"It's just heartbreaking" — Soap stars get emotional while talking about death of General Hospital's Johnny Wactor at Daytime Emmys 2024

The 51st Daytime Emmys 2024 is currently taking place at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. On June 7, 2024, the television soap stars paused to pay tribute to the tragic passing of General Hospital actor, Johnny Wactor. For the unversed, ABC News confirmed that Johnny died at 37 after being shot by armed robbers on May 25, 2024.

While interacting with Entertainment Tonight, celebs close to the late actor reacted to his passing on the Daytime Emmys 2024 red carpet. Actress Sofia Mattsson said:

"It’s just heartbreaking. It’s really, really awful. I miss him, and it’s so unfair. My heart goes out to his whole family."

Mattsson starred alongside Johnny Wactor as his fictional wife and widow in the ABC daytime soap opera. She praised the actor’s character during the interview, saying he will be remembered “fondly.”

“It was so special [to work with him], I will never forget it. He was so caring, so genuine, so kind, so hardworking, and I just loved it. It was so easy—everybody says we had great chemistry, and it was really from him. He was easy to love! I will always remember him very fondly.”

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“We’ve had a lot of loss” — Co-stars remember Johnny Wactor at the Daytime Emmys 2024

More of the Johnny Wactor’s co-stars took the time to remember the late actor and other General Hospital cast and crew members who have died throughout the show’s runtime.

Robert Gossett said that the GH cast is “hanging in there.” Robert plays Marshall Ashford in the soap and is nominated for Best Supporting Performance in the Daytime Emmys 2024.

In addition to Wactor’s recent passing, Gossett mentioned:

“We've had a lot of loss”

While saying so, he was referring to the show’s producer Neal Garland who passed away in 2020, as well as other co-stars namely Sonya Eddy, Billy Miller, Jacklyn Zeman, Tyler Christopher, and Meg Bennett. More recently, Elizabeth MacRae, who had a recurring role as Nurse Meg Baldwin in the show, died in May 2024.

.On a hopeful note, Gossett mentioned at the Daytime Emmys red carpet that GH stars consider each other a family and offer “support” and “comfort during challenging times.”

Veteran actress and GH star, Finola Hughes, also echoed Gossett’s comment about the cast coming together to “support each other the way any family does.” Talking about the loss they’ve experienced on the set, she further stated:

“You reach out, you call, you check in on everybody. Just try to say that you’re there for them if they need you.”

Hughes, the nominee for Daytime Emmys 2024 (Lead Performance), remembered Johnny Wactor being “very kind.” She said:

“[But] I think more than anything, he was a very kind individual and always had a time for everybody. He would stop you in the hallways—I’m a big chatterer, I like to talk. And he would always sort of stop by and have a chat with you. I like that—someone that can give you time.”

Casting director Mark Tescher, who was responsible for picking Wactor to play Brando Corbin in the series, also called him a “very special guy.” Speaking about the late actor on the Daytime Emmys 2024 red carpet, he recalled:

“He had such heart, and his character has intensity but soulfulness—you had to like this hotheaded guy.”

The entire General Hospital family also paid tribute to the star via an Instagram post on May 26, saying that “he was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with.”