General Hospitals Luke and Laura had their original moment in the sun at their wedding, 26 years ago. Now, with her win at the Daytime Emmys, Genie Francis is shining once again.
It has been a long, hard road back for this former fallen teen star and shes got a few words of warning for the young women following in her footsteps.
I worry an awful lot about these young women that I see, Francis told Access Hollywood.
My heart breaks. Id like to get that little Lindsay Lohan and rock her. You know shes not a grown up yet. Shes still a little girl.
The words come from one who knows all too well. Genie Francis was only 14 years old when she started on General Hospital in 1976, skyrocketing almost immediately to mega-stardom as half of Americas favorite couple, Luke and Laura. And just as in Lindsays case, early fame had its pitfalls.
We have so many similarities in our story, Francis says. I thinkI was lucky. You know that God pulled me through.
Both Genie and Lindsay have struggled with drugs and alcohol as well as weight issues, which Genie says were an obsession.
I never felt that I had a good figure even when I was at my thinnest. Even when I was 114 pounds I didn’t feel right, she sighed. I think women are given this unfair standard of a body type which you know some of have naturally and some of us don’t but you know we all strive to make ourselves look like this perfect female.
Now, at 45, Genie is healthy and strong. This season she returned to GH for a month-long stint that earned her a Daytime Emmy and shes dropped 20 pounds. This time, its for the right reasons.
I don’t think it’s an obsession today, no. I’m losing this weight right now because this is for me, she said.
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