‘General Hospital’ Nicholas Alexander Chavez on a Spencer-Britt Pairing & Working With Maura West
Q&A
Nicholas Alexander Chavez became an instant fan favorite when he debuted last summer as Spencer Cassadine on ABC‘s General Hospital. The show has thrown the young actor into the deep end, putting him in scenes opposite daytime veterans including Maura West (Ava), Maurice Benard (Sonny), and Genie Francis (Laura). Recently, Spencer’s role in stalking Ava was revealed; now, he’s facing legal repercussions. While now out on bail, Spencer’s taken a job at Kelly’s Diner. Watch for the Cassadine heir to hear something shocking in the Friday, October 29 episode.
TV Insider chatted with Chavez about his acting background, his love of chess, that Internet speculation that he could be paired with Dr. Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud), and what it’s like going head-to-head with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West. Read on for the scoop!
You look like you’re having a lot of fun with this role. Are you?
Nicholas Alexander Chavez: I’m having a real blast. It’s been incredible in every single aspect, from how welcoming the cast and crew has been to walking into a well-developed storyline and working with such generous directors who have such wonderful ideas on how to bring this to life. Every aspect has been wonderful.
GH appears to be your first TV credit. What had you done before coming to daytime?
I mostly did theater. I did all theater, actually. I did some productions in high school and after that I went to an acting conservatory in New Jersey for a few years. Since then, I’ve done some projects. This is my first big deal. I try to keep that theater training at the forefront. It’s easy to do that with GH because of the way that we block and tape. Some aspects are, of course, specific to TV, but for the most part you can definitely find similarities between the way theater is staged and GH is staged.
ABC/Nick Argo
Did you study camera technique or have you relied on helpful costars for help on that?
More the latter. It is mostly a ‘sink or swim’ and ‘learn as you go’ kind of environment. That’s one of the best ways to learn. Ultimately, I’m thankful they let me learn that way and trusted that I’d learn quickly.
Spencer’s got a lot of history — he was burned when he was a child. His mother Courtney (Alicia Leigh Willis) died. He thought his father Nikolas (Marcus Coloma) was dead for a few years. Who brought you up to speed on all the backstory?
It was a combination. I watched plenty of scenes and did my own research on the character and the backstory. One of the most beneficial things was having an hour-long call with Elizabeth [Korte, GH writer]. She filled me in on the nuts and bolts on what’s been happening on GH for the last 50 years. It was great to get an understanding with what’s been happening.
You’ve captured Spencer’s regality, his sense of privilege.
I think that it’s imbued in Spencer. It comes with him being a prince and being from a wealthy family. He’s never had to get a blue-collar job like the one he now has at Kelly’s. That regality from Spencer’s point of view is substituted for what he really wants — which is to have genuine connections with people. He’d way rather be able to relate to people on a personal level — like Cameron [William Lipton] and Joss [Eden McCoy] do.
Spencer did do some bad stuff but viewers love a great redemption story.
Yes. My acting coach, Holly Gagnier [ex-Ivy, Days of our Lives; ex-Jennifer, GH] and I talk about this all the time. We talk about how Spencer becomes his ‘best self’ whenever he’s around Trina [Sydney Mikayla]. That is due to a lot of different factors. The first time Trina met Spencer, she liked him and that wasn’t because of his money or his status — she didn’t know who he was. That gave him a confidence boost.
Also, Trina has given Spencer advice that he couldn’t get anywhere else. She gives it to him straight. Nobody else really does that. And there’s a deep, deep physical attraction, too. Spencer thinks Trina is pretty and he wants to impress her. It’s a combination of those three major things and a lot of other stuff.
You’re an avid chess player. How did you get started?
My dad taught me when I was four years old. We would play every morning before school. [Laughs] We started playing less when I started beating him! We still play sometimes when I go home to visit. It’s been a great way to bond with my dad. My stepmom plays, too. There are quite a few chess players on set — Genie Francis is a great player and so is Marcus. He and I play between five and ten hours of chess a week. It’s our part-time job.
Spencer’s had a few scenes by the pool with his dad’s ex, Britt, played by Kelly Thiebaud. Have you read the online speculation that Spencer could be paired with Britt who has known him since he was a child? It’s so wrong, but…
Yeah, sure, of course. I think what makes a soap so great is that anything is possible. Anything can happen at any time. I think that the Britt thing [with Spencer] would be actually very, very interesting. She is a motherly figure to Spencer and Spencer never had a mother. There would be a deep Freudian aspect to that relationship. It could make for some compelling television.
Kelly Thiebaud as Britt (ABC/Craig Sjodin)
Okay, if GH hires you to write for the show, I’ll take a cut for asking you that question. Speaking of mother figures, Spencer’s recent scenes with stepmother Ava have been intense and there’s likely more to come.
Anytime you have the opportunity to act with someone like Maura West, you do your homework and you make sure you’re ready. You practice and you make sure that you relax and have fun. You’re also taking it as a learning experience. And you’re also just trying to live in the present moment. There are a lot of things happening at once. Ultimately, it’s very intense. Maura brings it and she’s a very generous actor. She’s very expressive. Maura’s also the kind of actress who has a million different ideas. I wish we got more than one take because it would be so fun to a play our scenes a million different ways.
I can’t really find the words to express the joy I feel working with you … ♥️
— Maura West (@MauraWest) October 13, 2021
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC
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Comments are closed on this story.
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G
Spencer and Britt would just be gross.
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O
Yes I totally agree with you🙋GH Please Do not do that to their relationship😰😵...let them stay as good friends and let them build that trust back and let Britt continue being his mother figure and Spencer be child needing a grow up to love/ love him and understand him ...he doesn't need a grownup bed partner 😱😱😱😱😱don't tarnish them forever..
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C
Spencer and Trina have the best chemistry I enjoy them
30 1
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C
Nicholas & Britt? GROSS!!
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G
Do you mean Spencer?
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C
I am enjoying Nicholas as Spencer Cassadine! He and Sydney Mikayla have incredible chemistry and I can't wait to see where they take Spencer and Trina!
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G
I hope the Spencer Britt pairing is a joke! Just the thought is disturbing!!! Sick! Nasty! Gross!
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G
I'm all in favor of Spencer and Trina getting together ❤. The chemistry shows on TV, it's palpable.
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P
Love what he had to say about Trina...love #Sprina
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G
Crazy that you moved passed what the actual story is which is Sprina… no one is looking for Spencer to be with his former step mother. It’s Trina and Spencer. Way to move passed his clear chemistry with Sydney Mikalya. Maybe it’s because she’s a black actress… shame on you.
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G
No. I had planned on asking about both Trina and Esme. Time ran out and the interview had to wrap up. It happens, unfortunately.
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G
I think you mean "past."
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C
Spencer and Trina all the way! Did you catch it when he said at Kelly's that he didn't want Trina to see him like that? She'd be his encouragement and find him sexier than ever... inside and out and that would definitely mean the most to him, being loved and accepted for himself, and it would be quite humbling for him. Please no talk of him and Britt in any other way as friends/mother figure. What happened to rooting for Britt and Jason?!
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G
Please....DO NOT pair Britt with Spencer!! That's just RIDICULOUS....unless, this pairing refers to a mother/son ONLY relationship!! Because, I do think Spencer could use A LOT of motherly advice in his life right now!!
I'm not totally sold on this guy playing Spencer. Not, that he's not a good actor.....just that I don't have much of a connection to his character as of yet! Something is missing......maybe that he has NO humor what so ever and the original one did. Not to sure yeeeettt???? Just not feeling him!!
LOVE the other teenagers! Jocelyn (especially) and Trina are excellent actresses!! Cameron is good too, which he proved during the Franco storyline.
Love Ava and Nicolas together!! And, for goodness sakes KEEP SONNY AND CARLY TOGETHER!! STOP THIS NINA "heart string" thing they're trying to pull!!!
There can be ONLY ONE WOMAN for Sonny, and THAT'S CARLY!!!
Love me some GH!!
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G
The interviewer did not want to talk about Sydney/Trina/Sprina at all. When Nicholas started talking about Trina he change that subject and instead of talking about the romance that the show is telling he how about a fantasy romance that the interviewer is wishing for. I'm glad that Nicholas stay putting over are girl and the captain of the s.s. Sprina
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G
Not true. I'd read online about fan interest in Britt and Spencer -- and so had Nicholas as evidenced by his response. I had planned on asking about both Trina AND Esme but the interview had to wrap up. It happens.
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B
Yes the interviewer shut that down immediately.
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B
I want to know if he ever gets confused when someone says "Nicholas", referring to the character, and thinks they're talking to him in real life.
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G
I called Spencer "Nicholas" at least once in the interview; he said it happens ALL the time.
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O
Great job Spencer.. please big his mom back.
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O
Great interview!
People need to relax and stop pulling the Race card! It's a soap! Writers write storylines with continuity!
While I think Spencer and Tina would be a great match and story...
The actress is in college, real- life!!
Maybe that is why the story is changing?
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