Is Rick Hearst returning to General Hospital? Actor’s return explored

Rick Hearst is a recurring cast member of the ABC longest-running soap opera, General Hospital. Rick played the role of Ric Lansing on the show, who first appeared in 2002 and continued until his exit in 2016.

The first episode of Ric Lansing on General Hospital aired on November 8, 2002, and it continued until June 25, 2009. After a gap of five years, the makers got Rick back on February 24, 2014, and he exited again in 2016. In between this period, Nick Kiriazis also played the role of Ric Lansing in 2007, when the actor Rick had to undergo throat surgery.

A recent Instagram post on July 25, 2024, by the actor Rick Hearst confirmed that he will reprise his role as Ric Lansing on General Hospital. After the break of nearly eight years, the actor and his character will both return to the show to entertain their fans.

---

Rick Hearst’s confirmed return to General Hospital

Rick Hearst recently announced his return as Ric Lansing to General Hospital in an Instagram video posted on July 25, 2024. Hearst discussed his return with hints about Ric’s story arc and his character remaining the same. Hearst mentioned that Ric would remain the same character who tends to be in everyone’s business simultaneously.

The caption of the post by Rick Hearst reads:

“Very excited to announce my return to General Hospital in the role of Ric Lansing. Stay tuned. You never know what you’re gonna get with this guy.”

According to TV Insider reports, Rick Hearst’s first return episode is expected to air on August 19, 2024. In his video, Rick Hearst described how his return to General Hospital came as a “pleasant gift and surprise” when the makers of the daytime show reached out for the reprisal of Ric Lansing.

While talking about the current plot dynamics on the show, the actor mentioned a motive for his return.

"Daddy’s home and here to take care of his daughter and anything that entails," said Rick in a July 25, 2024 interview with TV Insider.

---

Who is Rick Hearst?

Richard Charles Herbst, also known as Rick Hearst, is an American actor born on January 4, 1965, in Howard Beach, New York, and was brought up in Dallas, Texas. Rick has been married to Donna Smoot since June 9, 1990, and the couple has two sons.

Rick is a known face of soap operas as he has been a part of prominent daytime shows like Days of Our Lives as Scott, Guiding Lights as Alan Michael Spaulding, The Young and the Restless as Matt Clark, and The Bold and the Beautiful as Whipple Jones aka Whip.

Rick has won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Guiding Lights and Outstanding Villain award for The Young and the Restless. He has also been nominated seven times at the Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role in General Hospital. He has won the award twice in 2004 and 2007.

---

Who is Ric Lansing?

Ric Lansing is a fictional character of the ABC soap opera General Hospital who has been a part of the show on and off since 2002. After he arrives in Port Charles, Ric tells Sonny the truth: that he is his half-brother, which creates trouble for Sonny and Jason Morgan.

Ric tried to kidnap Carly Corinthos and had a disturbed marriage with Elizabeth Webber. Ric has been known to seek revenge on people who have hurt him previously, but at the same time, he was also known to have a soft side as a caring father to his daughter, Molly Lansing.

His journey has been a complex turnover of his dark revenge plans and his desire to have strong family connections and keep his family safe.

---

Fans of General Hospital can watch the show's new episodes on ABC.