Some characters are beginning to vanish from popular television series as a result of COVID-19 vaccination mandates.


What You Need To Know

  • Some characters are beginning to vanish from popular television series as a result of COVID-19 vaccination mandates

  • The latest example is “General Hospital” star Steve Burton, who played the role of Jason Morgan intermittently since 1992

  • Ingo Rademacher, who played Jasper “Jax” Jacks, also has been written off the soap opera after declining to get inoculated

  • And last week, Rockmond Dunbar, one of the stars of Fox’s “9-1-1” also was written off his show, also reportedly due to a vaccine mandate

The latest example is “General Hospital” star Steve Burton, who played the role of Jason Morgan intermittently since 1992.

In a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday, Burton confirmed that his refusal to get inoculated led to him being written off the show.

"I wanted you to hear it from me personally. Unfortunately, 'General Hospital' has let me go because of the vaccine mandate," the two-time Daytime Emmy Award winner said. "I did apply for my medical and religious exemptions, and both of those were denied, which hurts. But this is also about personal freedom to me. I don't think anybody should lose their livelihood over this."

Burton said he was thankful for his time on “General Hospital” and said he would welcome the opportunity to return to the soap opera if the vaccine mandate is lifted.

On Nov. 1, the show began requiring “Zone A” employees — cast and crew who work in close proximity with the actors — to be vaccinated. Burton filmed his last episode on Oct. 27.

He isn’t the only “General Hospital” actor who declined to comply with the vaccine requirement and is no longer with the show. Ingo Rademacher, who played Jasper “Jax” Jacks, also has been written off the show, with his final episode airing Monday.

ABC has not disclosed the reason behind Rademacher’s departure. He also came under fire from some castmates over an Instagram post he made that was viewed as transphobic.

In a separate Instagram post earlier this month that was not explicitly about his split from “General Hospital,” Rademacher wrote: “Getting vaccinated should be a choice and should not be forced on anyone. I will fight for medical freedom and the right to choose.”

ABC declined to comment on the record about Burton and Rademacher.

In Monday’s episode, Rademacher’s Jacks left to tend to a pressing business matter in Australia, while Burton’s Morgan went missing in a tunnel collapse.

Last week, Rockmond Dunbar, one of the stars of Fox’s “9-1-1” also was written off his show, also reportedly due to a vaccine mandate. The series is produced by Disney TV Studios’ 20th Television. 

Dunbar, who played Michael Grant, confirmed to Deadline that the show’s new COVID-19 protocols led to his exit.

“I applied for religious and medical accommodations pursuant to the law and unfortunately was denied by my employer,” Dunbar said in a statement. “My sincerely held beliefs and private medical history are very intimate and personal aspects of my life that I do not publicly discuss and have no desire to start now. I’ve been an actor in this business for 30 years, but my greatest roles are as a husband and father to our 4 small children. As a man that walks in faith, I look forward to what the future holds.

In a statement 20th Television said: “We take the health and safety of all of our employees very seriously, and have implemented a mandatory vaccination confirmation process for those working in Zone A on our productions. In order to ensure a safer workplace for all, Zone A personnel who do not confirm their vaccination status and do not meet the criteria for exemption will not be eligible to work.”

In the Nov. 15 episode of “9-1-1,” Dunbar’s Grant proposed to his boyfriend before joining him on a hurricane relief mission in Haiti.

Another actor who reportedly elected to remain unvaccinated over a role was Ice Cube. The rapper-turned-movie star backed out of the Sony comedy movie “Oh Hell No” with Jack Black after declining a request from producers to get inoculated, according to The Hollywood Reporter

The role would have paid Ice Cube $9 million, the magazine reported.

Note: This article was updated with 20th Television's statement.

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