Olivia Falconeri is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. Created by head writer Robert Guza, Jr. and introduced by executive producer Jill Farren Phelps, the role been portrayed by Lisa LoCicero since September 2008.
Casting The role of Olivia Falconeri was originated by Lisa LoCicero on September 19, 2008, on a recurring basis. It was announced in July 2009 that LoCicero was put on contract with the series, just a month before her onscreen cousin Kate Howard was dropped to recurring status. In 2015, she returned to recurring status, where she has remained since – however, Olivia remains a key character in the show.
Storylines Backstory Olivia Falconeri grew up in a large Italian family in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst. She was very close with her cousin, Connie (aka Kate Howard) when they were growing up until Connie left town for college and changed her name, abandoning their family, including Olivia. As a teenager, Olivia became involved with Sonny Corinthos and their brief relationship would lead to the birth of their son, Dante in 1984, when she was 15.Stated on September 13, 2011. Sonny and Connie would also date until Connie left town to attend Princeton University. Olivia keeps Dante's paternity secret due to Sonny being in the mob and leads everyone else to believe she was promiscuous, and that Dante's father can one of any three or four other men. Only Kate knows the truth about Olivia's son and has kept her secret even after she changed her name and left her family. Olivia was very relieved when Kate didn't run off with Sonny, but was upset when Kate left her family to pursue her dreams. After Kate left Bensonhurst and changed her identity, Olivia did not have any contact with Kate for twenty years. She kept herself posted on Kate's accomplishments through newspapers and magazines.
2008–09 Olivia was reconnected with her past after she saw Sonny at Frankie's bar. Sonny, engaged to Kate, asked Olivia to come to Port Charles to be Kate's maid-of-honor. When she arrived in Port Charles, she checked into the Metro Court Hotel where she meets Carly Corinthos Jacks, Sonny's ex-wife. Olivia told Carly who she was and revealed to Carly that Kate's real identity is Connie Falconeri and she hails from Bensonhurst, not Connecticut.
On the day of the wedding, Olivia helped Kate fix her hair and get dressed for the ceremony. Olivia presented Kate with a necklace all Falconeri women have worn to their weddings. Kate refused to wear the heirloom and the two had a loud argument that everyone in the chapel could hear. Olivia, furious Kate denies her identity by refusing to wear the heirloom, decides to wear the necklace herself. After Kate was shot at the altar, Olivia was grief-stricken, fearing for her cousin's life. As she held a bloody, wounded Kate, she told her she is proud of who she has become and she is happy she accomplished everything she dreamed of. Kate was rushed to General Hospital and Olivia told Sonny that she will be making all of Kate's medical decisions because she is her only family. She agreed to let Patrick Drake operate on Kate since he is one of the best neurosurgeons in the country. Kate survived the operation, but was slow to recover. During Kate's stay in the hospital, Patrick overhears a conversation between Olivia and her cousin clearly stating that Sonny has a grown son with Olivia. While Kate is in recovery, Olivia discovered (through Carly) Sonny never left the mob, like he had told Kate and had lied to everyone about. Carly also told Olivia about the shooting of her son, Michael, due to Sonny's lifestyle and warned Olivia to keep Kate away from Sonny. Olivia worriedly told Kate what she learned, but Kate did not believe her.
She retorted Olivia was just jealous because she got Sonny and now she doesn't have the love of her son's father. Kate seemed on the fence about wanting to tell Sonny about Dante. She felt if Sonny learns about his son, it will give him a reason to live and it will stop him from joining the mob and taking revenge. Olivia is adamant about not doing it, because she fears that her son would get hurt. She doesn't want Dante to suffer little Michael's fate. After the Metro Court Hotel is having issues, Jasper Jacks offers Olivia a job on the spot as the hotel's operations manager. Olivia has since been Jax and his wife's friend. She also helped Jax and Carly when making a decision on Michael Corinthos's surgery. Olivia met Claudia Zacchara at Jake's on October 13, 2008. Claudia brought up the wedding incident and a verbal fight ensues. Olivia and Carly, Jax's wife, came together to try and stop Sonny from marrying Claudia, but he does so anyway, costing him his friendship with Olivia.
2009–2010 Olivia begins a relationship with Johnny Zacchara in May 2009, after the two meet while both out for drinks at Jake's, the local bar. Due to the large age gap between the two, they receive much criticism from those around Port Charles. Despite the disapproval from Sonny and Johnny's older sister Claudia, the two continue to see one another. Soon after, Dante arrives in town, claiming to be around to visit and keep and eye on his Ma. Olivia eventually discovers he is working for Sonny under an alias. Despite his marriage to Claudia, Sonny begins confessing his love to Olivia, saying he wants to be with her, not his wife. Olivia rejects him, stating he is a married man and should be with Claudia. Olivia, worried for her son's safety, and for the secret of his father's identity to stay hidden, tries to get Dante off the case against Sonny. An argument between Olivia and Dante that ends up being overheard by Claudia leads to discover Olivia's secret; that she is Dante's mother and he is not as loyal to Sonny as he appears. Claudia holds this over Olivia's head, threatening to blow everything up unless Olivia breaks up with Johnny. Olivia, desperately wanting to protect her son, tells Johnny she still loves Sonny and that's why she's breaking up with him. Johnny does not believe Olivia's reasoning and assumes his sister is behind her suddenly pushing him away. He later tells Olivia he wants to keep seeing her, but they should keep it a secret. Claudia finds out and in retaliation, tells Olivia she's going to have sex with Dante. Olivia goes to Sonny to tell him the truth, not wanting things to escalate. Sonny, tired of the constant battle between Olivia and Claudia, does not wait to hear what Olivia has to say. Michael walks in, overhearing the conversation, and tells Olivia to back off. Olivia tells Sonny he should be proud for having a son who stands up for him.
Jax eventually finds out Olivia's secret, but agrees to keep it as such so Sonny will go to prison. Olivia must plan Claudia's birthday party on Sonny's behalf since it is taking place at the Metro Court. Just before the party, Olivia gets into a scuffle with Claudia when she threatens to tell her secret to Sonny. The police are called by people who overheard the two women fighting, and Claudia then claims Olivia attacked her, and Olivia is taken to the police station. At the PCPD station, she asks Mac Scorpio, the police commissioner, who is aware that her son is working undercover, to let her go so she can warn her son about Claudia's knowledge. He agrees, wanting Dante to take Sonny down. When she gets to the Metro Court, she comes in time to hear Sonny rip into Claudia for being responsible for getting Michael shot months earlier. Claudia pulls out a gun and takes a pregnant Carly hostage. Sonny later talks with Olivia, telling her he should have trusted her when she said Claudia was not a good person. Olivia tells him even though Claudia is evil, he should not have yelled at her in front of everybody.
Carly is found, along with her newborn baby girl, and is brought to the hospital, but there's no sign of Claudia. Dante comes with Lulu, suffering from hypothermia, and believes Sonny killed Claudia. When Olivia goes to visit Carly, she reveals she knew Claudia got Michael shot, causing a strain in their relationship. Olivia comforts Johnny, who figures his sister is dead. Johnny later confronts Olivia about Dominic being Dante, and is at an impasse about what to do. She finally admits Claudia blackmailed her into breaking up with him. Johnny chooses to stay with Olivia, finding it hard to be without her and vice versa. Still, she realizes she still carries a torch for Sonny.
Dante closes in on Sonny and finally gets enough evidence to produce an arrest warrant for Sonny in relation to Claudia's murder after Claudia's body is found in a warehouse explosion set by an obsessive artist. He tells his mother, though he wants Sonny to go down, he feels bad for his kids, who will be hit hard when their dad is sent to prison, as well as other people, including Lulu Spencer. Olivia immediately sees the sparks. She realizes Dante has genuine feelings for Lulu, something that has never happened to him before. Dante and Olivia end up spending Christmas at Sonny's house for dinner when his other three children bail on him. Olivia mends her relationship with Carly, as well, who admits she does not get along with a lot of women. Olivia admits the same.
Dante gets the arrest warrant for Sonny on the same day as Carly's daughter, Josslyn's, christening. The morning he decides he's going to arrest Sonny, Dante goes to Olivia's apartment and the two have a deep conversation. She tells him how afraid she was when she found out she was pregnant with him, barely a teenager with not a clue of how to be a mother. She tells him about his own christening, and he tells her he knows that she's always wanted to keep him safe. When Dante and Sonny do not show up at the christening, Olivia gets concerned and goes to Sonny's house. Olivia walks in to find Dante laying on the floor with a bullet in his chest and Sonny standing over him holding a gun. She screams at Sonny he just shot his own son as she tries to help Dante stay alive. Sonny helps out, as well, shocked and upset with Olivia for not telling him that Dante was his son. Dante is transported to the hospital, in a perilous state, and Olivia is shattered over the thought of losing her son. She tells Sonny she knows for sure he is Dante's father when he asks if there are any other possibilities. She says she was just trying to protect her son by not telling Dante or Sonny they were related. She sits by Dante's bedside, begging him to fight to stay alive. Sonny tries to recover from the shock of finding out Dante is his son, and lashes out at Olivia.
Dante goes into surgery, with Dr. Steven Webber doing the procedure. Before he comes out, Sonny is arrested for Claudia's murder. Dante wakes up on February 3, 2010, with Lulu by his side, who tells him Sonny is his father. When Olivia returns, Dante is upset Olivia did not tell him Sonny is his father and coldly pushes her away. She tries to defend her decision to keep his paternity a secret to protect him, but Dante will not listen. She is later brought down to the station to give her official statement on Dante's shooting, but she doesn't implicate Sonny. She only tells them she went to Sonny's house and found Dante lying on the floor. Dante gives his statement at the same time, saying he shot himself by accident.
When she goes back to the hospital, she finds Sonny, who wants to see Dante; as well as Lulu, who asks Olivia why she is allowing Sonny around Dante after what he did. Olivia tells Lulu the guilt from what Sonny did will eat him alive, and that will be punishment enough. When Ronnie, Dante's undercover partner, comes to the hospital to see Dante, he accuses Olivia of siding with Sonny over her own son. Olivia is furious. She tells Ronnie she loves her son more than he knows. Dante is his own man who makes his own decisions and there's nothing she can do about that.
2010–2011