It’s hard to believe that Jenz Sidwell has only been on the “General Hospital” scene for less than a year. The character first appeared as Lucky Spencer’s captor in Somalia in September 2024 for a handful of scenes, and within a matter of weeks, he was spotted again in Port Charles. Before viewers knew it, the “importer” made his intentions to stick around known by pulling a power move; he bought Wyndemere.
The character’s instant popularity, on a series filled with well-loved legacy characters, speaks to the talent of the man whose hands he has been left in, Carlo Rota. You may already know him from “24,” “Breaking Bad,” “Scandal,” and a string of other primetime hits, but you’ve never seen him like this.
Carlo Rota recently sat for an exclusive interview with EntertainmentNow, and he was filled with both gratitude and excitement as he dished on breathing life into Jenz Sidwell.
Carlo Rota Immediately Soaked Up the Love and Loyalty From GH Fans
ABCThe actor may be brand-new to the daytime television genre, but he has quickly been turned on to the love and loyalty that comes from the generations of fans who plug in five days a week.
“Many people, when I speak to them about General Hospital, they’ll always enthusiastically admit that they watch the show with a parent or a grandparent. I don’t know whether or not this is a well-known fact about General Hospital (laughing), but plainly, it has brought families together. It crosses generations. The whole genre is extraordinarily comforting,” Rota says with candor.
“You are watching something that has a pedigree that spans, oh, it’s now 63 years, and that’s incredible. It’s also incredible as a new actor on the show to be with people who have been doing it for decades. Decades,” says the actor. “I mean, it’s a whole new thing for me. I’ve been a series regular before. I’ve been involved in different series where, you know, I knew that I had work the next month. But I’ve never been involved in a show that’s been on for this long. And I’ve also never worked with people who’ve been playing the same character for 25, 30, in some cases, 40 years. That’s incredible.”
Spending decades at the exact same job may not appeal to most people. Carlo explained that even in those instances, the energy is still alive and well. “What’s even more incredible is that there is still a spark of excitement in all of these people. They’ve managed to keep that furnace burning. And to me, that really deserves applause.”
Carlo Rota First Auditioned for Another GH Role
ABCCarlo’s dance with GH actually began the year before Jenz Sidwell was introduced onto the canvas.
“I originally auditioned for Frank Valentini and his talented producers, and I had never auditioned for a soap opera before that. It was also a very odd time, because it was my only in-person audition that I’d had in, oh God, two years. All auditions are pretty much self-tapes, and so when I got called to this in-person audition at General Hospital’s building, I was thrilled to be in front of people (laughing). I realized how much I missed auditioning for people, the energy that you have, and the slight peril that you feel about the whole process. It’s not only how you walk into the room, it’s how you leave the room. And what you leave them with,” explains Rota.
Carlo didn’t get that role, but a year later, his manager got a call from GH, offering him the role of Jenz Sidwell.
Jenz Goes From Somalia to Wyndemere in a Flash
ABC“The first few episodes I did were supposedly being shot in Somalia. That was my introduction to daytime. I mean, I had no idea what I was doing, had no idea what the process was. I had no idea of the speed, had no idea of anything really. I’ve done multiple camera work before, but this is an entirely different thing, mainly because everything is so fast.”
Rota continued, “I was lucky enough to work with Lucky (Jonathan Jackson) and Emma Samms. Jonathan particularly gave me a real rundown on what the process is, what I could expect, and that really helped. Those first few days were like a blur. I had no idea of what I’d done; all I knew is that it was just terribly exciting. Then, lo and behold, I get informed that I am going to Port Charles to commit some kind of mischief.”
These days, it feels like Sidwell has always been in Port Charles, and he is certainly committing more than mischief. Rota is just as excited as the audience is to see what will happen next.
“Every time I get scripts, it’s like Christmas because I find out something new about Jenz. Like the fact that Jenz buys Wyndemere, with its fantastic pedigree, on the show. Or the fact that I have an ex-wife, the fact that I have a son. I seem to be going downhill with the number of dastardly things that I’ve done (laughing). I started off being shifty, and now I’m starting to become Satanic.”
“It’s very much like theater. It’s the most theatrical thing I’ve ever done on television. Also, if you treat it like theater, there’s another element of excitement to it. I’ve learned so much over the last year. I really have and hope to learn a lot more.”
What Carlo Wants You to Know About Jenz
Sidwell is a man draped in many layers, so it only seemed fitting to ask his portrayer how he would like fans to view the man that we are only beginning to understand.
“Jens is a man who’s absolutely full of life. And, he has a lot more empathy for people and things than he has necessarily shown. I think that I want people, if possible (laughing), to view him as being a lot more sensitive than he might be written as. He also likes to laugh with people, but rarely gets the chance to. And, he does appreciate when someone’s having a hard time, because he has had a rough go of it, too. That’s the thing, who knows where he is from and what he has really seen. I’m still trying to figure that one out!”
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GH’s Carlo Rota on Playing the Devious Sidwell EXCLUSIVE