General Hospital star Nancy Lee Grahn reunites with legendary One Life to Live star Erika Slezak

Erika Slezak's visit to General Hospital is doing more than reuniting the former Viki from One Life to Live with her former TV son, Chris McKenna (Jack; ex-Joey, One Life to Live). Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), who began her daytime career as Beverly Wilkes on OLTL, worked with the legendary actress, and now, she's sharing why their reunion in Port Charles is so significant.

Checking into General Hospital

"My very first job on television was One Life To Live," Grahn recalled on Instagram. "I was finishing school and working on the show as a non-contract recurring character, Beverly Wilkes. I had grown up watching OLTL with my mom and sister, so to be working with Judith Light [Karen], Gerald Anthony [Marco/Mario], and Erika Slezak [Viki] was surreal and thrilling.

"It was four years into this amazing gig, where I remained uncontracted and free to do other things as long [as] I gave them 7 days notice," Grahn continued, "when I was seriously being considered for the role of Stella Siegel in NBC’s The Gangster Chronicles. I was on my 3rd screen test, and it had narrowed down between myself and actress Kathleen Lloyd [who got the role].

"I was being flown from NYC to Los Angeles for that test, and decided to stay in LA regardless," Grahn shared. "Not being under contract, I was [required] to give OLTL seven days' notice. The producer, Joe Stuart, sued me for leaving, even though I had every right to leave.

Victoria, victorious

"I was very young and intimidated by this threat and went to Erika for advice," Grahn reveals. "Erika, without being asked to, went directly into her boss's office and told him in no uncertain terms that what he was doing was unconscionable, mean, and unwarranted. She got right in the middle of a lawsuit and stood up for me, because she believed what her boss was doing to me was wrong and undeserved. She spoke up for me. That’s the kind of woman Erika is.

"In addition to that, she’s an outstanding, consummate, well-awarded actress who was a mentor to me as I watched her and learned up close how to be truthful and effective in this medium," Grahn says. "So, to meet up with her again [at General Hospital] after decades, still beautiful and elegant as always, was a true joy.

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"It is no secret how much I respect and appreciate formidable, courageous women, and Erika is unquestionably one of them," concludes Grahn. "BTW, my case was settled in arbitration and I won. Sending love to all here and grateful we have each other in some very trying times, love, me."

Catch all-new episodes of General Hospital weekdays on ABC and Hulu.

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