Giovanni Mazza’s violin-smashing scene marked a major turning point for Gio on General Hospital — and the actor had been preparing for that emotional explosion for months. Mazza opened up to Soap Hub about finding Gio’s breaking point, why Brook Lynn’s latest bombshell brings those painful feelings rushing back, and how Emma became the person Gio could lean on through it all.
Key Takeaways
- Giovanni Mazza prepared for Gio’s emotional Nurses Ball fallout for six months.
- Brook Lynn’s latest revelation forces Gio to confront familiar pain.
- Gio’s family turmoil helped make Emma his “rock.”
Gio’s Breaking Point
The Nurses Ball revelation that Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) were Gio’s biological parents changed everything for the young musician. It also gave Mazza an opportunity to show viewers a very different side of the character.
“I think that was the moment where the audience really took to Gio’s story and Gio’s journey,” Mazza told Soap Hub. “I was working six months back because I knew that this moment was gonna happen, and I was preparing for that journey as an actor.”
Before the truth came out, Mazza approached Gio’s story from the perspective of a young man searching for the family and connection he desperately wanted.
“I was working with this journey of, like, I want family, and I want familial love, and these people are bringing me into the house,” he explained.
Then everything changed.
“The moment happened, and I was like, I’m just gonna sink my teeth into it, and I just ran with it,” Mazza recalled. “It was a great time and great experience, like flipping that objective from wanting family to feeling like I lost everything that I had, and I was getting my power back.”
For Mazza, it represented more than one explosive scene. “It was like a break in the character and starting new.” It also catapulted the actor into leading man status.
And when asked to name his favorite storyline since joining GH, there was no hesitation: “For me, it’s the Nurses Ball. One hundred percent.”
Brook Lynn’s Latest Bombshell
Gio may have moved forward since that painful revelation, but Mazza found himself tapping back into those emotions when Gio learned that Brook Lynn was the driver involved in the accident.
“That’s exactly what I was playing into,” he revealed. “It was this idea that this happened last year at the Nurses Ball, and now my mom just did the same thing to somebody else.”
For Gio, the new revelation brought those old feelings rushing back.
“I’m just getting PTSD from what happened before, so I’m like, ‘Oh, these are all the same feelings that I’m feeling from the Nurses Ball. Come on, Mom, why are you doing this?’”
But Mazza didn’t want Gio’s reaction to be driven entirely by anger. He wanted the character’s love for Brook Lynn to remain underneath the hurt.
“I wanted to strike this balance because I didn’t want to be angry at her,” he said. “Yes, I’m so mad at her. But also, I do love her so much, and this doesn’t take away from my love, but it hurts really bad.”
Emma Becomes Gio’s Rock
While Gio continues navigating his complicated family life, his connection with Emma (Braedyn Bruner) has become increasingly important — and Mazza believes their respective family dramas could bring the pair even closer.
“I would say 100%,” Mazza said. “My family drama is what I felt drew me to Emma because she was like my rock.”
That relationship could become even more significant as both characters deal with what is happening around their families.
It does not hurt that the young couple is so sweet together, even taking NYC by storm.
Finding Family Off-Screen
Mazza has also found a family of his own behind the scenes at General Hospital.
“Everyone has taken me in,” he said, noting that he and Amanda Setton have developed a “mother/son connection.”
His relationships with other cast members extend well beyond the studio. “Dominic and I play soccer most weekends,” Mazza revealed. During a recent East Coast trip, he stayed at Rena Sofer’s [Lois] house, while Maurice Benard [Sonny] invited them to his farm.
Benard has made a particularly strong impression on the young actor.
“He is one of the people that I look up to the most because I just think he’s such a powerhouse,” Mazza said. “I learned the most from him.”
He is also connected with Jane Elliot, who plays his great-grandmother, Tracy.
Taking GH On The Road
Mazza also recently got the chance to connect directly with fans during a whirlwind five-city East Coast trip.
“It’s been so chaotic, and it feels like every day felt 20 times longer than the average day because we would drive 200 miles to the next destination,” he said.
But the long days came with plenty of memorable experiences, from reconnecting with Sofer to meeting new people and making an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark.
For Mazza, it was another side of an experience that has grown considerably since Gio first arrived in Port Charles — both on screen and off.
