Giovanni Mazza debuted as Gio on General Hospital on May 15, 2024. The transformation has been stark and Mazza is primed for leading man status once the secret of his character’s paternity is revealed.
Not Quite A Boy, Not Yet A Man
When the character of Gio arrived in Port Charles almost a year ago, he was a floppy haired violinist, and for a while, it seemed to be what he was going to be known for. Until viewers were clued in on the secret that the character was actually the son of Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton). That puts him in the middle of three key families — The Quartermaines, Corinthos, and Cerullo families. All of his grandparents are legacy characters, with his great grandmother being the sublime Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot).
I cannot pinpoint the exact moment in the last couple of months, but you can definitely tell Mazza is taking his upcoming storyline seriously and being placed into scenes with the veteran actors has made it all the more obvious how much the actor has grown since his debut. He hasn’t lost the sincerity and sweetness, but he has become more vocal, standing up for Tracy when Drew (Cameron Mathison) wanted the Quartermaine crypt demolished. He also stands up to Tracy when it comes to his “uncle” Sonny (Maurice Benard). While she shows him Sonny’s flaws, he reminds her of how Sonny has taken care of him his whole life.
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On top of the strides he has made on the acting front, he has also changed his physical appearance. Gone is the floppy hair and goofiness that was present in the beginning. Now Mazza brings a strong conviction to the character, while also priming himself for the big secret about to drop. You can tell Mazza has worked hard to get to the place he is today with grasping what is to come, even before the rest of town finds out his true heritage. There is an intensity in his eyes and it was great to see Gio and Jason (Steve Burton) share scenes together recently. It’s a nice homage to Steve Burton’s character to see where he started off — sweet, but then became one of the show’s most popular stars and bonafide leading men.
I am excited to see what Mazza does with his scenes once the reveal happens and the aftermath of the news. It will open up opportunities to turn his sweet character into a deeply hurt human being who was given up for adoption all those years ago. Will he feel unwanted and lash out at Brook Lynn and be mad that she kept her pregnancy a secret from his dad, Dante? Will he side with Brook Lynn against Lois (Rena Sofer) when they both learn how she and Gloria (Ellen Travolta) knowingly placed Giovanni with Camilla Palmieri (née Cerullo)? It is like a powder keg a minute away from going off and is going to set off fireworks and months of drama pulling in a large number of the cast. That is soap storytelling done right. All of the hard work Mazza has put in will pay off in spades when Gio’s life is rocked.
