General Hospital (GH) star James Patrick Stuart (Valentin Cassadine) in Port Charles seems like a practical thinker and seldom gets too deeply swayed by emotion. But in real life, he’s a different person, as witnessed in a recent social media post.
A Motivational Post
On the ABC soap, Cassadine seems controlled, and even cold, which is why some ABC fans speak of him as having a “Cassadine chill.” Well, that’s good acting, because in real life, it seems that James Patrick Stuart is capable of gentleness.
Taking to his Instagram recently, he posted about the late comedian Phil Hartman, who passed away some time ago. Actually, his tragic death which was the result of murder was well-documented.
Fans might remember him from Saturday Night Live. And as voices on The Simpsons. But, the real life Valentin Cassadine didn’t talk about fame and laughter only. Instead, he leaned into stillness, memory, something closer to home.
A Long Caption
In his long caption, Stuart wrote, “They say never meet your heroes… Unless your hero was Phil Hartman, in which case you definitely should have done that. “
Then, he continued by telling GH fans, “His untimely passing was the least important part of his story and, years later, his legacy of kindness is still what resonates.”
Next, he went on to tell General Hospital fans about personal experiences, penning
Despite his fame, despite being funny beyond compare, he was a listener and would make you feel like the most important person in the room.
Finally, he ended by giving his fans some advice. Stuart wrote, “Nothing is permanent, everything is always changing. Only this moment counts. Spend it wisely. Missing him still.”
Focus On The Personality Of Hartman
What came across clearly, wasn’t just the loss of someone he admired, but it also highlighted who Hartman truly was. As you can see, he didn’t go into a lot of detail about the shock and media hype of his tragic murder in 1998.
Instead, he focused on how the comedian gave freely, and showed up for others, which meant he had a way of making everyone feel special. That’s a nicer legacy than his tragic death ever portrayed.
Life To Fiction
Actually, sometimes it’s strange how the timing of things work out. For example, in Port Charles, currently, Valentin’s back in the drama and beneath his cool and calm demeanor, there might be a sliver of deep caring.
His path crosses with Carly, (Laura Wright) and Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) and there’s tension about Carly’s link to Brennan. With Valentin stepping in, quiet calculations seem likely. Could that all end with Valentin providing some sort of shelter for Carly? Or, might there be a payoff coming?
For the character, Valentin, legacy matters and for James Patrick Stuart, it seems that’s why he chose to share about Phil Hartman.
ABC Fans React
In the comments section of the post, plenty of fans enjoyed what Stuart had to say. One of them wrote, “Thank you for reminding us that he was more than his death! I loved watching him on TV. I always heard stories about his kindness. That and his humor is what I like to remember.”
Here are a few more responses from the discussion:
- … it would be a privilege to have him in your life!! Thank you for sharing!!
- Thank you for the important reminder and for cherishing Phil’s legacy.
- [James] you know how to make me feel like the most important person on the planet when you talk to me.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below, and come back here often for all your General Hospital cast news and updates.