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Soap opera legend Genie Francis received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards on October 30. General Hospital The star’s longtime husband, Jonathan Frakes, presented her with the award at the ceremony.
In addition to her beloved husband, Francis had her two children by her side for this special evening. “I would like to once again thank my children for putting up with a mother who went to work, but I had a passion. It just wouldn’t be me. And as always, I thank my husband for his unwavering support and love. Truly, my cup overflows,” Francis said during his emotional speech.
The Daytime Emmy winner and Star Trek: The Next Generation The stars have quite the Hollywood romance, but their romance didn’t start on a daytime soap opera. After an initial meeting, the now-married couple didn’t reconnect until a few years later. another together. As the daytime world celebrates Francis’ decades-long career in soap operas, notably as Laura in GH, Faint takes a deep dive into his real-life relationship and family.
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How did Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes meet?
Francis and Frakes first met on the set of the short-lived primetime soap opera titled Naked gasoline in 1982. At the time, Francis was only 20 years old and Frakes ten years older. “She was too young for me!” Frakes told People. The series ended in 1983.
The actors were later cast in the 1985 Civil War miniseries. North and South. “So we were on location in Charleston and Natchez, and we fell in love – and now somehow she wasn’t too young for me. So we’ve been together since our first date on North and South when we took a break for Memorial Day and went to New Orleans 38 years ago,” Frakes said in 2023.
During filming North and SouthBoth Francis and Frakes developed a crush on each other. Their co-star, Kirstie Alley, urged them to get together. “I saw Jonathan again and I fell in love. It was almost like we had never seen each other before,” Francis said on Maurice Benard’s show. Mindset podcast. “I remember the first moment I put my hand in his and I knew I was going to stay there.” Frakes said on the podcast that they have been together since Francis’ 23rd birthday.
How long have Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes been married?
It didn’t take long for Francis and Frakes to realize they wanted to spend their lives together. They were married on May 28, 1988.
On the Mindset podcast, Francis opened up about his social anxiety. She admitted that Frakes is a very social person and that it was a “journey” in their marriage to find a balance that worked for them.
Do Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes have children?
The couple have two children together. Their first child, Jameson, was born on August 20, 1994. Their daughter, Eliza, was born on May 30, 1997. Eliza followed in her parents’ acting footsteps. She even played the role of PA Julie in three episodes General Hospital.
For a time, the couple and their children lived in Belfast, Maine. Frakes even taught film at Rockport College. They have since moved to California.
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