General Hospital Star Josh Swickard Talks Fine Dining in Port Charles

General Hospital has its share of eateries including Kelly’s Diner and other establishments. As a result, characters are often shown eating. But is the food real? Is it edible? Josh Swickard, who plays Det. Harrison “Chase” Chase has the scoop!

Josh Swickard Talks Chase’s Eating Habits

Josh Swickard (Chase) and Chad Duell (Michael) recently took part in a GH Fantasy Event via zoom and chatted with members of the show’s passionate fan base. One attendee asked if real food was used in scenes and Swickard had a lot to say on the matter, specifically referencing a scene in which Chase consumed a bagel!

“I’m so bad at eating,” Josh Swickard sheepishly shared during the GH Fantasy Event. “[I] can eat just fine on my own but when someone puts a camera [on me] and there’s choreography [not so much].” The actor recalled a recent scene in which Chase had to talk in a scene when he was delivering lines and eating some food.

The Bite Stuff

“Frank [Valentini, executive producer] cut us once and said, ‘Josh, that was too big of a bite.’ I was chewing as fast as I can. You take this big bite and then you have this monologue.” Swickard tried to improvise by shifting some of the bagel that was still in his mouth to one side. “I was taking bites in between takes. I don’t want to waste food.”

Duell says he rarely eats on set. “I’ll grab little pieces,” he says, noting that “re-heated fries are never good.” Josh Swickard found out that not all food used in scenes is meant to be consumed. “I think I accidentally ate a ‘burger’ that was just a prop,” he recalls. “I took a bite out of it and thought, ‘What just happened?'”

General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Port Charles, check out all the latest that’s been posted on GH spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.