General Hospital: Bobbie's Death Was Emotionally Intense For Laura Wright
Emotions are running high on "General Hospital" because Bobbie Spencer, who was portrayed by the late Jacklyn Zeman since 1977, has passed away. The beloved character and the actor who played her are both being honored as the denizens of Port Charles continue to reel from the tragic loss, and the tribute to Zeman will surely be unforgettable. Laura Wright took over the role of Bobbie's daughter, Carly Spencer, in 2005, and, although Carly was initially at odds with her when she first came to town (then portrayed by Sarah Brown), the two eventually patched things up.
They have since become synonymous as a strong mother-daughter duo, both on and offscreen. Zeman passed away from cancer on May 9, 2023, and watching Bobbie's death unfold on the show is going to be both bittersweet and cathartic as it's been a long time, while fans will also get a chance to mourn alongside the actors and characters. In an interview posted on January 8, 2024, Wright spoke to Soap Opera Digest, explaining that Bobbie's death doesn't just encompass the tribute episodes which are due to air on January 10 and 11, but began when word first started to spread to the characters.
Cramming over two weeks' worth of scripts into such a short amount of time was daunting for the actors, including Wright who admitted, "I shot, I think, 11 episodes in four days. So, it was a lot." She felt that condensing taping into this relatively tight period was ultimately the right move, though, because "We were all emotionally just really there."
Parts of Bobbie's tribute were written for the fans
After shooting wrapped on the emotional episodes, "General Hospital" star Laura Wright posted a thank you to all of the cast and crew on Instagram, writing, "It was a long tough week in Port Charles — I am super grateful for the amazing humans I get to work with." The soap star confirmed to Soap Opera Digest that the four days were "intense, emotional stuff," elaborating, "We were really happy to get it done, and to have stayed in that emotional bubble."
She was glad everyone worked so hard because they "just really wanted to make it to the best we could, for Bobbie and for Jackie and for the fans who have loved this character for as long as she's been on and been on the ride with her." Wright added that there were wonderful, additional elements that were scripted specifically for the fans. In the January 8 episode, as Carly was lost in thought, she came face-to-face with her ex-husband, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard).
The actor previously revealed to Soap Opera Digest that when the two meet, she runs into his arms in an unscripted moment that felt right at the time. Sonny consoling his ex could spell trouble for Carly and her current beau, Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison), but odds are the focus will be on everyone's reaction to losing Bobbie, and the hug will just be platonic. We'll certainly have our tissue boxes ready for Bobbie's tribute regardless!