‘GH’ Why Producers Snubbed Original Jagger Actor Antonio Sabato Jr.
John “Jagger” Cates returned to General Hospital on the February 2 episode of the popular ABC soap opera. However, he looked very different than the last time that fans saw him as Antonio Saboato Jr. didn’t return. Adam Harrington took over the role when Jagger returned to the soap. It also seems that the previous man who played him isn’t happy about it.
Here is what Antonio Sabato Jr. said about the re-casting of Jagger on General Hospital.
Who was Antonio Sabato Jr.’s Jagger on General Hospital?
John “Jagger’ Cates was on General Hospital from 1992 to 1994, and again in the fall of 1995. Antonio Sabato Jr. played the role at the time and returned to the role for the spinoff Night Shift in 2008. However, that was the last time anyone saw him on the soap opera.
Originally, Jagger was part of a group of punks who broke into Kelly’s in 1992 on General Hospital. However, he tried to protect the owner, Ruby, and was shot for it. While in General Hospital, the police wanted him to turn on his fellow gang members, but he refused. Ruby wouldn’t press charges and he was released from jail. She then gave him a job, and his rehabilitation began.
This also put him at odds with Jason Quartermaine (Steve Burton) because both men fell for Karen at the time. One of his old gang member friends, Cal, caught up to them and when he attacked Karen, Jagger seemingly killed him, although Cal survived. Eventually, Sonny Corinthos put out a hit on Jagger, which caused him to leave town and start working to become a police officer. He and Karen eventually left Port Charles together.
When Jagger returned in 2008, he and Karen were divorced. He had a five-year-old son named Stone, named after his late brother. Thanks to Robin Scorpio, Jagger learned his son was autistic and he returned to San Francisco with him to live once again.
Now, Jagger is back.
Antonio Sabato Jr. on General Hospital recasting Jagger
The new Jagger on General Hospital is played by Adam Harrington. He showed up at Kelly’s and introduced himself to Carly Spencer as John. Soon, he and his fellow agents stopped Anna Devane and Jordan Ashford as they tried to stop some gun runners and Anna recognized Jagger.
However, this was a very different-looking Jagger thanks to the new actor. When asked about the re-casting, Antonio Sabato Jr. made it clear it wasn’t his choice. The actor posted an Instagram post that he has since deleted about the move. He said he had not been asked to come back to General Hospital for 30 years (via The US Sun). This seemingly ignores the fact he was on the spinoff just 16 years ago.
“The producers at General Hospital, ABC, and Disney, they know where to find me. They know where I am,” he said. He also hinted that his outspoken political beliefs might have caused him to lose out on the role. “I shouldn’t be hired on my political views. I should be hired on my merit,” he wrote. Sabato Jr. claims he was blacklisted in Hollywood after speaking at the 2016 Republican National Convention (via Variety).
His replacement, Adam Harrington, has a huge list of credits to his name. He has appeared on Dexter, CSI, Smallville, Queer as Folk, and the reality TV show What Not to Wear.
Do you miss Antonio Sabato Jr. as Jagger on General Hospital? Do you not care as long as the new actor can carry the role? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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I miss Antonio. I would love for him to come back.