General Hospital's Finola Hughes Celebrates Women Of Any Age Playing A Steamy Love Scene
Superspy Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) and former spy Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) found themselves on a long road to a relationship on "General Hospital." Although Valentin became a career criminal for a time after his years at the WSB (World Security Bureau), Anna herself was also on the wrong side of the law when she became a double agent for an enemy organization known as the DVX, according to Soap Hub. Valentin had affection for Anna since they were first at the WSB, but his love was unrequited for decades. Now, the two have finally come together, and have learned that because they were both trained to lie for a living as spies, they can truly be honest with each other (per Soap Dirt).
Hughes' career spans decades including appearing in "Staying Alive" with John Travolta, "Charmed," and "All my Children." She's also become a producer and director, and her acting experience has helped her directing career. According to Film Threat, Hughes' directorial experience informed her that some men are intimidated by women in power, and even when dealing with misogamy, she's helped other actors. She's also the co-founder of Women Giving Back, an organization that helps homeless women (via The Washington Post). Hughes' career has been an inspiration to women in the industry over the years.
Now that Anna and Valentin are getting together romantically — not as teens but as mature adults — Hughes spoke about her incredulousness at the positive fan response.
Finola Hughes discusses the impact of older actors
In an interview with ABC7, "General Hospital" star Finola Hughes discussed her 37 years on the show and what that means for actresses across the industry. The interviewer noted that what makes the current love affair between Anna and Valentin Cassadine unique is that they are older, having acted for several decades. Hughes stated, "Being in Hollywood, you're reminded constantly that 'it's done. You're over,' and we're not ... I like to think that maybe I'm holding a torch for women everywhere."
"GH" took its time to get Anna and Valentin together, and Hughes remarked that their steamy love scene caused Twitter to explode. "I have to say at this stage in my life for people to react that well to a love scene on television, I was amazed," she said.
Hughes commented that younger fans were ambivalent about the love scene citing the actors were, "two grown-grown people. And I really liked that and I retweeted it because it was two grown-grown people in bed." Hughes stated that the industry is starting to understand that women "don't have a 'sell-by date.' It's a battle hard won."
Although the fans are very happy to see Anna and Valentin finally getting together, Cheat Sheet speculates that Anna's first love, Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers), could be a monkey wrench that messes things up for the couple.