2025 Dinner w Mark
Soap Opera Digest, November 9, 2025
General Hospital’s Erika Slezak Dishes Reunions With Former One Life to Live Husband and Son (Excl) Link
When six-time Daytime Emmy winner Erika Slezak (ex-Victoria, One Life to Live) agreed to sign on the dotted line at General Hospital for her just-concluded limited run as Ronnie Bard, the surprise younger sister of the late Monica Quartermaine (Leslie Charleson), she told Soap Opera Digest that she was especially looking forward to the opportunity to act alongside soap icon Jane Elliot (Tracy). But as an added bonus, while the actress was in Los Angeles, she also had the chance to reconnect with several friends from her OLTL days, including one of her former leading men.
Life Goes On
Slezak says that she cherished the opportunities she had on the GH set to share scenes with former OLTL cast members who have since taken up residence in Port Charles, a list that includes Josh Kelly (Cody; ex-Cutter, OLTL) and Amanda Setton (Brook Lynn; ex-Kim, OLTL). “It was wonderful, the way the writers put me together with all my old One Life to Live pals in one way or another,” she praises.
Of particularly sentimental value was the day she got to work with Chris McKenna (Jack Brennan), who played Viki’s son Joey from 1990-93. “Chris McKenna, my darling Joey, who grew up to be the most handsome and wonderful actor,” Slezak smiles. “He brought his family to the studio one day while I was there. When he was 11 and he started on One Life as Joey, because he was a minor, he always had to have an adult with him and it was always his mother, Marianne. And Marianne and I got very close; we spent a lot of time talking. She came to visit that day, along with his gorgeous, stunning wife [Lovisa] and beautiful little baby, Spencer. Getting to meet them all, that was such a treat.”
Away from the studio, not only did Slezak spend a memorable evening catching up with Llanview alums Roger Howarth (ex-Todd; Matt/Mitch, Young and Restless) and Tuc Watkins (ex-David) at Watkins’s L.A. abode, but she got together for another meal with actor Mark Derwin, who played one of Viki’s many husbands, Ben Davidson, from 1999-2002.
“I had dinner one night with Mark and his very long-term partner, Toni, who I’d never met before,” Slezak reports. “I’ve always loved Mark; Mark and I got along so well, and I loved working with him. We enjoyed the work we did together [as Viki and Ben] so much. So, it was a pleasure to see him, even though I talked to Toni most of the time in the restaurant!”
That’s because Derwin’s significant other made a very fast and very good impression on his former TV wife, who describes her as “the most wonderful, charming, beautiful woman in the world.” Says Slezak with a chuckle, “I turned to Mark at one point and I said, ‘Look, I’m not ignoring you, I’m just really interested in Toni!’ I wrote to Mark afterwards and I said, ‘Very good choice on your part — probably not sure a good choice on her part [laughs].’ What a lovely woman.”