From 2015 to 2017, Watkins starred on the hit ABC daytime drama General Hospital as Dillon Quartermaine. “That felt amazing. I haven’t been on the show since October of 2017, but it was a life-changer for sure. It definitely put me on the map as a working actor. I will always be grateful to them,” he said. “I am excited to see where this all goes.”
When asked how he handled being dialogue-heavy (learning 40 to 80 pages of script a day) when he worked for daytime television, he responded, “Honestly, the brain is a muscle. Your brain learns how to memorize quicker, and it is true. After a few months, I was able to look at my script, and I got really good at memorizing,” he said.
After General Hospital, Watkins revealed that he filmed the action movie Last Three Days. “I play the lead character, Jack, and I believe it will be released soon,” he said. “I did get to see the movie and it turned out great.”
He continued, “I also did a pilot on CW Seed’s Cupid’s Match, and that did really well. It was actually the most-viewed original show on the CW Seed app. They are hoping to turn that into some series.”
Watkins also filmed the pilot for Green Valley, which is a comedy, that he subsequently described as “hilarious.” “I play the lead character, Eddie, as well,” he said.
Aside from his acting projects, Watkins is also a musician who hopes to work more on his original music. He has released cover videos on YouTube, including a cover of pop star Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself.” “We created some really cool songs and we will see where it all goes,” he said.
Watkins also opened up about his involvement with the nonprofit organization, Contractors for Kids. “They are amazing. They just give back in so many ways. I never met a group of people that are so selfless. I became the host of the fan events with Laura Wright, so I got very involved and everybody that was a part of it is an amazing person,” Watkins said. “I am happy to put my face on their name any day or volunteer to be a part of whatever they are doing when I have time.”
Digital transformation of the entertainment business
On the impact of technology on the entertainment industry, especially with streaming services taking over, Watkins said, “I think technology is great. I think cable will be completely different in 10 years. It will be some type of streaming. It is really interesting, and a little scary for the networks.”
Watkins continued, “Technology is giving actors, writers, and people in the entertainment business all kinds of new jobs. There are so many shows now. I can’t keep up with everything that is coming out. I think it is giving actors more jobs since there are so many opportunities. It is interesting to see how this all evolves, and how the networks will adapt.”
For his fans, Watkins said, “In honor of Thanksgiving yesterday, I just want to say ‘thank you’ to them. I am so grateful for their support. I have been lucky to have fans and family that are so supportive of me, and friends that really believed in me.”
“Success is finding a way to survive that also makes you happy,” Watkins concluded about his definition of the word success. “If you can do both, then you are successful.”
To learn more about acclaimed actor Robert Palmer Watkins, check out his official website, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
