Steve Burton Shares Emotional Farewell To Leslie Charleson And Monica Quartermaine
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General Hospital is preparing to say goodbye to one of its most beloved characters, Dr. Monica Quartermaine, following the passing of her iconic portrayer, Leslie Charleson, in January 2025.
Steve Burton Shares Emotional Farewell To Leslie Charleson And Monica Quartermaine
In a heartfelt interview with TV Insider, Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) reflected on his decades-long connection with Charleson, both onscreen and off.
A Bond From the Beginning
Burton debuted as Jason Quartermaine in 1991, and his connection with Charleson was immediate.
“I never had to really prepare my scenes with her because we just had a connection as soon as I came on the show,” Burton recalled. “It was very special, and I’ll always cherish my time with her and the Quartermaines. We had so much fun together. She and Stuart [Damon] always looked out for me and protected me. To have her and Stuart Damon as my parents? I hit the lottery.”
A Fiery, Funny Side of Leslie
The actor fondly remembered Charleson’s humor and strong presence on set, even down to small details.
“I always tell a story about how she hated when I would chew gum, just in general, but on the set, she hated it with a passion,” he mused. “She was fiery, and she would say, ‘You’re chewing gum,’ and would put her hand out and say, ‘Spit it out now.’ And I was like, ‘I’m 22!’ And she would say, ‘Spit it out!’ She was so funny. I don’t know if people really knew how funny she was. She was just very special.”
The Weight of Saying Goodbye
Filming Monica’s death carried an extra layer of emotion for Burton.
“It’s a surreal thing, because you have a woman who I love dearly who passed, but you had her character who was still alive. So, it was just this weird world to be in. We had the celebration of life for Leslie, and now we’re having a funeral for Monica, so it definitely was difficult.”
Steve Burton Shares Emotional Farewell To Leslie Charleson And Monica Quartermaine
Burton also shared that it felt right for Jason to be the one who discovered Monica had died.
“I’m glad my character was the one who found her. I just think it had to be Jason or Tracy because of the connection they had to her.”
Regrets, Gratitude, and Real Emotions
For Jason, losing Monica meant confronting regret.
“He is obviously devastated by the loss. He definitely regretted not spending more time with her. Realizing that she loved him, no matter what happened or what he did — and she wasn’t even his real mother — he’s grateful for the relationship.”
When it came to filming Jason’s emotional monologue, Burton explained he didn’t prepare the way he normally would.
“My relationship off camera was great with Leslie, so it wasn’t difficult to get where I needed to be. What you hope for as an actor is you have to control your emotions as opposed to muster them up… That was the most difficult part.”
In fact, he didn’t even run through the speech until the day of filming.
“I just got up early that day and learned my monologue. There was no planning. I was there emotionally already, so I just got up and spoke, and that was it. I was able to do it in one take, which was great, and it was done.”
The authenticity struck a chord not just with viewers but with those behind the camera. Burton recalled a crew member asking how long he had worked on the speech, surprised to learn it had all come together that same morning.
For both Jason and Steve Burton, saying goodbye to Monica and to Leslie Charleson was a moment filled with love, gratitude, and heartbreak.
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