Johnny Zacchara is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera General Hospital and the contract role was portrayed by Brandon Barash from September 18, 2007 until May 3, 2013. He returned on December 5, 2014. He is the son of Claudia Zacchara (originally believed to be his sister) and Gino Soleito. Until its reveal in 2012, he was believed to be the son of mobster, Anthony Zacchara, who turned out to be his biological grandfather.
Conception
Casting
Brandon Barash first appeared in the contract role of Johnny Zacchara on September 18, 2007. Barash revealed that he auditioned for the role with costar Julie Marie Berman (Lulu Spencer).
In the spring of 2012 rumors began circulating that Barash had been let go from the series. The speculation was so strong that some of Barash's own cast mates began to express concern and support when fans started a petition to save the actor's job on Twitter. The show's newly installed executive producer, Frank Valentini later took to Twitter himself to dispel the rumors of Barash's firing. After almost a year of denying rumors, Barash revealed at a fan event in late January 2013 that he had filmed his last scenes. Barash finally confirmed his departure via Twitter on March 5, 2013.
On November 10, 2014, representatives at ABC confirmed Barash's return to the series in an unknown capacity, though, believed to be a story-dictated arc return. He returned to the show on December 5, 2014, and he later finished his stint on February 10, 2015.
In October 2015, it was announced that Barash will return once again to the series, airing on December 8, 2015. Barash vacated the role of Johnny once again on January 26, 2016.
Characterization
Upon his introduction in 2007, the character of Johnny is described as the volatile loose cannon son of mob boss, Anthony Zacchara (Bruce Weitz). The handsome, troubled, Johnny, described as a "bad boy with a good heart" is torn between staying loyal to his family and trying to maintain a sense of normalcy so that he can have a love life. During an interview with BuddyTV, Barash admitted that playing Johnny often felt like playing two roles. "There are so many layers to Johnny. You see one thing on the exterior, but there's so much going on underneath all that." An interview with Soap Town USA listed the similarities between Barash and his character as "handsome, driven, well-layered and well-spoken." Barash also described Johnny as "brooding" and that Johnny always carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. As of 2008, Barash observed Johnny as being "volatile" and almost "childish" in a lot of ways. Johnny is both sure and unsure of what he wants in life.
Storylines
Johnny Zacchara arrives in Port Charles and meets Lulu Spencer and the two begin a flirtatious relationship. His guardian is his father's lawyer, Trevor Lansing, who covered up the fact that Johnny's father Anthony murdered his mother Maria because Anthony was jealous of the bond between mother and son. Although Lulu's friends disapprove, they continued to see each other, and Johnny proved his love for her when he protected her against his father at the Black and White Ball.
After Anthony is paralyzed, Johnny takes the throne of the Zacchara empire, until Trevor calls upon Johnny's sister Claudia to town, and the siblings join forces and fight Sonny Corinthos's organization, which leads to Lulu being caught in dangerous situations.
Lulu breaks up with Logan and hooks up with Johnny, despite Claudia's disapproval. As friction develops between the two organizations, Johnny and Claudia arrange for Sonny to be shot but Sonny's son, Michael, is shot in the crossfire, leading the siblings to cover up the botched hit.
Johnny and Claudia lose hold of the empire when their father returns from his incarceration in an asylum. Soon after, Lulu kills Logan in self-defense and Johnny and Maxie cover it up as Johnny tells Claudia it was him who killed Logan. When put on trial, Johnny is threatened with the death penalty, and Claudia perjured herself on the stand, resulting in Johnny's acquittal.