Liesl Obrecht is a fictional character on the long-running
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
daytime
Daytime as observed on Earth is the period of the day during which a given location experiences natural illumination from direct sunlight. Daytime occurs when the Sun appears above the local horizon, that is, anywhere on the globe's hemis ...
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
, ''
General Hospital
''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
'', played by
Kathleen Gati
Kathleen Gati (born 13 August 1957) is a US-based Canadian actress. She is known for portraying Liesl Obrecht on the ABC daytime soap opera '' General Hospital''. She appeared on the television series ''Leverage'' in 2009.
Career
At the age o ...
. The character was created by head writer
Ron Carlivati
Ronald David Carlivati (born November 25, 1968) is an American screenwriter. He is best known for his tenures as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap operas ''One Life to Live'' and ''General Hospital''. He is currently serving a position as head w ...
and introduced by executive producer
Frank Valentini
Frank Valentini is the executive producer for the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. He previously held the position of executive producer, director, and composer for the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live''. From 1986 to 1992 he worked as stag ...
in the summer of 2012 in what was initially supposed to be a bit role.
Gati's Dr. Obrecht is the director of the Swiss clinic where the presumed dead
Dr. Robin Scorpio (
Kimberly McCullough
Kimberly Anne McCullough (born March 5, 1978) is an American actress and television director. She is best known for her role as Robin Scorpio on the soap opera ''General Hospital'', a role which she originated at age seven, playing the characte ...
) is being imprisoned by the infamous
Cesar Faison
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, it originally was set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the c ...
(
Anders Hove).
Impressed by Gati's portrayal of the character, the producers expanded the role and in early 2013 Obrecht was revealed to be the mother of the scheming
Dr. Britt Westbourne (
Kelly Thiebaud
Kelly Hager Thiebaud"The Good-Bye Girl." ''ABC Soaps In Depth''. January 5, 2015. pg. 45. (born on August 28, 1982) is an American actress and model best known for her portrayal of Dr. Britt Westbourne on ABC daytime soap opera, ''General Hospit ...
) fathered by the legendary Faison himself. Obrecht schemes to help Britt win the affections of Robin's husband,
Dr. Patrick Drake (
Jason Thompson) and later
Nikolas Cassadine
Nikolas Cassadine is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Originated by actor Tyler Christopher in 1996, he left the show on July 14, 1999. Due to Nikolas' importance on the soap, he was imm ...
(
Tyler Christopher) by impregnating Britt with
Dante
Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
(
Dominic Zamprogna
Dominic Zamprogna (, ; born April 21, 1979) is a Canadian actor and voice artist. He is perhaps best known for his roles on the television series '' Edgemont'', ''Battlestar Galactica'' and ''General Hospital''.
Early life
Zamprogna was born in ...
) and
Lulu Falconeri (
Emme Rylan
Emme Marcy Rylan (born Marcy Faith Behrens; November 4, 1980) is an American actress. From 2005 until 2013, she was credited as Marcy Rylan. She is best known for her portrayals on the CBS soap operas ''Guiding Light'' as Lizzie Spaulding and ''T ...
)'s embryo. Obrecht also develops a rivalry with Faison's longtime obsession and Robin's mother,
Anna Devane
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
(
Finola Hughes
Finola Hughes (born 29 October 1959) is an English actress, best known for her role as Anna Devane on the ABC soap operas ''General Hospital'' and ''All My Children'', and her portrayal of Laura in the 1983 film '' Staying Alive'', the sequel ...
). In 2014, in addition to becoming chief of staff at ''General Hospital'', Obrecht is revealed to be the biological mother of Detective
Nathan West
Nathan or Natan may refer to:
People
*Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name
*Nathan (surname)
*Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible
*Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David and ...
(
Ryan Paevey
Ryan Jacob Paevey-Vlieger (born September 24, 1984), better known as Ryan Paevey ( ), is an American model and actor, best known for his role as Nathan West on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Early life
Paevey was born in Torrance, Cali ...
), raised by her estranged sister,
Madeline Reeves (
Donna Mills
Donna Mills (born Donna Jean Miller on December 11, 1940) is an American actress. She began her television career in 1966 with a recurring role on ''The Secret Storm'', and in the same year appeared on Broadway in the Woody Allen comedy '' Don ...
). Gati took a break from the role in 2020. She last appeared on 13 April 2020. She returned on 28 September 2020.
Development
Casting and creation
"They needed a German doctor to say a few things and then go" Gati remarked to ''Soaps In Depth'' of how her character came to be. However, the writers were so impressed that they kept bringing Gati back. Gati said her status with the series "was always precarious and still is," despite the role being expanded.
The role was only meant to last a few days to "take
Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
(
Kimberly McCullough
Kimberly Anne McCullough (born March 5, 1978) is an American actress and television director. She is best known for her role as Robin Scorpio on the soap opera ''General Hospital'', a role which she originated at age seven, playing the characte ...
) from Room A to Room B and talk to
Tony Geary uke
Uke may refer to:
People
* Uke Clanton (1898–1960), Major League Baseball first baseman who played for one season. Nicknamed "Cat", he played for the Cleveland Indians for one game on September 21, 1922
* Uke Rugova
* Sıtkı Üke (1876 ...
in the hall to help him avoid seeing Robin and
Anna Devane
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
(
Finola Hughes
Finola Hughes (born 29 October 1959) is an English actress, best known for her role as Anna Devane on the ABC soap operas ''General Hospital'' and ''All My Children'', and her portrayal of Laura in the 1983 film '' Staying Alive'', the sequel ...
)." It was actually Tony Geary who sang Gati's praises to the executive producer,
Frank Valentini
Frank Valentini is the executive producer for the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. He previously held the position of executive producer, director, and composer for the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live''. From 1986 to 1992 he worked as stag ...
after their scenes. Immediately impressed, Valentini sent head writer
Ron Carlivati
Ronald David Carlivati (born November 25, 1968) is an American screenwriter. He is best known for his tenures as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap operas ''One Life to Live'' and ''General Hospital''. He is currently serving a position as head w ...
a piece of her scenes knowing Carlivati would be inspired to write more for her.
Valentini chose Gati out of five other actresses that were up for the role. Valentini immediately informed Carlivati of how good she was.
Though she was finding success in other recurring gigs, Gati insisted that "if GH asks me to sign a contract, I'll say yes. I feel like I'm at home here. I've been in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
for 15 years, and for the first time, I actually feel like I belong to a family."
In October 2013, the role was briefly played by
Finola Hughes
Finola Hughes (born 29 October 1959) is an English actress, best known for her role as Anna Devane on the ABC soap operas ''General Hospital'' and ''All My Children'', and her portrayal of Laura in the 1983 film '' Staying Alive'', the sequel ...
when Dr. Obrecht tries to pass herself off as
Anna Devane
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
.
Characterization
Kathleen Gati said Obrecht is a "very focused woman, very educated, very serious." Obrecht is a "force to be reckoned with," the actress said. Dr. Obrecht is usually very "self-sufficient."
Mara Levinsky described the character as a "sharp-tongued scene-stealer." Gati saw the potential for her character very early on and described Obrecht as "delicious and nasty." As the role continued to expand, "the writers gave me so many colors I could bring to the role. She was evil, she was kind, she was painful."
Gati rejected the notion that Obrecht could be "rational" and said "She basically is evil" However, the actress insisted that Obrecht is a "person" who has "emotions" and shows "sensitivity" and a "soft side." She is not just "the campy, the broad, the evil, and the dark."
Gati insisted Obrecht's "most redeeming" quality is the humor.
Gati explained: "If Obrecht didn't get bonked on the head here and there when she made a ''big'' mistake, or if they didn't throw in an 'oops' every now and then, viewers wouldn't enjoy the character as much." That humor serves as a "relief" for viewers.
When compared to herself, Gati said Obrecht is "dark and terrorizing" and characterized her as a "powerhouse."
While the character has traits that humanize her, she was never given an actual redemption story.
''Soaps In Depth'' described Obrecht as "strong, smart, powerful, and has a humorous way with words."
Maria Ciaccia of ''
About.com
Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, l ...
'' described the character as "cold and domineering."
Of the way her character speaks, Gait said "She speaks with a certain style, intelligent and harsh." Obrecht is a "German character, but Swiss German, bright and sharp."
When it comes to her character's dialogue, Gati explained that she tried to be as "verbatim as possible" because the character is written "stylized, broad and it's very detailed." As for the character's accent, the script is written in English and Gati inserts later.
Kathleen Gati said she tries to get her scripts early so she can work in the character's accent. Gati described the accent as not being "quite Swiss. It's not quite German. It's something in between. In between where and where is virtually indecipherable. The accent is among the worst ever attempted, by anyone, anywhere. I have developed some kind of accent, sort of a neutral something, because she's very educated so she's obviously spent time in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
." Gati then reviews her work and picks out things she thinks went over well and words or phrases she thinks need to be improved on.
Family and children
In March 2013, Obrecht was revealed to be the mother of the scheming doctor
Britt Westbourne (
Kelly Thiebaud
Kelly Hager Thiebaud"The Good-Bye Girl." ''ABC Soaps In Depth''. January 5, 2015. pg. 45. (born on August 28, 1982) is an American actress and model best known for her portrayal of Dr. Britt Westbourne on ABC daytime soap opera, ''General Hospit ...
).
Ron Carlivati
Ronald David Carlivati (born November 25, 1968) is an American screenwriter. He is best known for his tenures as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap operas ''One Life to Live'' and ''General Hospital''. He is currently serving a position as head w ...
said that once the writers came up with the idea to connect the characters, it just made sense. Britt had been "horrible" so the reveal makes Britt more "sympathetic." Obrecht resents her daughter because Britt could not help her keep her father.
In reference to the dynamic between the two, Gati insisted that Obrecht does love Britt, but she does not always show it." According to Gati, Britt needs her mother because of her strength. There are some moments were Obrecht tries to show affection to Britt as a mother but "there's an awkwardness about it" Gati said.
Gati described Obrecht's feelings for Britt as "challenging" because even though the feelings exist, those feelings are "minimal at best." However, the actress continued "There is some warmth. She tries." Gati said the "writers open the window a tiny bit - I reach through and then bang, so it's very contrived. There's an attempt, but she's not successful."
Obrecht takes steps to bond with her daughter after finding out about her engagement to
Nikolas Cassadine
Nikolas Cassadine is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Originated by actor Tyler Christopher in 1996, he left the show on July 14, 1999. Due to Nikolas' importance on the soap, he was imm ...
(
Tyler Christopher) and Gati said "She's looked in the mirror and seen the mistakes that she's made." Obrecht comes up with a new plan to benefit Britt and Gati said "She would go to great, great lengths to protect the child and to protect Britt, and defend her daughter as much as she can. She's trying to make up for lost time." However, the scheme makes things worse.
In 2014, Obrecht is revealed to be the estranged younger sister of the wealthy
Madeline Reeves, played by
Donna Mills
Donna Mills (born Donna Jean Miller on December 11, 1940) is an American actress. She began her television career in 1966 with a recurring role on ''The Secret Storm'', and in the same year appeared on Broadway in the Woody Allen comedy '' Don ...
, and the biological mother of Madeline's "son,"
Nathan West
Nathan or Natan may refer to:
People
*Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name
*Nathan (surname)
*Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible
*Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David and ...
(
Ryan Paevey
Ryan Jacob Paevey-Vlieger (born September 24, 1984), better known as Ryan Paevey ( ), is an American model and actor, best known for his role as Nathan West on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Early life
Paevey was born in Torrance, Cali ...
). Gati said the jail scenes between Obrecht and Madeline give another layer to why the character is the way she is; she had a "sister and the parents from hell."
Carlivati explained that "Obrecht is feeling a lot of emotions about" Nathan whom she for some reason gave up. Despite her feelings, Nathan has trouble trusting Obrecht, not only because her reputation precedes her, but also because of his troubled relationship with Madeline who he believed was his mother. Nathan's initial rejection "almost makes you feel sorry for Obrecht," Carlivati said.
During the 2014 Nurses Ball episodes, the character of Dr. Obrecht was heavily featured in the musical episodes where she performed a rendition "
Always on My Mind" for her children. Ron Carlivati accredited
Anna Cascio, one of the members of the writing team for suggesting that Obrecht sing to her children and the song choice.
Carlivati described the performance as a "confession to her children that she was a bad mother" or "An apology" Gati said. Because the character of Nathan was just becoming familiar to viewers, the performance creates an immediate "relationship between the brother and sister" and also displays how uncomfortable they are with Obrecht showing "real emotion." It helps them to understand that she does feel some kind of affection for them. Obrecht is thinking, "Wow. I made a step. There is progress. It's tiny, but it's huge. It's one small gesture, but it spoke volumes."
Relationships
Kathleen Gati revealed that she first learned of the plans of Obrecht's relationship with the infamous
Cesar Faison
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, it originally was set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the c ...
(
Anders Hove) in January 2013 and she was immediately "ecstatic."
Ron Carlivati
Ronald David Carlivati (born November 25, 1968) is an American screenwriter. He is best known for his tenures as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap operas ''One Life to Live'' and ''General Hospital''. He is currently serving a position as head w ...
revealed that Obrecht's expansion started out as her being a "talk-to" for Faison when he is masquerading as
Duke Lavery
Duke Lavery is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, primarily portrayed by Ian Buchanan. The role was created by executive producer Gloria Monty and co-head writer Norma Monty. Duke is introdu ...
(
Ian Buchanan
Ian Buchanan (born 16 June 1957) is a Scottish television actor who has appeared on multiple American soap operas including ''General Hospital'', ''Port Charles'', ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', ''All My Children'', and ''Days of Our Lives''. ...
) between October and December 2013.
In March 2013 after Obrecht's connection to Britt was revealed and fans were left to speculate about her paternity, Regan Cellura said that Obrect's "unwavering loyalty" Faison was a bit "telling".
Gati said that Obrecht idolizes Faison and looks at him as a "god." Of their history, the actress said that "she idolized from the time they were very young." From her point of view, Faison has done "amazing things. Even if they're dark and cruel and horrible characters, she's fascinated by him." Faison and Obrecht are two people who "found each other in their evilness." Even though Faison moves on and falls in love again, Obrecht never gets over him. "She's a one-man woman who has been focused on him and hasn't taken her eye off him. Even if she wanted to explore other romantic interests, Gati said "
brecht
Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...
needs him." Faison is Obrecht's "Achilles' heel." Gati explained, "The only time Obrecht is much is when she sees him or hears his name. She becomes like a puppy. It's like
Pavlov's dog
Classical conditioning (also known as Pavlovian or respondent conditioning) is a behavioral procedure in which a biologically potent stimulus (e.g. food) is paired with a previously neutral stimulus (e.g. a triangle). It also refers to the learni ...
."
According to Kathleen Gati, it is Obrecht's "twisted affection" for Faison that allows the audience to embrace her. Fans can understand that she is upset because "she's been dumped and disrespected and not cared about and put aside." Not only can viewers relate to her pain, but some can also defend the pain she causes.
In reference to Obrecht's admiration for Faison, Gati said "Faison is her everything." The actress explained in character that "I have admired him, loved him." Faison is "her god, her genius."
Gati said Faison asking Obrecht to wear the "Anna" mask to have sex with him is the "ultimate rejection" and "beyond humiliating. Then that awkward moment trying to seduce him, and she is not that good at it, and then trying anyway she can, and being totally rejected."
Gati said that the scenes are a "turning point" for her character and she questioned "how much
brecht
Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...
would take from Faison."
The character gets another love interest when the writers reintroduce
Thaao Penghlis as
Victor Cassadine
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
, with whom Obrecht also shares a past. Gati was immediately open to the idea of a potential romance. The actress confirmed that Victor's arrival definitely awakened some kind of "unfamiliar" feelings in Obrecht. Before Victor, it is assumed that Faison was the only man to ever catch Obrecht's eye.
Gati said Obrecht is not accustomed to getting that kind of attention from a man. "Don't treat me kindly, because I don't know what to do with that!" the actress stated in character. When it comes to Obrecht's attraction to Victor, Gati said "He's kind, he's attractive... and they're mental equals. They both have this acute sense of evil. It turns her on." Following the revelation about Nathan being Obrecht's son, there was immediate speculation about Victor being the father. In July 2014, Carlivati said that there was a lot to "dig into" when it comes to Obrecht and her relationship with Victor.
Feud with Anna and chief of staff
Obrecht immediately despises
Anna Devane
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
(
Finola Hughes
Finola Hughes (born 29 October 1959) is an English actress, best known for her role as Anna Devane on the ABC soap operas ''General Hospital'' and ''All My Children'', and her portrayal of Laura in the 1983 film '' Staying Alive'', the sequel ...
) because of Faison's obsession and love for her. Gati said that Obrecht's disdain for Anna would be "on-going for the rest of her life." It all stems from the pain of having lost Faison's affections to Anna at such a young age. They had a relationship and even created a child together and as far as Obrecht is concerned, Faison was "tainted" by Anna making Liesl look like "chopped liver." Gati explained that the hatred would last because Anna is a constant reminder of what she could not give Faison.
Obrecht even goes so far as wear a prosthetic "Anna" mask in an attempt to trick Faison in being intimate with her.
Though Obrecht hates Anna, "torturing her with Robin is more appealing than killing her" because she is helping Faison.
Ron Carlivati revealed that when he first pitched the idea of making Obrecht the chief of staff at ''General Hospital'', executive producer Frank Valentini and the network's executives didn't take him seriously thinking it would be "impossible." However, Carlivati was willing to take the risk because it "galvanizes the entire hospital against a common enemy" in Obrecht. It also gives Obrecht a permanent place within the show. The scribe revealed that he had always imagined the $88 million that
Jerry Jacks
Jerard "Jerry" Aloysius JacksStated on-air on April 30, 2007 is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, ''General Hospital''. He was portrayed by Julian Stone from April 10, 1998 to December 14, 1999. In January 2007, the role was recast with ...
(
Sebastian Roché
Sebastian Roché (born 4 August 1964) is a French-American actor. He is known for his roles as Kurt Mendel in ''Odyssey 5'', Jerry Jacks in '' General Hospital'', Thomas Jerome Newton in ''Fringe'', Balthazar in '' Supernatural'', Mikael in bot ...
) had extorted from
Port Charles
''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes pl ...
the town prior to his disappearance in 2012 had been floating around; Obrecht manages to get her hands on some of that money and uses it to invest in ''General Hospital''. Carlivati likened Obrecht becoming chief of staff to
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear (born September 25, 1961) is an American actress famous for her role as Amanda Woodward on ''Melrose Place'' (1993–1999), for which she received four consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress – Television ...
as
Amanda Woodward on ''
Melrose Place
''Melrose Place'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex on Melrose Place, in ...
'' buying the complex. "You put the most hated person in the position of power over everybody else, and that creates story."
Because Obrecht is such a "polarizing force" at the hospital, Carlivati thought it would be appropriate to have her hijack the opening number at the annual Nurses Ball, a celebrated event in the show's history. It was at the suggestion of one of the writers,
Chris Van Etten that Obrecht perform "
Willkommen
"Willkommen" is a song from the 1966 musical ''Cabaret''. It is performed by The Emcee. The music was written by John Kander; the lyrics by Fred Ebb.
Production
John Kander explained "With Cabaret, we were trying to find the piece, to write our w ...
". Carlivati was nervous about even getting invested in the potential performance because he feared that Valentini and the musical director, Paul Glass might not be able to get the rights to the music.
Storylines
Obrecht first appears as the director of the clinic where
Luke Spencer
Luke Spencer is a fictional character in the American television soap opera ''General Hospital'', played by Anthony Geary from 1978 until his departure in July 2015. Geary holds the record for most Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Lead Actor in ...
(
Anthony Geary
Anthony Geary (born May 29, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for playing the role of Luke Spencer on the ABC daytime drama ''General Hospital''. He originated the role of Luke in 1978 and received a record eight Daytime Emmy Awards for O ...
) is searching for his friend
Anna Devane
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
(
Finola Hughes
Finola Hughes (born 29 October 1959) is an English actress, best known for her role as Anna Devane on the ABC soap operas ''General Hospital'' and ''All My Children'', and her portrayal of Laura in the 1983 film '' Staying Alive'', the sequel ...
) who has come in search of her presumed dead daughter,
Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
(
Kimberly McCullough
Kimberly Anne McCullough (born March 5, 1978) is an American actress and television director. She is best known for her role as Robin Scorpio on the soap opera ''General Hospital'', a role which she originated at age seven, playing the characte ...
). After the two leave, Obrecht is seen speaking with a man who looks identical to Anna's great love, the late
Duke Lavery
Duke Lavery is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, primarily portrayed by Ian Buchanan. The role was created by executive producer Gloria Monty and co-head writer Norma Monty. Duke is introdu ...
(
Ian Buchanan
Ian Buchanan (born 16 June 1957) is a Scottish television actor who has appeared on multiple American soap operas including ''General Hospital'', ''Port Charles'', ''The Bold and the Beautiful'', ''All My Children'', and ''Days of Our Lives''. ...
). It is eventually revealed that Duke is actually
Cesar Faison
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, it originally was set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the c ...
(Anders Hove) in disguise, trying to win Anna's affections. Faison returns to Switzerland to reprimand Obrecht when Robin manages to escape briefly and contact her husband,
Patrick Drake
Patrick Drake is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'', a protagonist in both seasons of its prime time SOAPnet spin-off '' General Hospital: Night Shift'' and one half of on-screen couple Patrick Drake and Robin Scor ...
(
Jason Thompson). In December 2012, after Faison is arrested, she stabs Robin's father,
Robert Scorpio
Robert Scorpio is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'', played by actor Tristan Rogers.
Casting
Tristan Rogers originally played the role from December 2, 1980 through February 25, 1992. The popularity and longevity o ...
(
Tristan Rogers
Tristan Rogers (born 3 June 1946) is an Australian-American actor. He is best known for playing Robert Scorpio on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' and for voicing Jake in Walt Disney Pictures' ''The Rescuers Down Under''. He is curren ...
) with a dose of a lethal drug leaving him comatose before delivering Robin to
Jerry Jacks
Jerard "Jerry" Aloysius JacksStated on-air on April 30, 2007 is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, ''General Hospital''. He was portrayed by Julian Stone from April 10, 1998 to December 14, 1999. In January 2007, the role was recast with ...
(
Sebastian Roché
Sebastian Roché (born 4 August 1964) is a French-American actor. He is known for his roles as Kurt Mendel in ''Odyssey 5'', Jerry Jacks in '' General Hospital'', Thomas Jerome Newton in ''Fringe'', Balthazar in '' Supernatural'', Mikael in bot ...
).
In March 2013, Obrecht comes to
Port Charles
''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes pl ...
where she reunites with her daughter,
Britt Westbourne (
Kelly Thiebaud
Kelly Hager Thiebaud"The Good-Bye Girl." ''ABC Soaps In Depth''. January 5, 2015. pg. 45. (born on August 28, 1982) is an American actress and model best known for her portrayal of Dr. Britt Westbourne on ABC daytime soap opera, ''General Hospit ...
) who has been dumped by Patrick in favor of
Sabrina Santiago (
Teresa Castillo
Teresa Ruth Castillo (born October 14, 1983) is an American actress. She originated the contract role of Sabrina Santiago on '' General Hospital'' in September 2012.
Personal life
Castillo was born in Long Beach, California, as the youngest of ...
). Thinking it will help her daughter get Patrick back, Obrecht has Britt announce that she is pregnant with Patrick's child at the Nurses Ball and it also revealed that Faison is Britt's father. It is eventually revealed that Patrick is not the child's father because Obrecht faked the paternity test. Obrecht resurfaces several months later to warn Britt that her schemes are about to exposed. In addition to helping her daughter, Obrecht also schemes to get revenge Anna for stealing Faison's affections from her. Her attempt to poison Anna ends with Duke falling into a coma just as he points the finger at Obrecht. Fortunately for Obrecht, she is able to avoid being arrested.
Obrecht resurfaces to congratulate Britt on the giving birth to her son,
Ben
Ben is frequently used as a shortened version of the given names Benjamin, Benedict, Bennett or Benson, and is also a given name in its own right.
Ben (in he, בֶּן, ''son of'') forms part of Hebrew surnames, e.g. Abraham ben Abraham ( he, ...
only to learn that Britt has given up on Patrick and revealed the truth about the paternity. Obrecht then kidnaps the child and leaves him with Robin on Cassadine Island. Obrecht also manages to sneak Faison out of prison by disguising herself as Anna and introduces him to their grandson. Devastated by Faison's rejection again after he wants her to wear the Anna mask in order to have sex. Obrecht along with Faison, Robin and Jerry Jacks go to Port Charles where they move in with Britt's boyfriend,
Nikolas Cassadine
Nikolas Cassadine is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Originated by actor Tyler Christopher in 1996, he left the show on July 14, 1999. Due to Nikolas' importance on the soap, he was imm ...
(
Tyler Christopher) as they wait for Robin to develop a cure for Jerry's plutonium poisoning. Obrecht and Faison later take Duke hostage in the catacombs. Duke tricks Obrecht into letting him go only for Nikolas, Faison and Anna to show up. Obrecht is finally sent to jail where she tries to blackmail Britt into getting her released by threatening to reveal that Ben is the biological child of
Lulu
Lulu may refer to:
Companies
* LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer
* Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer
* Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia
* Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, a C ...
(
Emme Rylan
Emme Marcy Rylan (born Marcy Faith Behrens; November 4, 1980) is an American actress. From 2005 until 2013, she was credited as Marcy Rylan. She is best known for her portrayals on the CBS soap operas ''Guiding Light'' as Lizzie Spaulding and ''T ...
) and
Dante Falconeri
Dante Falconeri is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, played by Dominic Zamprogna. Zamprogna made his debut on June 22, 2009. In 2018, Zamprogna announced his decision to leave the role, and ...
(
Dominic Zamprogna
Dominic Zamprogna (, ; born April 21, 1979) is a Canadian actor and voice artist. He is perhaps best known for his roles on the television series '' Edgemont'', ''Battlestar Galactica'' and ''General Hospital''.
Early life
Zamprogna was born in ...
) conceived from their stolen embryo. Afterwards, she meets Robin's longtime best friend
Sonny Corinthos
Sonny Corinthos is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. Maurice Benard has played the role of the manic depressive mob kingpin, living in Port Charles, since the character's storyline originated on August 13, 1993. Sonn ...
(
Maurice Benard
Maurice Benard (born March 1, 1963) is an American actor. In 1993, he was cast as Sonny Corinthos on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Early life and career
Benard was born Mauricio José Morales in Martinez, California, the son of Martha ...
) across from her cell where he was later released.
With the help for her former flame,
Victor Cassadine
''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
(
Thaao Penghlis), Obrecht secures her freedom and is appointed chief of staff at General Hospital after Sonny was released. During Nikolas and Britt's engagement party, it is revealed that Ben is Dante and Lulu's and Obrecht kidnaps him and forces
Elizabeth Webber
Elizabeth Webber is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, played by Rebecca Herbst. Elizabeth is the granddaughter of the show's original lead character, Steve Hardy ( John Beradino) and dau ...
(
Rebecca Herbst
Rebecca Ann Herbst (born May 12, 1977) is an American actress, known for playing nurse Elizabeth Webber on the ABC Daytime drama ''General Hospital'', a role she originated on August 1, 1997, and Suzee, an alien, on the Nickelodeon show, '' Spa ...
) to hide them. Obrecht shoots Elizabeth as Ben is rescued and while in lock-up, Obrehct is reunited with her estranged sister,
Madeline Reeves (
Donna Mills
Donna Mills (born Donna Jean Miller on December 11, 1940) is an American actress. She began her television career in 1966 with a recurring role on ''The Secret Storm'', and in the same year appeared on Broadway in the Woody Allen comedy '' Don ...
). When Obrecht sees Madeline's son, Detective
Nathan West
Nathan or Natan may refer to:
People
*Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name
*Nathan (surname)
*Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible
*Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David and ...
(
Ryan Paevey
Ryan Jacob Paevey-Vlieger (born September 24, 1984), better known as Ryan Paevey ( ), is an American model and actor, best known for his role as Nathan West on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Early life
Paevey was born in Torrance, Cali ...
), she immediately realizes that he is the son she gave to Madeline to raise. Obrecht later works out a deal where she agrees to turn over Dante and Lulu's last viable embryo in exchange for immunity for herself and Britt. Nathan immediately rejects the notion of Obrecht being his mother but she tries to reach out to both of her children at the Nurses Ball. After Nathan is kidnapped during a case, Obrecht accuses Anna of killing Faison and trying to take her son away. Obrecht reaches out to Victor for help but he instead questions if Nathan is his son. Obrecht figures out that Victor has Nathan and tips the PCPD off about Victor's whereabouts. Obrecht confronts Victor and confirms his suspicion that Nathan is his son but the DNA test proves she is lying. Victor is about to kill Obrecht until Anna comes to arrest him and Obrecht shoots him.
She meets
Valentin Cassadine
Valentin Cassadine is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. The character was initially conceived in 2009 by head writer Robert Guza Jr., as a previously unknown member of the wealthy Cassa ...
(
James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart is an American actor, currently portraying Valentin Cassadine on the daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'', for which he received three consecutive Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama ...
) who later becomes her nephew-in-law by marriage to her niece
Nina Reeves
''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC since April 1, 1963. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In t ...
(
Michelle Stafford
Michelle Stafford (born September 14, 1968) is an American actress, screenwriter and producer. She currently plays Phyllis Summers on the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', for which she has won two Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2013 ...
) and gains
Charlotte Cassadine
'' General Hospital'' is an American television serial drama, airing on ABC. The show was created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital in an unnamed fictional city. The series premiered on April 1, 1963. In the ...
(Scarlett Fernandez) as her great-niece. Obrecht reveals that she needs Nathan to believe the lie because the truth is much worse, that Faison is Nathan's biological father after Obrecht's new friend
Janice Lomax (
Shari Belafonte
Shari Lynn Belafonte (born September 22, 1954) is an American actress, model, writer and singer. The daughter of singer Harry Belafonte, she began her career as a fashion model before making her big screen debut appearing in the 1982 drama film ' ...
) resigned from her position as Mayor of Port Charles leaving the city unprotected. She later visits
Nelle Benson
Nelle Benson is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Created by Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante, and introduced by executive producer Frank Valentini, Nelle is portrayed by actress Chloe La ...
(
Chloe Lanier
Chloe Lanier is an American actress. She is best known for her role on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' as the villainous Nelle Benson. For her portrayal, Lanier was nominated for three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding You ...
) in prison.
Reception
In October 2013, ''
ABC Soaps In Depth
''Soaps In Depth'' is an American entertainment magazine, formerly published as a series of biweekly print publications and currently as an online-exclusive publication, that is dedicated to coverage of daytime soap operas. Founded in 1997 by B ...
'' ranked the character at #5 in the "5 Things We're Loving" section and said Gati's "Obrecht makes being bad look oh so good!" ''
Soap Opera Digest
''Soap Opera Digest'' is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional in ...
'' gave ''General Hospital'' the "Best Villains" award for 2013 and Obrecht was among the favorites. The magazine raved that "Establishing the perverse cronyism of Faison, Helena, Jerry and Dr. Obrecht was a stroke of creative genius, but each character also shined individually." The magazine praised the character saying, "Obrecht continued her scene-stealing rise to villainous power by maneuvering daughter Britt like a chess piece, tossing off cruel one-liners with expert precision and rocking the heck out of that Anna
evanemask." Rosemary Rossi said "Sure, Obrecht is a villainess. But viewers delight in her wickedness rather than just deplore her machinations."
Gati shared the title of Performer of the Week with Anders Hove for their portrayal of Obrecht and Faison during scenes in which Obrecht tried to seduce Faison wearing an Anna mask. Editor Stephanie Sloane described the performances as "uniquely but equally mesmerizing." While Hove is definitely known for his legendary style, Sloane raved that Gati "has quickly become one of the trustiest weapons in GH's arsenal, via her full-bodied embrace of Obrecht's matter-of-fact cruelty." ''On-Air On-Soaps'' said Gati gave the "Best Overall Performance By a Supporting Actress."
Of Obrecht's familial connections, Maria Ciaccia said "
heis now 'connected' and here to stay. That's a tribute to the actress because this was probably a short-term role." Ciaccia praised the actress and said "there's something about Gati as Dr. Obrecht -- we just love having her around."
''On-Air On-Soaps'' praised the actress for her portrayal of Obrecht during scenes in which the character schemed to take out her rival Anna Devane, played by Finola Hughes. ''Soaps In Depth'' said "what makes Obrecht a fan favorite is the contrast between her evil deeds and the delight she takes in them."
Michael Fairman praised Gati and head writer, Ron Carlivati for their creation of "one
fthe most fascinating characters in Port Charles."
In reference to the character being named chief of staff, Fairman responded "How on earth will the GH writing team explain" the twist? Connie Passalacqua said "I literally screamed" at the reveal that Britt and Obrecht were mother and daughter. Passalacqua listed Obrecht as one of her favorite characters in soaps during the summer of 2013.
In August 2013, ''The TV Addict'' said Gati portrayed Obrecht to "delightfully campy perfection." Michael Fairman praised Gati "who is able to deliver some pretty outrageous dialog, and wonderful one-liners" ''On-Air On-Soaps'' was shocked that Gati did not make the pre-nominations list for
Daytime Emmy Awards
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
Supporting Actress category. Michael Fairman praised the actress for her opening performance of "Willkommen" at the 2014 Nurses Ball. Fairman described Gati as "one of the biggest and most unique standouts on the canvas of the ABC soap opera!" Fans voted Gati's rendition of "Willkommen" as the best performance at the ball on a ''Daytime Confidential'' poll. The blog also listed Obrecht at #15 on the list of "15 Soap Opera Moms Who Deserve Nothing For Mother's Day." Luke Kerr of ''Daytime Confidential'' likened the character of Liesl Obrecht to
Olenna Tyrell
Olenna Tyrell (née Redwyne) is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of high fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation, ''Game of Thrones''.
Olenna is first mentioned in ''A ...
(
Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg (20 July 193810 September 2020) was an English actress of stage and screen. Her roles include Emma Peel in the TV series '' The Avengers'' (1965–1968); Countess Teresa di Vicenzo, wife of James Bond, in '' On H ...
) on ''
Game of Thrones
''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
''. While Obrecht's fans don't always come off perfectly, "like her Westeros counterpart, she has ensured her family is taken care of with one hood move after another."
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obrecht, Liesl
General Hospital characters
Fictional criminals in soap operas
Fictional scientists
Fictional physicians
Television characters introduced in 2012
Fictional Swiss people
Female characters in television
Fictional female doctors
Female villains