Who Is General Hospital Star Genie Francis' Husband, Jonathan Frakes?
Genie Francis' real-life love life is as riveting as her on-screen romances on "General Hospital." Francis joined the show in 1977 as Laura Webber when she was just a teen. Five years into her career she became one of the most beloved characters in daytime television thanks to her on-screen romance with Luke Spencer, played by Anthony Geary. The couple's romance on "General Hospital" became all anyone could talk about. Luke and Laura's wedding was the "highest-rated moment in daytime history with 30 million" soap fanatics watching from home, per People.
While we know Francis' love life on-screen is gripping, what about her real-life romances? The "General Hospital" star's marriage to Jonathan Frakes seems just as swoon-worthy as Laura and Luke's. The couple met in 1982, but it wasn't until six years later that they decided to make the ultimate commitment to one another and walk down the aisle, per Amo Mama. Ever since then, the couple's love has only grown as they welcomed two children into their lives.
Despite how picture-perfect the couple's life seems, Francis admits that marriage is a lot of work. She told The Philadelphia Inquirer, "[Y]ou find ways to work through what's going on between you and your partner. Because, that's what marriage is: an agreement to work through it." Now, the couple has been married for more than 30 years, but fans still want to know more about Francis' husband, Frakes.
Jonathan Frakes is a director
Lights, camera, action! The Frakes and Francis household is filled with creativity. As we know, Genie Francis is an actor on the hit soap opera "General Hospital," but she's not the only one in their family who knows a thing or two about the entertainment world.
Frakes went from acting on television, to directing going behind the camera. According to the Observer, Frakes played Commander William Riker on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," but although he enjoyed acting, what he really wanted to do was direct. Frakes shot his shot by asking Rick Berman, the show's producer, if he could direct an episode. Berman wasn't sure Frakes was experienced enough and encouraged him to go to school. Instead, Frakes took the opportunity to shadow every aspect of what happens behind the cameras. He was finally given a shot to direct an episode called "The Offspring" on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The episode ended up becoming a complete success and was just the beginning for Frakes, as he went on to direct several "Star Trek" spin-off shows.
When it came to his directing style, Frakes was willing to be adventurous. He shared with Variety, "I wouldn't say I broke any boundaries. But I wasn't told not to do it, so I did it. I was very big on connecting questions to answers." The director was good at what he did, and it showed with each project on which he worked.
Genie Francis rejected Jonathan Frakes first proposal
Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes have been married for 35 years and counting, per Soap Hub. But you would be surprised to discover that the couple's romance came close to not happening. Francis and Frakes met in 1982 on the set of the soap opera "Bare Essence." However, it wasn't until the second time the two crossed paths that their connection became evident.
In 1985, Francis and Frakes starred in the series "North and South," per People. Something about the period piece made the two notice one another's gorgeous looks. Francis shared, "The guys looked so dashing, and the women looked so gorgeous. We all looked good!" The "General Hospital" star became giddy over the director and had a full-blown "big crush" on him. Frakes knew Francis was the one, but the soap actor wasn't as sure. After the director got down on one knee and proposed to Francis, she rejected him!
Francis had grown up on the set of "General Hospital" and didn't have a lot of the experiences that other women her age had, per People. She shared, "I was scared." Instead of becoming engaged, the actor wanted to go on dates with Frakes to make sure he was the one. She said, "We went to a McDonald's and sat in a church parking lot and talked. Our wild lives!" Although the couple took a slower approach, it clearly worked, as they still are happily in love.