Soap Opera
Alimi Ballard Reveals Surprises From ‘General Hospital’s’ Agent Baines: ‘Don’t Judge Him’
Alimi Ballard discusses his ‘General Hospital’ role, reuniting with Laura Wright, and adjusting to soaps’ fast pace after 30 years.
General Hospital fans got their first taste of WSB Agent William Baines on the September 3rd episode. Played by soap alum Alimi Ballard, Baines arrived in Port Charles to investigate Jack Brennan’s (Chris McKenna) disappearance and quickly put junior agent Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) in her place. However, Ballard promises a lot more to come from this new GH character.
Ballard, who got his big TV break in soaps three decades ago playing Frankie Hubbard on both Loving and its short-lived spin-off, The City, is coming into a big storyline as the consequences of Jack’s death are far-reaching across the GH canvas. His first scenes were behind Jack’s desk, questioning Josslyn about what she knows.
Baines seemed determined and hard-nosed, but also revealed a more reasonable side when he allowed Josslyn to volunteer information she offered.
“Don’t judge him on those first couple of minutes,” Ballard said in an interview with TV Insider. “Grade him on a curve. He may surprise you.”
When the opportunity to play Baines first arrived, Ballard jumped at the chance and found a familiar face when he first arrived on the set. Laura Wright, who plays Josslyn’s mother, Carly, and also got her big television break on Loving as Ally Rescott, helped set his mind at ease.
Since departing soaps in 1996, Ballard spent much of his career appearing on primetime procedurals like NCIS, Numb3ers, and Castle, per IMDb, and had to get used to the fast pace of soaps again, which is much faster than it was three decades ago.
“The funniest conversations occurred with Laura and me,” he relayed. “I’m like, ‘What is going on here, Laura?’ And she’s like, ‘Alimi, it’s faster. I told you this. It’s easy. Calm down.’ I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. You do 105 pages in one day?’ … These numbers are freakishly scary, and the pace blew me off my seat.”
Despite the shock he received when he looked at his first script, Ballard is grateful for the chance to create a new daytime character.
“I get emotional,” Ballard said. “I don’t have the right word for what it feels like, but it feels special, and I feel profoundly grateful to be here, period.”
