Franco and Elizabeth Baldwin

Franco Baldwin and Nurse Elizabeth Webber are fictional characters and a fictional couple on soap opera General Hospital.

Casting
Franco has been portrayed by actor Roger Howarth since May 13, 2013. The role was originated by James Franco (2009-12).

Actress Rebecca Herbst originally auditioned for the role of Sarah Webber. Although she did not get the part, General Hospital created the role of Sarah's sister, Elizabeth for Herbst to play, and she debuted on August 1, 1997.

In 1999, the role earned Herbst the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress, as well as an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Younger Actress in 1999 and a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2007.

Background
Franco is the son of attorney, Scott Baldwin and super villain, Heather Webber. He is also the grandson of one of the shows original characters, the late, Lee Baldwin and a member of the Baldwin family.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Dr. Jeff Webber and his wife, Carolyn Webber. She is also the granddaughter of one of the shows original characters, the late, Dr. Steve Hardy and a member of the Webber family.

Franco and Elizabeth had a tumultuous beginning -- as Franco did with most people in town, but after it was revealed that Franco's former crimes and misdeeds were the results of a tumor affecting his actions and ability to make decisions, Elizabeth became open to learning more about who Franco is as a person now. Her interest in him began after Franco offered to treat her son Jake's PTSD with art therapy.

Franco and Jake grew close and Franco and Elizabeth became friends, spending more time together and getting to know each other. Through spending time together, they learned that they both share a love of art and painting. Overtime, Elizabeth and Franco eventually fell in love and moved in together.

Franco started off bonding with Jake, but he now has a good relationship with all three of Elizabeth's sons and they live together as a family, often taking outings and celebrating holidays together.

Franco and Elizabeth got engaged on December 4 at General Hospital.

Storylines
Franco and Elizabeth did not have a good relationship or interact much at all when they first crossed paths. In fact, they first came into each other's lives after a deranged Franco kidnapped her newborn son, Aiden Spencer and gave him to his adoptive mother, Betsy Frank, who had always wanted another child. Aiden was eventually rescued by his father, Lucky Spencer and Franco left town to avoid arrest.
 * -|2010-13=

When Franco returned to town in 2013, he revealed himself to Elizabeth, Carly Corinthos, Sonny Corinthos, Michael Corinthos, AJ Quartermaine, Sam Morgan, Maxie Jones, and Damian Spinelli in an elaborate party, claiming that he wanted to make amends for his past crimes. No one believes him at first, but eventually it's revealed that his former crimes were the results of a tumor that affected his actions and ability to make decisions. After the revelation, Franco and Elizabeth go their separate ways until circumstances bring them back into each other's lives.

In December 2015, Elizabeth was reeling from the fallout of keeping Jason's identity a secret from his loved ones. Once it was revealed that she knew Jason was alive and didn't tell anyone to keep him to herself, many in town called her out for her actions. In her frustration, she trashed Franco's art therapy room. Franco stops hers and offers her some advice on how to deal with being the "town pariah."
 * -|2015-16=

Franco continued to offer her advice, sometimes unwarranted, but overtime she softened toward him. Franco and Elizabeth became friends and soon she found that she began depending on him. Franco supported Elizabeth when Jake began to suffer from PTSD after his kidnapping by Helena Cassadine. Franco offered to treat Jake with art therapy and to their surprise, the treatment worked and Jake began to improve. Jake also bonded with Franco and began to depend on him.

Jake's father, Jason, had reservations with Franco treating Jake, due to Franco's sordid past. But Elizabeth continually defended Franco, asserting that his crimes were the result of the tumor that was removed and he is now a changed man. Despite Jason's concerns, Elizabeth allowed Franco to continue treating Jake, who continued to show improvement. Franco and Elizabeth attended their first function together when he escorted her to the 2016 Nurses' Ball. They had their official first date at The Floating Rib in July 2016. After some back and forth and uncertainty, Elizabeth and Franco solidify their relationship and commit to each other in August.

In September, Franco was instrumental in discovering that Elizabeth and her then-nemesis Hayden Barnes are paternal half-sisters. He revealed the truth to Liz and Hayden and after a rocky beginning, they were able to form a good relationship as sisters. The revelation came about when Elizabeth needed a blood transfusion after suffering from a ruptured spleen and Franco brought in Hayden to save Elizabeth's life. Franco never left Elizabeth's side the entire time she was in the hospital.

Elizabeth and Franco continued to bond and grow closer to one another. When Tom Baker, the man who raped Elizabeth as a teen, is released from prison. Franco is desperate to keep him away from her. Despite her fear of Tom, Elizabeth asks Franco to stay away from him for her sake. However, after Tom is found dead, and Franco is accused of murdering him, he and Elizabeth worked together to prove his innocence and succeed in getting Franco exonerated. With the latest obstacle behind them, they are free to re-focus on their relationship.

Elizabeth and Franco said "I love you" to each other and made love for the first time in February 2017. Franco and Elizabeth got engaged on December 4.
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Proposal video
Franco and Elizabeth got engaged on December 4, 2017 after Elizabeth proposed to Franco at General Hospital.

