It’s hard to believe, but Elizabeth Webber has been a familiar face in Port Charles for nearly three decades. Rebecca Herbst first debuted as the rebellious teenager in August 1997, and 29 years later, she’s still one of “General Hospital’s” most beloved characters. A recent trip down memory lane had longtime fans reminiscing about Elizabeth’s unforgettable debut while also reigniting calls for the actress to receive a bigger storyline. Read on to see what “GH” fans had to say.
Rebecca Herbst’s Debut Brings Back Memories for ‘General Hospital’ Fans
“GH” stars Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson recently celebrated Elizabeth Webber’s debut by sharing an “On This Day in General Hospital History” post on their Stone Cold and the Jackal social media pages.
The post featured Elizabeth’s very first scene with her older sister, Sarah Webber.
Sarah asked, “What are you doing here?”
Elizabeth quickly fired back, “The stork brought me, remember?”
The post also reminded fans that 1997 marked Rebecca Herbst’s debut as the troubled younger sister of Sarah Webber.
The nostalgic clip immediately transported many longtime viewers back to the late 1990s.
One fan fondly remembered, “CHAIN SMOKING TEENAGE REBELLION LIZ!!! Ah what a time to be a teen watching the GH teen scene. One summer back then Disney slapped a teen scene promo at the beginning of every Buena Vista video rental. They promoted the heck out of Lucky, Liz, Emily, Nik, Gia and Juan.”
Another viewer recalled, “I was in high school and these were my favorite stories with Liz, Emily, Nicholas and Lucky.”
Others reflected on just how memorable Elizabeth was from the moment she arrived.
“Role created just for her, and for good reason! She is criminally underused now. My favorite line from that episode was when she said to her sister, ‘You’ve exactly one year and 2 months on me. That does NOT entitle you to make parent noises.’ So feisty right out of the gate!” one fan wrote.
Another longtime “GH” viewer reflected on Elizabeth’s character evolution over the years.
“Aww… I remember that, when Elizabeth came on the show like gangbusters, all ready to rumble with anyone who looked at her wrong. Then we discovered she was really a sweetie under that red nail polish and leather jacket. She had a heart of gold and just needed someone to stand up for her. Enter Lucky. They had the sweetest love story and I was sad when it was over. Now Elizabeth is the nicest, most caring person in Port Charles. She remembers her roots, champions everyone and opens her doors to those in need. She DOES deserve a prominent storyline.”
Many ‘General Hospital’ Fans Believe Elizabeth Deserves a Bigger Storyline
While the anniversary post sparked plenty of nostalgia, it also reignited a familiar conversation among “General Hospital” fans who believe Rebecca Herbst deserves far more screen time.
“Favorite character and favorite actress. Rebecca is timeless and ageless and is severely underused and deserves an amazing storyline to call her own,” one fan commented.
Another agreed, writing, “Rebecca deserves a front burner storyline. She hasn’t aged a day since she came on. Reunite her with Steve and give Jason and Elizabeth another opportunity!”
Some viewers also pointed to Elizabeth’s deep roots in Port Charles history.
“Rebecca Herbst’s Elizabeth is the granddaughter of Steve and Audrey Hardy, original characters from the inception of General Hospital. The writers mentioned this briefly a few weeks ago when Tracy first rejected, then relented, on Sonny joining the hospital board. All characters should have front- and back-burner stories. I am enjoying her and Dante flirting and exploring a potential relationship. Ric will never be the one for Elizabeth,” one fan wrote.
Others expressed frustration that one of the show’s longest-running actresses isn’t featured more prominently.
“Happy 29th anniversary to the one and only Rebecca Herbst. The best. Love Elizabeth. GH is wasting her talent. Bring back her kids,” one viewer commented.
Another added, “That’s crazy. Twenty-nine years on the show and they still treat her character like a background character.”
Fans Also Want Sarah Webber to Return to Port Charles
Elizabeth’s first scene also reminded many fans of another familiar face they haven’t seen in years, her older sister, Sarah Webber.
Some viewers admitted they never warmed up to the character.
“I couldn’t stand Sarah!” one fan wrote.
Others were more interested in what happened to Elizabeth’s sister after she quietly disappeared from Port Charles.
“What happened to SARAH? Ten-plus years ago, Elizabeth would say that she was going to visit Sarah when she would not be on the show,” one viewer commented.
Another added, “And now we never see or hear about Sarah except the brief and weird story about Elizabeth’s parents and Finn’s first wife. Now that was bizarre.”
Several fans even called for Sarah to return.
“Bring Sarah back instead of these characters that are so new with no real connections,” one viewer wrote.
Another simply commented, “Bring Sarah Webber back.”
As longtime “General Hospital” fans may remember, Sarah Webber was portrayed by Jennifer Sky from 1997 to 1998. Sarah Laine briefly assumed the role in 2002, marking the character’s most recent on-screen appearance.
Whether fans were reminiscing about Elizabeth’s rebellious teenage years, calling for Rebecca Herbst to receive a front-burner storyline, or hoping Sarah Webber returns to Port Charles, one thing was clear: nearly three decades after Elizabeth’s debut, she’s still one of “General Hospital’s” most beloved and enduring characters.
