Meet ‘General Hospital’s New Emma Drake: Braedyn Bruner on Joining as Patrick & Robin’s Daughter
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Braedyn Bruner will make her General Hospital debut as Emma Drake on December 23.
The newcomer was no stranger to the soap when she auditioned for the role of Robin Scorpio (originated by Kimberly McCullough) and Patrick Drake’s (last portrayed by Jason Thompson in 2016) daughter. “Both of my parents grew up watching General Hospital in the ’80s and the ’90s,” explains the Texas native. So when Bruner booked the job, “Oh, goodness, they were over the moon,” she reports. “When my mom found out that I was screen-testing with Finola [Hughes, Anna Devane, Emma’s grandmother], she was just beside herself. They have just been so supportive throughout my entire career and they both cried.”
Bruner’s path to Port Charles began when she was five and filmed her first commercial. “I always loved movies,” she explains. “I get that from my grandparents. My grandpa is really big into old Westerns and things of that nature and anytime I would spend the night with them, it was always a movie night. I think that’s where my love for storytelling began, and then I really started taking it more seriously and decided that this is what I wanted to do when I was about 17. I’d always been in classes and lived in the print world and then the commercial space, but then I thought, ‘I want to do film and television and I really want to discipline myself and commit myself and do it full time.”
Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
She commuted between Dallas and Los Angeles before making the West Coast her home in 2023, landing a few projects before joining the soap. “I’ve been really lucky,” Bruner reflects. “I had two films come out kind of one after the other. I did a coming-of-age drama movie that I was a lead in called Break. It’s a really lovely story. And then on the flip side of that, the other film that I did was a horror film directed by Justin Long and [brother] Christian Long. It’s an anthology series and I got to do full prosthetics and deal with some really dark material. So that was really different, challenging, and fun as well. But this is my first time on a soap, which is a completely different beast.”
To help her get a grasp of who Emma, formerly played by Brooklyn Rae Silzer, is, Bruner did her research before reporting to work. “Part of the audition process for me was going back and watching old episodes and YouTube videos of what I could find of Robin and Patrick and what their relationship was like with Emma and also what Emma’s relationship was like with Anna,” she relays. “I started with her birth scene and then as she’s grown up to understand her relationships with everyone in Port Charles. Pulling from that has been really important for me.”
She had “all the emotions” on her first day of filming. “Nervous, excited, thrilled, and just feeling incredibly lucky to be a part of it,” Bruner recalls. “But I’m really lucky because, even after the first audition that I had with Mark [Teschner, casting director] and meeting Frank [Valentini, executive producer], it felt like home. The moment I walk through the door, every single person there is such a joy to work with and has welcomed me with open arms. I couldn’t ask for a more comfortable and safe environment and I’ve just been having a lot of fun since day one.”
Disney/Christine Bartolucci
Bruner says she bonded with Hughes from the start. “I think we operate on the same level, approaching scenes with a lot of play, which is really exciting and fun,” she shares. “But she is obviously incredibly versed and experienced in this universe, so she has shown me the ropes for sure. And any time I have a question, she answers me. After she found out I got the job, she called me and kind of gave me the lowdown on everything, which was really nice. And she’ll text me and call me and she’s just been incredible; such a joy to work with.”
She’s gotten close to her other co-stars, too. “I’m lucky to be in the young adult category with some really incredible people,” Bruner raves. “As soon as I found out I booked it, Gio [Mazza, Gio Palmieri] and I went and got lunch and kind of got to know each other on a more personal level. We’ve become really great friends and we have really similar senses of humor, which is fun and makes work fun. I’ve gotten to meet Eden [McCoy] who plays Josslyn [Jacks]. She’s incredible. She’s been on the show for a really long time and she has been nothing but helpful and complimentary and great. I got to do my first scene with Taby [Tabyana Ali, Trina Robinson] the other day and she’s just such a joy, such a nice person. She’s also from Texas, which I didn’t know until recently, so we kind of bonded over that.”
Christine Bartolucci/ABC
Look for Emma to shake things up when she comes home. “Emma is confident. She’s bold, she’s unruly, you could call her rebellious,” offers Bruner. “But I think underneath all that tough exterior, she’s really quite compassionate. As we’ve been filming, we’re kind of peeling back those layers and getting to see more and more of the vulnerable side of her. But externally, she’s a lot.”
Which suits Bruner just fine. “She is so much fun to play,” she enthuses. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had playing a character because she is incredibly nuanced and I’m finding more and more of her every day. I hope everyone loves her as much as I do.” With her first episode about to air, Bruner is hoping to get all she can out of her GH experience. “I always say that storytelling and love are the two closest things we have to magic in this life,” she shares. “Just being able to take wounds from our past and joys from our past and be vulnerable enough to go there is cathartic and beautiful, and getting to do that at this capacity and on General Hospital is really exciting.”
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G
Very pretty girl, I think we should all give her a chance and welcome her to GH with open arms!
31
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G
Awesome she look like a Emma Drake.....she is looking nice 🙂 so it's another addition to Anna as we don't see any family anymore! Welcome 😁
18 2
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R
I think we should give her a chance
Plenty of nutjob storylines going around.
Might as well add one more
14 1
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R
I believe I read Brooklyn wanted a normal life for a while
13
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O
The actress originating the role of Emma Drake is or was in nursing school.
12
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O
She looks enough like Brooklyn that on that level, it could work. Hoping that her acting is up for it! Wishing her the best
13 1
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O
Now let them recast Michael.
12 3
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L
Why on earth did GH replace the actress who portrayed Robin’s daughter? GH is really trying to drive viewers away.
25 18
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P
Maybe she was unavailable or unwilling to commit to the schedule being on a soap requires.
25
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G
I think acting is something that is not on her list.....so she is not really interested 😕
3
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G
Why are people such haters. You dont work on the show or know the actress but yet want to claim the show is doing something. It wasnt the shows choice the original emma has come for a quick visit here and there but is not available for a long return and now they want emma for a bigger role
18
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O
I just love it when fans say, the show is trying to drive viewers away, when replacing an actor/actress. 🤭😂 I read they wanted to age emma up a bit. She's also transferred to PCU, so she'll be around now. It's possible Brooklyn (the last actress to play emma), didn't want to commit to a longer stay than emma usually has had since her parents moved to CA. Give this emma and actress a shot before poo-pooing their decision.
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O
I'm really glad they are bringing Emma back because I want all the family members back on the canvas. I don't know why they did recast Emma. Brooklyn was popular as Emma. Is Emma staying in PC? That would be the only reason to recast because Brooklyn said she loved those brief visits.
With all that said, Braedyn Bruner is a beautiful girl. I wish her the best as Emma. I will enjoy watching her on GH. I really want recasts when the original actor is unavailable.
5
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A
Brooklyn will be missed as Emma. But they need to recast as Brooklyn deiced to go to school to become a nurse.
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B
Was Emma in the scene with Gio and the stolen wallet?
3
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M
Her acting is vastly superior.
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B
For me the best was Luke n Laura n then it was Robin n Stone I can go on n on Frisco left n I cried love u General Hospital
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P
The article says that she originally auditioned for the role of Robin???? That must be a mistake because she is too young to play Robin!!
1 1
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G
I don't like how they are making Emma act wild cause she was never like that, she always had a good heart she would never have took that man's wallet
4 4
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B
WTH??
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Q
Just no. I’m sure she’s lovely but she’s not Emma. Just no.
20 23
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G
Well she is the new Emma get used to it.
8 1
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G
Nope. Don’t need your advice.
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