GH’s Vinessa Antoine Shared a Special Memory of the Late Kristoff St. John
As the daytime community reacted to the death of THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS star Kristoff St. John (Neil) on social media, GENERAL HOSPITAL alum Vinessa Antoine (ex-Jordan) shared the story of a very special encounter with the late actor she will always hold dear to her heart. “I met Kristoff the day before my audition test for GH,” she recalled on Instagram. “We were at a juice bar in Calabasas. When I saw him, I knew immediately who he was. You see, I had kind of grown up with this man in my living room so I felt as if I had already known him. But I didn’t. I had no idea that he was this kind and incredibly generous man.”
The actress is now starring in the Canadian primetime drama DIGGSTOWN, but back in 2014, she was still on the verge of becoming a soap star with her role on GH. “So there I was,” Antoine related. “Standing behind him in line when I finally said, ‘My mom loves you on Y&R.’ (I meant to say I love you on Y&R.) He smiled and said to tell my mom thanks for watching.”
Standing there looking at the juice menu, Antoine wondered if she should tell her fellow actor that she was auditioning for GH the following day. “Sweaty armpits and heart racing, I told him,” she confided. “He replied, ‘That’s amazing!’ And without skipping a beat, he asked, ‘Do you have the scenes with you?’ I said , ‘Yes, but they’re in the car.’ He told me to go grab them and he would work with me if I wanted to! Um… yeah!”
Grateful that this daytime vet would be willing to share his wealth of knowledge with her, Antoine ran to her car and returned with the pages. “He did not know me at all but he took the time to sit with me over lunch and break down my audition scenes with me,” she revealed. “I have no doubt that the notes he gave and the suggestions he told me helped me land the role of Jordan. For the next four years, we would speak periodically, give each other that knowing smile, and hug at events. He was always so warm, honest, and just so damn supportive. Even with all that he had to face.
“Thank you, Kristoff, for everything you were and what you gave to this planet,” Antoine concluded. “You are a kind spirit who is with your son, now. I’ll miss you.”
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