Why James Patrick Stuart Is So Beloved As General Hospital’s Valentin

He was supposedly the worst of the Cassadines but considering the source was Helena Cassadine, perhaps we should have known better. Instead, Valentin Cassadine has become one of the most beloved characters on General Hospital — thanks to the charm, wit, and panache of his incredible portrayer, James Patrick Stuart.

James Patrick Stuart Makes Us Root For Valentin Cassadine

We aren’t saying that Valentin isn’t still a scoundrel most of the time — he’s definitely that, often making life difficult for other Port Charles characters we adore but like any good antihero or villain, we see what drives him. It’s his quest to find and be loved and we can’t help but want that for him.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that actor Stuart has chemistry with everyone on the canvas, whether his character is in love with them, friends with them, or actually related to them. If he’d had a scene with Roxy the lizard, we bet he would have stolen her heart too. And General Hospital has wisely spread the actor around, letting him create sparks all over the place!

He is hilarious in scenes with his sister/cousin Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) or his best friend Martin Grey (Michael E. Knight), melt-your-heart sweet with his daughter Charlotte Cassadine (Scarlett Fernandez), formidable against any and all Quartermaines, and darn sexy with fellow spy Anna Devane (Finola Hughes).

It’s probably why fans and other characters continue to forgive him for his ‘slight’ transgressions, like trying to kill Nikolas Cassadine (Marcus Coloma), Spencer Cassadine (Nicholas Alexander Chavez), or Ava Jerome Cassadine (Maura West), because he isn’t a twist-your-mustache villain. The show and the actor have worked hard to develop the layers, so we can see what makes him tick. Heck, most of us even root for him against nicer, more beloved characters — and that’s a feat worth admiration!

General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Port Charles, check out all the latest that’s been posted on GH spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.