General Hospital: Andrew Hawkes Reveals Secret Backstory Behind Ross Cullum’s Reign of Terror
The violent reign of one of Port Charles’ most ruthless masterminds has finally come to an end, leaving daytime fans reeling from the aftermath. WSB Director Ross Cullum’s trajectory of destruction officially reached a terminal stop on the July 2 episode of ABC’s General Hospital when WSB agent Josslyn Jacks shot him dead. The fatal encounter ended a stellar six-month run for actor Andrew Hawkes, who earned high praise for his portrayal of a deeply dangerous man whose actions will go down as some of the most heinous in recent soap history.
Cullum’s staggering laundry list of misdeeds left practically no corner of the canvas unharmed. He brutally stabbed Marco Rios to death and gaslighting Anna Devane so severely that she was held captive before eventually being committed to a mental institution in France. His wrath extended to WSB Bureau Chief Jack Brennan, whom he attempted to murder at Turning Woods by tying him to a hospital bed, forcing a gas mask onto his face, and making him inhale a full tank of carbon monoxide.
Cullum was also the shadow behind the devastating penthouse fire intended for Sonny Corinthos; instead, the blaze severely burned Michael (then played by Chad Duell, now Rory Gibson), forcing him away to a clinic in Germany for specialized care. For years, Cullum maintained a cruel web of lies with Britt Westbourne, convincing her she suffered from Huntington’s disease while she was actually injecting herself with harmless saline—only to poison the vials of her actual medication near the very end of his life. Finally, he wielded a weaponized baton in a brutal attempt to beat the life out of Jason Morgan, a fatal assault that was only stopped when Rocco Falconeri fired shots directly into Cullum’s back.
The Secret Tragedy Driving the Rage
Following his on-screen demise, Andrew Hawkes joined a live stream chat on YouTube’s Michael Fairman Channel to reflect on his time in Port Charles. During the conversation, the actor dropped an intriguing revelation, pulling back the curtain on a deeply emotional secret backstory he created to justify Cullum’s transformation into a vengeful double agent. Though the writers never explicitly gave this history on screen, Hawkes found it essential to fill in the blanks to anchor his performance.
According to Hawkes, Cullum’s single-minded ruthlessness was born from an ultimate betrayal by the very agency he served. He envisioned a scenario where Cullum successfully completed a high-stakes assignment to eliminate a high-ranking government official in a foreign country. Instead of a homecoming, the WSB turned on him, locking him out of the United States and freezing all of his assets.
Because of this freeze, Cullum was left completely destitute, lacking health insurance, funds, or options. Tragically, the blockade meant he was unable to return home to hold his young daughter before she passed away from leukemia. Hawkes played the character as a grieving, enraged parent coming back with a singular focus: to rip the WSB to shreds from the inside out because they refused to bring him in from the cold when his child needed him most.
While Hawkes clarified that he was not trying to excuse the villain’s horrific actions by highlighting these mitigating factors, he used it as an internal engine to power the character’s immense capacity for violence. He noted the fine distinction between those who walk the path of good or evil after enduring trauma, observing that a hero aims to protect others from the pain they felt, while a villain determines to make the entire world suffer the same hurt.
A Final Day with Guest Star John Oliver
Hawkes also opened up about his final day on the General Hospital set, recalling the moment he lay on the ground after his character was shot, feeling a sense of relief that his intense workload for the day was wrapped. It was during these final sequences that he got to interact with Emmy-nominated late-night host John Oliver, who stepped onto the canvas as the fascinating character “Z.”
Expressing great admiration for the comedian’s commitment, Hawkes described Oliver as incredibly cool, prepared, and fascinating to watch. He noted how seamlessly Oliver adapted to the fast-paced environment of daytime television alongside seasoned professionals, putting in serious effort to master the role. Hawkes was particularly impressed by Z’s casual, cold composure on screen—specifically highlighting the moment where Z casually caps a downed assailant who is attempting to pull a gun on him.
The Cassius Survival Shock
The post-show viewing brought a massive surprise for Hawkes himself. Because soap opera production often keeps actors isolated within their own storylines, Hawkes assumed Oliver’s guest spot was limited to a single day of shooting. It was only by watching the broadcast episodes later that he discovered Z shared significant scenes with Carly Spencer and, shockingly, Cassius Faison.
Hawkes admitted he was completely in the dark regarding the massive twist that Cassius had actually survived the ordeal. Though he had spoken extensively with Ryan Paevey regarding the end of his contract and his departure from the show, Hawkes had no idea that the character of Cassius had lived through the chaos.
Now that Ross Cullum’s calculated reign of terror has officially been put to rest, the power structures within the WSB and Port Charles are left to pick up the pieces. Do you think the lingering effects of Cullum’s crimes will continue to haunt Anna, Brennan, and the rest of his victims, or can the town finally move forward?
