Daytime newcomer Adrian Anchondo has been tapped to play the contract function of Marco on Normal Hospital, and can first air on Thursday, March 13.
Anchondo’s street to Port Charles started a few months in the past, when he first auditioned to play the authorized eagle and was dropped at the studio 4 weeks later for a session with the producers. “It was very intimidating seeing all the gorgeous Latino males there I used to be going up towards, all youthful,” he quips. “However I actually linked with the character, and I really feel like I’ve been taking part in lots of good guys going unhealthy or unhealthy guys going good, so I believe this character is in my wheelhouse.”
The actor screen-tested with Van Hansis, who joined the present in October 2024 as Lucas Jones, however the two had crossed paths previously. “Van and I met one another at Williamstown Theater Pageant 20 years in the past,” Anchondo relays. “I believe we did a play with one another. It’s humorous as a result of I bear in mind having somewhat crush on him again then, and we’ve been in the identical circles as a result of we’ve got mutual mates. So, I felt completely snug. Van has a really snug individual to be round, regardless if you happen to’ve recognized him for 20 years or not.”
Normal Hospital was additionally acquainted to Anchondo from his childhood. “My mother handed away after I was 28, and one in every of my finest and earliest reminiscences of her is after I was 4 or 5 and he or she can be preparing on the sofa for work, and he or she’d do her make-up on this compact so she may watch soaps,” he explains. “She beloved Younger and the Stressed and Normal Hospital and I can nonetheless bear in mind watching the present and simply how a lot she loved it.”
As a nod to his mom, Anchondo carried one thing with him for an additional increase of confidence. “One of many solely issues I’ve left of hers is a compact, and I introduced that with me into the display check in my pocket,” he reveals. “So, I believe she was there with me.”
Will Branske
Now, one other member of the family is tuning in to the cleaning soap. “My grandmother, who’s nonetheless round, has been watching Normal Hospital. She took an extended break, however now she’s been getting caught up and he or she’s like, ‘Oh, my God, there’s so many storylines I’ve to recollect now.’ She’s so excited and proud.”
Anchondo reviews that he’s getting right into a groove together with his mysterious alter ego, regardless of the intimidating authorized jargon. “The character has been very candy and charming, and, in fact, it wouldn’t be a cleaning soap opera with out darkish secrets and techniques someplace,” he teases. “He’s additionally very clever and really articulate, which is sort of reverse of who I’m as an individual. I don’t discover myself to be essentially the most articulate individual [laughs]. I don’t suppose I’ve ever performed a lawyer. I’ve positively been on the opposite finish from Viola Davis grilling me on How one can Get Away with Homicide, in order that’ll take getting used to. Van was like, ‘I gotta play a health care provider on right here, and there’s so many issues concerning the human physique that I’m simply studying,’ so I’m like, ‘If he can do it, I believe I can deal with the authorized stuff.’”
Previous to becoming a member of GH, Anchondo did his justifiable share of primetime episodic work, showing on The Rookie, NCIS: Los Angeles and FBI: Most Needed. “The very last thing I did was Regulation & Order: Organized Crime,” he recollects of his 2023 look as Detective Eric Geary. “The primary actress on that, Danielle Moné [Truitt], and I labored on my first recurring function on BET [Rebel]. Eight years later, I nonetheless had her cellphone quantity and I used to be flying to New York. I texted her and I stated, ‘Hey, guess who’s gonna be reunited?’ And she or he’s like, ‘Don’t inform me you bought this half. That’s an incredible half.’ And as quickly as I walked on set, I’m seeing Chris Meloni and I’m so nervous, however her huge smile and her hug simply put me into the precise headspace.”
The function was vital to Anchondo, because it touched on a subject near his coronary heart. “I used to be taking part in a homosexual man who can be a cop who was combating popping out to his staff,” he says. “It was coping with one thing that was actually private to the homosexual neighborhood in New York on the time, as a result of it was a real story the place a bunch of individuals had been concentrating on homosexual males in golf equipment. I beloved the half, and it confirmed my vary. I hoped I’d come again, nevertheless it’s OK. I’ve received one thing higher happening now.”
Whereas his GH gig is his major appearing focus proper now, Anchondo can be maintaining busy pursuing his grasp’s in psychology forward of his commencement in Might. “I knew I used to be all the time going to be auditioning, and I wished to have a job that might be versatile sufficient the place I could make my very own hours and I may nonetheless concentrate on my dream,” he explains. “What I really like about marriage and household remedy and psychology is that working as an actor and dealing as a therapist, there are lots of similarities. We’re finding out the thoughts and the guts, and so they go hand in hand. I’m seeing shoppers now and nonetheless ending my hours. It’s somewhat difficult with making an attempt to work across the schedule, however I adore it.”
As he prepares for his cleaning soap debut, Anchondo is very thrilled to be realizing his objectives. “When somebody asks me, ‘What do you do for a dwelling?’ — I get that query on a regular basis in L.A. — I’ve all the time had this nervousness about saying, ‘I’m an actor.’ as a result of then persons are like, ‘OK, effectively what else do you actually do?’ ” he shares. “And for the primary time in my life, I can actually really feel proud and say, ‘No, I’m an actor.’ It is going to be very nice to personal it and be capable to stroll round day-after-day feeling like I achieved one thing that I wished all my life.”
Normal Hospital, Weekdays, ABC, Examine Native Listings