more stable, although she has never really completely acclimated to her new surrounding.
General Hospital Spoilers – Nina Reeves has many Port Charles connections!
Nina had relationship with both Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) and Jasper “Jax” Jacks (Ingo Rademacher) but for one reason or another, neither of those relationships worked out.
Eventually, Nina also discovered that she had twins that were delivered while she was comatose. She learned about Nelle Benson (Chloe Lanier) first, but Nelle died before...
She was quite unhinged at first and did some terrible things, most notably when she cut Ava Jerome’s (Maura West) baby right out of the womb and kidnapped her.
Nina eventually got help and became more stable, although she has never really completely acclimated to her new surrounding.
General Hospital Spoilers – Nina Reeves has many Port Charles connections!
Nina had relationship with both Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) and Jasper “Jax” Jacks (Ingo Rademacher) but for one reason or another, neither of those relationships worked out.
Eventually, Nina also discovered that she had twins that were delivered while she was comatose. She learned about Nelle Benson (Chloe Lanier) first, but Nelle died before...
- 4/26/2024
- by Matt Crider
- Soap Opera Spy
General Hospital (Gh) spoilers note that there’s definitely chemistry between Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) and John “Jagger” Cates (Adam Harrington).
Rescuing him from getting beat up by thugs bonded these two, and in the aftermath of it all, John even gave Carly his digits.
A romance is in the cards for Ms. Spencer and Mr. Cates, but how long can all this last, considering John’s role in keeping Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) away from Port Charles while everyone thought he was dead?
General Hospital Spoilers – Carly Spencer & John Cates Will Get Closer, But The Truth Will Tear Them Apart
Gh spoilers suggest that Carly and John will dabble in a relationship; however, the truth about Jason’s FBI arrangement will come out.
When Carly realizes that she was the person Jason protected, and that John was holding her indictment charges over Stone Cold’s head to use him,...
Rescuing him from getting beat up by thugs bonded these two, and in the aftermath of it all, John even gave Carly his digits.
A romance is in the cards for Ms. Spencer and Mr. Cates, but how long can all this last, considering John’s role in keeping Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) away from Port Charles while everyone thought he was dead?
General Hospital Spoilers – Carly Spencer & John Cates Will Get Closer, But The Truth Will Tear Them Apart
Gh spoilers suggest that Carly and John will dabble in a relationship; however, the truth about Jason’s FBI arrangement will come out.
When Carly realizes that she was the person Jason protected, and that John was holding her indictment charges over Stone Cold’s head to use him,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Dorathy Gass
- Soap Opera Spy
General Hospital spoilers reveal Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) has saved Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) from herself all over again. Walking back into her life from his presumed grave wasn’t enough to sweep Carly off her feet and change her life, he’s now given her back the business she loved and helped grow into a great success — back when Jasper ‘Jax’ Jacks (Ingo Rademacher) gave it to her first.
It seems that Carly was down for that gift the first time around, but she wasn’t so keen on letting anyone else step in and do the same for her all over again.
Feeling that she lost it on her own accord, that is how she was determined to get it back. Never acknowledging that was unlikely to happen, she didn’t back when Jason was ready to hand it all back over to her, but not everyone is...
It seems that Carly was down for that gift the first time around, but she wasn’t so keen on letting anyone else step in and do the same for her all over again.
Feeling that she lost it on her own accord, that is how she was determined to get it back. Never acknowledging that was unlikely to happen, she didn’t back when Jason was ready to hand it all back over to her, but not everyone is...
- 4/23/2024
- by Dani Lasher
- Celebrating The Soaps
Steve Burton is back on General Hospital where he belongs, but for how long? The actor addresses rumors about his contract. Keep reading to find out how long Jason Morgan will be in Port Charles this time.
Jason’s Return Rewritten
When Steve Burton was fired from General Hospital in 2021, no one expected him to ever return. The actor was fired for refusing to get vaccinated. Fellow star Ingo Rademacher filed a lawsuit against the network that’s still an on-going legal battle.
Steve Burton wasn’t involved in the lawsuit. He quickly found a job in another daytime drama. He joined Days of Our Lives as Harris Michaels, a role he previously played from 1988 to 1990. His return to Dool only lasted a year, but he wasn’t unemployed for long.
Just a day after his exit from Salem was announced, ABC dropped the shocking reveal that Steve Burton was returning as Jason Morgan.
Jason’s Return Rewritten
When Steve Burton was fired from General Hospital in 2021, no one expected him to ever return. The actor was fired for refusing to get vaccinated. Fellow star Ingo Rademacher filed a lawsuit against the network that’s still an on-going legal battle.
Steve Burton wasn’t involved in the lawsuit. He quickly found a job in another daytime drama. He joined Days of Our Lives as Harris Michaels, a role he previously played from 1988 to 1990. His return to Dool only lasted a year, but he wasn’t unemployed for long.
Just a day after his exit from Salem was announced, ABC dropped the shocking reveal that Steve Burton was returning as Jason Morgan.
- 3/16/2024
- by Jennifer Havener
- TV Shows Ace
When will General Hospital finally share where Jason Morgan has been hiding since the tunnel collapse? He has supposedly been dead all of this time and then reappeared like nothing happened. Of course, Dante was shocked to see him standing in front of him before he was shot. So, when will his backstory be revealed? Read on for more details.
When Will General Hospital Share Where Jason’s Been Hiding?
In 2021, Steve Burton was fired from his role on General Hospital. He and Ingo Rademacher were not complying with the vaccine mandate so they were let go. With that, Burton’s character of Jason Morgan allegedly perished in a tunnel collapse. Then, at the end of the show’s 60th anniversary special, it was revealed that Steve would be coming back. He had been on Days of Our Lives but his time had come to an end. Faithful Gh fans...
When Will General Hospital Share Where Jason’s Been Hiding?
In 2021, Steve Burton was fired from his role on General Hospital. He and Ingo Rademacher were not complying with the vaccine mandate so they were let go. With that, Burton’s character of Jason Morgan allegedly perished in a tunnel collapse. Then, at the end of the show’s 60th anniversary special, it was revealed that Steve would be coming back. He had been on Days of Our Lives but his time had come to an end. Faithful Gh fans...
- 3/13/2024
- by Amanda Lauren
- TV Shows Ace
20th Television must face a religious discrimination trial for firing Rockmond Dunbar, an original castmember on 911, after he refused to take the Covid-19 vaccine, marking the second ruling to clear the way for trial a lawsuit against a studio over terminations triggered by vaccine mandates amid the pandemic.
U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee found on Friday that 20th may have discriminated against Dunbar for declining to provide him a religious exemption to the vaccine as a follower of the Church of Universal Wisdom. The trial will assess whether he had a sincerely held religious belief within the meaning of civil rights laws that conflicted with the vaccine mandate and if reasonable accommodations could have been offered, allowing him to continue acting on the series without endangering others or causing undue hardship to the studio.
If 20th is found to have engaged in religious discrimination in the trial, the decision...
U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee found on Friday that 20th may have discriminated against Dunbar for declining to provide him a religious exemption to the vaccine as a follower of the Church of Universal Wisdom. The trial will assess whether he had a sincerely held religious belief within the meaning of civil rights laws that conflicted with the vaccine mandate and if reasonable accommodations could have been offered, allowing him to continue acting on the series without endangering others or causing undue hardship to the studio.
If 20th is found to have engaged in religious discrimination in the trial, the decision...
- 3/8/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Marking her first day back on set since October, Cassandra James announced on Threads that she is returning to “General Hospital,” where she appears as Terry Randolph.
“First day on set since October. Almost half a year,” noted James on Meta-owned Threads, a rival platform to X (formerly Twitter), of how long since she was last at the Prospect Studios where the soap opera tapes. “Choosing gratitude because I know most actors have waited longer. Just imagine if the job you trained to do, that you’re good at and you love was consistently demonstrated to be ephemeral. That having a second job was not only normalized but systemically suggested. When you come home and stream our work on your TV, artists are wondering why we rarely feel valued enough to make our job a living.”
James, who is trans, first appeared on “General Hospital” in June 2018. Her character...
“First day on set since October. Almost half a year,” noted James on Meta-owned Threads, a rival platform to X (formerly Twitter), of how long since she was last at the Prospect Studios where the soap opera tapes. “Choosing gratitude because I know most actors have waited longer. Just imagine if the job you trained to do, that you’re good at and you love was consistently demonstrated to be ephemeral. That having a second job was not only normalized but systemically suggested. When you come home and stream our work on your TV, artists are wondering why we rarely feel valued enough to make our job a living.”
James, who is trans, first appeared on “General Hospital” in June 2018. Her character...
- 3/7/2024
- by Errol Lewis
- Soap Opera Network
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has denied ABC’s attempt to dismiss a wrongful termination case related to Covid-19 vaccination.
The lawsuit was filed by James Wahl and his son, Timothy Wahl, who were responsible for the construction and special effects department on ABC’s long-running daytime soap opera, General Hospital. The Wahls claim they were fired from their positions after refusing to receive the Covid-19 vaccine on religious grounds.
Judge Stephen Goorvitch‘s ruling on February 20 rejected ABC’s motion to dismiss, setting the stage for further proceedings.
ABC had questioned the sincerity of the Wahls’ religious objections to the Covid-19 vaccine. The network argued that due to the nature of their roles and the industry-wide restrictions in place at that moment in the pandemic, the Wahls could not be exempted from ABC’s strict vaccination policy.
The judge expressed doubt regarding ABC’s efforts to accommodate the...
The lawsuit was filed by James Wahl and his son, Timothy Wahl, who were responsible for the construction and special effects department on ABC’s long-running daytime soap opera, General Hospital. The Wahls claim they were fired from their positions after refusing to receive the Covid-19 vaccine on religious grounds.
Judge Stephen Goorvitch‘s ruling on February 20 rejected ABC’s motion to dismiss, setting the stage for further proceedings.
ABC had questioned the sincerity of the Wahls’ religious objections to the Covid-19 vaccine. The network argued that due to the nature of their roles and the industry-wide restrictions in place at that moment in the pandemic, the Wahls could not be exempted from ABC’s strict vaccination policy.
The judge expressed doubt regarding ABC’s efforts to accommodate the...
- 2/23/2024
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
After spending just over twelve years as a writer at “The Bold and the Beautiful,” Michele Val Jean is putting away her keyboard when it comes to writing material surrounding the Forresters, the Logans and the Spencers, among other families and characters featured in the popular CBS daytime drama series.
On Wednesday, it was revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Val Jean would be leaving the soap where she had been a scriptwriter since January 2012, and comes fresh off the news that Patrick Mulcahey, her former colleague at both “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “General Hospital,” would now be spearheading the writing for long-running series alongside the show’s longest-tenured writer Elizabeth Korte.
Val Jean has yet to formally announce plans for what’s next in her life and career, particularly whether she’s looking to return to “General Hospital” to join Mulcahey and Korte as the show prepares...
On Wednesday, it was revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Val Jean would be leaving the soap where she had been a scriptwriter since January 2012, and comes fresh off the news that Patrick Mulcahey, her former colleague at both “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “General Hospital,” would now be spearheading the writing for long-running series alongside the show’s longest-tenured writer Elizabeth Korte.
Val Jean has yet to formally announce plans for what’s next in her life and career, particularly whether she’s looking to return to “General Hospital” to join Mulcahey and Korte as the show prepares...
- 2/23/2024
- by Errol Lewis
- Soap Opera Network
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has denied ABC’s bid to dismiss the Covid vaccination wrongful termination case filed by a father and son who ran the construction and special effects department for ABC’s “General Hospital.”
James Wahl and his son Timothy Wahl sued ABC in 2021, asserting they were fired from the long-running daytime serial when they refused to get a Covid-19 vaccination on religious grounds. On the heels of Judge Stephen I. Goorvitch’s Feb. 20 order denying ABC’s motion to dismiss the case, the sides are set to meet March 11 to confer on a trial date.
Goorvitch rejected ABC’s assertion of doubt that the Wahls’ objection to the Covid vaccination were based in firm religious beliefs. ABC argued that the pair’s roles were such that they could not receive an exemption to its strict Covid vaccination policy, given the industry-wide restrictions imposed during the...
James Wahl and his son Timothy Wahl sued ABC in 2021, asserting they were fired from the long-running daytime serial when they refused to get a Covid-19 vaccination on religious grounds. On the heels of Judge Stephen I. Goorvitch’s Feb. 20 order denying ABC’s motion to dismiss the case, the sides are set to meet March 11 to confer on a trial date.
Goorvitch rejected ABC’s assertion of doubt that the Wahls’ objection to the Covid vaccination were based in firm religious beliefs. ABC argued that the pair’s roles were such that they could not receive an exemption to its strict Covid vaccination policy, given the industry-wide restrictions imposed during the...
- 2/22/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
ABC and Disney might be feeling a little under the weather right now.
The network and Mouse House owners have lost their attempt to dismiss a discrimination suit by two General Hospital crew members over Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Now, the religious discrimination action will go to trial unless ABC wants to make a deal to make it all go away.
Unlike ex-gh actor Ingo Rademacher in his own now tossed vaccine mandate suit, father and son James Wahl and Tim Wahl “cooperated” with the soap opera and the network on establishing their “genuine” Christian “religious beliefs” and desired exemptions from getting the then-mandated vaccines.
Of course, cooperation or not, ABC and Gh still canned the duo when they refused to abide by the protocols and get the jab. The network told the Wahls that it was “unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief,...
The network and Mouse House owners have lost their attempt to dismiss a discrimination suit by two General Hospital crew members over Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Now, the religious discrimination action will go to trial unless ABC wants to make a deal to make it all go away.
Unlike ex-gh actor Ingo Rademacher in his own now tossed vaccine mandate suit, father and son James Wahl and Tim Wahl “cooperated” with the soap opera and the network on establishing their “genuine” Christian “religious beliefs” and desired exemptions from getting the then-mandated vaccines.
Of course, cooperation or not, ABC and Gh still canned the duo when they refused to abide by the protocols and get the jab. The network told the Wahls that it was “unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
ABC must face religious discrimination claims from two former General Hospital crewmembers who sued the network after they were fired for refusing the Covid-19 vaccination, marking one of the first rulings to clear the way for trial over terminations caused by blanket vaccine mandates widely imposed by studios amid the pandemic.
A Los Angeles judge, in an order issued Tuesday, found that James and Timothy Wahl may have had “sincerely held” religious beliefs that ABC should have accommodated by affording them exemptions and allowing them to follow safety protocols implemented before mandatory vaccination policies were rolled out.
The ruling comes on the heels of ABC defeating a similar lawsuit from Ingo Rademacher over his dismissal from General Hospital for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Unlike with crewmembers who were not in close, unmasked contact with others, the court found in that case that it was impossible for unvaccinated actors...
A Los Angeles judge, in an order issued Tuesday, found that James and Timothy Wahl may have had “sincerely held” religious beliefs that ABC should have accommodated by affording them exemptions and allowing them to follow safety protocols implemented before mandatory vaccination policies were rolled out.
The ruling comes on the heels of ABC defeating a similar lawsuit from Ingo Rademacher over his dismissal from General Hospital for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Unlike with crewmembers who were not in close, unmasked contact with others, the court found in that case that it was impossible for unvaccinated actors...
- 2/21/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The wait is almost over.
Steve Burton has revealed when he’s returning to General Hospital to reprise his role as Jason Morgan. It’s March 4.
“I got to talk to the head writers, this story is going to be sick. It’s gonna be awesome,” he says in the video posted to Daily Drama. “So, make sure you keep watching, because the pieces of the puzzle are gonna be fit for when I return.”
Burton’s return to the show that made him a household name was revealed at the end of Gh‘s 60th Anniversary special.
Burton left the ABC sudser in 2021 after failing to adhere to its vaccine policy. He ended up joining the second installment of Beyond Salem, Peacock’s Days of Our Lives spinoff, before hopping over to Dool earlier this year. He played Harris Michaels, a role he originated on Days in 1988.
Burton depicted...
Steve Burton has revealed when he’s returning to General Hospital to reprise his role as Jason Morgan. It’s March 4.
“I got to talk to the head writers, this story is going to be sick. It’s gonna be awesome,” he says in the video posted to Daily Drama. “So, make sure you keep watching, because the pieces of the puzzle are gonna be fit for when I return.”
Burton’s return to the show that made him a household name was revealed at the end of Gh‘s 60th Anniversary special.
Burton left the ABC sudser in 2021 after failing to adhere to its vaccine policy. He ended up joining the second installment of Beyond Salem, Peacock’s Days of Our Lives spinoff, before hopping over to Dool earlier this year. He played Harris Michaels, a role he originated on Days in 1988.
Burton depicted...
- 2/5/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Steve Burton will officially be returning to General Hospital. The return of Burton, who famously played Jason Morgan from 1991 until 2021, was announced during General Hospital’s 60th Anniversary special on Jan. 4. His return to General Hospital isn’t the only big news the actor dropped this week. The famed soap star revealed he would leave Days of Our Lives just a day earlier.
Steve Burton will reprise his role in ‘General Hospital’
Steve Burton will leave Salem and return to Part Charles this year. Burton, who first appeared on General Hospital in 1991, will return to the soap opera for the first time since 2021. He is set to reprise his role as Jason Morgan, who was written out of the show with a tunnel collapse on Cassadine Island more than two years ago. Writers left the door open for Burton, and it looks like the presumed-dead Morgan will pop back up.
Steve Burton will reprise his role in ‘General Hospital’
Steve Burton will leave Salem and return to Part Charles this year. Burton, who first appeared on General Hospital in 1991, will return to the soap opera for the first time since 2021. He is set to reprise his role as Jason Morgan, who was written out of the show with a tunnel collapse on Cassadine Island more than two years ago. Writers left the door open for Burton, and it looks like the presumed-dead Morgan will pop back up.
- 1/7/2024
- by Andrea Francese
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Steve Burton will return to “General Hospital” after having been fired in November 2021 because of his refusal to get the Covid vaccine. At the time, Burton was one of two actors on the long-running ABC soap opera who refused to be vaccinated; Ingo Rademacher was also fired.
Burton made the announcement of his return himself during an ABC primetime special Thursday night celebrating the show’s 60th anniversary.
“Happy anniversary, ‘General Hospital,'” Burton said as he walked through a doorway, flanked by cast members Laura Wright and Kelly Monaco. “Big things are coming to Port Charles.”
Steve Burton has a very special announcement to make.
Burton made the announcement of his return himself during an ABC primetime special Thursday night celebrating the show’s 60th anniversary.
“Happy anniversary, ‘General Hospital,'” Burton said as he walked through a doorway, flanked by cast members Laura Wright and Kelly Monaco. “Big things are coming to Port Charles.”
Steve Burton has a very special announcement to make.
- 1/5/2024
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
You didn’t think Jason Morgan was really dead, did you?
After a two-year absence, Steve Burton is returning to ABC’s General Hospital, where he will reprise his role as Jason Morgan.
More from TVLine<em>General Hospital</em> Recasts Sam: Here’s the Reason Kelly Monaco Stepped Away — and When She’ll Be Back<em>General Hospital</em>: Kirsten Storms’ Maxie Temporarily RecastThe Golden Bachelor Is the Most Pure and Wholesome Thing The Bachelor Has Ever Done, and The Golden Wedding Proved It
The announcement came at the end of Thursday’s primetime special General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling,...
After a two-year absence, Steve Burton is returning to ABC’s General Hospital, where he will reprise his role as Jason Morgan.
More from TVLine<em>General Hospital</em> Recasts Sam: Here’s the Reason Kelly Monaco Stepped Away — and When She’ll Be Back<em>General Hospital</em>: Kirsten Storms’ Maxie Temporarily RecastThe Golden Bachelor Is the Most Pure and Wholesome Thing The Bachelor Has Ever Done, and The Golden Wedding Proved It
The announcement came at the end of Thursday’s primetime special General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Port Charles is about to welcome back an old friend.
After recently revealing that he’s leaving his one-year gig on Days of Our Lives, Steve Burton is now headed back to General Hospital. He will reprise his role as Jason Morgan in early 2024.
The news was revealed at the end of Gh‘s 60th Anniversary special that aired Thursday night after The Golden Bachelor live wedding.
Burton left the ABC sudser in 2021 after failing to adhere to its vaccine policy. He ended up joining the second installment of Beyond Salem, Peacock’s Days of Our Lives spinoff, before hopping over to Dool earlier this year. He played Harris Michaels, a role he originated on Days in 1988.
Burton depicted Jason Morgan on and off on General Hospital from 1991 to 2012, then from 2017 to 2021. His departure from the soap came three weeks after it drop-kicked Ingo Rademacher (Jasper Jacks), who had been...
After recently revealing that he’s leaving his one-year gig on Days of Our Lives, Steve Burton is now headed back to General Hospital. He will reprise his role as Jason Morgan in early 2024.
The news was revealed at the end of Gh‘s 60th Anniversary special that aired Thursday night after The Golden Bachelor live wedding.
Burton left the ABC sudser in 2021 after failing to adhere to its vaccine policy. He ended up joining the second installment of Beyond Salem, Peacock’s Days of Our Lives spinoff, before hopping over to Dool earlier this year. He played Harris Michaels, a role he originated on Days in 1988.
Burton depicted Jason Morgan on and off on General Hospital from 1991 to 2012, then from 2017 to 2021. His departure from the soap came three weeks after it drop-kicked Ingo Rademacher (Jasper Jacks), who had been...
- 1/5/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Two years after losing his job on General Hospital, actor Ingo Rademacher is opening up about his first-ever struggles with his mental health. “I apologize for not having posted much in the last year and a half,” the actor, who played Jasper “Jax” Jacks on the ABC soap, wrote in an Instagram post on Friday. “To be completely honest, for the first time in my life, I’ve been faced with some mental health struggles. That’s not something I’ve ever had to face before. I’m a lot better now, but the first year was rough.” Rademacher was fired from General Hospital in November 2021 because he refused to follow a Covid-19 vaccine mandate on set, according to Deadline. At the time of his departure, he was also under fire for sharing a transphobic post on Twitter. Nick Argo/ABC The 52-year-old later filed a civil rights lawsuit against ABC,...
- 11/18/2023
- TV Insider
Ingo Rademacher told his followers on Instagram that he faced “some mental health struggles” after “being ousted” from General Hospital “for my political views.”
In an Instagram post that features a picture of Rademacher in an ice bath, the former soap actor said he really “identified as my character on General Hospital for decades and I could’ve been there and would’ve been there for many more decades to come.” Rachemacher played Jasper “Jax” Jacks on General Hospital since 1996.
That all changed in 2021 when Rademacher – a vocal critic of Covid-19 vaccine efficacy and mandates – refused to get the mandatory injection and was dropped from the ABC drama as a result. Shortly thereafter, the actor slammed the Disney-owned network with a wide-ranging civil rights lawsuit on constitutional grounds. At the time, Disney had one of the strictest vaccine mandates of any Hollywood studio and most major corporations.
The lawsuit was...
In an Instagram post that features a picture of Rademacher in an ice bath, the former soap actor said he really “identified as my character on General Hospital for decades and I could’ve been there and would’ve been there for many more decades to come.” Rachemacher played Jasper “Jax” Jacks on General Hospital since 1996.
That all changed in 2021 when Rademacher – a vocal critic of Covid-19 vaccine efficacy and mandates – refused to get the mandatory injection and was dropped from the ABC drama as a result. Shortly thereafter, the actor slammed the Disney-owned network with a wide-ranging civil rights lawsuit on constitutional grounds. At the time, Disney had one of the strictest vaccine mandates of any Hollywood studio and most major corporations.
The lawsuit was...
- 11/18/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Apple Studios might have discriminated against Brent Sexton when it pulled an offer for him to star in Manhunt after he refused the Covid-19 vaccine due to potential health complications, a judge has ruled.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Linfield declined Apple’s move to dismiss the lawsuit on free speech grounds, finding that the company’s mandatory vaccination policy may have been unconstitutional. The order issued on Oct. 19 marks one of the few rulings advancing a lawsuit from an actor who took issue with a studio’s refusal to provide accommodations for refusing to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
“There is a significant difference between the government using its police power to require vaccinations and a company implementing a policy that required vaccinations (without any alternative, and of its own volition) as a condition of employment,” stated the order.
Sexton last year accepted a role to play Andrew Johnson in Manhunt,...
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Linfield declined Apple’s move to dismiss the lawsuit on free speech grounds, finding that the company’s mandatory vaccination policy may have been unconstitutional. The order issued on Oct. 19 marks one of the few rulings advancing a lawsuit from an actor who took issue with a studio’s refusal to provide accommodations for refusing to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
“There is a significant difference between the government using its police power to require vaccinations and a company implementing a policy that required vaccinations (without any alternative, and of its own volition) as a condition of employment,” stated the order.
Sexton last year accepted a role to play Andrew Johnson in Manhunt,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
SAG-AFTRA secretary-treasurer candidate Pete Antico has messaged union members in an attempt to drum up plaintiffs in a potential lawsuit against the labor organization.
Antico, who is aligned with an independent slate of candidates that is challenging Fran Drescher’s Unity ticket, on Thursday sent union members an election campaign message informing them of potential pending litigation against SAG-AFTRA. “Sag-Aftra union members across the country discriminated against and harmed by Sag-Aftra’s Return to Work Agreement are now taking matters into their own hands and are filing a lawsuit against the union to stop the madness,” Antico wrote in the message. The email exhorted members to read a letter from Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids (Perk), a 501(c)3 nonprofit that supported General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher’s Covid-19 vaccine lawsuit against ABC. (An L.A. Superior Court Judge ruled on behalf of ABC in the suit in June.
Antico, who is aligned with an independent slate of candidates that is challenging Fran Drescher’s Unity ticket, on Thursday sent union members an election campaign message informing them of potential pending litigation against SAG-AFTRA. “Sag-Aftra union members across the country discriminated against and harmed by Sag-Aftra’s Return to Work Agreement are now taking matters into their own hands and are filing a lawsuit against the union to stop the madness,” Antico wrote in the message. The email exhorted members to read a letter from Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids (Perk), a 501(c)3 nonprofit that supported General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher’s Covid-19 vaccine lawsuit against ABC. (An L.A. Superior Court Judge ruled on behalf of ABC in the suit in June.
- 9/8/2023
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ESPN host Sage Steele is exiting the channel after settling her lawsuit with the sports media giant.
“ESPN and Sage Steele have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank her for her many contributions over the years,” an ESPN spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele shared on X/Twitter. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Steele, an anchor on SportsCenter and a former host of NBA Countdown, sued ESPN and its owner The Walt Disney Co. last year for allegedly violating her free speech rights in retaliation for widely criticized comments she made on a podcast regarding the company’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate and for comments about former President Barack Obama.
“ESPN and Sage Steele have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank her for her many contributions over the years,” an ESPN spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele shared on X/Twitter. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Steele, an anchor on SportsCenter and a former host of NBA Countdown, sued ESPN and its owner The Walt Disney Co. last year for allegedly violating her free speech rights in retaliation for widely criticized comments she made on a podcast regarding the company’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate and for comments about former President Barack Obama.
- 8/15/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
General Hospital star Haley Pullos is facing serious charges after being involved in a near-fatal crash in April.
The actress has been charged with one felony count of DUI causing injury, one felony count of driving with a .08 Bac or higher and one misdemeanor count of hit-and-run, according to a new report from TMZ. She is also being sued by the driver she hit, who was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
More from TVLineFired Gh Star Ingo Rademacher Loses Covid Vaccine Lawsuit Against ABCWalt Willey Heads to General Hospital - as All My Children's Jackson!General Hospital Star's...
The actress has been charged with one felony count of DUI causing injury, one felony count of driving with a .08 Bac or higher and one misdemeanor count of hit-and-run, according to a new report from TMZ. She is also being sued by the driver she hit, who was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
More from TVLineFired Gh Star Ingo Rademacher Loses Covid Vaccine Lawsuit Against ABCWalt Willey Heads to General Hospital - as All My Children's Jackson!General Hospital Star's...
- 6/28/2023
- by Nick Caruso
- TVLine.com
In December 2021, soap actor Ingo Rademacher sued ABC for discrimination and wrongful termination after he was fired from General Hospital for not getting the Covid-19 vaccine on “religious grounds.”
This week, a Los Angeles court ruled against him. ABC sought a summary judgment by the Los Angeles Superior Court, which was granted by Judge Stephen Goorvitch for Disney, the parent company of ABC.
He specifically stated that ABC had wrongfully terminated him, discriminated against him due to his religion, retaliated, violated his right to privacy and other claims against the company.
ABC implemented a policy that all employees were required to be vaccinated, and Rademacher refused to comply. Rademacher had applied for a religious exemption from the policy, but ABC denied his application.
His religious reasons were that he believed “that [his] body is endowed by [his] creator with natural processes to protect [him] and that its natural integrity cannot ethically be violated...
This week, a Los Angeles court ruled against him. ABC sought a summary judgment by the Los Angeles Superior Court, which was granted by Judge Stephen Goorvitch for Disney, the parent company of ABC.
He specifically stated that ABC had wrongfully terminated him, discriminated against him due to his religion, retaliated, violated his right to privacy and other claims against the company.
ABC implemented a policy that all employees were required to be vaccinated, and Rademacher refused to comply. Rademacher had applied for a religious exemption from the policy, but ABC denied his application.
His religious reasons were that he believed “that [his] body is endowed by [his] creator with natural processes to protect [him] and that its natural integrity cannot ethically be violated...
- 6/10/2023
- by Nina Hauswirth
- Uinterview
ABC is cutting bait on four pilots, including the Ben McKenzie-fronted medical drama The Hurt Unit and the Anthony Anderson-led legal comedy Public Defenders.
The Ellie Kemper-Judy Greer working moms sitcom Keeping It Together (fka Drop-Off) and the Sarah Shahi political drama Judgement round out the ill-fated quartet.
More from TVLineFired Gh Star Ingo Rademacher Loses Covid Vaccine Lawsuit Against ABCExtreme Makeover: Home Edition, With Home Edit Duo as Hosts, Eyed at ABCThe Wonder Years Unveils Guest Star-Studded Trailer for Delayed Season 2 Pilot Season 2023: Scoop on the (Possible!) New Shows, Who’s In Them View...
The Ellie Kemper-Judy Greer working moms sitcom Keeping It Together (fka Drop-Off) and the Sarah Shahi political drama Judgement round out the ill-fated quartet.
More from TVLineFired Gh Star Ingo Rademacher Loses Covid Vaccine Lawsuit Against ABCExtreme Makeover: Home Edition, With Home Edit Duo as Hosts, Eyed at ABCThe Wonder Years Unveils Guest Star-Studded Trailer for Delayed Season 2 Pilot Season 2023: Scoop on the (Possible!) New Shows, Who’s In Them View...
- 6/9/2023
- by Michael Ausiello
- TVLine.com
Ingo Rademacher, the former General Hospital star who filed a lawsuit against Disney’s ABC claiming he was fired from the soap for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine on religious grounds, has lost his court case. According to Deadline, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge agreed with ABC in that Rademacher’s opposition to getting vaccinated was based on health reasons as opposed to his religious beliefs. The actor, who played Jasper “Jax” Jacks in the medical drama from 1996 to 2021, caused controversy during the pandemic as he wrote and shared messages on social media questioning the Covid vaccine. His posts led to #FireIngo trending on Twitter — he was let go from the ABC soap on November 8, 2021. At the time, Rademacher fired back at his detractors, calling them “bigots” in an Instagram video. “Mandating any vaccine is wrong, but especially one that doesn’t help stop the spread,” he said.
- 6/7/2023
- TV Insider
Ingo Rademacher’s legal battle with ABC over his refusal to get vaxxed while working on General Hospital is over: A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge agreed with ABC in that the actor’s opposition was based on health reasons rather than his religious leanings.
A detailed ruling is expected in next several weeks from the very busy Judge Stephen Goorvitch. Rademacher’s attorney had no comment when contacted by Deadline. However, based on precedent, it is very likely the actor will appeal.
Weeks after Rademacher was pink slipped from General Hospital for not getting the Covid-19 vaccination, the actor in December of 2021 slammed the Disney-owned network with a wide-ranging civil rights lawsuit on constitutional grounds. At the time, Disney had one of the strictest vaccine mandates of any Hollywood studio and most major corporations.
Rademacher had been a vocal critic of Covid-19 vaccine efficacy and mandates.
“ABC’s actions are blatantly unlawful,...
A detailed ruling is expected in next several weeks from the very busy Judge Stephen Goorvitch. Rademacher’s attorney had no comment when contacted by Deadline. However, based on precedent, it is very likely the actor will appeal.
Weeks after Rademacher was pink slipped from General Hospital for not getting the Covid-19 vaccination, the actor in December of 2021 slammed the Disney-owned network with a wide-ranging civil rights lawsuit on constitutional grounds. At the time, Disney had one of the strictest vaccine mandates of any Hollywood studio and most major corporations.
Rademacher had been a vocal critic of Covid-19 vaccine efficacy and mandates.
“ABC’s actions are blatantly unlawful,...
- 6/6/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Embattled former General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher — who claimed in a lawsuit that he was fired from the soap in 2021 because he refused to get the Covid-19 vaccine on religious grounds — has been defeated in court.
According to THR, a Los Angeles judge sided with ABC, which maintained that Rademacher’s opposition to the vaccine was based on health reasons vs. religious beliefs.
More from TVLineExtreme Makeover: Home Edition, With Home Edit Duo as Hosts, Eyed at ABCWalt Willey Heads to General Hospital -- as All My Children's Jackson!The Wonder Years Unveils Guest Star-Studded Trailer for Delayed Season 2
Rademacher...
According to THR, a Los Angeles judge sided with ABC, which maintained that Rademacher’s opposition to the vaccine was based on health reasons vs. religious beliefs.
More from TVLineExtreme Makeover: Home Edition, With Home Edit Duo as Hosts, Eyed at ABCWalt Willey Heads to General Hospital -- as All My Children's Jackson!The Wonder Years Unveils Guest Star-Studded Trailer for Delayed Season 2
Rademacher...
- 6/6/2023
- by Michael Ausiello
- TVLine.com
ABC has defeated a lawsuit from Ingo Rademacher over his dismissal from General Hospital for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
In December 2021, the actor sued the network, claiming it refused to accommodate his religious objections. In an order granting summary judgment, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen Goorvitch sided with ABC, which argued that Rademacher’s opposition to the vaccine was grounded in health reasons rather than his religious beliefs. Goorvitch had taken dueling motions under submission after an April 5 hearing and on Monday issued a brief order granting Disney’s and denying Rademacher’s but has not yet issued a detailed ruling.
ABC was among several studios that implemented vaccine mandates. The return-to-work protocols agreed upon by Hollywood’s guilds and studios said that vaccines could be required for those working in “Zone A” of a production — typically a project’s main actors as well as key crewmembers...
In December 2021, the actor sued the network, claiming it refused to accommodate his religious objections. In an order granting summary judgment, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen Goorvitch sided with ABC, which argued that Rademacher’s opposition to the vaccine was grounded in health reasons rather than his religious beliefs. Goorvitch had taken dueling motions under submission after an April 5 hearing and on Monday issued a brief order granting Disney’s and denying Rademacher’s but has not yet issued a detailed ruling.
ABC was among several studios that implemented vaccine mandates. The return-to-work protocols agreed upon by Hollywood’s guilds and studios said that vaccines could be required for those working in “Zone A” of a production — typically a project’s main actors as well as key crewmembers...
- 6/6/2023
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There may be another Hollywood strike coming soon.
The members of SAG-AFTRA — the union representing actors in film, TV and theater — voted to authorize a strike with a resounding 97.91 percent voting yes, the union announced on Monday. Now to be clear, the vote doesn’t mean a strike is happening. In fact, SAG-AFTRA has not even begun to negotiate with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers yet. But negotiations begin later this week, with the SAG-AFTRA contract set to expire on June 30, and the vote authorizes the union’s board to call a strike if a deal is not reached.
The members of SAG-AFTRA — the union representing actors in film, TV and theater — voted to authorize a strike with a resounding 97.91 percent voting yes, the union announced on Monday. Now to be clear, the vote doesn’t mean a strike is happening. In fact, SAG-AFTRA has not even begun to negotiate with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers yet. But negotiations begin later this week, with the SAG-AFTRA contract set to expire on June 30, and the vote authorizes the union’s board to call a strike if a deal is not reached.
- 6/6/2023
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Ingo Rademacher was one of General Hospital‘s most prominent actors. On the show, Rademacher portrayed the dashing Jax Jacks on and off for over two decades. The actor’s departure from the daytime drama caused a stir and a legal struggle with ABC that has lasted more than a year.
Ingo Rademacher | Robert Dye via Getty Images
Rademacher recently filed a new lawsuit against the network, claiming he was fired for his political views. The suit has stirred up controversy, with some supporting Rademacher’s claims and others questioning the validity of his arguments.
ABC fired Ingo Rademacher from ‘General Hospital’ for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine
“General Hospital” actor Ingo Rademacher is suing ABC after being fired due to a vaccine mandatehttps://t.co/tYlMla5Zke
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 14, 2021
The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic affected everyone, including the entertainment sector. Numerous daytime dramas, like General Hospital, had to stop production.
Ingo Rademacher | Robert Dye via Getty Images
Rademacher recently filed a new lawsuit against the network, claiming he was fired for his political views. The suit has stirred up controversy, with some supporting Rademacher’s claims and others questioning the validity of his arguments.
ABC fired Ingo Rademacher from ‘General Hospital’ for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine
“General Hospital” actor Ingo Rademacher is suing ABC after being fired due to a vaccine mandatehttps://t.co/tYlMla5Zke
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 14, 2021
The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic affected everyone, including the entertainment sector. Numerous daytime dramas, like General Hospital, had to stop production.
- 4/3/2023
- by William Decker
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
N’Neka Garland, a Daytime Emmy-winning longtime producer on General Hospital, has died. She was 49. Her father, William Garland, confirmed her passing on Facebook but did not provide details.
Garland graduated from Hampton University in Virginia in 1995 with a degree in mass media. She began her work on the ABC daytime soap in 2007 as an assistant to executive producer. She rose to associate producer in 2015 and had served as coordinating producer since 2018 and producer since 2021. Garland was nominated for three Daytime Emmy awards for the show, winning in 2021.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Janine Shalom Dies: Veteran Theater Publicist Was 63 Related Story Ingo Rademacher Claims ABC Canned Him From 'General Hospital' Over Trump Support & Politics, Not Vaccine Refusal & Religion; Actor's Suit Faces Dismissal Hearing Later This Month
Arlondriah Lenyéa’s General Hospital character, Savoy bartender N’Neka, was named after Garland.
“The producer who...
Garland graduated from Hampton University in Virginia in 1995 with a degree in mass media. She began her work on the ABC daytime soap in 2007 as an assistant to executive producer. She rose to associate producer in 2015 and had served as coordinating producer since 2018 and producer since 2021. Garland was nominated for three Daytime Emmy awards for the show, winning in 2021.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Janine Shalom Dies: Veteran Theater Publicist Was 63 Related Story Ingo Rademacher Claims ABC Canned Him From 'General Hospital' Over Trump Support & Politics, Not Vaccine Refusal & Religion; Actor's Suit Faces Dismissal Hearing Later This Month
Arlondriah Lenyéa’s General Hospital character, Savoy bartender N’Neka, was named after Garland.
“The producer who...
- 3/30/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Ingo Rademacher was one of the most famous stars from General Hospital. The actor portrayed the dashing Jax Jacks on and off from 1996 to 2021. Rademacher’s 2021 exit from the soap opera created a stir and a legal battle with his former employer.
General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher I Nick Agro via Getty Images Why was Ingo Rademacher fired from ‘General Hospital’?
The Covid-19 pandemic affected everyone, including the entertainment industry. Many soap operas like General Hospital shut down production. When the show returned to production, the cast and crew followed the safety protocol consisting of social distancing.
The show implemented a vaccine mandate to help protect the cast and crew. However, its two biggest stars, Rademacher and Steve Burton, refused to comply with the mandate. The actors were outspoken about the mandate, and their requests for medical and religious exemptions were denied.
When Rademacher and Burton failed to get vaccinated,...
General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher I Nick Agro via Getty Images Why was Ingo Rademacher fired from ‘General Hospital’?
The Covid-19 pandemic affected everyone, including the entertainment industry. Many soap operas like General Hospital shut down production. When the show returned to production, the cast and crew followed the safety protocol consisting of social distancing.
The show implemented a vaccine mandate to help protect the cast and crew. However, its two biggest stars, Rademacher and Steve Burton, refused to comply with the mandate. The actors were outspoken about the mandate, and their requests for medical and religious exemptions were denied.
When Rademacher and Burton failed to get vaccinated,...
- 3/21/2023
- by Carol Cassada
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Exclusive: Similar to so many family ruptures in America in recent years, Ingo Rademacher’s legal dispute with ABC over his 2021 firing from General Hospital comes down to Donald Trump and the politics of vaccines, according to the former soap opera actor.
Heading towards a pivotal March 30 summary judgement hearing on the more than a year old lawsuit, plaintiff Rademacher’s attorneys filed paperwork yesterday opposing the Disney-owned network’s motion to toss the case out. “ABC had a duty to accommodate Ingo,” insists the filing by lawyers Scott J. Street and John W. Howard over their client’s religious exemption request over corporate Covid vaccine requirements (read it here). “Instead, it put him through a sham process that was designed to fail, and which was meant to cover up the real reason for Ingo’s termination: his political views.”
Or to be more specific, Rademacher alleges he was really...
Heading towards a pivotal March 30 summary judgement hearing on the more than a year old lawsuit, plaintiff Rademacher’s attorneys filed paperwork yesterday opposing the Disney-owned network’s motion to toss the case out. “ABC had a duty to accommodate Ingo,” insists the filing by lawyers Scott J. Street and John W. Howard over their client’s religious exemption request over corporate Covid vaccine requirements (read it here). “Instead, it put him through a sham process that was designed to fail, and which was meant to cover up the real reason for Ingo’s termination: his political views.”
Or to be more specific, Rademacher alleges he was really...
- 3/18/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Spencer Cassadine (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) is a legacy character on General Hospital. As a member of the Cassadine family, his life has been filled with drama since his birth. Many actors have stepped into the role of the troubled young boy; let’s take a look at a few of them.
General Hospital star Nicholas Alexander Chavez I Amy Sussman/Getty Images Spencer Cassadine’s history on ‘General Hospital’
Spencer is the son of General Hospital couple Nikolas Cassadine (Tyler Christopher) and Courtney Matthews (Alicia Leigh Willis). When Courtney became pregnant, she didn’t know if Nikolas or her ex-husband Jax Jacks (Ingo Rademacher) was the baby’s father. A paternity test revealed Jax was the father; however, unbeknownst to Courtney, Jax altered the results.
Spencer is born prematurely after Courtney contracted encephalitis. The baby survives, but Courtney doesn’t. Before her death, Jax confesses Nikolas is the baby’s father,...
General Hospital star Nicholas Alexander Chavez I Amy Sussman/Getty Images Spencer Cassadine’s history on ‘General Hospital’
Spencer is the son of General Hospital couple Nikolas Cassadine (Tyler Christopher) and Courtney Matthews (Alicia Leigh Willis). When Courtney became pregnant, she didn’t know if Nikolas or her ex-husband Jax Jacks (Ingo Rademacher) was the baby’s father. A paternity test revealed Jax was the father; however, unbeknownst to Courtney, Jax altered the results.
Spencer is born prematurely after Courtney contracted encephalitis. The baby survives, but Courtney doesn’t. Before her death, Jax confesses Nikolas is the baby’s father,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Carol Cassada
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
ABC is asking an L.A. judge to toss Ingo Rademacher’s lawsuit over his firing from General Hospital for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine, arguing that the actor’s beliefs aren’t religious in nature and he was likely going to be written off anyway.
Rademacher was fired from the long-running soap in November 2021 after refusing to comply with the network’s vaccine mandate. The actor in December 2021 sued the network. His claims include religious and disability discrimination, invasion of privacy, and political retaliation, all of which ABC argues don’t survive legal scrutiny.
In a motion for summary judgment filed Dec. 28, ABC’s lawyer Steven Marenberg says the vaccine policy was the result of “an extensive deliberative process at Disney,” which included a process for evaluating religious and medical exemptions on a case-by-case basis.
Rademacher submitted a vaccine exemption request because of his “deeply and sincerely held moral belief...
Rademacher was fired from the long-running soap in November 2021 after refusing to comply with the network’s vaccine mandate. The actor in December 2021 sued the network. His claims include religious and disability discrimination, invasion of privacy, and political retaliation, all of which ABC argues don’t survive legal scrutiny.
In a motion for summary judgment filed Dec. 28, ABC’s lawyer Steven Marenberg says the vaccine policy was the result of “an extensive deliberative process at Disney,” which included a process for evaluating religious and medical exemptions on a case-by-case basis.
Rademacher submitted a vaccine exemption request because of his “deeply and sincerely held moral belief...
- 1/5/2023
- by Ashley Cullins
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actor Matthew Marsden says in a series of tweets that he recently lost a job for being anti-vax and criticizes Hollywood for its treatment of conservatives.
“I lost a job last week because I am unvaccinated and I will not lie about it,” he posted on Thursday. “If more people stood up in Hollywood, or any other profession and said ‘no’ then these vaccine mandates would have gone away.”
He continued, “It is the same on Twitter [sic]. The trolls know they can push you around. It is never going to end. No one forces you to post politically. Your choice.”
Also Read:
Shanghai Disneyland Reopens as China Eases Covid Restrictions
On Saturday, he elaborated on his experience as a vocal conservative working in Hollywood.
“Conservatives in Hollywood speak up against tyranny, and we get cancelled. The phone stops ringing,” he wrote, adding that actors Mark Ruffalo, Ron Pearlman and Sean Penn...
“I lost a job last week because I am unvaccinated and I will not lie about it,” he posted on Thursday. “If more people stood up in Hollywood, or any other profession and said ‘no’ then these vaccine mandates would have gone away.”
He continued, “It is the same on Twitter [sic]. The trolls know they can push you around. It is never going to end. No one forces you to post politically. Your choice.”
Also Read:
Shanghai Disneyland Reopens as China Eases Covid Restrictions
On Saturday, he elaborated on his experience as a vocal conservative working in Hollywood.
“Conservatives in Hollywood speak up against tyranny, and we get cancelled. The phone stops ringing,” he wrote, adding that actors Mark Ruffalo, Ron Pearlman and Sean Penn...
- 12/11/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Hollywood’s largest studios are backing away from blanket vaccine mandates on some productions. Disney confirmed Nov. 7 that it had informed 12 TV projects that it will no longer require cast and the crew to be vaccinated.
The projects were told vaccines were no longer required for those in “Zone A” — typically the project’s main actors as well as key crewmembers who work closely with them in the highest-risk areas of the set. (A Disney rep says mandates remain in place on U.S.-based film productions.)
Similarly, Netflix has dropped mandatory vaccine mandates on all new and returning shows from previous seasons, say people with knowledge of the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly. Paramount has done the same for some categories of productions since February. Policies allowing producers to mandate vaccinations in Zone A of sets were first implemented...
Hollywood’s largest studios are backing away from blanket vaccine mandates on some productions. Disney confirmed Nov. 7 that it had informed 12 TV projects that it will no longer require cast and the crew to be vaccinated.
The projects were told vaccines were no longer required for those in “Zone A” — typically the project’s main actors as well as key crewmembers who work closely with them in the highest-risk areas of the set. (A Disney rep says mandates remain in place on U.S.-based film productions.)
Similarly, Netflix has dropped mandatory vaccine mandates on all new and returning shows from previous seasons, say people with knowledge of the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly. Paramount has done the same for some categories of productions since February. Policies allowing producers to mandate vaccinations in Zone A of sets were first implemented...
- 11/9/2022
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Two-time Daytime Emmy winner Steve Burton is returning to Days of Our Lives proper, reprising his role as the enigmatic Harris Michaels — a character he first played on the sudser way, way back in 1988 (before General Hospital‘s Jason Quartermaine ever donned his first reindeer Christmas sweater) and more recently brought back for Season 2 of the Beyond Salem streaming spinoff.
Burton is due to resurface as Harris early next year, TVLine has learned, for “a thrilling new storyline” that will find the daytime-tv vet working alongside Days icons such as Stephen Nichols, Drake Hogestyn, Mary Beth Evans and Deidre Hall.
Burton is due to resurface as Harris early next year, TVLine has learned, for “a thrilling new storyline” that will find the daytime-tv vet working alongside Days icons such as Stephen Nichols, Drake Hogestyn, Mary Beth Evans and Deidre Hall.
- 11/9/2022
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Disney no longer requires vaccinations for the casts of all of its U.S. productions, as well as those who come into contact with them on set. I hear the majority of Disney-produced series have now lifted the mandate, including ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 and Fox’s 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star. According to sources, a few U.S-based series produced/co-produced by various Disney divisions are keeping the requirement in place, including ABC’s The Rookie and The Rookie: Feds, whose lead studio is eOne.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher revealed the development in a TikTok video captioned “@disney pulls the plug on vaccine mandates! Way to go Mickey!!!!”
“I must applaud Disney for taking the position not to vaccine mandate their sets any longer,” Drescher said.
Disney, as well as Netflix, were the biggest studios to implement a blanket policy on their U.S.-based productions last year,...
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher revealed the development in a TikTok video captioned “@disney pulls the plug on vaccine mandates! Way to go Mickey!!!!”
“I must applaud Disney for taking the position not to vaccine mandate their sets any longer,” Drescher said.
Disney, as well as Netflix, were the biggest studios to implement a blanket policy on their U.S.-based productions last year,...
- 11/5/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
A federal judge has trimmed a lawsuit from Rockmond Dunbar, a former actor on 911, over his dismissal from the hit drama series for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
Disney and 20th Television will no longer have to face a disparate impact claim, which accused them of advancing a vaccination policy discriminating against followers of the Church of Universal Wisdom, according to an order issued on Friday. They still face 10 other claims, ranging from religious and racial discrimination to retaliation and breach of contract.
“He still cannot identify any other Universal Wisdom followers who have been adversely affected by Defendants’ vaccination policy,” reads an order from U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee.
Disney and Fox were among the majority of studios that implemented vaccine mandates for cast who needed to go unmasked for scenes and crewmembers in close proximity to them. The policy...
A federal judge has trimmed a lawsuit from Rockmond Dunbar, a former actor on 911, over his dismissal from the hit drama series for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
Disney and 20th Television will no longer have to face a disparate impact claim, which accused them of advancing a vaccination policy discriminating against followers of the Church of Universal Wisdom, according to an order issued on Friday. They still face 10 other claims, ranging from religious and racial discrimination to retaliation and breach of contract.
“He still cannot identify any other Universal Wisdom followers who have been adversely affected by Defendants’ vaccination policy,” reads an order from U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee.
Disney and Fox were among the majority of studios that implemented vaccine mandates for cast who needed to go unmasked for scenes and crewmembers in close proximity to them. The policy...
- 11/4/2022
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Once again, ABC didn't announce if General Hospital had been renewed for another year but we know the show wasn't cancelled either. The network just kept the series on the air. Will General Hospital survive to see the 60th season for the 2022-23 network TV season? Could it possibly be cancelled mid-year? How will it do in the ratings? Stay tuned.
Debuting in 1963 on April 1st, General Hospital revolves around the loves, lives, and deaths of the people of Port Charles, New York. Actors appearing in the current season include Maurice Benard, Steve Burton, Marcus Coloma, Chad Duell, Michael Easton, Genie Francis, Nancy Lee Grahn, Rebecca Herbst, Roger Howarth, Finola Hughes, William Lipton, Katelyn MacMullen, Sofia Mattsson, Eden McCoy, Sydney Mikayla, Kelly Monaco, Ingo Rademacher, Wes Ramsey, Kirsten Storms, Josh Swickard, Donnell Turner, Cynthia Watros, Maura West, Laura Wright,...
Debuting in 1963 on April 1st, General Hospital revolves around the loves, lives, and deaths of the people of Port Charles, New York. Actors appearing in the current season include Maurice Benard, Steve Burton, Marcus Coloma, Chad Duell, Michael Easton, Genie Francis, Nancy Lee Grahn, Rebecca Herbst, Roger Howarth, Finola Hughes, William Lipton, Katelyn MacMullen, Sofia Mattsson, Eden McCoy, Sydney Mikayla, Kelly Monaco, Ingo Rademacher, Wes Ramsey, Kirsten Storms, Josh Swickard, Donnell Turner, Cynthia Watros, Maura West, Laura Wright,...
- 9/30/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Click here to read the full article.
Two former General Hospital crewmembers, James and Timothy Wahl, are suing ABC after getting fired for refusing the Covid-19 vaccination in a lawsuit that portrays efforts to curb the spread of the virus as “unprecedented restrictions on liberty.” They’re being represented by the same attorneys who filed an identical suit on behalf of actor Ingo Rademacher, who was also dismissed over his refusal to get vaccinated.
“These actions were unlawful. ABC does not have the authority to force a medical treatment on its employees against their will,” reads the complaint filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. “Even if it did, it must offer religious exemptions to anybody who requests one. It cannot discriminate among religions and cannot second-guess the sincerity of one’s religious beliefs without an objective basis for doing so. It did not have one here. ABC’s actions...
Two former General Hospital crewmembers, James and Timothy Wahl, are suing ABC after getting fired for refusing the Covid-19 vaccination in a lawsuit that portrays efforts to curb the spread of the virus as “unprecedented restrictions on liberty.” They’re being represented by the same attorneys who filed an identical suit on behalf of actor Ingo Rademacher, who was also dismissed over his refusal to get vaccinated.
“These actions were unlawful. ABC does not have the authority to force a medical treatment on its employees against their will,” reads the complaint filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. “Even if it did, it must offer religious exemptions to anybody who requests one. It cannot discriminate among religions and cannot second-guess the sincerity of one’s religious beliefs without an objective basis for doing so. It did not have one here. ABC’s actions...
- 6/16/2022
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Two former “General Hospital” crew members, Jim Wahl and Timothy Wahl, are suing ABC for wrongful termination after being fired for not getting vaccinated against Covid-19. In the suit, obtained by Variety, they claim that “ABC’s actions constitute religious discrimination and violate Plaintiffs’ rights under state law.”
“On Nov. 9, 2021, ABC officially denied Plaintiffs’ requests for religious exemptions to the Covid Vaccine Mandate,” the suit reads. “It gave no reason for its decision, except to say that the company was ‘unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief, practice, or observance.’”
The suit continued: “Plaintiffs desire a judicial declaration that ABC’s vaccine mandate is unconstitutional because it violates their right to privacy under Article I, section 1 of the California Constitution. This is both a facial and an as-applied challenge.”
ABC and Disney declined to comment on the suit.
This...
“On Nov. 9, 2021, ABC officially denied Plaintiffs’ requests for religious exemptions to the Covid Vaccine Mandate,” the suit reads. “It gave no reason for its decision, except to say that the company was ‘unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief, practice, or observance.’”
The suit continued: “Plaintiffs desire a judicial declaration that ABC’s vaccine mandate is unconstitutional because it violates their right to privacy under Article I, section 1 of the California Constitution. This is both a facial and an as-applied challenge.”
ABC and Disney declined to comment on the suit.
This...
- 6/16/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Two former crew members who worked on ABC’s daytime soap “General Hospital” have filed suit against the Disney-owned network, claiming that their terminations over their refusal to get Covid vaccinations were “unconstitutional.”
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday by James Wahl and Timothy Wahl in Los Angeles Superior Court, states, “On November 9, 2021, ABC officially denied Plaintiffs’ requests for religious exemptions to the Covid Vaccine Mandate. It gave no reason for its decision, except to say that the company was ‘unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief, practice, or observance.'”
The complaint goes on to state, “ABC does not have the authority to force a medical treatment on its employees against their will. Even if it did, it must offer religious exemptions to anybody who requests one.”
Also Read:
Netflix Sued for Defamation, Accused of Vilifying Cuban Exile Group in...
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday by James Wahl and Timothy Wahl in Los Angeles Superior Court, states, “On November 9, 2021, ABC officially denied Plaintiffs’ requests for religious exemptions to the Covid Vaccine Mandate. It gave no reason for its decision, except to say that the company was ‘unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief, practice, or observance.'”
The complaint goes on to state, “ABC does not have the authority to force a medical treatment on its employees against their will. Even if it did, it must offer religious exemptions to anybody who requests one.”
Also Read:
Netflix Sued for Defamation, Accused of Vilifying Cuban Exile Group in...
- 6/16/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
The coronavirus pandemic may in remission to some degree across America, but the lawsuits over Hollywood protocols and vaccination mandates look far from over.
Following in the legal footsteps of pink slipped General Hospital cast member Ingo Rademacher, two former crew members on the ABC produced soap are now suing the Disney-owned network over being let go for not getting vaxxed.
“On November 9, 2021, ABC officially denied Plaintiffs’ requests for religious exemptions to the Covid Vaccine Mandate,” declares a Wrongful Termination and four other claims complaint from ex-gh staffers Jim Wahl and Timothy Wahl filed yesterday in LA Superior Court. “It gave no reason for its decision, except to say that the company was ‘unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief, practice, or observance,'” the filing states, calling ABC’s vaccine mandate “unconstitutional” (read the complaint here).
“ABC does...
Following in the legal footsteps of pink slipped General Hospital cast member Ingo Rademacher, two former crew members on the ABC produced soap are now suing the Disney-owned network over being let go for not getting vaxxed.
“On November 9, 2021, ABC officially denied Plaintiffs’ requests for religious exemptions to the Covid Vaccine Mandate,” declares a Wrongful Termination and four other claims complaint from ex-gh staffers Jim Wahl and Timothy Wahl filed yesterday in LA Superior Court. “It gave no reason for its decision, except to say that the company was ‘unable to conclude that you are prevented from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine due to a sincerely-held religious belief, practice, or observance,'” the filing states, calling ABC’s vaccine mandate “unconstitutional” (read the complaint here).
“ABC does...
- 6/16/2022
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Steve Burton has found a new home in Salem, at least temporarily: the former General Hospital star who left the ABC soap in 2021 after failing to adhere to its vaccine policy is joining the second installment of Beyond Salem, Peacock’s Days of Our Lives spinoff.
Dool Executive Producer Ron Carlivati confirmed the news on Twitter Friday, saying “We’re Beyond excited about this news!”
It’s unclear, for now, what role Burton will play in the spinoff that will feature the much-anticipated return of super-couple Bo and Hope (Kristian Alfonso and Peter Reckell), as well as Deidre Hall as Dr. Marlena Evans and Drake Hogestyn as John Black. But Burton is definitely familiar to Dool fans; at the start of his career, he played Harris Michaels on the NBC soap in 1988.
Burton left Gh for failing to comply with its Covid-19 vaccine mandate. He had returned to the sudser...
Dool Executive Producer Ron Carlivati confirmed the news on Twitter Friday, saying “We’re Beyond excited about this news!”
It’s unclear, for now, what role Burton will play in the spinoff that will feature the much-anticipated return of super-couple Bo and Hope (Kristian Alfonso and Peter Reckell), as well as Deidre Hall as Dr. Marlena Evans and Drake Hogestyn as John Black. But Burton is definitely familiar to Dool fans; at the start of his career, he played Harris Michaels on the NBC soap in 1988.
Burton left Gh for failing to comply with its Covid-19 vaccine mandate. He had returned to the sudser...
- 4/30/2022
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Tanisha Harper is taking over the role of Jordan Ashford on “General Hospital,” ABC confirmed to TheWrap on Wednesday. Harper’s first episodes will begin airing in March.
Briana Nicole Henry, who played the role for three years, left the series in September, saying in an Instagram post that it was time to “move on” from the daytime drama.
Since then, Jordan — who is Port Charles’ police commissioner — has been close to renal failure as she languished offscreen at a medical clinic in Albany, New York.
Before Henry, Vinessa Antoine played Jordan from March 2014 to September 2018.
Henry’s exit came just two months before longtime “General Hospital” stars Ingo Rademacher and Steve Burton were fired after refusing to comply with ABC’s vaccination mandate.
Harper has appeared in small roles in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Dear White People,” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and was a regular on MyNetworkTV’s telenovela “Desire.
Briana Nicole Henry, who played the role for three years, left the series in September, saying in an Instagram post that it was time to “move on” from the daytime drama.
Since then, Jordan — who is Port Charles’ police commissioner — has been close to renal failure as she languished offscreen at a medical clinic in Albany, New York.
Before Henry, Vinessa Antoine played Jordan from March 2014 to September 2018.
Henry’s exit came just two months before longtime “General Hospital” stars Ingo Rademacher and Steve Burton were fired after refusing to comply with ABC’s vaccination mandate.
Harper has appeared in small roles in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Dear White People,” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and was a regular on MyNetworkTV’s telenovela “Desire.
- 2/24/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Actor Richard Burgi has been fired from the CBS soap opera “The Young and the Restless” for breaching the production’s Covid protocols, Variety has confirmed. The actor revealed the news himself on January 11 in an Instagram Live post in which he said that he “naively and inadvertently violated the show’s Covid policy.” Sources close to “The Young and the Restless” confirmed the actor is no longer with the show.
“I felt terrible about it,” Burgi said in his video message. “I still do. It bothers me mightily but it is what it is. I respect whatever the show’s decision is. They’re doing the best they can, as we all are.”
Burgi explained that he tested positive for Covid around Christmas and waited to return to set after five days, a time frame the Center for Disease Control set at the end of December. The actor then...
“I felt terrible about it,” Burgi said in his video message. “I still do. It bothers me mightily but it is what it is. I respect whatever the show’s decision is. They’re doing the best they can, as we all are.”
Burgi explained that he tested positive for Covid around Christmas and waited to return to set after five days, a time frame the Center for Disease Control set at the end of December. The actor then...
- 1/12/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.