Longtime fans of “General Hospital” will always remember the iconic character Luke Spencer, played by Anthony Geary. The soap legend still holds the record for the most Daytime Emmy wins for his portrayal of Luke on “GH.” Sadly, Geary passed away in December 2025.
While the characters of Port Charles have also mourned the death of Luke on the soap, his memory has been kept alive by his many family members, who are still part of major storylines. And now, one of Luke Spencer’s sons, Ethan Lovett, is heading back to Port Charles on Friday, April 17, 2026.
Ahead of his return to “General Hospital,” here are five fast facts about Nathan Dean.
1. Nathan Dean Was Previously Known as Nathan Parsons
If the name Nathan Dean doesn’t sound familiar to “GH” fans, that’s because the actor used to be billed as Nathan Parsons. His full name is Nathan Dean Parsons.
Toward the end of Dean’s run on the CW show “Roswell, New Mexico,” the actor decided to drop his last name in favor of his middle name. He portrayed the character Max Evans on the sci-fi drama from 2019 to 2022.
2. Nathan Dean Was Born in Australia But Raised in the U.S.
Nathan Dean was born in Adelaide, Australia, on June 16, 1988. However, he was primarily raised in Boulder, Colorado, and Austin, Texas. He will be turning 38 in a couple of months.
3. Nathan Dean Made His Port Charles Debut In 2009
Dean initially auditioned for the role of Dante Falconeri in 2008. Despite the role going to Dominic Zamprogna, “GH” producers were quite impressed with Dean’s audition. As a result, they created the character of Ethan Lovett specifically for Dean, which led to his Port Charles debut in January 2009.
4. Nathan Dean Earned a Daytime Emmy Nomination in 2012
The same year that Dean exited the role of Ethan Lovett, he was nominated for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series at the 2012 Daytime Emmy Awards. While the award was given to Chandler Massey for his portrayal of Will Horton on “Days of Our Lives,” the nomination marked a major milestone in his early career.
Despite leaving the soap in 2012, he has returned to “General Hospital” several times, including appearances in April 2013 for the show’s 50th anniversary, July 2015, and September 2020.
5. Nathan Dean Is a Husband and a Father
While Ethan Lovett may be a globe-trotting con artist, Dean is much more of a family man. The “GH” actor and his wife, Kate, announced earlier this year that they are expecting their third child together.
In an Instagram post, the couple posted a photo together where Dean is holding up an ultrasound picture, and the duo is enjoying some Taco Bell. The couple cleverly captioned the photo, “We didn’t want to be cheesy, but we think this next chapter is going to be a Baja Blast!”
Dean added, “I’m so lucky and blessed to have this wonderful woman in my life. She made me whole. And I can’t wait to see where this journey goes.”
Fans can tune into “General Hospital” on Friday, April 17, 2026, to watch Nathan Dean return to Port Charles.
