‘General Hospital’ Newcomer Troy Lennon Appel Teases ‘Shady’ Hudson’s Hidden Motives
Exclusive
Troy Lennon Appel will make his General Hospital debut as newcomer Hudson on Thursday, July 30.
Appel first caught the show’s attention when he auditioned for the role of Joe Fitzpatrick, which ultimately went to Jonathan Bennett. Though he didn’t land the part, the producers soon found another opportunity for him.
“It was never something I ever thought would even remotely happen in my life, but they did kind of create this role for me,” Appel marvels. “That’s how they worded it to me. I did a chemistry read with Eden [McCoy, Josslyn Jacks] much later when I kind of cemented that I was going to be playing another character, and it all just happened and I’m insanely grateful that it did.”
Though new to daytime, Appel quickly embraced the show’s demanding schedule. “I was told that it’s a lot of lines, but I wasn’t super concerned,” he explains. “My background is theater, so it does feel a lot like home in that sense of there’s just so much dialogue, and you only get one take. It’s like a muscle that really does come back, and I was excited for that challenge.”
Disney/Christine Bartolucci
Once he arrived on set, the cast and crew helped put him at ease. “Impostor syndrome is real,” Appel muses. “I still do feel it at times, but what stands out was how literally every single person in the cast, even the security of the building, were so happy to show me the way around. All the cast came up to me just to introduce themselves. I didn’t belong, but everyone else went out of their way to be like, ‘No, you do belong. We want you here.’ So, everyone has been insanely nice to me. I can’t thank everyone enough for just how welcoming and how easy this transition was. I have loved the experience so far.”
One familiar face made those early days even easier. “Jonathan [Bennett] is a friend of mine,” Appel relays. “I’ve worked with him prior [in a Nissan commercial for Hallmark], and being on set with him has been amazing. He was going out of his way to tell everyone, ‘Oh, do you know who Troy is?’ It was funny because when I got to hair and makeup, other people were like, ‘Jonathan’s told us all about you,’ and that was really nice. And then when he and I were reunited, it was just very sweet, and he’s been so supportive.”
As for Hudson, Appel says the newcomer still has plenty of surprises in store — even for the actor playing him. “Hudson is a shady businessman, and you’re not clear as to his motives,” Appel teases. “He goes one way, but then leans the other, and so he kind of keeps you on your toes. So far, what I’ve played, this guy is way cooler than I am, so it’s been so cool to play him. But he’s just been a force to be reckoned with so far, and I’m not even entirely sure as to all of his intentions in Port Charles. I’m excited to see where his journey goes, because I’m very lucky to be playing this character.”
Viewers can expect Hudson to cross paths with several Port Charles veterans. “I’ve worked a lot with Eden,” he previews. “I did some scenes with Amanda [Setton, Brook Lynn Quartermaine] and Josh [Swickard, Chase Harrison] and Laura [Wright, Carly Spencer], so they’ve been introducing me in scenes with so many legacy characters here. I’m shocked, like, ‘Oh, my God, I have a scene with Carly. Like, what?’ It’s been so cool, but they’re kind of shuffling me around with a lot of people, and it’s been really exciting to do that.”
When Appel isn’t on set, he is balancing another career. “I’m still a personal trainer, so there are days where I’m not on set and I’m working,” he explains. “But I like to stay busy, so the days where I’m on General Hospital, I love to be focused on that, and the days where I’m off, I’ll be working and then just memorizing my lines as often as I can. I really do like the pace of it. It’s quick but it’s something that I’m very much happy to rise to the challenge of. And obviously, I want to do as well as I can on the show, and I want to do my best, because the last thing I want to do is be a burden of any kind. So, yes, it’s a lot, but I welcome it because I really want to prove that I belong. They’ve given me such a great gift here and a great opportunity. I want to do them right and make them proud.”
Troy Lennon Appel/ Instagram
Off-screen, Appel is also enjoying newlywed life after marrying wife Bernadette last October. “She goes by Bernie, and she’s been my rock,” he praises. “I would not have booked General Hospital without her. That’s just a fact. She has been the biggest support system in helping me with all my auditions and prepping me for all my scenes, so I really couldn’t do this without her. She’s not in the industry at all — she’s in medical device sales — so I’m very grateful to have someone that’s not in that world but then is so helpful for me in my career.”
And with his first episode finally here, Appel is taking it all in. “I’m definitely nervous, but I’m excited,” he relays. “I have loved the experience so much that I hope that my performance can reflect how much I really want to put into this and how much I enjoy it. My whole family’s been chomping at the bit ever since I booked this. They’ve been so excited. My brain just expects the other shoe to drop, and it just hasn’t because everyone’s been so nice and gracious. So, it’s been a dream job, and I’ve been loving every second of it.”
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC, Check Local Listings
The Doctor Is In
Get absolutely everything about General Hospital in your inbox!
