‘General Hospital’ Actress Genie Francis Dishes On The Future Of Laura Spencer, Says She Is Happy To be Home

The exciting news that Genie Francis has just signed a three-year contract with ABC’s General Hospital has fans wondering just what is in store for her role of Laura Spencer. This iconic character is a household name thanks to the pairing with Tony Geary, also known as Luke Spencer, Laura’s former flame. This duo from the 80s grasped the attention of soap fans everywhere.

Now that Geary has left his role of Luke Spencer behind, his TV character’s ex-wife has come back to Port Charles to stay, at least until 2018. Francis is the heart and soul of Laura Spencer, and it doesn’t seem like anyone else could have replaced her. Genie Francis spilled to TV Insider in a recent interview that she has finally come home, and it seems that GH fans feel the same way.

"They finally took me back!" The divine @GenieFrancis on her new 3-year deal with #GH https://t.co/5fvd7FJNpN @GeneralHospital

— Michael Logan (@TVGMLogan) November 4, 2015

The actress had come back to help usher Tony Geary from the soap, but then Laura ended up getting caught up in her children’s secrets this past summer, mainly her son, Nikolas Cassadine. She had left town after she learned that Jason Morgan is alive and Nik is keeping it a secret, and that he could have attempted to kill Hayden Barnes, as well. Francis was expected to come back this fall but no one knew for how long, so this three-year contract was good news for fans and for General Hospital. Genie expressed her excitement as well.

“A three-year deal is a very big commitment from ABC these days. It’s too soon to know what stories they have planned for Laura—the who-what-where—but I know they really want to write for me and that’s exciting. They finally took me back!”

Another GH vet also just signed a long-term deal with ABC. Finola Hughes, who plays the role of Anna Devane, will be settling in Port Charles as well, as reported by SoapCentral.

So, what is on tap in Laura Spencer? Genie is pretty sure that she will have a romance coming up sometime in the future, but she said that she has no idea when that will happen or who with. However, she needs to focus on getting her GH children on the right track first. They seem to be a mess right now.

Laura has been trying to get Nik, and also her former daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, to tell the truth about Jason Morgan before Liz marries him as Jake Doe. Genie Francis does an excellent job as portraying the moral-conscious Laura, who loves her Cassadine son but is concerned that he is going down a dark path that he may not be able to get out of. Francis touched a little on this particular story line.

“This could get worse before it gets better. This is not how Laura raised her children! But, then, Nikolas is the one kid she didn’t raise. Way back, it was so touching that Nikolas, even though he grew up with the evil, crazy Cassadine family, was very sweet, tender, kind. He had Laura’s heart. But in the back of Laura’s mind there’s always been this fear of, ‘God, I hope he never acts like a Cassadine!’ And when he does, it really terrifies her.”

Another thing that is terrifying is little Jake Spencer, Laura’s grandson, who was held captive by Helena Cassadine for a few years. Now that he is back with his family, the boy has been acting quite strangely, and Laura seems to be the only one who is concerned about it. Francis explained in the interview just why her character is so worried about Jake.

“Laura was a prisoner of the Cassadines, too. She knows what kind of effect that could have on a person, especially someone so young. Her maternal instincts always kick in.”

She also has another child who could definitely benefit from some motherly advice right now. The other major storyline on General Hospital is the apparent break up of Dante and Lulu’s marriage. Lulu is Luke and Laura’s daughter, and she could really use her mother right now that she has left her husband because she found out that he was cheating on her.

Genie Francis brings out the maternal side of Laura Spencer and she always seems to have chemistry with her TV kids, so hopefully the writers will embrace and strengthen the bond between this character and her kids. Maybe at some point in the next three years that Genie is expected to be on screen, Lucky Spencer will come back to Port Charles. That would make fans quite happy if that should happen.

Tune in to #GH TODAY Thursday @GenieFrancis fans! Laura is on! #FallinLoveWithGH @RebeccaLHerbst Can't wait! pic.twitter.com/zDUmeOF9Kj

— GenieFrancisFans (@GenieFans) November 5, 2015

Be sure to stay tuned on how the Jason Morgan reveal will come out and if Laura Spencer has anything to do with it. It is expected to be explosive, as the previews showed Jason attacking Nikolas when he finds out who he really is.

Are you happy that General Hospital will have Genie Francis for three more years? Sound off below on who you would like to see Laura Spencer hook up with.

[Photo by Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images]