CHRISTINE BARTOLUCCI/ABC

We found love in a hopeless place: GH created a slow-burning romance for Cody (Josh Kelly) and Sasha (Sofia Mattsson).

Cody and Sasha have been moving toward a more serious relationship for months, and Josh Kelly, who plays Cody, believes the increasing emotional closeness between the two is a natural result of Cody’s decision to let her in on his secret (that Mac is actually his biological father).

Getting closer

The actor notes, “When someone tells you a secret about their life, a bond is formed. It’s a kind of pact between people when you trust someone to keep their secret, and that deepens any relationship, but especially when you’re attracted to each other. Then you become a team, so to speak. And we’ve done more team building as a result. We trust each other more and can rely on each other more.”

Additionally, Sasha was a rock for Cody after Mac rejected him when the paternity story came to light. “She was a good influence on him and gave him good guidance,” Kelly says.

The actor also thinks it’s appropriate that Cody and Sasha took their time to get physically close. “I think it’s understandable that they waited,” he stresses. “I mean, it feels like Brando (Sasha’s late husband) was on the show just yesterday. I’m glad it took a while and that Cody was respectful and that Sasha didn’t just jump into bed with some guy. I think it’s commendable that she took time to grieve. It says more about her decision (to sleep with Cody) if she makes it.”

Kelly reflects on what fans find so appealing about the romance between Cody and Sasha: “I think they’ve both been pushed around quite a bit. It’s nice to see two people who have both been through a lot find each other and be there for each other.”

As Cody and Sasha have grown closer, Kelly finds himself increasingly admiring his leading actress Sofia Mattsson (Sasha). “She’s the best,” he enthuses. “She wants to learn, she wants to rehearse. I don’t know where she gets the energy from! I mean, right now I’ve slept a few hours less than I’d like and I feel dead. She’s a mother of two children and always arrives in the middle of the night when she wants to recite her lines, she’s always in a good mood. She’s superhuman! I have no idea how she does it. It’s impressive.”

Their acting partnership works, he notes, “because there’s trust, I think. She and I did a movie together a few years ago where her sister (actress Helena Mattsson) played my character’s wife and she played her sister’s sister. So we knew each other before (GH) and I think we trusted each other from the beginning. We were both really happy to see each other when I came on the show and it was fun when we started working together and seeing that we were both really willing to do our best and work hard. It was really great working with her.”