After soap star Jacklyn Zeman passed away in May 2023, General Hospital paid tribute to the beloved actress and her character of Bobbie Spencer with a special memorial episode in January 2024, delayed due to the writers’ strike. Now the daytime icon will receive another tribute with a special episode of The Bay to premiere this fall featuring some very special guests.
Zeman played the role of medium Sofia Grace Madison on the streaming soap, so showrunner and headwriter Gregori J. Martin is putting together a very special episode to honor the late actress. “The special episode titled ‘Sofia’ will be a celebration of both the Sofia character and Jackie Zeman’s life,” Martin announced, “with several special guest stars that meant something to Jackie’s legacy.”
Dee Wallace, who played Bobbie’s older sister, Patricia Spencer, on GH, is joining the cast of The Bay as Sofia’s sister, Charlotte Grace to launch a new perfume in her sibling’s honor. Tamara Braun, who played Bobbie’s daughter, Carly, on GH, will be making a guest appearance as Rita “Elise” Kennedy, a blind woman who receives Sofia’s donated corneas… and the medium’s gift of sight that is used to help solve a mystery.
“Knowing how special Tamara was to Jackie,” Martin explained, “I created the role of Elise specifically for her. I also knew whatever name we gave this character had to be something extra special to Jackie.” After reaching out to soap scribe Michele Val Jean, who was also a dear friend of Zeman’s, Martin took her advice to name Braun’s character after Zeman’s mother, Rita, and her two granddaughters.
In addition, Leigh McCloskey, who played Bobbie’s ex-husband Damian Smith on GH, will be playing Sofia’s first husband, Hank Henderson, and Emmie Romanovich will be reprising her role of Sofia and Hank’s youngest daughter, Tandi Jo.
During the special episode centered around the launch of Sofia’s fragrance line, Hank and Tandi Jo will speak words written by Zeman’s real-life daughters, Cassidy and Lacey Rose. The show will also feature a collage of never-before-seen family photos and video clips shared by Zeman’s family.
