7 General Hospital Characters Who Have Been Recast Multiple Times

Soap fans understand that recasts are par for the course in the soap world. Throughout the years, General Hospital fans have seen countless recasts of characters in Port Charles. Here are seven GH characters who have been recast multiple times.

Carly Spencer

We've watched four different Carlys throughout the years | Image: ABC

Longtime GH fans know that Sarah Joy Brown originated the role of Carly Spencer. From 1996 to 2001, Brown played the fiery and headstrong Carly, during which time she won three Daytime Emmy awards for her portrayal. Brown returned to GH in 2008 and played Claudia Zacchara.

Tamara Braun took over the role of Carly from 2001 to 2005. Jennifer Bransford then stepped in to play Carly, but only for several months. Out of all of the Carly recasts, Bransford played her for the shortest stretch of time.

In late 2005, Laura Wright was cast in the role. Over the past 21 years, she has done an excellent job of making the character her very own. In 2011, Wright won a Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her portrayal of Carly.

Jordan Ashford

Four different actresses have played Jordan on General Hospital | Image: ABC

The character of Jordan Ashford first appeared in Port Charles in 2014. In the past 12 years, we've seen four actresses in the role. The original actress who played Jordan was Vinessa Antoine, who brought Jordan to life from 2014 to 2018.

Then, actress Briana Nicole Henry took over until 2021. Tiffany Daniels acted as a temporary replacement later that same year.

Tanisha Harper was cast as Jordan in 2022 and has been playing the role ever since. Don't all these recasts make your head spin? Not for us. We see it on soaps all the time, so we're used to it by now.

Lulu Spencer

Alexa Havins is the third actress to play Lulu on General Hospital | Image: ABC

While there were a few actresses who played Lulu in her pre-adolescent and adolescent years (Alisyn and Kelli Griffith, Stephanie Allen, and Tessa Allen), the actress who first became memorable in the role was Julie Marie Berman. She played Lulu from 2005 to 2013, during which time Lulu became romantically involved with Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna).

In 2013, Emme Rylan took over the role of Lulu and remained on the show until 2020. After an explosion at the Floating Rib bar, Lulu fell into a coma that lasted four years. She awoke in 2024 with Alexa Havins as her portrayer. Havins has remained in the role ever since.

Fans of Berman's portrayal of Lulu have remarked that Havins plays the role very similarly. Both actresses clearly exhibit the feistiness and strong-willed demeanor that are signature traits of Lulu.

Molly Lansing-Davis

We've seen a merry-go-round of Mollys on General Hospital | Image: ABC

The role of Molly Lansing-Davis, daughter of attorneys Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst), was most famously played by Haley Pullos. She began playing the role when she was just 11 years old, in 2009, and she remained in the role until 2023.

For the remainder of that year, two actresses played Molly temporarily. They were Holiday Mia Kriegel and Brooke Anne Smith.

Before 2023 drew to a close, Kristen Vaganos was cast as Molly, and she has remained in the role ever since. Many of us are breathing a sigh of relief, because we finally have a long-term Molly!

Brook Lynn Quartermaine

Amanda Setton has played Brook Lynn the longest on General Hospital | Image: ABC

While actress Brooke Radding played Brook Lynn Ashton (later Quartermaine) from 1999 to 2001, it is Adrianne Leon who is well-remembered for playing her as a teenager. Leon portrayed the role from 2004 to 2006 and again from 2010 to 2011.

Amanda Setton was recast as Brook Lynn in 2019 and has played the role since then. Actress Briana Lane temporarily filled in for her in 2020 while Setton was on maternity leave. Lane returned in 2022 to reprise the role for just one episode.

Nikolas Cassadine

Adam Huss was the most recent actor to play Nikolas on General Hospital | Image: YouTube

Die-hard GH fans know that Tyler Christopher originated the iconic role of Nikolas Cassadine. He played the role from 1996 to 1999. Actor Coltin Scott took over the role from 1999 to 2003. This was during the well-known storyline when Nikolas became engaged to model Gia Campbell (Marisa Ramirez).

From 2003 to 2011, Christopher reprised the role and again from 2013 to 2016. He won a Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor that same year.

Adam Huss temporarily took on the role of Nikolas in 2021 and 2022. Marcus Coloma played the role on a regular basis from 2019 to 2023. From 2023 to 2024, Huss returned in the part.

Some fans wonder how much longer Nikolas will remain in prison. Will we ever see him again? Will baby Ace get his father back soon? We hope so!

Lucky Spencer

Jonathan Jackson was the original actor to play Lucky on General Hospital | Image: YouTube

Jonathan Jackson began portraying Luke and Laura's son, Lucky, when he was only 11 years old in 1993. He continued playing the role until 1999. Jacob Young then took over the part from 2000 until 2003. Greg Vaughan then stepped in to play Lucky from 2003 until 2009.

Jackson then returned to GH from 2009 till 2011. For the next four years, Lucky was off the GH canvas, and when Jackson returned again in 2015, it was only for a few brief episodes.

We then had a nine year absence where Lucky was offscreen. Jackson famously returned in 2024 and briefly reunited with his long-time love, Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst), and their son, Aiden (Colin Cassidy). To Liz and Aiden's regret (as well as Laura and Lulu's), Lucky left Port Charles again in 2025.