Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos shocked by surprise All My Children star in Live audience: ‘We’re starstruck!’

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos were pleasantly surprised to see a legendary soap opera star in the audience of Live.

The cohosts welcomed All My Children star Jill Larson to the show when they saw her seated in the studio on Thursday. “We’re just so excited because Jill Larson is here in our audience,” Ripa said. “All My Children royalty, Jill Larson. [She] played Opal. Very excited… We’re starstruck!”

Larson worked on the long-running soap opera for over two decades, playing Opal Cortlandt from 1989 to 2011 and again in 2013. Her tenure on the show overlapped with Ripa, who portrayed Hayley Vaughan Santos beginning in 1990, and with Consuelos, who appeared as Mateo Santos on the show starting in 1995. The real-life couple’s characters, who were married, left All My Children together in 2002 and briefly returned in 2010.

Ripa said that she loved working with Larson during her time on the soap. “Jill Larson was the person I loved to be in a long wedding scene, or funeral scene, with the most,” she said. “Because you always were doing something interesting. You were either reading a fabulous book, or you were knitting or needlepointing. You were doing amazing things.”

The Live host reiterated how thrilled she was to reunite with her former costar. “Jill, we’re so happy to see you. We were just together, not too long ago, we were together at the 92NY for that All My Children anniversary discussion,” Ripa said. “And I’ve got to tell you, spending time with you reminded me of how much I miss spending time with you…so let’s try to spend more time together.”

Larson agreed, “Likewise!”

Live also shared behind-the-scenes footage of Ripa reconnecting with Larson on the show’s Instagram stories. In the videos, the two actresses reminisced about seeing RuPaul — who was a guest on Live on Thursday — appearing in an ep of their soap in 1995. “Do you remember when RuPaul was on the show?” Larson asked. “That morning in the rehearsal room, he’s this adorable little guy in a baseball cap.”

Ripa nodded. “And then suddenly—” she said, as Larson finished her sentence.

“When he emerged from the dressing room, I was just—” Larson said.

“You get gobsmacked,” Ripa opined.

“Exactly!” Larson confirmed. “Exactly the word.”

Outside of All My Children, Larson appeared on soaps like As the World Turns, One Life to Live, and The Young and the Restless. She also acted in projects like Shutter Island, White Squall, Vinyl, and Hunters.