General Hospital newcomer, Billy Miller explains his plans for the character of Jason Morgan. Billy Miller had some extremely large shoes to fill by taking on this role after Steve Burton created the Jason Morgan persona for over 20 years. Fans have survived many recasts of their favorite beloved characters throughout the years. The soap industry is known for their ins and outs, and the potential of characters being recast. This is nothing new, yet the news of Steve Burton leaving General Hospital to go to The Young and the Restless hit fans harder than any other recast in General Hospital history. The recast process seemed to take forever, and the powers that be did a fantastic job of throwing everyone off. With the on again off again rumors of Billy Miller replacing Steve Burton, fans were kept in the dark on if and when this big change was going to happen. When the news was finally confirmed, it stirred up all sorts of mixed emotions among the fan bases. Die hard Steve Burton fans were angry, Billy Miller fans were ecstatic that they would be able to see their favorite actor on screen again, and many people just wanted to give Billy a chance and then make a decision on whether or not he could be the new Jason Morgan.
Billy Miller is a hit with the fans. He is living up to the legend of Jason Morgan and his chemistry with Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Webber) is undeniable. Obviously, any recast is going to have minor and major differences from the previous actor who played the part. It is important to realize that in these situations, we will never get an exact replica. It’s important to welcome these changes with open arms, and appreciate the work that the actor is doing in order to entertain the fans. Billy Miller discusses the differences he is creating in this new Jason, aka Jake. In a recent interview, Miller said, “It would be ridiculous for me to mimic (the way Burton played him).” Miller states that this new Jason is a bit brighter, he smiles more, and throws in jokes to lighten the mood. He continued to explain, “It’s more fun in this genre whenever you can add some lightness to it or make it funny. You don’t get a lot of room for that so I usually look for it. It’s a scary position for this guy who is so lost and doesn’t know who he is, so you match that with a little bit of humor.”
Billy Miller is looking forward to when Jason finally comes in contact with his past. His past that includes his old lifestyle. His job. Miller looks forward to working with legends such as Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos), Roger Howarth (Franco), and Tony Geary (Luke Spencer). In regard to working with Geary, Miller says, “I can’t wait for that acting class.”
Tell us how you think Billy Miller is doing in his role as Jason Morgan! Are you happy to have Jason back, or would you rather Steve or nothing? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.