In the world of daytime drama, few families carry as much weight, history, and heartbreak as the Quartermaines of General Hospital. Now, that legacy is being shaken to its core as the beloved Monica Quartermaine—

played for decades by the legendary Leslie Charleson—has been laid to rest. But while Monica’s passing marks the end of an era for fans, it also served as a poignant goodbye for

the cast members who brought her world to life, including Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Jane Elliot (Tracy Quartermaine).Both Burton and Elliot recently opened up in separate interviews—

Burton with TV Insider and Elliot with Variety—about navigating Monica’s death on-screen while still mourning the loss of Charleson in real life. Their reflections reveal the deep emotional toll this storyline took, both personally and professionally, while offering fans an intimate look into how these actors channeled their grief into moving performances.

Burton on Jason’s Heartbreak: “It Was Surreal”

Steve Burton has played Jason Morgan (originally Jason Quartermaine) on and off since 1991, making Monica not just his on-screen mother, but a fixture in his professional life for over three decades. Speaking to TV Insider, Burton admitted that filming Jason’s reaction to Monica’s death felt unlike anything else he had experienced.

“It was surreal,” Burton confessed. “You have a woman who I love dearly who passed, but you had her character, who was still alive. It was just this weird world to be in.”

The storyline required Jason to be the one to discover Monica had passed away, delivering the devastating news to Tracy. That moment, layered with both fictional grief and the real pain of losing Charleson, hit Burton hard. “It wasn’t acting,” he explained. “I was already there emotionally.”

Jason’s Regret and a Family Torn Apart

In the memorial episode, Jason was tasked with giving one of the service’s most powerful eulogies—a moment Burton admitted he barely rehearsed. Instead, he leaned into the emotions already bubbling beneath the surface. “There was no planning,” he said. “I just got up and spoke, and that was it.”

Jason’s speech was as much about sorrow as it was about regret. He confessed his heartbreak over turning his back on the Quartermaines after the accident that left him brain-damaged, when he chose to work with Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and shut out the family that loved him. His eulogy revealed a man haunted by the time he lost but grateful for the moments he did get, particularly after moving back into the mansion with his son Danny.

It was a fitting tribute, not only to Monica but also to Jason’s complicated, often painful, relationship with the family matriarch. Through Jason’s words, viewers saw a man stripped of his usual stoicism, mourning both a mother and a chance at reconciliation that came too late.

Elliot’s Double Grief: “I Had to Mourn Her Twice”

For Jane Elliot, who has portrayed the sharp-tongued and fiercely loyal Tracy Quartermaine since 1978, the experience was equally challenging. Speaking with Variety, Elliot described the unique pain of acting out scenes where Monica was still alive after Charleson had already passed.

“It extended the mourning because we had to keep her alive when she wasn’t,” Elliot revealed. “I had to mourn her death twice.”

That layered grief, she explained, came not just from losing Charleson as a friend and colleague but also from saying goodbye to a character who had been intertwined with Tracy’s life for decades. “One was obviously the person, and the other was the character,” Elliot said. “But at a certain point, they blended. She left me twice.”

Tracy and Monica: From Rivals to Sisters

Few relationships in soap history have evolved as dramatically as Monica and Tracy’s. When Monica first married Alan Quartermaine (Stuart Damon), Tracy dismissed her entirely, deeming her unworthy of the Quartermaine name. But over the years, animosity gave way to mutual respect, and eventually, to a bond stronger than either woman could have anticipated.

Reflecting on that transformation, Elliot admitted that saying goodbye to Monica felt like losing part of herself. “They were the only two left standing,” she said, noting that Tracy has already endured the deaths of her parents, her brother Alan, and the great love of her life, Luke Spencer (Tony Geary). “So, losing her was like losing an arm.”

At Monica’s memorial, Tracy surprised many with a heartfelt eulogy that revealed her true feelings. Though their relationship had been rocky at times, she admitted that Monica had become “the best of them”—a true Quartermaine in every sense of the word.

A Farewell That Transcended Fiction

What made Monica’s send-off so remarkable was how seamlessly the show blended the fictional loss of a character with the very real grief of losing Charleson. The funeral episode, which aired on September 25, became both a tribute to Monica and a celebration of Charleson’s extraordinary legacy.

For Burton, that legacy was personal. He spoke of never needing to rehearse scenes with Charleson because of the natural connection they shared. For Elliot, it was about honoring a co-star who had shaped Tracy’s journey as much as she had her own.

Together, their performances created a tapestry of grief that resonated deeply with fans, many of whom grew up watching Monica navigate decades of Quartermaine drama.

The Quartermaine Legacy Carries On

While Monica’s passing marks a heartbreaking chapter for the Quartermaines, the family’s story is far from over. With Tracy and Jason now left to shoulder the mantle, the next phase of the family saga promises to be rife with tension, reflection, and perhaps even healing.

For longtime viewers, the loss of Monica is not just the death of a character but the end of a cornerstone in General Hospital’s history. Yet, as Burton and Elliot both demonstrated, the spirit of Leslie Charleson—and the enduring strength of Monica Quartermaine—will continue to echo through Port Charles.

A Tribute for the Ages

Monica’s farewell episode reminded audiences why soap operas remain such a unique and enduring form of storytelling. It was not just a plot twist or a ratings grab; it was a deeply human exploration of grief, regret, and love.

As Jason and Tracy stood together in their shared sorrow, so too did Burton and Elliot stand as representatives of a cast and a fandom mourning a woman who left an indelible mark on daytime television.

For Elliot, the loss was like losing a limb. For Burton, it was a surreal collision of fiction and reality. For fans, it was a goodbye that felt achingly real.

And for General Hospital, it was a reminder that even in death, the Quartermaine family—and Leslie Charleson’s unforgettable Monica—will forever remain the beating heart of the show.