Have you ever wondered what the casting process is like for your favorite soap operas? Casting legend Mark Teschner, who has decades of experience as the casting director on General Hospital, joined Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart on their weekly YouTube podcast, Soapy.
During the chat, the 11-time Emmy-winning casting director opens up about how he finds actors for the ABC daytime soap. He shares tips on how actors can stand out in auditions, land roles, and even how he convinces executives to take chances on talent he believes in. Plus, he reflects on how the industry has evolved over the past 30 years.
Mark Teschner Talks Casting for General Hospital
Teschner recalls his very first contract player, the iconic villain Cesar Faison (played by Anders Hove), who was also the first actor to audition for the role.
He also highlights a particularly interesting instance with Paige Herschell, who plays Jacinda Bracken. Initially, her character was only supposed to appear in three episodes before returning to Australia. But the chemistry between her and on-screen partner Rory Gibson (Michael Corinthos) lit up the screen, and they kept bringing her back for more episodes.
He also touches on the unpredictable nature of casting. Sometimes an actor auditions for one role but ends up landing another. “Actors have screen-tested where, going in, they may not have been the first person in people’s minds, and they blew everyone away and made the role their own.“
Teschner adds, “Another thing is when an actor talent tests, sometimes we like them but put them in a different role,” he explains. A perfect example: Sofia Mattsson tested for Willow, but while she didn’t get that role, she became a series regular as Sasha. For the role of Willow alone, he read about 450 actresses.
Popular Actors from GH
When asked what he’s most proud of, Teschner shared the story of Nicholas Chavez as Spencer Cassadine. “First job, he was 19 years old. He auditioned from Florida, sent in his self-tape, and in his first year on the show won an Emmy. He came from nowhere. And after leaving General Hospital, he became one of the stars of Monsters. For me, what’s most important is: did you have impact on the show? That’s what I consider my most impactful casting.”
Mark Teschner also talks about the magic of casting Vanessa Marcil, Steve Burton, and so much more.
Watch the full interview below and get a behind-the-scenes look at how soap opera magic is cast, one audition at a time.
Photo Credit: ABC/CBS.
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