Nathan Dean is set to return to General Hospital as Ethan Lovett on April 17, revisiting Luke and Ethan’s “gray area” bond, new mysteries, and hopes for Holly Sutton’s return.
Nathan Dean is set to step back into Port Charles as Ethan Lovett on April 17, six years after his last appearance on General Hospital.
Nathan Dean’s General Hospital comeback
Geary’s impact, Dean adds, went well beyond the set. “Tony was really one of my best friends,” Dean shares, describing him as a mentor and a kind of brother. He also points to how similar they were off-screen, even joking that it could feel like “looking in a mirror.”
The return also marks another moment of remembrance for Dean. He notes that Tristan Rogers—who played Robert Scorpio, a key figure in Ethan’s past—was another legend he wishes he’d had more time to work with, even if he only collaborated with Rogers more recently.
First-week nerves, then familiar faces
Still, the adjustment quickly found its footing.. Dean has already had the chance to work with Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) and Jane Elliot (Tracy Quartermaine). and he praises Valentini and Teschner as well as the mix of familiar and new faces.. One small real-world detail captures the transition: Dean says he was “tearing a hole in the floor. pacing around” as the first days kicked in.
A key part of settling back into the character was reestablishing scenes with Ethan’s sister Lulu Spencer.. Dean notes that his earliest scenes are with Lulu. played by Alexa Havins as well as a new actress in the role. and that the dynamic required a fresh thread even as it felt familiar.. He describes the relationship work as fun. especially because Lulu’s placement gives Ethan a clear emotional and narrative anchor right out of the gate.
New mysteries and an “edge” to Ethan
In the writing, he’s noticed Ethan being given more of an edge now—something he clearly welcomes.. As the town begins to encounter “mysterious people. ” Dean teases that the show may gradually reveal what truly brings Ethan back. rather than leaning only on the idea that he misses friends and family.. It’s an approach that sets up both character tension and broader suspense. allowing viewers to connect emotionally while also tracking new clues.
He also addresses the possibility of a future return for Ethan’s mother, Holly Sutton, played by Emma Samms. Dean says it’s been “brought up as a possibility,” and while he doesn’t know if the storyline is written far enough ahead, he calls it “amazing” to reconnect with her.
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Whatever the personal significance, Dean closes with a forward-looking focus: with his first episode about to air, he wants fans to see where Ethan goes next and to experience the excitement of returning to a world he describes as “wonderful.”
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