General Hospital's Finola Hughes And James Patrick Stuart Dissect Their Favorite 'Vanna' Scenes
Former spy and international jewel thief, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), has been infatuated with superspy Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) ever since they worked together at the World Security Bureau. Once considered the most dangerous and evil of the Cassadines, Valentin has softened over the years because of his love for his daughter, Charlotte Cassadine (Amelie McLain). When he first came to Port Charles, Anna didn't know if she could trust him, given his criminal past. However, Valentin had proven himself, especially when he helped Anna deal with her villainous nephew, Peter August (Wes Ramsey).
Both have had issues with past relationships because the nature of the spy business requires them to keep secrets. Because of Anna and Valentin's past together, they've actually been able to open up to each other in a way that they couldn't when dating most other civilians. Valentin was eventually able to reveal to Anna that his uncle, the nefarious Victor Cassadine (Charles Shaughnessy), had kidnapped Charlotte to blackmail Valentin into doing his bidding. Once all the cards were on the table — and Anna and Valentin swore to take down Victor — they had a long-awaited love scene. However, both candidly admitted that they would kill anyone, including each other, to protect their children.
This open, honest, and loving relationship has captured the hearts of fans who are clamoring for more Valentin and Anna — aka "Vanna" — adventures.
Finola Hughes and James Patrick Stuart have fun playing their characters
Soap Opera Digest spoke to James Patrick Stuart and Finola Hughes about their characters Valentin Cassadine and Anna Devane. The actors admitted that they often rehearse via FaceTime outside of work because of time constraints. When asked about their favorite Vanna scenes, Hughes stated, "For me, it was a day when we were shooting really late at night and it all comes out that I'd had this baby [Peter, before he was rewritten to be Alex's (Devane, also Hughes) son]." She explained that her character needed to be reactionary in that scene which turned out very emotionally well done. Stuart had complimented her on one of her reactions, and Hughes recalled, "I think I did sort of a shrug, like, 'Boo-hoo, how sad for you.'"
Stuart stated that moments like Hughes described make his "Hair stand up on end, when something so natural and clever just happens out of thin air." When the scene came up in which Valentin confessed to Anna that Victor Cassadine had kidnapped his daughter, he and Hughes discussed it the night before the shoot, explaining, "We weren't rewriting it; we were talking about finding what's going on behind the words and the idea that we created was that he's lying to her and yet that's okay in that relationship because she trusts that there's got to be a legit reason."
Stuart stated that he's extremely happy with multi-layered scenes like that.