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Soap opera legend Genie Francis received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards on October 30. The General Hospital star’s longtime husband, Jonathan Frakes, presented her with the award during the ceremony.
In addition to her loving husband, Francis had her two children by her side for the special night. “I’d like to thank my children again for putting up with a mother who went to work, but I had a passion. It just wouldn’t be me. And as always, I thank my husband for his unwavering support and love. Truly, my cup runneth over,” Francis said during her emotional speech.
The Daytime Emmy winner and the Star Trek: The Next Generation star have quite the Hollywood love story, but their romance didn’t start on a daytime soap. After an initial introduction, the now-married couple didn’t reconnect until a few years later on another set. As the world of daytime celebrates Francis’ decades-long career in soaps, most notably as Laura on GH, Swooon is doing a deep dive into her real-life relationship and family.
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How did Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes meet?
Francis and Frakes first met on the set of the short-lived primetime soap called Bare Essence in 1982. At the time, Francis was just 20 years old, and Frakes was a decade older. “She was too young for me!” Frakes told People. The series ended in 1983.
The actors were then cast in the 1985 Civil War miniseries North and South. “So we were on location in Charleston and Natchez, and we fell in love – and now, somehow, she wasn’t too young for me. So we have been together ever since our first date on North and South when we took a break for Memorial Day and went to New Orleans 38 years ago,” Frakes said in 2023.
While filming North and South, Francis and Frakes both developed crushes on each other. Their costar, Kirstie Alley, urged them to get together. “I saw Jonathan again, and I just fell in love. It was almost like we’d never seen each other before,” Francis said on Maurice Benard‘s State of Mind podcast. “I remember the first moment I put my hand in his, and I knew that I was gonna stay there.” Frakes said on the podcast that they’ve been together since Francis’ 23rd birthday.
How long have Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes been married?
It didn’t take long for Francis and Frakes to realize they wanted to spend forever with each other. They got married on May 28, 1988.
On the State of Mind podcast, Francis opened up about her social anxiety. She admitted that Frakes is a very social person, and it was a “journey” in their marriage to find a balance that worked for them.
Do Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes have kids?
The couple has two kids together. Their first child, son Jameson, was born on August 20, 1994. Their daughter, Eliza, was born on May 30, 1997. Eliza has followed in her parents’ footsteps when it comes to acting. She even had a three-episode role as PA Julie on General Hospital.
For a period of time, the couple and their kids lived in Belfast, Maine. Frakes even taught filmmaking at Rockport College. They have since moved to California.