Finola Hughes reflects on decades of 'General Hospital'

NEW YORK -- "General Hospital" taped its 15,000th episode this past June, and it will pass another milestone early next year when the show celebrates its 60th anniversary on ABC.

It is the longest running American soap opera still on the air.

Finola Hughes first joined the cast back in the Spring of 1985, and all these years later, she finds her character, Anna Devane, involved in a steamy, love affair with Valentin Cassadine, played by James Patrick Stuart.

Their on-screen relationship has been praised as "authentic" and "electric," which is all the more unusual because both stars are veterans with decades of acting experience.

"Being in Hollywood, you're reminded constantly that it's done. You're over, and we're not," Finola said. "And, I like to think that maybe I'm holding a torch for women everywhere."

The two characters are one-time enemies who found love this past summer of "General Hospital."

The show's writers took their time bringing the pair together.

"I don't want to rush this," Valentin tells Anna, to which she replies, "we can go slow next time."

"People have sort of gone a little crazy about it," Finola continued. "Twitter kind of blew up, and I have to say at this stage in my life for people to react that well to a love scene on television, I was amazed."

Even more interesting were the tweets of some younger fans.

"They weren't sure about watching this because it was grown-grown people, and I really liked that," she said. "And I retweeted that because it was, two grown people on television in bed."

Finola calls this "gratifying" after a career that has spanned so many decades.

After all, 40 years have passed since she was in "Staying Alive" opposite John Travolta on the big screen.

"Maybe we're just starting to regard women that they don't have a 'sell by' date," she said. "It would be nice. It's a battle hard won."

"General Hospital" airs every weekday afternoon on ABC.