Here’s What General Hospital’s Tabyana Ali Thought of Trina’s New Love Interest

Trina’s love life on General Hospital has been nonexistent since the death of her beau, Spencer. But college classmate Kai seems to be a potential new romantic interest for her. Although, initially, he seemed to be an unintelligent jock focused solely on his football career, that wasn’t the case. He actually changed her mind after putting more time and effort into their art project than she expected. And this surprised her. Trina’s portrayer, Tabyana Ali, was there when Jens Austin Astrup auditioned for the role of Kai. And she shared her thoughts about him as Trina’s new leading man.

The Chemistry Test

Ali was allowed to be part of the casting process for Kai, she told Soap Opera Digest, and after testing with 11 candidates, they were able to narrow it down to just a couple. Eventually, Astrup was picked, and Ali was thrilled. “Jens has been great and I really do appreciate him as a person. He’s awesome,” she enthusiastically remarked.

When asked why she felt Astrup was the right actor to play Kai, Ali explained that his likable personality was key. “He has [a] soft edge to him, something unique,” she stated. “He just had something that people really liked and enjoyed.” She couldn’t exactly put her finger on it but knew the two had some major chemistry.

READ THIS: Check out what’s in store for the citizens of Port Charles next.

Open Communication Goes Both Ways

Trina is focused on her career, and college is a super important component of that for her. So when she found that her art project partner was a no-show and later learned it was football star Kai, she didn’t give him a free pass. Rather, she “held him accountable.” While her friend Josslyn (Eden McCoy) keeps extolling Kai’s superstar virtues, football means nothing to Trina, so she treats him like any other student.

She admires Astrup’s listening and communication skills. The two have developed a good vibe on set. They’re able to share with each other what they’re feeling about a particular scene. “He makes space for me to speak on my ideas, and I try to do the same for him,” she remarked. She praised her co-star because they have a good foundation for further exploring their characters and potential relationships. “When you find somebody that you can connect with and vibe with, that’s a really great thing, and it’s a plus.”