TV star Erika Slezak joins the star cast of General Hospital

Erika Slezak, the six-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning actress best recognized for her legendary performance as Victoria "Viki" Lord on One Life to Live, is officially boarding the General Hospital cast.

The soap opera legend, who is 78 years old, will return to ABC's daytime drama later this fall in her first comeback to daytime since One Life to Live ended its run in 2012."I am excited to announce that my good friend and former One Life to Live co-star, Erika Slezak, will guest on General Hospital this Fall," stated Frank Valentini, ex-OLTL executive producer and current GH executive producer, in a press statement. "Stay tuned and keep watching as we set out to bring another daytime legend to Port Charles."Though Slezak's upcoming role is a secret, fans are already abuzz with excitement about the possibility of her character disrupting the status quo in the small town of Port Charles — and if this might possibly herald crossover storylines with other popular One Life to Live characters.The statement further noted that Slezak herself remains in the dark about precisely which character she will be playing and when her debut will be broadcast, but is excited to reunite with longtime collaborator Valentini and become a part of the talented group cast of General Hospital.

"At this point, Erika has no idea which character she will be portraying or when her episodes will air," the release went on, "but is looking forward to working with Executive Producer Frank Valentini and the cast of GH once again! Additional information as it becomes available."A Storied Legacy in DaytimeErika Slezak is commonly cited as being one of the greatest soap opera actors ever. She portrayed Victoria Lord on One Life to Live for over four decades, from 1971 until the show’s conclusion in 2012, bringing immense depth and humanity to the role.

Viki’s character — a newspaper heiress with a heart of gold and a complicated past, including a long battle with dissociative identity disorder — remains one of daytime’s most complex and beloved heroines.Throughout her remarkable career, Slezak has taken home six Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, a benchmark that endures to this day. Her impact on the genre is immense, and the fact that she is back is a big deal for long-time fans of OLTL and GH alike.