Interview : Robert Palmer Watkins

Robert Palmer Watkins (Dillon)

After your audition, did you feel like you were a shoo-in for the role?

“Not exactly! Two months went by before [Casting Director] Mark Teschner said, “Okay, we’re calling Robert in for the producers.” I was like, “Sure, when is that going to happen?” Let’s just say that I wasn’t holding my breath at that point. But they ended up calling me in three days later and I found out right away that they wanted me to do a screen test.”

Who did you test with? “Emme Rylan [Lulu]. She’s been so awesome to me from the start. Any question I have, from where do I go in the studio to how do I handle my taxes, she helps me with. I don’t know what I would do without here! She’s a beautiful person inside and out.”

Other than Emme, has anyone been a mentor to you on the set? “Jane [Elliot, Tracy], for sure. She’s given me some great advice and when she gives you a compliment, it’s very meaningful because she’s not an ass-kisser [laughs]. And Brytni Sarpy; she started just a little bit before me, so it’s been great to talk to someone who has also just gone through the ringer of, ‘What do we do here?'”

Your mom was a GH fan. Is it surreal for her that you’re on the show? “Oh, totally! She was the one who explained to me what a big deal Like and Laura are, how people used to skip class to watch them. It’s pretty exciting for her that I’m in Port Charles now.”

What are some of the day jobs you held before getting cast on GH? “Man, I worked everywhere! I was a valet, a waiter at a downtown supper club, a greeter at Ambercrombie, a bellman, I did random bartending and catering job, I worked at Pinkberry [frozen yogurt], I worked at iPic movie theaters. let me tell you, this is better!”

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