General Hospital star Donnell Turner celebrates 10 years as Curtis Ashford

General Hospital star Donnell Turner is celebrating 10 years as leading man Curtis Ashford. A longtime viewer of GH, his role in Port Charles is especially meaningful to him.

General Hospital, a decade of Donnell

Donnell Turner as Curtis on General Hospital | Disney/Bahareh Ritter

Turner, a long-time fan of GH, was thrilled that he screentested opposite Finola Hughes, a Daytime Emmy-winner for her role as Anna Devane. “I almost melted," Turner told TV Insider. He recalled watching Hughes on GH and how he loved to listen to the way in which Hughes spoke.

Even after he landed the role of Curtis, Turner still needed time to process the enormity of the opportunity. After leaving the lot on his second day, he had to pull over and take in what was before him. He was realizing that his life was changing all for the better. He likens being hired by GH as if he were a fan of the LA Dodgers baseball team, and he was being hired by that very team to play ball with them.

While it was flattering that the role of Curtis was created for him (Turner had originally tested for another part), he shared that it took some time for the show to find out where his character was going. Still, he believed that the show was invested in him and his character, crediting showrunner Frank Valentini and the GH writers for their vision.

Like everyone at GH, Turner laments the passing of the show's iconic actor, the late Tristan Rogers, who played Robert Scorpio on and off the show since 1980.

"We traveled a lot together," Turner says. "I heard a lot of his wonderful stories, and I was all ears. I loved it.”

What's happened and what's ahead

Donnell Turner as Curtis on General Hospital | Image: Disney/Bahareh Ritter

The actor says that he fully embraced the story of Curtis being revealed as Trina's (Tabyana Ali) father. "Nice and soap," he raved. Currently, Curtis appears to be torn between his pregnant wife, Portia (Brook Kerr), and his ex, Jordan (Tanisha Harper). "I like where it’s going," he has said.

Above all else, Turner says he's immensely grateful for the life he's had and continues to have in Port Charles. He appreciates the stability, longevity, and the feeling of respect and being heard he has at the ABC soap opera. "I'm grateful beyond words," he says.