In an exclusive interview, Finola Hughes, the star of General Hospital, opens up about the intense reunion between her character Anna Devane and the notorious Cesar Faison. "It was absolutely wild!" she exclaims, describing the dramatic turn of events unfolding in her storyline.
Currently, Anna finds herself in a precarious situation, held captive by the sinister Sidwell, portrayed by Carlo Rota, along with his counterpart from the WSB, Ross Cullum, played by Andrew Hawkes. These villains are attempting to manipulate Anna into believing that her arch-nemesis, Faison (played by Anders Hove), is haunting her even after his death. While the stakes couldn't be higher for Anna, this unique predicament allowed Hughes to reconnect with Hove, albeit through his recorded voice, marking their first collaboration since Faison's character was written off in 2018. Soap Opera Digest caught up with Hughes to delve into this unconventional reunion, which has fans buzzing.
Although it has been quite some time since Hughes and Hove shared the screen, they have maintained their friendship. In fact, the two actors enjoyed a lovely visit in Amsterdam back in 2024 while paying tribute to the late Anthony Geary, who once played Luke on the show. "He holds a special place in my heart," Hughes affectionately shares. "He’s truly one of my all-time favorite scene partners."
Even though Hove currently resides in Denmark, he prepared for this recent filming by recording his lines from afar. Hughes recounts, "Before diving into the scenes, he reached out to me via text, and we discussed what needed to unfold in those moments." When it was time for Hughes to film the emotionally charged scenes—where Faison’s voice torments a distraught Anna over a loudspeaker—she describes it as a rather surreal experience: "It was nuts!"
What makes this scenario particularly fascinating is that, although Hove wasn’t physically present, Hughes was able to hear his vocal performance live during filming. "They played his recordings right on the studio floor," she explains, revealing how this innovative technique allowed her to react authentically in the moment. "It felt like I was acting alongside him, despite the fact that he was thousands of miles away in another country!"
As devoted viewers of General Hospital may know, the tumultuous relationship between Anna and Faison dates back to before Anna’s arrival in Port Charles in 1985. Flashbacks introduced Faison as he was cast in 1990, revealing the complex history between the characters. Anna, who was once cared for by Faison’s mother, Sybil McTavish, later crossed paths with him again as she navigated her double agent career—working for both the WSB and the criminal organization led by Faison, known as the DVX. Their interactions ranged from unsettling to downright menacing, including Faison’s obsession with Anna that led to various disturbing antics, such as writing fictional novels featuring her character or even kidnapping her while impersonating her presumed-deceased husband.
Faison's chaotic presence came and went throughout Anna's life for many years, but fans believed his terror was finally over in 2018 when Jason shot him. In a gripping moment, Faison’s son, Peter August, witnessed his father’s heart failure and shockingly chose to prevent help from reaching him, resulting in Faison's demise. Anna later made a poignant visit to Faison’s body in the morgue, needing to confront the reality of his death to truly believe that her turbulent past with him had come to an end.
With such an intricate history propelling their dynamic, Hughes highlights the creative opportunity presented by this storyline: "It was a fantastic way to explore Anna’s past and delve into her psyche. Even though Anders is thousands of miles away, working with him continues to be an absolute joy!"
This intriguing reunion raises questions for fans: How do you think Anna will cope with Faison's torment? What does this mean for her character moving forward? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
