Though still unconfirmed by the network, the whispers that David Lago (ex-Raul Guittierez, The Young and the Restless) is joining the cast of General Hospital are getting a lot louder. According to show sources, Lago has been tapped for the coveted role of Dante, the eldest - and until recently, unknown -- son of Sonny Corinthos from an affair he had with Olivia Falconeri.
Lago is best known to daytime viewers for his five year run on CBS's The Young and the Restless. His 2004 exit was shrouded in mystery, a mystery that was made even odder during the actor's subsequent Emmy win the following year. Lago, nominated four previous times in the Outstanding Younger Actor field, finally took home the trophy on his fifth nomination. Fans who thought that the actor would have had years of acceptance speeches to pull his "thank you's" from where surprised when the actor instead cited lines from the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can.
"Oh my God, I should have been fired years ago," Lago said from the stage. "Two more mice fell in the bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. Now the second mouse wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he turned the cream into butter and crawled out. Ladies, gentlemen, mom, dad, as of this moment I am that second mouse."
Since being let go from The Young and the Restless, Lago has focused his attention on building his film career. He has appeared in four feature films and three shorts. His most recent project, The Commune, is currently in post-production.
Astute readers will remember that two-time Emmy winner Tom Pelphrey (ex-Jonathan Randall, Guiding Light) was once considered the leading candidate for the role of Dante. In September, Soap Central first reported on the possibility of the former Guiding Light star jumping to ABC. Pelphrey reportedly turned down the role, but show sources have since hinted that General Hospital's overture to Pelphrey was designed more to strong-arm Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) into re-signing with the show.
An ABC spokesperson noted that it is not network policy to comment on rumors.
