The PCPD may be circling Curtis and Portia on General Hospital, but the real tension isn’t in the precinct — it’s in the way Curtis’ world keeps tilting under his feet. And just as Portia braces for whatever fallout comes next, Donnell Turner is quietly celebrating a milestone that feels much bigger than a simple anniversary. 10 years in the role, and somehow he still talks about it the way people talk about things that cracked their lives open in the best possible way.
Key Takeaways
- Curtis’ life is tilting again as the PCPD closes in.
- Donnell Turner marks 10 years as GH’s Curtis Ashford.
- His Finola Hughes audition left a life-long imprint.
- Curtis became a full-fledged legacy through slow, steady building.
- Meeting Anthony Geary was a career-defining moment for Turner.
- Turner sees his GH journey as full-circle — and rooted in gratitude.
Finding His Footing in Port Charles
Turner spoke with the Watauga Democrat about the early days — the nerves, the left turns, the strange magic that happens when a character you didn’t even audition for suddenly becomes your whole professional identity. He remembered that first audition vividly, especially the moment Finola Hughes (Anna) walked in. “They usually bring a veteran in to rehearse with you, so knock on my door, in comes Finola Hughes,” he said, still sounding half-amazed all these years later.
That mix of awe and panic didn’t derail him. If anything, it sharpened things. The part wasn’t planned, Curtis wasn’t mapped out, and Turner had to find the seams himself. He pushed back on the cigar bit, shaped the man’s edges, and kept nudging until the character felt grounded. Those early conversations made it clear the show was actually listening — something he still doesn’t take for granted.
And then came the pinch-me moments. Working opposite Tristan Rogers (Robert). Trading scenes with Genie Francis (Laura). It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was a kid who once watched GH getting dropped straight into the sandbox. The job kept widening around him, turning into the kind of adventure role he’d imagined back when he didn’t know acting would be his way in.
The Legacy He Didn’t See Coming
Turner’s memories of meeting Anthony Geary (Luke) still land with a sort of stunned softness. “It was the first time I talked to a human being and my eyes watered,” he admitted. The respect, the recognition — it carved something permanent. Geary, after all, was one of Turner’s major influences in pursuing acting.
From there, Curtis grew roots: a family, a history, a seat at the table. Turner was invited into chemistry reads for Stella, Marshall, even Trina, and that involvement hit him harder than he expected. Those little signals — a home set, a daughter, a lineage — told him he wasn’t a temporary player.
He soon admitted the real thrill behind it all: “I watched the show, and now I’m doing scenes with [Francis] where we’re tied to a chair in a cabin that’s about to explode. I wanted to be the Black Luke Spencer back in 1982, so these are all full-circle moments.”
Now, a decade in, he’s watching his character get tossed through every soap gauntlet possible, and he’s enjoying the mess of it. He summed it up simply: “Gratitude is the attitude,” and for him, it’s not a slogan — it’s the whole journey in one breath.
