Wil Traval arrived on General Hospital as the mysterious Jude, but the bigger surprise may be how quickly Port Charles began to feel like home for him. The Australian actor expected a short guest stint when he first auditioned, only to wind up with a contract after a chemistry read with Kelly Thiebaud. Now, after years of primetime work and a difficult stretch recovering from a serious car accident, Traval says GH has brought back something he had been missing.
Key Takeaways
- Wil Traval’s chemistry read with Kelly Thiebaud helped turn a short GH guest role into a contract.
- Traval said the pace of daytime television surprised him, but quickly made him feel at home.
- Joining GH gave Traval a renewed sense of happiness after a difficult period of recovery.
- His new role as Jude marks a major shift from his mostly primetime television career.
Wil Traval Clicked With Kelly Thiebaud Right Away
Traval spoke to TV Insider about joining GH and how quickly things changed once he read opposite Thiebaud (Britt). What began as a small role suddenly became something much bigger after producers saw what the two actors had together. “I can’t speak more highly of her,” he said. “I think she’s fantastic. It’s the biggest delight in my life to be working with her.”
That chemistry read helped turn what Traval believed would be a brief appearance into a contract role. He admitted the offer caught him completely off guard, especially since he was still recovering from a car accident that left him with a broken back when the audition came through. Port Charles apparently decided one mysterious bar encounter was not nearly enough.
Traval also discovered very quickly that daytime television operates at a different speed than the primetime shows he knew. “You’ve got to be a marathon runner versus a great sprinter,” he explained. He called the workload rigorous and fast-paced, but he clearly respected the actors who thrive in that environment.
READ THIS: Get ready for the surprises brewing on GH.
GH Gave Wil Traval His Smile Back
His first day may have felt bewildering, but Traval soon realized he was exactly where he wanted to be. The pace, camaraderie, and sheer amount of work reminded him of his years on the Australian medical drama All Saints. That familiarity helped him settle in much faster than he expected.
More importantly, the job seems to have given Traval a genuine emotional lift. “There’s something about it; I’m in my element,” he said. He realized just how happy he had become when people at the gym started looking at him, and he figured out why: he was walking around smiling.
For Traval, that happiness may be the best part of the whole experience. “It’s returned me to a stupidly grinning happy man,” he admitted. Considering Jude has barely introduced himself to Port Charles, that grin may be sticking around for quite a while.
