The Sweet Hereafter

ALL MY CHILDREN alum Jonathan Bennett is having his cake and eating it,  too.

- Bryan Beckley

It has been almost 16 years since Jonathan Bennett debuted on ALL MY CHILDREN, a fact that surprises the actor. “Are you kidding?” he exclaims. “I can’t believe that, actually. It makes me feel old as dirt [laughs]!”

Bennett debuted as JR Chandler in 2001 and stayed with the show until October 2002. It was a part he may not have gotten had he not chosen to make a move during his audition. “I found out years later from Casting Director Judy Blye Wilson why I got cast,” he relays. “It was because I got bored during the audition and leaned up against a wall. They thought it was an actor choice and that I was being edgy and didn’t care. But it was literally because I am really hyper and the audition was taking a long time. So I just got tired and leaned up against the wall. They thought it was so cool.”

After landing the role, Bennett went toe-to toe with some heavy hitters, mainly the late, legendary David Canary, who played his onscreen father, Adam. “He was absolutely the best to work with,” Bennett raves. “He brought up everyone in the scene around him because he was so talented. When you would be on set working with him, your level of talent would rise because he was so good. The first day you work with David Canary, when he is playing Adam Chandler and he yells at you for the first time, is intimidating.” The actor also has fond memories of on-screen sis Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley). “She is the funniest person I have ever met,” he enthuses.