EDMONTON – In an industry that has taken a number of hits in recent years, a home-grown soap opera star has continued to make strides.
Alberta’s own Jason Thompson moved from his role on General Hospital, where he played a family man and doctor, to The Young and the Restless.
“After 10 years of doing General Hospital it was time to change things up a bit,” Thompson said. “It was an amazing run. I never dreamed I would be there for that long.”
Thompson will take over the part of Billy Abbott on The Young and the Restless, a character who has been in a coma for weeks.
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“He’s an integral character to the show and there’s a lot of responsibility to be withheld,” Thompson added.
“I have to rise to the occasion and that’s a challenge which I was excited about and still am.”
The St. Albert born actor continues to keep close ties to Alberta. He is still a partner in Edmonton’s Red Star Pub, The Bower, and Lock Stock Coffee. He also comes back to visit his parents in St. Albert on holidays.
Louise and Phil Thompson said their son used to hate having his photo taken but when the family took a trip to Los Angeles something changed.
“When he was 12 we went down to Disneyland and he said then ‘I’m coming back to live here,'” Louise said.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing for the Hollywood star. The Thompsons told Global News they remember the early struggles their son went through.
“He always had a for sale sign that he would keep in his car,” Phil remembered. “And it would sometimes go in the window and sometimes it came down if he got a job.”
Jason made his debut on The Young and the Restless on Jan. 12, 2016.
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