GENERAL HOSPITAL’s William deVry contemplates the possibilities for Julian’s new life

FYIFYIFYI

Speaking Out: “Talk to your doctor about ovarian cancer,” urges the Sandy Rollman Foundation ambassador.
Cool Rider: “I drive a ’62 Chevy pickup,” reveals the actor.
Calorie Counter: “I eat 1,800 calories a day, and that’s it,” shares the hardbodied hunk.
Childhood Haunt: Having lived in Africa from ages 3 to 7, deVry says he’d “love to go back!”

A year ago, GENERAL HOSPITAL made man Julian Jerome was in survival mode, doing anything and everything to protect his family from his crazy sister, Olivia. Now, William deVry’s character is working on becoming a better man for his kids and Alexis… with help from a beautiful newcomer! “Some fans are concerned that he’s not trying hard enough to reconcile with his family,” the actor notes, “but I don’t think you can push somebody towards that. It’s like being in a dysfunctional relationship and then saying the next day, ‘Hey, take me back. I’ve changed.’ Well, that doesn’t happen!

“Julian was prepared to pay the price to save his family — and now he’s paying it,” he continues. “But he’s also using this time to turn over a new leaf, get to know himself better and become a quality citizen of Port Charles. His period of isolation has allowed him to grow tremendously.”

Proving His Love For Alexis… From A Distance
That growth is the very reason that Julian’s given Alexis her space. “She’s made it clear she’s dating Finn, and he’s trying to show he’s respecting her,” deVry insists. “It’s really difficult for him! But he said he was going to back off and let her move forward.” With each day presenting a new challenge, the now-reformed mobster sometimes slips up, but he sure showed his reserve when Finn punched him. “In Julian’s past life, he would have decked Finn for that,” deVry says. “And I think that was his first inclination. But now, he’s trying to do better. It’s a new journey for him, and I’m trying to approach it with a healthy, compassionate attitude.”

The “Other Woman”
While pining for Alexis at his pub, Julian’s found a sexy confidante in newcomer Kim. “I don’t think he could survive this journey without someone like her in his life,” deVry muses. “They’re really good friends, so he doesn’t feel so alone. And it’s an opportunity for him to discuss real-life situations he might not have handled well in the past and take a different approach.”

The chemistry’s clearly there, but Julian isn’t kidding himself — he knows how his date to the Nurses Ball feels about Drew! “The good thing is that Julian and Kim have been honest with each other,” deVry maintains. “He has his reservations, because he knows the potential explosion.”

Aside from her other love interest to entice, Kim’s got a legion of Julexis fans to win over. “When they first saw her walk into Julian’s restaurant, they were pretty anti-Kim,” deVry admits. “But they’ve sort of warmed up. And Tamara Braun and I are having fun! My story right now is with her, and we’re really digging it.”

Take It Slowly
While the Julexis Army seems impossible to sway, deVry reminds viewers that this kind of tension is what daytime is all about. “You’ve got all this chemistry fl ying around, and that’s good drama,” he insists. “I realize the end goal for most fans is still Julexis, but I don’t know what the endgame for the show is, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this journey takes Julian.”

Though the soap vet knows that many viewers are impatient, he’s thrilled with this new era of introspection and growth. “Julian, for a while, was in a Ferrari on the Autobahn,” he explains. “It was almost discombobulating, because you didn’t know what he was going to do next. Now he’s on a pedal bike in the wine country of France. I see the path he’s on, and I’m loving it.

“So slow down,” he begs of fans. “Enjoy the country road. Anything can happen along the way — and that’s fun!”

LEADING LADY

PORT CHARLES alum Rebecca Staab (Elizabeth) has returned to work with a vengeance, and no one’s more thrilled thanherbeau.“Rebecca’s been shooting a lot of movies and TV shows lately,” deVry brags.“She’s actually shooting another true-story movie in Winnipeg right now with Chrissy Metz from THIS IS US. I’m really proud of her!” Of course, having his love head off for location shoots again has been a game-changer. “There’s not one thing that’s the same, but I knew this adjustment would be good for me,” says the actor, who now fi nds himself looking after their home, four cats, fi ve dogs and himself. “We relied on each other, and I certainly relied on her a lot — but she can’t just stay home and take care of [me]! That’s probably not very fulfi lling, so I encouraged her to get out there and go get it. And within six months, she got her career back! It’s exciting for both of us. It’s been great.”