Spencer Cassadine of General Hospital is in trouble as a legal case awaits him in the upcoming episodes of the daily soap. As such, the character, played by Nicholas Alexander Chavez, is poised to take a leave from the soap. The news of his temporary but long break from the show emerged six months ago as the talented actor signed up for another lucrative project. The challenge for the plot lies in how it navigates his exit without eliminating the character from the storyline.
For those unfamiliar, General Hospital is one of the longest-running American daily soap operas that is set in the fictional city of Port Charles. Premiering in 1963 on ABC, the soap revolves around mainly the Quartermaine and Spencer families, with other families and related characters joining in the plot. The show has already aired over 15,000 episodes, completing 60 years of airing in April 2023.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers and suggests the reader’s discretion.
Nicholas Chavez’s Spencer is set to leave General Hospital
![Spencer is a significant character in the soap's plot (Image via X@General Hospital)](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/628eb-17058341249903-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/628eb-17058341249903-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/628eb-17058341249903-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/628eb-17058341249903-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/628eb-17058341249903-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/628eb-17058341249903-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/628eb-17058341249903-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/628eb-17058341249903-1920.jpg 1920w)
Deadline’s June 29 article reported that actor Nicholas Chavez has been cast as Lyle Menendez in the Netflix anthology series Monster. The talented actor, who received a Daytime Emmy Award in 2022 for Outstanding Young Performer in a Drama Series, will play the convicted co-murderer in season 2 of the Netflix show.
The actor is said to be living his dream after being cast as Spencer in General Hospital. He told People in an interview about being a car salesperson before landing his role as Spencer. However, the character is an integral part of the story, and ABC does not plan to cut it short. As such, the plot plans to grant Chavez a leave of absence and twist the story to make that plausible.
How is Spencer’s character arc spanning out in General Hospital?
For those unfamiliar with Spencer Cassadine of General Hospital, he is the son of Nikolas Cassadine and the late Courtney Matthews. Spencer, who spent most of his childhood in European boarding schools, returned to Port Charles after the completion of his studies.
Recently, he was seen fighting for the custody of his little brother, baby Ace, from his ex-girlfriend Esme, played by Avery Pohl. He was supported by his current girlfriend, Trina, played by Tabyana Ali. Trina is the best he has received in terms of love and comfort, as Spencer lost his mother at a young age and had to stay away from his mostly absent dad.
While he was slated to accompany Trina on her visit to Europe, things are not looking very positive at Port Charles for Spencer. Before Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Spencer Cassadine was played by Nicolas Bechtel on the long-lasting soap.
What are the spoilers for Spencer’s storyline in General Hospital?
While it looked like Spencer’s travel to Europe with Trina would be the plot arc of General Hospital that would justify his absence from the show, the story has taken a twist with Esme trying to break the two lovers apart. While Trina will take her semester abroad as planned, Spencer will need to stay back at Port Charles for more serious issues.
The recent events have put Spencer in a fix as Esme Prince brought legal action against him. She reported to PCPD about Spencer handing over baby Ace Cassadine to Nikolas. With PCPDs alert about Nikolas’s return to Port Charles, the kidnapped Ace, and Spencer’s involvement, they will spring into action.
Nikolas, already a fugitive from justice, will be easier to trace now that a child kidnapping case is open. However, with the ongoing investigation for the same and a looming prosecution, Spencer will not be able to take his trip abroad.
With Esme looking to play her cards right, baby Ace would help land Nikolas in prison alongside his son Spencer. If officials look into Esme’s history after Spencer opens up about his side of the story, she could land in jail paying for her past crimes.
Whether it is Spencer’s jail time, his trip to Europe with Trina, or, alternately, his desperate run to find Nikolas and Ace, Chavez’s Spencer will need one of the many excuses to stay away from General Hospital for a while.
To find out what happens to the characters in the story, continue watching General Hospital on ABC on weekdays.
Obsessed with Crosswords, Wordle, and other word games? Take our quick survey and let us get to know you better!