Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan)

Constanza Louise "Connie" Falconeri-Zacchara (née Falconeri, aka Katherine Hardwicke "Kate" Howard) is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. The character was introduced to the show in May 2007, and has been portrayed by Megan Ward and recently Kelly Sullivan.

Megan Ward on playing Kate Howard
Kate Howard is a woman full of contradictions. She is a character that is constantly trying to hide where she came from and who she really is, Connie Falconeri. Megan Ward says:

"'I'm not just playing Kate, [...] [i]t's Kate and Connie and then the person who was in between in the arc of how she became Kate. There are a lot of contradictions with her because Kate comes on incredibly strong and incredibly dismissive[...] But, the reason she is that way is because she's concealing and hiding. She's projecting a persona to intimidate, but she's also putting up a wall to cover the truth of who she is and the emotion and vulnerability that she has. So I have to play all of it [...] Then I also have to play how she responds to being in the presence of Sonny [...] If I don't constantly think about what I need to cover, then I only tell half the story. I have a nice journey ahead of me, to unravel the pieces of her personality.'"

Megan Ward further adds:

"'What's been challenging has been playing Kate — that person who is strong and flawed and one can be critical of — but maintaining the qualities of Connie, the girl Sonny fell in love with. She's still completely in there. I have to play the projection of Kate Howard, but it's all covering the Connie Falconeri underneath. Creatively, I've had to constantly balance being forceful and dominating in situations, but still let you see that the true girl doesn't mean to be that forceful and dominating. The true girl is someone you'd like to know.'"

Megan Ward stated in an interview with Soap Opera Weekly that "At least half the inspiration for the character is Anna Wintour, but she is an older woman who's had a long career. I'm not of that age yet, but I imagine Kate could become that person, eventually. I draw from Aerin Lauder, Estée Lauder's granddaughter, who runs the Estée Lauder company, and a well-known interior designer named Kelly Wearstler, who was one of the judges on Bravo's TOP DESIGN. What I loved about her was every week she had a completely different look."

Megan Ward has also stated that she relates more to Connie than to Kate because:

"'Connie is a smart girl. She knew what she wanted, but was still grounded in reality and capable of loving and letting someone know that she loves them. Kate is a creation, a manufactured identity. What's sad about Connie, and she's learning that as we go along, is that she might have been wrong that she had to be Kate Howard to get where she is. That's what Sonny represents for her. You have to be strong and ambitious to accomplish great tasks, but you don't necessarily have to be purely Kate Howard. As Megan, I've made choices to have children and be committed to my marriage, which may have gotten in the way of some of my career ambitions. But for me, life is all about balance. It's choices for good or bad. That's where Connie is now: discovering that some of the choices may not have been for the best.'"

References to popular culture
The character of Kate Howard is reminiscent of that of Miranda Priestly (portrayed by Meryl Streep) from The Devil Wears Prada and Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue. Megan Ward has stated that she has also based her character on Aerin Lauder and Kelly Wearstler. Miranda Priestly's character is allegedly based on Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, although the author for The Devil Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger, denies it.

Anna Wintour and the character of Miranda Priestly share many similarities. The character of Kate Howard shares many characteristics with them as well. Further, Howard's character has a similar haircut to Wintour's signature hairstyle. This was unintentional; Megan Ward chose her haircut because she was looking for something practical. In turn, the characters are different in that Wintour and Priestly are Londoners who did not attend college, whereas, Kate Howard is a New Yorker who attended Princeton University. Also, to date (pre-2012), she has no children, whereas Wintour and Priestly each have two.

Kate Howard's real name, Connie Falconeri, may also be allusive to The Godfather's Connie Corleone, who is the sister of Michael Corleone and Santino "Sonny" Corleone (these names are in turn allusive to Michael &quot;Sonny&quot; Corinthos).

Background
Upon first introduction Kate Howard is a late thirties, early fourties woman, famous for being the editor-in-chief of a high fashion magazine, similar to the character of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. Her history is told through bits of dialogue, primarily between her and the character Sonny Corinthos, played by Maurice Benard. Through these glimpses, it is revealed that Kate Howard was born Constanza Louise Falconeri, "Connie" Falconeri for short. She was raised in Bensonhurst, New York a blue-collar neighborhood, to an Italian American family, where she worked at a bakery and attended a catholic school called Sacred Heart in Brooklyn, New York.

At the age of 18, wanting a better life for herself, she legally changed her name to Kate Howard, after Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. Her desire was to choose an easily recognizable name that alluded to a good background and social standing. She attended Princeton University, on a full scholarship, and worked her way up the ranks to become the editor of the fictional top fashion magazine, Couture. Since then, she has hidden her past as Connie Falconeri, claiming instead to be from Connecticut.

She and mob boss Sonny Corinthos dated as teenagers and had planned to run away together, but on the night they were to leave, she stood him up. She later explained to him that she wanted to pursue her dreams of having a career, something she could not do had she run away with Sonny.

Living in Port Charles
The character was introduced to the show on May 4, 2007 when she walked into Sonny's office unannounced and demanded the use of a phone because her car had broken down. She at first pretended that she did not know Sonny, but he eventually recognized her as Connie Falconeri from Bensonhurst. Diane Miller, Sonny's lawyer, later mentioned that Kate Howard is considered one of the "100 Most Powerful Women in America" in the fictional world of General Hospital. She purchased a mansion next door to Sonny and proceeded to re-decorate to serve as her vacation residence, much to the annoyance of Carly Corinthos Jacks, Sonny's ex-wife. However, though Kate knows that Sonny is a mobster she is badly shaken when she witnessed Sonny physically threatening Jerry Jacks, and rethinks her desire to pursue a new relationship with him.

During a reception for a charity sponsored by the singer Eli Love, Kate was suffering from a headache and mistook a libido-enhancement pill for ibuprofen, which she found in her boss' jacket, Warren James. She then visited Sonny Corinthos, while she was under the effects of the drug, and seduced Sonny. On another occasion, Kate, who does not swim, rescued Morgan Corinthos from drowning in her pond. While she was in the pond, she was bitten by a snake and was hospitalized.

Kate Howard was arrested for reckless driving and for a hit-and-run. She side swiped a police car and did not stop. She also has a prior traffic violation in which she also side swiped a parked car while she was in the Hamptons, but did not stop. She received a six months suspended license for the first violation. Kate cites this as one of the reasons why she moved to Port Charles. Her lawyer had advised her to not visit the Hamptons for a while and thus, she bought the house in Port Charles. She was released into Sonny's custody on August 14, 2007, after spending the night in jail. Diane Miller was attempting to work on a plea agreement for Kate. As a thank you for her work, Kate was going to reward her by scheduling her a fitting for a custom designer dress. The interim District Attorney, Ric Lansing, refused the plea agreement seeking to take revenge on Sonny through Kate.

Kate's friend and former lover was Trevor Lansing, Ric Lansing's father and he arrived in town on August 22, 2007. He blackmailed Ric, unbeknownst to Kate, and threatened him with losing custody of his daughter Molly if he did not accept reducing the charges against Kate. The charges were reduced and a plea agreement was reached with a fine and community service.

Upon learning of Kate's close relationship with Sonny, Trevor contacted personal friends to remove advertisements from Couture. He wanted to blackmail Kate into choosing between him and her career or Sonny. She chose her career. After a confrontation between her and Trevor, Kate was drugged and got into a car accident. She was later arrested and tried for reckless driving. She received 6 months of community service and forced to wear an ankle monitor thanks to Sonny blackmailing the judge. She is now doing community service as part of her 6-month community service sentence. Trevor had her fired from Couture magazine due to a breach of her contract. Kate has decided to become a fashion designer and start her own magazine. Jasper Jacks is financing the magazine. Kate moved back to Manhattan trying to get away from Sonny. Warren offered her her job at Couture. Nevertheless, Sonny went to Manhattan looking for her. Sonny, after a few days in Manhattan, had to leave the city because of a restriction order against him. The restriction order was filed after he assaulted a man at an art gallery show on New Year's Eve. Kate briefly worked as a collaborator for Couture but is again in charge of the magazine. Sonny later came back to take Kate to Bensonhurst. They visited several memorable places from the youth and Sonny then proposed. Kate did not answer and ran away. She later went looking for Sonny in Port Charles and she told him that she did not accept his proposal because he does not love her as who she is now, he loves Connie from Bensonhurst. Megan Ward echoes her character's words; she stated that Kate "fears that Sonny is really in love with the girl she was and not the woman she has become."

In September 2008, Kate's cousin Olivia Falconeri moved to Port Charles to be her maid of honor.

Kate Howard unwrapped
An emotional Kate met with Jax. Megan Ward explains that her character was "feeling very lost" and that is "why she came clean to Jax." She told him about her life as Connie in Bensonhurst. Jax questioned her about what her family thought about this. Before she could answer Carly interrupted. Sonny has asked the same question, which Kate has not answered. Fans and soap opera magazines speculate that the character of Kate Howard is keeping a secret which forces her to keep he real identity secret.

Later, Kate met with Sonny in an attempt to reconcile with him and kissed him. Kate, while visiting a building she wanted as a based on operations for her new magazine, was shot by Sonny's son, Michael Corinthos, by accident. Sonny found her and rushed her to the hospital. Kate survived the surgery but knows that the gunshot wound took some years off her life. She forgave Michael for what happened.

Kate and Sonny
Kate and Sonny knew each other since their childhood in Bensonhurst, a tough Italian area of New York City. They often talk about their shared past and wonder what would have happened if Connie and Sonny had run off and got married. Kate and Sonny have been dating off and on since September 2007. Kate did not like Sonny's sons, finding them ill-behaved, until they became part of the package of dating Sonny. She helped Sonny with getting his daughter Kristina into a private school.

Sonny has cheated on her twice, once with Claudia Zacchara and another time with ex-wife Carly Jacks on the way back to Port Charles after dropping off their son Michael in his permanent care facility. Sonny was worried about that Carly was pregnant in late July, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

Sonny and Kate attempt to marry, but Kate was shot shortly after walking down the aisle. Sonny was stabbed on Halloween and saved by his ex-wife Carly. Kate learned from Jax that Sonny and Carly slept together again and ended things with him.

Kate learned that Sonny's current wife Claudia Corinthos is the one that hired Ian Devlin to shoot Sonny (which lead to Michael getting shot instead). Kate also learns that Anthony is the one that shot her. Kate hopes that when the truth comes out she and Sonny wil be reunited. Kate reveals to Jax that Olivia's son Dante is actually an undercover cop working for Sonny.

In the summer of 2011 after Sonny's ex-wife Brenda Barrett left him, Sonny almost had a mental breakdown, but Kate was there and helped Sonny get back on his feet. Having already ended her relationship with Coleman months before, Kate and Sonny began to flirt with one another again. They soon get back together.

DID
In early 2012 after seeing Ewen Keenan because of blackouts, he diagnoses her with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Connie is the alternate personality. Connie plans with Johnny to have them making love and then Sonny walks in, so he breaks up with Kate. The plan fails, as Kate reemerges while they are making out and screams for him to leave. Ewen soon begins having sessions with her where he forces Connie to emerge. She is very aggressive and hits on Ewen, Steve, and more. After having an intervention as Connie with Jason, Ewen recommends Kate to a mental institution.

Connie takes over
The court has released Kate because of her DID in the murder case of Cole and Hope. Connie resurfaces and sets up paperwork for her blackmailed marriage to Johnny. Connie then reveals herself to the general public during her failed wedding to Sonny. Connie tells the guests that she can not marry Sonny because she is already to Johnny. Kate's son Trey Mitchell tries to petition the court to send Connie to a mental institution for help.? However with skilled legal counsel from Diane Miller, the court falsely rules that Connie is actually the "real" ego and Kate is the alter. Connie, still the alter, is overjoyed with the news.

In December, Johnny Zacchara has enough with the arranged marriage and is going to confess. However, Connie knocks him out and puts Johnny into her car's trunk. She travels the same highway that Cole and Hope was killed. Connie is talking to the trunk where Johnny is and crashes into Ellie Trout. Kristina and Trey was suspicious of Connie having something in the trunk and Michael and Starr tell them that she has Johnny kidnapped. Kristina, Trey Mitchell, Michael Corinthos, and Starr Manning are following Connie in the deep fog and also also crashes. Everyone besides Trey and Ellie leaves the scene on their own power.

Connie was handcuffed to her car, but she escapes. She goes to GH and sneaks into Trey's ER room. When the doctors are saying that Trey is flatlining, Connie reveals herself and says to save him! Connie and Kristina is forced to leave the ER room. They get an argument about the well-being of Trey. Alexis and Sonny stops them. Sonny sees that Connie is emotional about losing Trey and calls her Kate. Connie gathers herself and mentions that Kate is not the only one that has feelings. She walks off and goes to check on Trey. Steve Webber has bad news. Connie initially refuses to take Trey off live support but eventually after Alexis gets a court order she agrees. When Kristina is upset over the loss of Trey and trashes Connie's office and attempts to kill Connie, she initially presses charges against Kristina but eventually she lies on the stand to cover for Kristina. He tells Michael that Sonny did not leak the ELQ story. Then Connie goes to Quartermaine's mansion and gets Tracy out of being arrested by federal agents. Connie tells Tracy that she told Michael and Sonny that Sonny didn't leak the information and then Tracy says that she did. Sonny and Shawn overhears and comes in to tell them that.

Kate returns
On Febuary 19, 2013 Kate returns after Sonny and Connie had gotten together at the Haunted Star Valentines day party. She is shocked to find out that she had been gone for 5 months and Connie had married Johnny to avoid being committed. She fews Sonny's relationship with Connie as cheating and feels betrayed by Sonny because Connie has destroyed her life.

Reception
General Hospital fan response has been overwhelmingly positive of the pairing of Sonny Corinthos and Kate Howard. They are consistently among the Top 10 Couples, however fans are divided as to whether they want to see them get married at this stage. However, the wedding of Sonny and Kate was a sweeps event for GH. Fans were disgusted in March 2009 when ABC announced that General Hospital was letting Megan Ward and Rick Hearst off of contract.