In early February 2014, the series put out a casting call for the role of Levi.[2] In early March 2014, General Hospital Happenings reported that Kirsten Storms's return as Maxie Jones would help introduce the new character.[3]
News of Garred's casting was discussed on message boards for several weeks prior to the announcement.[4]
On March 18, 2014, it was announced that Zachary Garred had been cast in the recurring role of Levi and would share his first scenes with the recently returned Storms. Garred announced that he would debut April 3, 2014.[5]
However, the former Home and Away alum, instead first appeared on April 9, 2014.[6]
Soaps In Depth described Levi as a "spiritual counselor of sorts" for Maxie. Of the casting, the actor said "Being able to be a part of such an auspicious show with such a huge lineage is very rare, [so] I feel lucky." The actor revealed on Twitter that he was only scheduled to appear for two months.[7]
In late July 2014, ABC Soaps In Depth confirmed that the actor would be sticking around after the end of his initial 12 week arc.[8]
His last appearance was on September 16, 2014, when the character was killed off.
Characterization and portrayal[]
The initial casting call was said to be between the ages of 27 and 35, "cute" and "appealing." Levi has a "new age vibe." He is "soulful, zen" and "chill." Levi is more worried about "saving the planet" than his appearance.
Levi has "long hair" and a "shaggy presence."[2] Initial rumors described the character as "comical."[3] The character was described as a "guru" who could potentially have familial ties to an already established character.[9] Other sources described Garred's Levi as a "free spirit."[10]
Jamey Giddens described Levi as a "new age chap."[11]Soap Opera Network said Levi is "as groovy as the turquoise waters" of Garred's home country of Australia.
Levi was described as a "peace and love hippie."[12]
"Playing the villain has been really enjoyable. I've never played the bad guy before; I've always been the leading man or the boy next door, a nice bloke, never anything that's been so manipulative and Machiavellian, something that really draws the ire of the audience. That in itself is a very new adventure for me."
In an interview with On-Air On-Soaps Garred said of his portrayal โโ "you play him with conceited conviction, because he believes everything he is saying."[13]
Executive producer Frank Valentini instructed the actor to avoid playing up typical hipster angle because it was already organically present in the character. Garred instead played the role "with that sort of duplicitous angle underneath" which he described as being quite "infuriating." Garred commented that Levi who is "underhanded and duplicitous" catches so many people off guard because it's so unexpected.[13]
Garred praised head writer, Ron Carlivati and his team for giving him the material and said pitting his character up against the attractive "all American hero" in Ryan Paevey's Nathan helped. [13] Garred gave credit to Valentini for his advice early on about portraying the character. Garred quoted his boss in saying, "You just have to play it really honest. He believes what he does and he wants Maxie to believe with him.
Storylines[]
Peter sabotages Maxie
On April 9, 2014, Peter (aka Levi) makes his first appearance shirtless and he had used the rest of Nathan's shampoo. He tries to give Nathan advice but it doesn't go over well. It is also revealed that he and Maxie Jones are dating and they met while Maxie was away on her Eat-Pray-Love journey. Levi doesn't see eye to eye with Maxie's adoptive father Mac Scorpio or Maxie's sub-letter, Nathan West. He also convinced Maxie to forget about ever trying to see her daughter Georgie again. He reluctantly attended the Nurses Ball with Maxie when he saw how badly she wanted to go. Levi gets very upset when Maxie tells him that she has decided to fight for her daughter and that Nathan lied to a judge for her. On June 20, Maxie loses custody of her daughter again because someone tipped off the judge about Nathan's lie. Later on, Nathan accuses Levi of tipping off the judge but he doesn't deny it but he doesn't admit to it either. It is later revealed that he did indeed tip off the judge and also lost his Aussie accent in the process.
Peter calls "immigration"
Levi then turns his attention to stopping the ELQ waterfront renovation project, aimed at renovating Bobbie Spencer's brownstone to revitalize the neighborhood, because he felt this project would have ill effects on the people already living there who wouldn't be able to afford the rent in a newly renovated neighborhood. It was revealed that Levi has been arrested multiple times before. Levi and Maxie go to the Brownstone to protest and stage a sit-in. They refuse to leave even when ELQ CEO Michael Corinthos arrives and asks them to leave his property. Michael calls the police and Nathan and two other officers respond to the scene. Both Levi and Maxie are arrested and Levi is dragged out the building as he resists arrest.
Peter has the Aztec necklace
After Levi is arrested, it's revealed that his visa is expired and he is facing deportation. Levi only shares this news with Maxie, Nathan and his lawyer, Diane Miller. In order to drive a wedge between Nathan and Maxie, Levi frames Nathan by taking Nathan's phone and using it to call immigration on himself. When the immigration agent shows up at Maxie's door, Levi gives himself away, putting himself in even more trouble and risk for deportation. Maxie is furious when she learns that someone called immigration on Levi and immediately suspects Nathan. Nathan denies calling immigration, but admits that the only other person who he told about "Levi's" situation was fellow officer, Dante Falconeri.
Peter pulls a gun on Nathan
Maxie went down to The Floating Rib to confront Mac, whom she also thought could have been responsible, because he talked about calling immigration on Levi months earlier. Finding Dante also at the bar, Maxie confronts them both, but they deny that they are responsible. At the end of the confrontation, Maxie is back to accusing Nathan. Nathan offers to let her check his phone so she would know that he never placed the call. Maxie looked through the phone and found the number because Levi planted it there. The evidence piles up against Nathan and Maxie is furious. Ultimately believing that Nathan is responsible, Levi was pleased when Maxie kicked Nathan out of the apartment. Levi and Maxie then began to talk about how to keep him from being deported. Maxie tells Levi that if he is deported back to Australia, she would go with him. Levi tells her that she can't leave her family so she suggests that they get married.
Peter holds Maxie hostage at gunpoint
In August, on the day of Levi and Maxie's wedding, he finds out that Felicia gave away her Aztec necklace to Paul Murphy. Later on, it is revealed that Levi stole the necklace back. Nathan goes to confront Levi and finds the necklace. When Nathan finds it Levi pulls a gun on him. It is revealed that he is pretending to be Australian, and is only after the Aztec jewels. He then beats Nathan up and then proceeds to go get married. Maxie stops the wedding but Levi convinces her to through with it, however, just as they're about to be pronounced man & wife, Nathan walks in and places Levi is under arrest. Levi reacts by pulling a gun on Maxie. Nathan can't shoot Levi in fear of shooting Maxie. Then Dante comes out from behind Levi, saying, "It's over, Levi." Just as the "Agent" Scribner, his accomplice, pulls a gun on Lulu, threatening to shoot her right on the spot. Levi and Scribner later kidnap Maxie and Lulu after Levi shoots Mac.
Peter uses Lulu as a human shield
Later, Levi and his accomplice are seen at a cabin with Maxie and Lulu. When Scribner says that they are going to let the girls go, Levi has other plans. When Scribner doesn't agree, he shoots him. On August 27, before dying, Scribner reveals that Levi Dunkleman is an alias. Levi's real name is Peter Harrell, Jr., making him the son of Felicia Scorpio's ex-fiance, Peter Harrell, Sr. Peter, Jr is later seen bringing the girls "breakfast" at house in the woods. He also explains to them that what he is doing is personal. Dante and Nathan managed to track Peter down at the house in the woods. There is a standoff with the police and Peter uses Lulu as his human shield. Lulu elbows Peter and Dante shot him in the shoulder. Suddenly a canister of gas is thrown into the room and Dante, Lulu, Maxie, and Peter all fall unconscious. A bunch of guys in hazmat suits rushed in, fillowed by Peter's boss, Victor Cassadine. One of Victor's men then stitches up Peter's wound and recovers the Aztec treasure.
Peter is dead
Peter barged into Victor's office with his arm in a sling and demanded to know when he would get his revenge. Victor reminded Peter that he was in charge, and then pro ceded to tell him that he planned to give Lulu to his nephew Stavros Cassadine. Peter was shocked by the plans that Stavros had for Lulu. On September 12, Peter went to see Nathan and taunt him. Maxie had escaped, so he went to find her. Peter found. Maxie in the room where his father was alive and recovering. On September 15, Peter Sr, told his son that he wanted to kill Maxie himself. Peter have him the Aztec treasure that had been fashioned into a fancy dagger. As Peter, Sr. moved in for the kill, Nathan came in and shot him in the back, killing him. Nathan and Peter fought with Peter gaining the upper hand, until Maxie stabbed him in the back with the dagger, killing him.
Crimes Committed[]
Fraud; impersonated someone he wasn't in order to steal the Aztec jewels from Maxie's family [pre-2014; revealed Aug 11-12, 2014]
Sabotaged Maxie's custody hearing by telling the judge that Nathan lied [revealed Jun 24, 2014]
Protested the Waterfront project [Jun 30, 2014]
Trespassing; wouldn't leave the Waterfront property [Jun 30, 2014]
Resisting arrest; struggled against 2 cops who forcibly removed him from the Waterfront property [Jul 1, 2014]
Theft; stole Nathan's phone and put an incriminating number in his call log in order to make it look like he called immigration [revealed Jul 17, 2014]
Breaking and entering; broke into Paul Murphy's house [Aug 8, 2014]
Assault; knocked Paul Murphy out [Aug 8, 2014]
Theft; stole the Aztec necklace [Aug 8, 2014]
Held Nathan at gunpoint [Aug 11-12, 2014]
Assault; beat Nathan up, knocked him out, and tied him up [Aug 12, 2014; Dante freed Nathan on Aug 13, 2014]
Fraud; tried to marry Maxie Jones in order to get the Aztec jewels [Aug 11-13, 2014]
Kidnapped Maxie and Lulu with the help of his partner, Jeffrey Scribner [Aug 14, 2014]
Held Maxie and Lulu hostage [Aug 14-Sep 2, 2014]
Stole a boat [Aug 14, 2014]
Made it look like the girls had drowned, with the help of his partner, when they sunk the boat that they stole [Aug 18, 2014]
Shot and killed Scribner and took off with Maxie and Lulu [revealed Aug 26, 2014; Scribner died the next day from complications of his wound]
Used Lulu as a human shield to keep the police away from him [Sep 2, 2014]
Conspired with Victor, Helena Cassadine, and Stavros Cassadine to hold Nathan, Maxie, Dante and Lulu captive at the Crichton-Clark Clinic [Sep 8-17, 2014]
Held Nathan at gunpoint again [Sep 12, 2014]
Manhandled Maxie [Sep 12, 2014]
Was going to let his father kill Maxie [Sep 15, 2014]
Got into a fist fight with Nathan [Sep 15, 2014]
Tried to kill Nathan after he got the upper hand during a fight [Sep 15, 2014]
Health and Vitals[]
Assaulted by Det. Nathan West (grabbed and almost punched) [Apr 14, 2014]
Assaulted by Det. Nathan West again (grabbed and almost punched) [Jun 26, 2014]
