While she taped her last episode as Veronica Bard on “General Hospital” in late September, the same day she made her debut, Erika Slezak doesn’t officially conclude her on-screen return to daytime until the Thursday, November 6 episode of the long-running drama series.
In the episode aired on Tuesday, November 4, it was revealed that Martin (Michael E. Knight) had created a fake version of Monica’s will, which resulted in Ronnie (Slezak) inheriting Monica’s house, which Alan had given to her. With the discovery of the genuine will, in reality, Ronnie only received a locket and sufficient funds to purchase a home of her choice in Duke Forest, a neighborhood in Durham, North Carolina, which Ronnie noted was her favorite. Meanwhile, the true “sister of her heart,” Tracy (Jane Elliot), received the Q house.
“I can’t believe she even remembered that,” said Ronnie after hearing what was in Monica’s will, as stated by Ned (Wally Kurth). “Oh, my god,” Ronnie continued in tears. Addressing Monica’s spirit, she added, “When I was 16, you turned me away, and now you’ve given me a house. Thank you so much.”
“The remainder of my estate, including all financial assets, I leave to my beloved grandson, Michael Corinthos III, with the exception of the property at 66 Harborview Drive, Port Charles, New York. The house given to me by my husband, Alan. The home where we raised our family, which I leave to the sister of my heart, Tracy Angelica Quartermaine,” said Ned of the actual statement written in Monica’s will.
Looking over the new will, Michael (Rory Gibson) points out that the only thing changed from the real will to the fake one was Ronnie getting the house instead of Tracy, although Ned notes that the jar of Pickle-Lila, which, per the fake will, was to go to Tracy, was another addition by Martin. “Told you Monica would never be that cruel,” responded Tracy in response to the pickle reference.
In a message shared via her official fan club, Slezak commented on her time on “General Hospital,” while thanking her fans for their support, saying, “Thank you so much for all your emails. I am delighted that you’ve been enjoying my work on ‘General Hospital.’ I am very grateful for the kind words you have shared with me. It was wonderful to work again in a medium I love. My experience on ‘GH’ was fantastic, and I hope you continue to enjoy the show. ‘GH’ has an incredible group of actors and writers, and I am honored to have been part of it. Many sincere thanks for watching. Love, Erika.”
“I’ve never played anybody like Ronnie… She’s just a hardworking woman who literally had to make her own way in life, because Monica sort of turned her back on her when she got out of foster care,” Slezak said in an interview with Soap Opera Digest, published on Wednesday.
“At 16, she’s out in the world by herself. She’s got to get a job, she has to make a living, she has to find a place to live. She started work as a waitress and decided she liked it and never left it; she never aspired to anything else, except that she knew she was smart and she wanted to learn more, so she went to community college and she essentially educated herself. She wasn’t stupid, but she never had the advantages of a rich life. And I’ve never played anyone who was — and I mean this in a good way — as simple as Ronnie, who’s just worked hard her whole life,” commented Slezak, discussing her character on “General Hospital” in comparison to that of Ronnie’s sister, Monica, who was supported by Gail Baldwin, who put her through medical school. “It was a terrific opportunity for me and I’m very, very grateful and glad that the audience accepted her and that our former ‘One Life to Live’ viewers tuned in and enjoyed seeing me in a completely different role,” Slezak continued.
In a preview for the Thursday, November 6 episode, Ronnie is summoned back to the Quartermaine mansion after Tracy kicked her and the rest of the Q family out for siding with a stranger and not her prior to the real will being discovered. On the Wednesday, November 5 episode, Gio (Giovanni Mazzo) was seemingly able to talk some sense into his grandmother, pointing out she is now the head of the family and it’s up to her to set things right.
Watch a clip from Tuesday’s episode of “General Hospital” below.
