'General Hospital' Casts 'Alien' Actress Veronica Cartwright in New, Secret Role

Port Charles is about to get a heavy dose of veteran acting from Veronica Cartwright, who was cast as a secret role on General Hospital, Entertainment Weekly reports.

Cartwright, best known for her work in Alien, The Witches of Eastwick and L.A. Law, will join the ABC soap opera for a special five-episode arc — but that's all the info the network will give out, with writers wanting to make her arrival a surprise.

However, a photo of Cartwright on the show published by EW shows her opposite Maura West, who plays Ava Jerome, which may offer fans a glimpse into what writers may have in mind.

General Hospital fans should keep their eyes peeled in early July, which is reportedly when Cartwright will make her appearance.

The 70-year-old actress was last seen as a fortune teller in Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. She's worked nonstop in TV and film since her breakout role in the 1961 movie The Children's Hour. Big movie credits of hers include Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Right Stuff, The Witches of Eastwick and Alien.

Another newbie making their way to General Hospital will be Cynthia Watros, who played Libby on Lost and will make her debut later this month.

Watros, who is replacing longtime soap veteran Michelle Stafford as Nina Reeves, will first appear in the June 17 episode.

The first official photos of Watros as Nina, the editor of Crimson magazine, show her offering to help cover the costs of Jordan's (Briana Henry) mounting medical bills, but Curtis (Donnell Turner) politely declining her offer. Later on, Nina talks to Valentin about Curtis (James Patrick Stewart), who might have a better idea. See the photos published by Entertainment Tonight by clicking here.

Early last month, Stafford and Watros both shared a photo on the General Hospital set. "Just two actors talkin' about acting today," Stafford captioned her post on Twitter, along with the hashtag #Nina.

Stafford originated the role of Nina on the soap in 2014, with news of her departure surfacing in April. She will vacate the role to return to The Young and the Restless as Phyllis Sommers, the role she played for 16 years.

General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for specific times.

Photo credit: David Livingston / Contributor / Getty