EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Bennett is joining General Hospital in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick, making his debut on the ABC soap opera starting in May.

Bennett is best known for playing the heartthrob Aaron Samuels in 2004’s Mean Girls. The actor is all grown up and has realized his lifelong dream of starring on Broadway in Monty Python’s acclaimed musical comedy Spamalot.

“We’re so excited to have Jonathan joining our cast,” GH Executive Producer Frank Valentini said in a statement. “He’s a tremendous talent and will be a fantastic addition to GH.”

Starring in General Hospital will be a return to daytime for Bennett, as the actor got his start in All My Children. Between 2001 and 2002, the actor played JR Chandler, following Jesse McCartney, as the character rapidly aged.

When not hosting Food Network’s Halloween Wars, he continues to add to his Hallmark credits, including The Groomsmen film trilogy, their first-ever unscripted competition series, Finding Mr. Christmas, which he hosts, produced, and created, and their recent A Keller Christmas Vacation.

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Bennett is known as “The Gay King of Christmas” for his work on Hallmark. The actor starred in and executive-produced the network’s first gay-led romantic comedy, The Holiday Sitter. He has several hit Holiday movies, including The Christmas House and Cherry Lane franchises.

Other fan-favorite roles Bennett has portrayed include Van Wilder in National Lampoon’s Van Wilder: Freshman Year, as Steve Martin’s antagonistic son-in-law in Cheaper By the Dozen 2, as well as roles on popular shows such as Dr. Odyssey, Station 19, Law & Order: SVU, Fantasy Island, among others.