‘General Hospital’ Casts Hallmark Fave Jonathan Bennett to Play Joe Fitzpatrick

From the world of holiday movies to Port Charles! Hallmark veteran Jonathan Bennett has joined the cast of General Hospital.

Bennett will play Joe Fitzpatrick on the soap, and he’ll make his first appearance in May. “We’re so excited to have Jonathan joining our cast. He’s a tremendous talent and will be a fantastic addition to GH,” executive producer Frank Valentini said in a statement.

As of now, we don’t know if Joe Fitzpatrick will have any connection to the characters in Port Charles. Will he be a romantic love interest for one of the GH mainstays? Could his character have ulterior motives? Answers will be revealed in due time.

In the years since his breakout role as Aaron Samuels in Mean Girls, Bennett has become a Hallmark powerhouse. He’s starred in beloved holiday hits like Christmas on Cherry Lane and A Keller Christmas Vacation. The actor was one of the leads of The Groomsmen trilogy alongside Tyler Hynes and B.J. Britt. He’s also the cocreator, executive producer, and host of Finding Mr. Christmas, a reality series searching for the next Hallmark hunk. Bennett, who also hosts Food Network’s Halloween Wars, recently emceed the 2026 GLAAD Media Awards.

Bennett’s role on General Hospital marks the Finding Mr. Christmas host’s return to ABC soap operas. He played J.R. Chandler on All My Children from 2001 to 2002 after Jesse McCartney stepped away from the role.

There’s a natural connection between Hallmark stars and soap operas. Alison Sweeney is a longtime Days of Our Lives star and Hallmark icon. Hunter King rose to fame on The Young and the Restless before becoming one of Hallmark’s newest stars. Cameron Mathison and Ryan Paevey, who play Drew Cain and Nathan West/Cassius on GH, have a history with Hallmark.

General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC