‘General Hospital’: Chris McKenna Opens Up About Taking Over as Jack Brennan
Exclusive
In a surprise move, Chris McKenna has taken over the role of General Hospital’s Jack Brennan from Charles Mesure, who chose to leave the soap.
In a statement to Soap Opera Digest, a representative for GH stated, “Charles Mesure opted to exit the role of Brennan. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors. General Hospital looks forward to continuing Brennan’s exciting storyline with Chris McKenna in the role. “
For McKenna, who got his daytime start as One Life to Live’s Joey Buchanan from 1990-93 then popped up again on The Young and the Restless as Mark Harding from 2014-15, it was a quick hiring process. “I got word late on a Sunday night that Frank Valentini [executive producer, who was also the EP at OLTL] wanted me to chemistry read with Laura Wright [Carly Spencer],” he begins. “I know Laura, but I hadn’t seen her in 30 years, so I said, ‘Well, of course, I’ll be there.’ On Tuesday, I went in, and Laura saw me in the hallway and ran over. We hugged and said hello and we caught up really quick and she wished me luck. The last time I saw her, I think she was the pitcher and I was the catcher at a Make-A-Wish softball game in 1994. So, it was trippy.”
Disney/Bahareh Ritter
McKenna was a teenager the last time he worked for Valentini, who had to adjust to the fact that he’s now a man. “I’ve run into Frank over the years a couple of times, but he still thinks of me as 14 years old,” notes McKenna. “So, I thought I was finally going to get in front of him and remind him that I’m an adult now [Laughs]. As soon as I finished the read with Laura, which seemed to go pretty darn well, Frank said, ‘You were not this good when you were 12.’ And I said, ‘No s**t!’ ”
McKenna reveals that he had no idea who he had been called in to play when he first arrived at the studio. “They wrote a scene for the audition that was in the spirit of Brennan, but they didn’t use the name,” he explains. “So, it was a unique scene just to get the feel of the character and to see how the chemistry was between Laura and me, and it was great. It was a lot of fun reading with her for the first time in forever.”
McKenna found some other familiar faces on the set as well. “It was crazy,” he marvels. “Some of the writers knew me from One Life to Live when I was a kid and said so. And I said, ‘Well, don’t think of me that way now. I was going through puberty on TV. It’s a whole other thing. I’m a cool spy now.’ Having Frank on set again is great, and one of the cameramen, Bruce, was one of the cameramen on One Life to Live and my favorite guy. I had no idea he was going to be there, and it was so great to see him. One of the directors, Gary Tomlin, was there, so I really felt comfortable right off the bat, and it felt a lot like coming home.”
The last time McKenna was on a soap was in 2016 when he did a brief run as Dr. Hayden on The Bold and the Beautiful. Nevertheless, he wasn’t intimidated by the challenge of stepping into a front-burner tale. “I was excited about it,” he shares. “That’s how I grew up; it’s the first thing I did. The lines and the speed were always easy for me because that’s how I learned. My first day, I had 40 pages to do, and Laura very sweetly wrote me a message and said, ‘Listen, don’t be daunted by the amount of pages. I’ll work with you and Eden [McCoy, Josslyn Jacks] will work with you and we’ll read together and it’ll be great.’ And I wrote her back and said, ‘Not daunted. Looking forward to it. Bring it on.’ And it was great. Y&R moved faster than One Life and GH moves faster than Y&R, but I love it. I’m really comfortable there.”
He’s also enjoying getting to know the ins and outs of his new alter ego. “I’m still learning who the guy is and figuring it out, but it is a lot of fun to get a chance to have a meaty character like this,” McKenna notes. “This is the type of character that I’ve been playing a lot the past decade, but a new version. I don’t usually play the guy in the suit; I’m in a tank top in the jungle, that kind of a CIA agent. So, this is a fun little twist on it, the more Bond-ian guy, if you will. It’s a lot of fun to be able to establish a new version of a character and have a new relationship with Laura and learn what’s in store. Every script is really exciting, so it’s fun.”
Charles Mesure as Jack Brennan (Disney/Bahareh Ritter)
In between his soap gigs, McKenna worked steadily on a slew of primetime shows. He credits his daytime experience with helping him succeed in other mediums. “It’s hard to overstate the amount of training that you get doing 100 pages a day, getting new scripts, having a consistent job for years, and learning and getting better,” he declares. “I teach acting classes now, and I tell them how much they can learn on soaps and what a valuable training ground it is and how the actors on soaps are the hardest working actors in this industry and don’t get nearly enough credit.”
His most memorable nighttime gig was the 2014-15 series State of Affairs. “State of Affairs was great,” he recalls. “It had an amazing cast — Katherine Heigl, Alfre Woodard, David Harbour, just to name a few, and I had such a great character. Katherine Heigl had to go to bat for me and we had so much fun. It ended up being only a one-season deal, but that really changed everything for me and my career and the way I was perceived and really ushered in the next chapter where I got to play really cool guys like CIA agents and FBI agents. So, I’ll never forget that.”
Disney/Bahareh Ritter
He will also never forget the importance that One Life to Live played early in his career. “Growing up on TV was a crazy experience,” he reflects. “And now because I’m having all these memories unlocked going back, I hear Bruce’s voice, I hear Frank’s voice, and I feel like I’m right back there again. I didn’t realize how much I’d remember Laura’s laugh, but when heard it, it was I immediately like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s 1991.’ So I feel like there’s been a time jump, but It was really an amazing time back then and it was so important to my career and my life.”
He even heard from his soap mom when he booked his new role. “Erika Slezak [Viki Buchanan] apparently had just talked to Frank, and he told her that I was on the show, and she squealed and was so excited and she wrote me immediately to congratulate me, which is really great,” McKenna says. “She sends me Christmas cards and we exchange little messages, but that was the longest thing she’s written me, and I feel like we reconnected again because of that, so that was really cool. She’s my second mom. So, it’s really fun being back on daytime again with people who knew me back then and having another run at it.”
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Comments are closed on this story.
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G
Waited over a year for Jack and Carly to get together. Only to hear this disappointing news a week later. The powers that be should have done whatever they could to keep Charles Mesure. And if it meant pay him to stay. Yes, do that. He and Carly were fire 🔥 onscreen.
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G
Absolutely agree. Charles Mesure was perfect! And the chemistry between Jack and Carly was great! This is not a good replacement. So will new guy have a fake accent ?? Honestly this is one of the only couples that kept me watching. I have watched all of the 60 years and this by far has been the worse with the changes in characters. Letting good people go. And keeping people we are all sick of.
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R
Just 3 days ago, I added a comment to a different message string that Jack Brennan was the best thing to happen to GH in years, and now Charles Mesure is just gone?!?! The chemistry with Carly was probably the best I've seen with anyone Carly has ever been with. You can't replace that. Whose next???
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G
I totally agree. Charles was more handsome. I was looking forward to him and Carly getting together. Too many changes
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R
Same here! Not at all happy about this. They get rid of so many actors I like! Ugh!
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G
He was one of the best actors in years in GH
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G
I’m sorry no offense to the new actor but you can tell just by pictures that the chemistry just is no longer there between Carly and Brennan. I don’t know Charles reasons for leaving but it seems strange Frank valentini conveniently had a friend an actor he had worked with before already lined up to play Brennan on relatively short notice. If gh doesn’t make changes within the people in charge soon I don’t think the show will last too much longer.
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B
I'm sorry no offense to you but - you're ridiculous.
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B
Yeah, that is totally an assumption on your part. Give Chris McKenna a chance. He is an awesome actor and good on the eyes too. Mesure will be missed, he made that role and was perfect, but things change and we will probably love McKenna just as much.
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B
Not for it. I will be skipping Carly and Jack now.
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R
I agree. GENERAL HOSPITAL is going down the drain 😪 😕 😞 FAST! PLEASE SOMEONE SAVE THIS SHOW BY GETTING GOOD WRITERS WHO KNOW THE CHARACTERS HISTORIES, WHO THEY ARE RELATED TO, ETC BEFORE THE SHOW IS CANCELED.
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P
Frank let him go what an azz
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P
I hate it! How is the Australian accent going to be explained (or lack there of). Charles Mesure had a chemistry that was great to watch.
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G
Another disappointment at GH. Charles Measure and Carly finally got together and then this happens? GH is like Trump's presidency irrational, confusing and down right stupid.
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O
Much like your comment. You need help if you need to interject politics into this section.
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C
He's the first one in a while that she has had that kind of sexual chemistry with. Please don't leave. We would love to see them together.
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L
I'm so bummed! I really liked the Jack character, and there was at least chemistry between him and Carly! This sucks!
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B
Lacking chemistry with new Jack
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C
What chemistry? You haven't even seen them together lol
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C
You've got to be kidding me! I don't even want to watch it now. Charles Mesure was the best part of watching this show. Losers.
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R
AGREED!!!!!
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O
Very true. It wasn’t the character we wanted to see but the man himself. He is 🔥
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B
No! This is not ok. You can see and feel just by looking at new guy with Carly that this is not going to work. No sizzle. I was proCarly/Jack. But not any more.
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B
I Loved Charles who played Jack wsb agent he was the sizzle for Carly. Without him this relationship is a bust. I don't know maybe that's the plan cause when Carly finds out Sonny's having a heart attack or on verge maybe has had strokes then she will feel needs to be close to him they have always had a simmering bond.
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C
Why do they keep doing this?
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D
Every time they have a good actor they leave! Really pisses me off! They kill them off or they just leave once you get to liking them ! And the ones you can’t stand never leave !
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O
Sad news, loved watching him and Carly...so much chemistry.
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O
Charles Mesure was a HUGE bright spot on General Hospital!! He will be definitely missed!! McKenna's a decent actor, I hope he can fill the huge shoes!!
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B
Chris McKenna is a wonderful actor and will fill those shoes in his own style.
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B
There is zero chemistry with Carly and newJack.
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C
You haven't even seen them together yet. Be serious.
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C
He will not be the same, not even close.
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O
Do not do it , Jack is perfect with the actor who's doing him. A replacement would ruin it.
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B
BOO! My favorite character is Mesure as Brennan. So sexy, charming and a bit of a bad boy. The chemistry with Carly was perfect. No one will measure up to him! Very disappointed.
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G
Brennan was hot in that mysterious kinda way .
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R
I love Carly and Jack together. I especially loved the silver fox. GH has made some stupid mistakes lately. Get rid of Drew I can’t stand him.
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O
That would make too much sense.
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M
If the Producers of GH are listening….pay Charles whatever to bring him back. At 53, he can certainly be a leading man. He has that “IT” factor magic. Maybe, he is headed toward filmmaking ( if so, best of luck to him) but I will certainly miss watching him daily.
GH killed Sam & Dante, Joss and Dex, Cody and Sasha, Gregory and Tracy, turned Drew into a bad guy, paralyzes Curtis for a year, is aging Sonny with this heart condition, portrays Lucky as unappealing ( have him wash his hair), sidelined Kai and has made Jason into a priest. The viewers want romance. Isiah has that “IT” factor too but things are moving too slow with him and Jordan.
Listen to the fans GH.
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R
Such a bummer Jack and Carly were just getting started , the reason I tuned in every day!! their chemistry was the best thing going!! Will definitely be hard to watch now ☹️.
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G
That's really too bad. I loved that guy
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R
Nooooooo I love Who’s playing Jack Brenner now. He’s so sexy. Why is he going???
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P
Get rid of Drew, Emma, Lulu and bring back Charles Mesure as Brennan
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G
Terrible! I love Jack, don’t deserve it!
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G
Nope!
I absolutely love the chemistry between Carly and the gentleman currently playing Jack Brennan!
This soap is turning into a shit show! I have been saying for the last couple of years, it seems as though they’re trying to have a reason to cancel this soap! I have been a die hard fan for 40+years. The changes they have been making is ridiculous and makes absolutely no sense.
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B
I'm not crazy about this at all! We finally get a man and a couple worth watching... and I know I'm not the only one!!!! Get him back!!! Whatever it takes!!! I do hope he's okay and with that said, I'm burned out on things like this.
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B
Is he going to do an Aussie accent? that's my question. I will miss the first Jack but I guess if we want to watch we have to give this guy a chance, Good luck to Charles Mesure is whatever he does next.
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C
What a wild assumption. Chris had to audition like the rest of then
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O
Very disappointed that Charles left. He had alot of charisma and was looking forward to seeing his character develop. However while I didn't see the chemistry in Chris first scene I loved him in state of affairs. Let's give him a chance.
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O
It isn’t the character we want to see but the man who played him. CM could romance a broom in a broom closet and I’d hit record. Whoever did this needs to get fired.
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P
Charles Mesure should have been convinced to stay somehow he is perfect for that position just love him and Carly together wish he would come back
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G
I'm very happy to see this young man win. He is very personable and appreciative of the opportunity to fill in for the celebrity. I wish him a lot of luck!
Because of his journalism background and his popularity, ABC would be wise to offer him a newcasting position.
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O
I can't imagine learning numerous pages of dialogue and being able to remember every line. That is a lot of work. Everyone just makes it seem so effortless. In my opinion, I think Mr. Mckenna is just as good as Mr. Mesure. He just brings a different element to the role.
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G
Well I loved the old Jack, but new Jack is growing on me. Can't wait to get Lucky back! I don't like the replacement at all! Been waiting for Luckly to return for 10 long years!!
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C
Jack McKenna does not fit the original Jack Brennan please bring the original Jack Brennan back there was chemistry between him and Carly too he just spits the whole character and show whereas McKenna does not
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G
The new jack is not a good choice he doesn’t have the looks or charisma he looks like a sleazy lawyer. He can’t pull off this caricature. Please bring back the original actor.
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B
What do I think, it stinks. I know it was Charles Mesure's choice but you do what ever it takes to keep someone that knows how to play the part. Maybe it was upper management, look what they did to Ingo Rademacher because of one person and their Covid hysteria.
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G
Smart move to go with Chris McKenna
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B
This pisses me off!!! I'm now "fast forwarding" but will soon just quit watching. You should at the very least end the romance .
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O
No offense to Chris McKenna but he's no Charles Mesure. McKenna doesn't have the looks, the accent, the sexiness, or the chemistry with Carly that Mesure had. Sorry but they need the get rid of McKenna and do whatever they need to do to get Mesure back. McKenna will never be Brennan in my eyes.
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O
bring Charles Measure Back what ever it takes to get him back !!!! This new guy does not fit the Part ! So discusting!!!!
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C
Chris McKenna is great - I think this is a great move.
Some of us really wish Y&R had gone with that Kevin/Harding thing that popped up but hey, having Chris on GH works too.....
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