Ethan Lovett (Nathan Parsons)

Ethan Lovett is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, portrayed by Nathan Parsons since January 30, 2009. The character was established as the son of Holly Sutton (Emma Samms) and Luke Spencer (multi-Daytime Emmy Award-winner Anthony Geary) on May 29, 2009.

Casting
In 2008, General Hospital put out a casting call for an actor to play "Dante," the son of characters Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Olivia Falconeri (Lisa Lo Cicero). Parsons auditioned for the role and was called back twice after the audition, but the show did not cast him as Dante. "They said they weren't going to give me the part I auditioned for, but they wanted me on the show, so they were going to write me in," Parsons said. The writers created the character Ethan Lovett specifically for the actor. "It's cool, because it gives me a completely clean slate for this character," he said. "Since it was written for me, I can play with it and make Ethan whoever I want him to be."

The character's debut story centered around the mystery of who his parents were. Headwriter Robert Guza, Jr. hinted that Ethan would connect Luke Spencer's family to another family with whom they were once affiliated. The writers tied Ethan to established characters Luke Spencer (Geary), Holly Sutton (Samms), and Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers) &mdash; made household names during General Hospital 1980s peak &mdash; with the question of whether or not he is Holly's son with one of the two men.

Reception
The character of "charismatic drifter/grifter" Ethan was initially a recurring role, but Parsons was soon put on contract with the series. In March 2009 Soaps In Depth magazine credited Parsons with "taking the show by storm" and dubbed Ethan "one of daytime's most riveting young characters."

Storylines
Ethan is introduced in January 2009 attempting to burglarize the Haunted Star Casino. Owner Luke Spencer catches him, and the two become acquainted; the Australian Ethan explains that he knows thief and con artist Holly Sutton, a former flame of Luke's, and had actually come to town seeking Luke. Ethan reveals that he had never known his biological parents, and that his adoptive parents had died when he was 15; he had subsequently run off, and met Holly in his travels. Ethan secretly carries a photo of Luke and his longtime friend Robert Scorpio, who had been married to Holly. Luke and his wife Tracy Quartermaine suspect that Holly is in fact Ethan's mother, and that Luke may then be his father. A DNA test on May 7, 2009 confirms that Luke and Ethan are not father and son, but Luke suspects that Tracy may have altered the paternity test. Holly returns, confirming that she is Ethan's mother and initially revealing that Robert is his father on May 22, 2009. After Robert's daughter Robin tells Ethan that Robert was in Port Charles and not with Holly when Ethan would have been conceived, Holly confesses to Luke on May 29, 2009 that Ethan is in fact his son. On June 5, 2009, Ethan is revealed to be conspiring and romantically involved with Rebecca Shaw, a newly-arrived lookalike of the deceased Emily Quartermaine.