Veteran Soap Opera Actress Returns for First Time in Over a Decade

It was a no-brainer for One Life to Live legend Erika Slezak to return to the world of soap operas when offered a role on General Hospital.

The 79-year-old actress, who won six Daytime Emmys playing Viki Lord on One Life to Live from 1971 to 2012, recently wrapped a story arc on the ABC soap playing the sister of Leslie Charleson’s character, Monica Quartermaine. (Charleson died in January at the age of 79.)

Slezak told PEOPLE Friday that General Hospital producer Frank Valentini approached her with the role of Ronnie Bard, convincing her to take the gig when he told her she’d be working with fellow daytime drama icon Jane Elliot “a lot.”

“I went, ‘Yep, I’ll do it,’ because she is probably one of the best actresses I’ve ever worked with in my life. She’s amazing,” said Slezak.

Elliot, 78, made her debut as Tracy Quartermaine on General Hospital in 1978, and has also appeared on All My Children, Days of Our Lives and The City. Throughout her career, Elliot has earned four Daytime Emmy Award nominations, with one win.

“I’ve never known anyone who could say the worst, nastiest, meanest things in the world with a smile on her face and make it work,” Slezak said of her recent co-star.

The actress admitted that it was a bit of a tough readjustment to learning all the dialogue that comes with a soap role. “In the beginning, I had a lot of trouble, especially with the long speeches, where I would just in the middle of a speech go, ‘I have no idea what I say next,’” she said.

It was Elliot who stepped up to help her, suggesting weekend Zoom rehearsals. “And I went, ‘Great,’ and I hung up and I called my son and I said, ‘How do I Zoom?’” Slezak said. “And he taught me how to do it. It was very generous of her to give up her time. She’s a really nice woman, very smart woman.”

Slezak’s arc as Ronnie wrapped in early November, but when asked about a return for her character in the future, the actress said simply, “We’ll see.”