Josh Swickard Reveals Why He Can’t Wait to Go Back to Work at GENERAL HOSPITAL (EXCLUSIVE)
When Josh Swickard started playing Chase on GENERAL HOSPITAL, it felt like the days were speeding by — and he wasn’t sure that he could keep up. Even now, the fan-favorite admitted to Soaps In Depth, “there are still a lot of days that are, ‘Oof, this is a lot. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to do this!’” But he’s also gotten hooked on the fast pace of life in Port Charles. “I’m sure some actors would hate it,” he acknowledged. “But when we’re on hiatus, I start itching to get back!”
After some downtime Swickard starts to miss his castmates, the crew… and even the grind! “It’s a very stressful, fun environment,” he maintained. “You put this many hours into something, you become family. And I love the routine, mixed with the fact that they’ve given me a great character to play. When I’m in this building, I’m smiling.”
As the actor has adjusted to the soap’s pace and learned to trust his instincts, so, too, has Chase begun to feel like he’s right where he belongs. “After two years, he has his feet planted,” his portrayer said. “He’s in a solid relationship that works, developed a relationship with his brother, Finn, and has friends. It gives him a sense of confidence.
With Willow the center of the life Chase has built, they’re just about the dreamiest couple in town. Many suspect that Michael will become a foil down the line, but for now, he’s stuck on Sasha — and Swickard is enjoying the dynamic that the pals have. “It’s a fun group to play, because the scenes are usually lighthearted,” he explained. “And Katey [Katelyn] MacMullen, Chad Duell, Sofia Mattsson and I just have a lot of fun working together.”
They also have fun playing together in the real world – along with co-star Brianna Nicole Henry (Jordan). “We all kind of hang out together, with our significant others,” Swickard revealed. “My wife, Lauren, and I had them all over to our house not too long ago. We’re close.”
While everyone gets along, Swickard and Duell get along so well that they are often teased about their bromance.“When we have scenes, everyone is like, ‘Here we go,’” Swickard laughed. “We have a humor that’s just kind of warped. Obviously, we keep it extremely professional when we’re working! But it’s always a good time. We hang out in each other’s dressing rooms and grab food together.”
Fun and games aside, Swickard is also always thrilled to see Chase cross paths with Sonny and Jason. “Anytime I get to work with Mo [Maurice Benard], I jump at it,” he raved. “I love him dearly. And I always liked working with Steve Burton. He’s awesome, and usually, our scenes are interesting — Jason threatens me, I threaten him, and then nothing actually happens.”
That said, the detective has yet to really go head-to-head with Port Charles’ godfather — and Swickard has a tongue-in-cheek theory about why. It’s “because they know Sonny would lose to Chase, and they don’t really want that to happen,” Swickard joked. “No, that would be great! I’d love to see that.” Even better? “If Chase could join the Mob for a day or two, that would be a dream!” the actor grinned. “And I think there is that potential for them to work together. But at the end of the day, Chase is a cop and the law is the law.”
Whatever story is front and center on GH, Swickard generally gets to be a part of it. “I get to play with a bit of everybody,” he noted, adding that “Chase has got an even keeledness to him. He’s got this way about him that even when the sky is falling, it’s not falling that hard. In a world where crazy things happen, it’s nice to be able to be that character.
“There’s a lot coming up – a lot I can’t talk about,” he teased. “But I can say that life in Port Charles is blissfully great!”
For more from your favorite GH stars, keep reading the ABC edition of Soaps In Depth magazine.
This story originally appeared in our print magazine
