Michael Easton has checked out of General Hospital now that his character, Dr. Hamilton Finn, has checked into rehab. The fan-favorite actor sat down with Soap Hub for an exclusive interview to talk about his exit and what he wants fans to know about his run in Port Charles.
Leaving in Gratitude
Easton says that he’s thankful to the show for giving him such powerful material not only in the story that led up to his exit but also throughout his run on the show. His one wish is that Finn’s fall had played out over a longer period of time. “From an acting standpoint, I would have liked to have just brought a little more subtlety and nuance to it,” he says.
“I had to get to a point very quickly,” says Easton, hastening to add, “I was the beneficiary of a lot of really good writing and directing. I got to work with some really wonderful actors.”
Easton’s exit story seemed to accelerate quickly. Gregory (Gregory Harrison) died, and Finn fell into both a depression and off the wagon. “I have such an affinity for Gregory [Harrison],” Easton says. “He’s a wonderful actor. He’s equally, if not more, wonderful as a human being. I became very close with him.”
The TV doctor checking out of GH comes at a serendipitous time in his life. “I’m the same age my mom was when she passed away,” Easton shares, “which doesn’t feel very old to pass away.”
The actor has dealt with a great deal of loss in the last few years. His dear pal Kamar de los Reyes (ex-Antonio, One Life to Live) passed away last Christmas Eve. “I’ve been thinking about Sonya [Eddy, ex-Epiphany], Johnny [Wactor, ex-Brando], Tyler [Christopher, ex-Nikolas], and Billy [Miller, ex-Drew], too,” he says. “There was a lot of emotion going on along with the storytelling. Even though [Finn’s fall] felt rushed in a way, I felt that I was very raw to begin with.”
Michael Easton worked with many actors over the years; on the romantic front, Finn was paired with Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) and Anna (Finola Hughes). “They’re both amazingly present when you’re in scenes with them,” Easton praises. “There were other actors who got ‘stuck’ with me,” he quips, referring to Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Josh Swickard (Chase), and Jophielle Love (Violet).
“I’m deeply in love with Jane Elliot [Tracy],” the actor adds.
While Finn’s fall and decision to go into rehab happened quickly, the show gave Easton many moments to play, especially in his final episodes in which Finn decided to smash the vodka bottles against the wall, and when he shared a tender goodbye with TV daughter, Love.
“That was the hardest goodbye of them all,” Easton says. “I have a daughter [in real life], and so Jophielle and I had this immediate connection. People said that our relationship looked so natural, as if we’d known each other in past lives. I think [Jophielle] is going to do amazing things both as an actress and as a singer. She’s going to do amazing things in life.”
Finn already made a choice not to drink, and he’s entered a rehab program that’s set to go for three months. Does that mean a door is being left open for Easton’s return? The actor says he’s not even going there — at least not right now.
“I think there was a finality [to my exit], and there was a finality for me to it, too,” he muses.
While fans would love to see him return to GH or pop up on another soap (he played Tanner on Days of our Lives), the actor says it’s too early to speculate on a specific next move. “I mean, I’m not done,” Easton adds. “I’ll [be] trying to find that right part, that next great storyline…I don’t know where that will come from.”
Michael Easton has shared some of his feelings on social media, which he says has left him feeling very vulnerable. He says he wanted to share his thoughts because he’s grateful to everyone who has supported him throughout his run at GH. “I’m so indebted to the entire cast and crew over there,” he says. “I always think anytime you have any sort of success as an actor, the real person who should be acknowledged is the person you’re working with.”
