Actor Adrian Anchondo chatted about starring in the ABC daytime drama, where he played the role of Marco Rios.
‘General Hospital’ experience
On being a part of the soap opera “General Hospital,” he shared, “It was faster than I hoped for, but it was a whirlwind. It was pretty amazing. I got to do 81 episodes in one year, which was amazing.”
“It was definitely a learning experience,” he admitted. “It was very exciting to have just a regular job to go to every week, to have that stability, and to work with such pros. I’ve done a lot of work in TV, but nothing could prepare me for this kind of work.”
“I’m actually really happy with the way that my character was written out and how he went out with a very explosive ending,” he noted.
“I wasn’t in an urn, so those ashes could be somebody else’s… you never know with a soap opera,” he said with a sweet laugh. “It could be someone else’s body that got burned.”
Playing Marco in ‘General Hospital’
On playing Marco, Anchondo remarked, “I loved that he was so complex. I think now there is this need to see queer characters on TV, where a lot of times, the characters have to be very safe and good.”
“I love that Marco was challenging people’s perspectives a little bit,” he noted. “His intentions and his truths were in the eye of the beholder.”
Working with Van Hansis
On working with Van Hansis, Anchondo said, “Van and I have known each other for 20 years. We worked with each other at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, but we didn’t get to really stay friends. We were just acquaintances for a while. Then, when I did my screen test, I saw that he was reading with me, and it felt great to reconnect.”
“Van is just so talented, and he has been doing this for a long time. He knows the speed, the pace, and the formula. Van has also been a good friend for me when I was feeling down on myself or whenever I felt like I didn’t do my best,” he elaborated.
“Van always reassured me that I can do this. I’ve done a lot more difficult things in the past working in theatre. As a result, Van and I became such close friends now, and he was very, very sad when he found out the news about my character,” he explained.
Colton Little
Anchondo had great words about fellow actor and real-life boyfriend Colton Little. “I met Colton because of the show, actually,” he said.
“I reached out to him after my third month on ‘General Hospital’ knowing that he was on another soap opera. I had questions about doing daytime TV so I thought I could ask a fellow actor. We just started chatting from there and eventually, we went on a date with each other,” Anchondo elaborated.
“It has been six months now, and Colton is the most wonderful person,” he noted. “Colton so talented, and so sweet. He is just so intelligent and a very, very good actor. “We help each other with auditions, which is nice.”
Maurice Benard’s ‘State of Mind’ podcast
Anchondo noted that he enjoyed being a part of Maurice Benard’s “State of Mind” podcast on mental health, and he praised three-time Emmy winner Maurice Benard for being a “great interviewer.”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Anchondo said, “Well, the residuals aren’t as good. So, that’s kind of a challenge because there are actors who have been on syndication from doing projects back in the 90s and early 2000s who are making a living off of their image constantly being used.”
“When it comes to streaming and everything, it has cut down a lot more. So, it’s harder to make a living now and have health insurance, especially with the residuals that you’re making now.”
“Also, I feel that in the digital age, you have to constantly be careful. Nothing can ever slip up at all. You can’t have phases in your life where you’re still figuring yourself out without it always being out there.”
“Then again, things just come and go so quickly. So, sometimes what is popular one day will be forgotten about the next week,” he said. “Back in the day, films would stay in movie theaters for almost a year, or they would be brought back.”
“There was more of an impact. Now, you can work on something for a streamer like Netflix, which you can watch or binge on one weekend, and then, it’s suddenly forgotten. I miss the excitement of waiting for something new each week,” he acknowledged.
“In those days, conversations around movies and entertainment had a longer shelf life,” he added.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and aspiring actors, Anchondo said, “There are a lot of great actors that we love right now who started in their 40s… they started getting their first real acting jobs in their 40s. So, it is never too late to be emerging, and I would encourage them to just keep working.”
“Your job is not just to be on a set. It is to keep auditioning. Also, find other things that you love to do outside of the acting world, and it is important to always stay humble… there needs to be humility.”
“I will also say support the other people around you that are working. I am constantly sharing. Whenever I don’t get a role that I want but a friend of mine (who is my same type) gets the role, I celebrate them online. I share their things and I want people to succeed,” he elaborated.
“I think that’s very important. We all know how difficult the industry, so let’s make sure people get their flowers,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Anchondo said with a sweet laugh, “Find a job.”
“I would say ‘The Valley is Beautiful’,” he clarified. “You’re going to be on many peaks, but the valleys can be just as beautiful. They have rivers, they have beautiful flowers.”
“Try to enjoy living in the valley, and one day, you will make it again, or you can just stay down there; it’s okay. There are other things in your life that are just as important,” he elaborated.
Superpower
When asked what his superpower of choice would be, Anchondo responded, “I would love to just feel confident and invincible in anything that I do.”
“I think that I’ve been plagued by insecurities all my life,” he said. “Sometimes that insecurity can show in your work, and I truly believe that if I could walk into every situation with confidence, that people will be drawn to it.”
“If we are talking about Marvel superpowers, I always wanted to have telekinesis,” he added.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Anchondo said, “Success means being content and not constantly striving to be the best.”
“When people are striving for success, there is no cap. If your main focus is being an actor for the awards and accolades instead of the actual work, then that’s just silly.”
“The most important thing to me is just affecting the audience on an emotional level, the way that I’ve been affected by other performances in my life such as other movies, other directors, and even cinematography,” he elaborated.
“When I watch television or a film and then, I am moved to tears, that’s what stays with me, not the fact that the actor in it won an Academy Award,” he noted.
“I am really overwhelmed by all of the positive messages I got from fans about Marco’s death on the show. I didn’t know how much he meant to people. That really meant a lot to me,” he elaborated.
“The fact that my performance was able to affect audience members on an emotional level is true success. Hopefully, the fans can continue to follow my work and whatever else I do in my future,” he added.
Closing thoughts on ‘General Hospital’
Anchondo remarked, “The work is not over just because my character is gone. I would say that ‘General Hospital’ is so much bigger and more important than just one character on the show.”
“I came into my role knowing that someone like Carly’s character has been played by three different actresses,” he said. “Lucas has been played by many different people…. so, the show is not about me.”
“I might have started the role of Marco, and if the powers that be decided to bring him back, he could be played by different people in the future. My work, up until my character died, will stay there forever. Then, if someone else picks it up or I come back or whatever, it can continue,” he concluded.
