From All My Children’s heartthrob to General Hospital’s bad boy—how does Cameron Mathison navigate his surprising villain era after 30 years on daytime TV?
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Why did Cameron Mathison suddenly turn into a villain?
At age 55, the experienced soap star shocked fans when his character Drew Cain on General Hospital turned into an unforgiving bad guy who slept with his nephew’s wife, betrayed his family, and made frustrated viewers throw things at the screen.
“His character has taken a drastic turn.” “His character has taken a drastic turn,” he joked during his April 14 visit on Live with Kelly and Mark.
How does this role compare to his famous role in “All My Children”?
The reaction right now feels eerily like it happened before.
When Mathison came on as Ryan Lavery in 1998, he messed up one of AMC’s most popular couples, Hayley (Kelly Ripa) and Mateo (Mark Consuelos).
He laughed and said, “I had a bus driver yell, ‘Stay away from Hayley!'” What’s the joke? In contrast to today’s villains, young Mathison kept saying, “I’m a good guy!” even though everyone in the room didn’t agree.
What Made the Hayley/Mateo/Ryan Love Triangle So Explosive?
The drama peaked when
- Ryan faced false rape accusations
- Hayley risked jail to defend him
- Envious Mateo didn’t like how close they were. It was a surprise when the foes ended up becoming friends, which is not at all what Drew wants to happen. In real life, Ripa and Consuelos met on the set and fell in love. They got married in 1996 and left AMC in 2002.
Will Drew Cain’s fans ever forgive him?
Mathison’s success shows that people who watch afternoon shows remember both heroes and criminals for a long time.
After AMC cancelled the show in 2011, he joined General Hospital in 2021, where he surprised everyone by playing a villainous role.
“Now I get apples thrown at me,” he joked, implying that writers today are making his character’s fall even worse.
We are uncertain if Drew undergoes a transformation or finds pleasure in his depravity, but one thing remains certain: Mathison’s ability to evoke strong emotions persists even after 30 years.