Port Charles has seen its fair share of chaos lately, most of it courtesy of Ronnie — the soft-spoken newcomer who somehow managed to blow up the Quartermaine estate faster than Tracy could yell, “Get out of my house!” Somewhere in the fallout, Erika Slezak reminded everyone why she’s daytime royalty. The Emmy-winning powerhouse has slipped into General Hospital’s ensemble like she’s been there for decades — and off-screen, she reunited with two familiar faces who helped shape her daytime legacy. Tuc Watkins and Roger Howarth — both GH alums and former One Life to Live castmates with Slezak— opened their doors (and kitchen) for a night that became the most heartwarming reunion of the year.
Key Takeaways
- Ronnie may be shaking things up in Port Charles, but Erika Slezak is proving she’s just as commanding off-screen as she is in the Quartermaine mansion.
- The Emmy-winning actress reunited with her One Life to Live costars Roger Howarth and Tuc Watkins for a warm, laughter-filled dinner in Los Angeles.
- Howarth confessed he orchestrated the gathering.
- Their conversation wasn’t about work or scripts but about life — real stories, family, and old friendships.
A Dinner Years in the Making
Slezak, Howarth, and Watkins told Soap Opera Digest how the reunion came together — and naturally, it started with Howarth. Upon learning Slezak would be visiting Los Angeles, Howarth said he sent her an email stating, “Hey, let’s have dinner. And we should have it at Tuc’s house because he’s got a really nice house and he’s a great cook.” He chuckled that he had more or less invited them both to Tuc’s place.
Slezak remembered it a little differently — and much funnier. “He said, ‘I’ve just been sitting with Tuc in his backyard, and he’s got a really nice house, and we have decided that you should come for dinner, so no arguments, it has been decided.’ That was the email,” she recalled, amused by Howarth’s confidence.
Once the evening rolled around, it became less about nostalgia and more about connection. “It was like the first real conversation I’d ever had with both of them because it had nothing to do with work,” Slezak said. The gang enjoyed laughing together by the pool and the fireplace, and their deep friendship was evident. For three actors who’ve lived a thousand lives onscreen, it was a reminder of the real ones they’ve built off it.
A Tower of Ice Cream and Old Friends
True to form, Slezak didn’t show up empty-handed. When she asked what Watkins’ 12-year-old twins liked, he joked that they “only buy the cheap ice cream.” So she hit Gelson’s and bought every single flavor of Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs that were on Watkins’ list. “The kids went, ‘Oh my God, Dad, look, this is my favorite!’ ” she said, laughing. The pints stacked into a three-foot tower that became the night’s unofficial centerpiece — a sugary monument to old friends and good timing.
Watkins’ kids, Curtis and Catchen, stole her heart. The last time she’d seen them, they were barely walking; now they’re polite, funny, and the spitting image of their dad. A few weeks later, Watkins emailed her with a wink: “You have to come back! We’re almost out of ice cream!”
For one night, the drama wasn’t in the script. It was in the laughter echoing from Tuc Watkins’ kitchen — and the reminder that some connections don’t fade, they just wait to be revisited. (Find out why fans are torn over Ronnie.)
