Nicholas Chavez Says Dead ‘General Hospital’ Character May Return: ‘Port Charles Is a Crazy Place’
Nicholas Chavez isn't ruling out a return to General Hospital — but he also doesn't mind if someone else takes over the role of Spencer.
"No," Chavez, 25, told TV Line on Monday, September 30, when asked if he's done with the soap series. "Port Charles is a crazy place. We’ll have to see what happens."
Chavez went on to show his support for a new actor to portray Spencer, adding, “Of course. I understand that the show has needs, and I would be fully supportive of that.”
Before rising to stardom for his role as Lyle Menéndez on Netflix's Monsters and as Father Charlie on FX's Grotesquerie, Chavez played Spencer on General Hospital. The character was initially introduced in 2006 and played by twin baby actors Caden and Nicholas Laughlin. The role was then aged up with half a dozen actors all taking turns playing Spencer.
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It wasn't until 2021 that Chavez was cast as Spencer, who had a fan-favorite relationship with Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali), affectionately called Sprina. His performance scored him a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series in 2022. Earlier this year, Chavez surprised fans when he announced his departure.
"I’m so appreciative of the opportunity that GH gave me, and I wouldn’t be as busy as I am professionally if it weren’t for the talented producers, writers, directors and fellow actors," he wrote via X in May. "[Executive producer] Frank Valentini is a mentor and a friend, and we’ve had some pretty extensive conversations about my future on the show. While there are no current plans for me to return, we are still talking very openly about future possibilities for Spencer in Port Charles."
He continued: “Beyond the people I’ve already mentioned, I want to take some time to thank and honor the GH fan base… especially the Sprina fans… who must be THE most loyal and kind fan base in the universe of entertainment. Words fail to show the depth of my gratitude, thank you, I love you all very, very much."
Chavez's final episode as Spencer aired in January. He is now focused on his initiation into the Ryan Murphy TV universe.
"[Playing] Lyle Menéndez [on Monsters] necessitated more thoughtful preparation because you want to be careful and diligent with a character like that," Chavez exclusively told Us Weekly last month. "This is someone who is a real person and who is still alive today."
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The experience was extremely different for Grotesquerie, which airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.
"With Father Charlie, I let my impulses lead the way. We were just talking about how this show to me feels very Shakespearean. The language just leads you in the direction that you need to go," Chavez hinted about his role as a priest on the new series. "So I just operated with complete and utter reckless abandon in all of my scenes."
Chavez noted that it was no holds barred for him when it came to playing Father Charlie, adding, "I let the words take me where they were going to go and let the scenes take me where they were going to go. And I was fortunate enough to have scene partners who were comfortable with every take being different."
