General Hospital: Rena Sofer Praises Ellen Travolta, Says GH Heals ‘Loneliness’

General Hospital spoilers reveal Rena Sofer (Lois Cerullo) and Ellen Travolta (Gloria Cerullo) joyfully reuniting. And while the drama on General Hospital involves a Russian mob, a new interview shows just how much Rena and Ellen appreciate their relationship. 

Find out what Sofer and Travolta shared about Gloria heading back to Port Charles. And keep reading to learn why Rena believes that soap operas like General Hospital can ease what she calls an “epidemic of loneliness.”

General Hospital Spoilers – Gloria Shows Up In Port Charles

Rena Sofer (Lois Cerullo) and Ellen Travolta (Gloria Cerullo) told TV Insider about their emotional response to reuniting on General Hospital. And Rena also discussed her views on how her General Hospital family represents honesty and integrity. 

Spoilers reveal that Lois hopes to help her mother Gloria escape from her problems with the Russian mob. And Yuri (Cyrus Hobbi) and Brooklyn (Amanda Setton), Gloria’s granddaughter and Lois’s daughter, do their best as well. But for Rena and Ellen, reuniting after their characters Lois and Gloria last appeared together in the 1990’s seemed like a “perfect fit,” revealed Travolta.

And Ellen explained, ” Rena and I are exactly alike. We had a wonderful run.” And the General Hospital star called it “great fun [and] nice to work with someone whom you start out like and then, quickly you learn to love.” But she also praised Sofer as “funny and beautiful.”

General Hospital Spoilers – Rena Urged ‘Bring Ellen Back’!

And Rena shared that through the years, she and Ellen stayed in touch. And Sofer appreciates her co-star’s talents so much that she made an effort to reunite. As a result, when Rena returned to General Hospital, she immediately urged producers, “Bring Ellen back!”

But beyond the two stars forming their own fan club, Rena credits soap operas like General Hospital for easing the “epidemic of loneliness in this country.” And the General Hospital star believes that the loneliness epidemic has become “worse with social media, Zooms, and the pandemic. So often soap operas get a bad rap.”

And Sofer sees that negative attitude as “unfortunate. What not everyone may realize is that people are lonely in this country. And they’ve grown up watching these shows with their parents and grandparents. They get to see these people every day, five days a week.”

As a result, Rena feels that soap operas “tap into something that literally alleviates their loneliness for one hour a day. I don’t think that this has even hit me just how important our job is. I’m not trying to pat myself on the back,” she added. “But I think what soap operas give to people who’ve watched, in our show’s case, for over 60 years, is a sense of connection, community, and continuity.” And she believes the world lacks those benefits as a result of social media and apps like Zoom.

General Hospital Spoilers – Lois Possesses ‘Integrity’

And Ellen noted that watching General Hospital “brings to mind the old adage. Does art imitate life or does life imitate art? When you watch a soap opera, you see every problem a family has ever had. There’s a feeling of, ‘Oh, yeah, them, too!’ There’s a feeling of inclusion that doesn’t happen in a lot of other media that does happen in a soap operas.”

However, Rena praised Lois and the Cerullo family for possessing “a sense of honor.” And she pointed out that the family behaves in a true and honest way with “integrity.” 

Tell us what you think. How do you feel about Rena’s comments on the role that soap operas play in easing loneliness? And after you share your views, check back on our site for more General Hospital news.