The untimely death of Britt Westbourne gave several General Hospital actors a chance to shine as their characters grieved over the beloved doctor. Chief among the mourners was, of course, Brad Cooper, played by Parry Shen, Britt’s bestie. For his performance as a bereaved Brad, Soap Hub bestows Performer of the Week for GH honors on Shen.
Parry Shen – Performer of the Week
The last thing Brad thought he’d have to do in the New Year is mourn the loss of his beloved pal, Britt. At one time, she was known as the ‘Britch’ given how she dealt with people, but Britt’s friendship with Brad was a special haven for both of them. Brad wasn’t always well-liked by folks so he and Britt always had each other (remember when they would savagely dish the Nurses ball?) Now, Brad (Parry Shen) has to live the rest of his life without his best pal and his pain was evident.
Brad and Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) showed up at Britt’s hotel room to meet with her cousin Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) to choose an outfit in which Britt would be buried. In his grief, Brad tried to find a positive note in Britt’s death. Not only did his pal die saving someone else but this meant that Britt haters would have to eat every nasty word they ever said to and about her.
The ironic joy he felt quickly turned to the all-encompassing grief that continues to wash over people when they realize that their loved one is never, ever coming back. “Why isn’t she here?” Brad rhetorically lamented. “My whole life I was always alone…then, to meet your BFF in your 30s….how can I live in a world without her?”
Maxie, Brad, and Nina discovered that Britt had gotten rid of all of her clothes, which prompted a few topics to be raised. They examined other things the late doctor had done leading up to her death. This only left Brad with more questions, which increased the pain and distance he felt. “We were best friends, but I guess I never really knew Britt at all,” a sad Brad said.
Part of the finality of death is that survivors can never have the chance to ask their loved ones the questions that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Shen conveyed this as he expressed Brad’s grief, shock, and profound sense of loss. Brad couldn’t understand why Britt didn’t share with him she had Huntington’s disease after Nina informed him and Maxie of the medical malady Britt was facing.
“At my worst moment when the baby switch came out, Britt didn’t walk away from me and I never would have walked away from her,” Brad (Parry Shen) said, barely getting the words out. “I didn’t need her to be brave, I just need her in my life.” Brad’s grief worsened as he realized that he (through no fault of his own) wasn’t there for his BFF during a crisis as she was there for him during a difficult time in his life.
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“What do we do now?” Brad asked Maxie after Nina asked them to find clothes for Britt to wear. Shen read the line beyond Brad looking for a garment. He was asking how are Britt’s loved ones expected to move forward without her. Before Brad could begin to answer that question, he had to let loose with some unresolved anger. “I don’t care what Britt wanted,” Brad blasted to Maxie. “I want her…my best friend in this lousy, messed-up world!” Who could forget Britt showing up to support Brad just as he was going off to Pentonville back in 2020.
Maxie offered to choose Britt’s final resting garb, prompting Brad to quip through his grief, “This is going to be Britt’s last look ever. I’m not letting you choose some boring dress at Wyndham’s.” Maxie shot back she wasn’t going to let Brad select some “fast fashion trash” mostly likely in an attempt to engage him back into life.
As the scene ended, Brad closed the door to Britt’s hotel room and walked into the hallway with Maxie as they continued their debate that bordered on banter. It’s clear that Britt’s legacy will be more than saving Josslyn Jacks’s (Eden McCoy) life; she encouraged Brad and Maxie to be pals and based on these scenes, Britt’s wish may have already come true.
Honorable mentions: There were multiple standout performances this week on GH, not the least of which came from Kelly Thiebaud (Britt) herself. Kathleen Gati (Dr. Leisl Obrecht) not only shined as a grieving mother but quickly tapped into her character’s trademark ruthlessness as she attempted to do away with Esme Prince (Avery Kristen Pohl), the young woman she believes responsible for her daughter’s murder. McCoy and William Lipton gave dramatic performances in the Joss/Cameron breakup scenes. Maura West knows how to rip into cheating spouses better than most as evidenced by Ava Jerome Cassadine tearing into Nikolas Cassadine (Marcus Coloma) upon finding out that Esme is pregnant.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC. For an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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