General Hospital
Maura West Confirmed In New Role on General Hospital!
Photo Credit: Hutchins Photo
Fan favorite and two-time Daytime Emmy Winner Maura West has joined the cast of General Hospital in the new role of Ava Jerome! Soap Opera Digest confirmed the news today exclusively!
“I’m thrilled! Happy actress!” West responded on Twitter after the news was revealed. Maura West is already on set taping and will debut in May.
The big question is that last name of “Jerome”. That is certainly a name from Duke and Anna’s past! Remember Olivia Jerome played by Tonja Walker? There was also Julian Jerome and Victor Jerome too! Just sayin! So is Ava Jerome a member of this mob family? Weigh-in!
General Hospital
Adam Huss Makes Another Return to General Hospital as Nikolas Cassadine
Nikolas Cassadine will be back on your screens next week but now via Pentonville. That means, that actor Adam Huss is back for a visit for all-new episodes of General Hospital.
In story, Ava (Maura West) comes to visit her ex in the slammer. So, just what does Ava want now? She clearly has been working an agenda on Sonny (Maurice Benard). Is she working with Valentin (James Patrick Stuart)? What will she tell Nikiolas? stay tuned.
Meanwhile, once news of Huss’ return broke earlier on Friday via Soap Opera Digest, he also announced his return on his Instagram expressing, “For all those who’ve been asking, cat’s out of the bag;) Thank you to all my #Nikolas #GH fans for your unwavering support. I don’t take it for granted for a second! (Even when I can’t answer 😊) #generalhospital”
Photo: ABC
Huss took over the role of Nikolas back in January of 2023, after Marcus Coloma left the soap opera. Previous to that, Huss filed in for Coloma in September of 2021 and November of 2022. Fast-forward to January of 2024, Nikolas gave Ace to Laura and Kevin to raise, while he eventually turned himself into the police for kidnapping Esme and keeping her hostage while she was pregnant and Wyndemere.
Photo: ABC
The return of Huss comes on the heels of multiple reports that his on-screen son, Nicholas Chavez is not returning to the show as Spencer Cassadine, while in story Spencer is believed to have drowned int the Seine River after falling off a boat in France, when drugged by Esme.
So, looking forward to seeing Adam Huss back as Nikolas? Do you think GH will eventually have him more full-time? Comment below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny and Jason Trade Threats on Each Other
The love affair that once was mobster Sonny (Maurice Benard) and hit man Jason (Steve Burton), and having each others back, is now apparently over! On the Thursday April 25th episode of General Hospital, an increasingly paranoid Sonny is confronted by Jason.
Jason wants to talk to Sonny about a “family matter”, but Sonny says they aren’t family now because he’s working with the Feds. Sonny goes on to say how he cannot trust Carly (Laura Wright) or Jason and he knows about Jason buying back the Metro Court for Carly from Nina (Cynthia Watros).
When the conversation turns to Josslyn (Eden McCoy) and Dex (Evan Hofer), Jason informs Sonny that Kristina (Kate Mansi) knows Sonny ordered a hit. Jason is worried about Dex’s safety. He tells Sonny that if he does something to Dex, Kristina will figure out that he is responsible.
Courtesy/ABC
Sonny goes on to say how much he loves his kids and how he will protect them. He then tears into Jason for abandoning his sons, Danny and Jake, for two years and how he has no right to stand there to tell him what to do.
Jason warns Sonny again to leave Dex alone or he’ll personally stop him. Sonny snaps at Jason, countering, “You’ll die trying!” And at that point, Jason walks out and Sonny slams the door behind him.
What do you think about this split in the longstanding relationship of Jason and Sonny? Do you like Jason and Sonny at odds? Will Kristina be the person to ultimately figure out what is happening to Sonny, or it might it be Nina, who knows Ava (Maura West) is up to no good? Share your thoughts in the comment section, but first watch this clip from part of the Sonny/Jason scenes below.
Breaking News
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
For those who were holding out hope that Daytime Emmy winner and fan favorite, Nicholas Chavez would be returning to General Hospital after filming his leading role in Ryan Murphy’s Monsters anthology, it looks like those hopes have been dashed.
According to a report from TV Line, although unconfirmed from General Hospital or a representative for Chavez, the actor will not reprise his role as Spencer Cassadine on the long-running ABC soap opera and continue the love story of Sprina opposite Tabyana Ali (Trina, GH).
Chavez was cast as Lyle Menendez over the the summer of 2023 for the second season of Murphy’s limited Monsters series on Netflix. In the upcoming season, the series will focus on the the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the two well-to-do Beverly Hills brothers accused of murdering their parents in 1989.
Photo: ABC
After word from Chavez casting was revealed, GH fans were concerned over the fate of the Sprina story, a spokesperson for GH shared, “We support Nicholas’ endeavors and look forward to having him return to General Hospital once this project is wrapped.”
In story, the series “killed off” Spencer when he went overboard with Esme to the steely waters below after being injected with a drug, thanks to Esme and falling into the Seine River in France. However, his body was never recovered, and believed to have drowned or washed away. Thus, leaving an opening for Spencer to return in the form of Chavez or be recast down the line.
Photo: ABC
TV Line shared that ‘multiple sources’ are confirming that Chavez is not returning to the ABC soap opera, which is what many had suspected might be the case once he left for this major starring role in a Ryan Murphy project. Chavez has been relatively quiet on social media for months.
Photo: ABC
The Michael Fairman Channel spoke with Nicholas Chavez for a virtual interview when he first joined the show in 2021, and spoke to him right after when he won the Daytime Emmy in 2022 – you can see those below.
No word yet on when Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story will debut on Netflix, but it is assumed later this year.
So, what do you think about the news of Nicholas Chavez not returning to his role as Spencer Cassadine on General Hospital? Comment below.
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Adam Huss Makes Another Return to General Hospital as Nikolas Cassadine
Arianne Zucker Reveals Her Last Days of our Lives Airdate
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny and Jason Trade Threats on Each Other
Y&R’s Allison Lanier Lands Her First Daytime Emmy Nomination and Shares “Being a Recast Can Be Daunting”
Ellen Travolta Makes Another Return to General Hospital
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
Kristian Alfonso Returns to Days of our Lives for Tribute to The Late Bill Hayes
Wally Kurth Talks on His DAYS Daytime Emmy Nomination, His Emotional Scenes, and Remembering John Aniston
Adam Huss Makes Another Return to General Hospital as Nikolas Cassadine
Marla Adams, The Young and the Restless’ Dina Mergeron, Dies at 85
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny and Jason Trade Threats on Each Other
REPORT: Nicholas Chavez Not Returning to General Hospital
Cameron Mathison Previews New Game Show ‘Beat The Bridge’ (Promo)
Y&R’s Michelle Stafford Talks on Her Lead Actress Daytime Emmy Nomination, Allison Lanier, and ‘Pacific Palisades’ with Finola Hughes
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Please tell me Olivia is alive & this is her daughter! Duke and Anna need a storyline.
Welcome back maura. i loved you as carly on as the world turns. maura is a classy wonderful actress. i hope they put maura on contract. give her a great storyline. I’m so happy that maura is back on daytime. elizabeth hubbard who played lucinda walsh on as the world turns can be the new helena cassadine. recast the role now please. elizabeth hubbard i miss her so much.
Michael park who played jack snyder on as the world turns can play a new role on general hospital. he can reunite with maura west. they had great chemistry together. they are great friends in real life. michael park is a great actor. by the way i love the new lulu. emme rylan is doing a wonderful job as lulu. i loved her as lizzie on guiding light. she is so pretty.
Totally agree! I so hope they are revisiting the mob family made famous before Corinthos. I could totally see Catherine Hickland coming on as a recast Olivia St. John Jerome who turns out to be alive (she is older than Tonja Walker and could totally pass as Maura’s mother). Also they could easily say that Julian survived too. Excited to see where this goes!
I didn’t like this news at first because I couldn’t help but hold a grudge against Maura West after she beat my girl Sarah Brown at the Emmys (who in my opinion was beyond epic as Claudia Zacharra) but I know that’s unfair, so I’ll do my best to give Maura a chance and she better not disappoint in proving to me why she deserved that award lol!
omg wouldn”t it be great if sarah brown came back too? i loved her as Claudia Zachara, hope she comes back . for crying out loud, they brought back every other dead person why not bring back her? just saying!
Sarah Brown could play Carly’s sister from her adopted family, and ala “All About Eve” fashion try to take Carly’s life for her own – again! LOL…
Could not agree more Aria! Sarah belongs on GH even if it’s to play a 3rd role. As long as the character is a bitch I’ll be happy because NO ONE can chew up scenery like Sarah Brown! We should start a campaign to bring her back!
I’m down for anything that would bring Sarah brown Back heck she could come back as Claudia’s twin whatever it takes just bring her on period .
You guys think she could be one of the future comebacks that we’ve been teased about?! RC would have so much fun writing for her and we need a new fire cracker with Connie and Kate being integrated.
I am SO excited Maura West has signed with GH!! She’s one of the most talented, mesmerizing, exciting actresses on daytime TV!!! RC and FV will definitely utilize her talents!!!!!!
i just hope maura west is treated better than she was on y&r……….
Maybe a new love interest for Sonny?
YES!!! Exactly what I was thinking. That would be awesome and would give MB some much needed talent to work off of.
That is the first thing I though of when I heard the news. Awesome casting news. Y&R’s loss is definitely GH’s gain. Just like Emme Rylan and Genie Francis.
Great… love her!!! Ava Jerome… interesting… have to think of all the possibilities! Can’t wait to see her!
Im sorry im not thrilled. it seems that canceled soap stars does not work well on other soaps. Look at what maria bell did to y and r with geniecfrancis debbie morgan darnell maura steven nichols
The issue with her run on Y&R was Maria’s close-minded antics and her inability to write for the talents of Ms. West and other actors/actresses she took from other cancelled series.
The problem there was Maria Bell, not the stars themselves. When you have that many uber-talented people and NONE of the characters works, the problem clearly isn’t the actors (and you forgot a few: Eden Riegel and Jennifer Landon).
In this case, if the writing is there and the character is well integrated into the storylines and existing characters, it should work fine; Maura is extremely talented. If not, then it will fail–for exactly the same reasons it did on Y&R, and not because of anything to do with Maura.
It’s not as though taking popular stars from one show and giving them roles on other shows has never, ever worked–but it does fail sometimes too, and when it does, it’s usually because TPTB assume that star power is enough and that they don’t have to support it with good writing and a viable character, which is exactly the mistake that Maria Bell made (over and over and over and over again).
West as Diane didn’t work from the start. West was entirely too young to play Diane and the whole thing was doomed. I like West and she is very talented. I also like Diane Jenkins very much (particularly when Alex Donnelly played her). However, I LOATHED West as Diane.
I am NOT a viewer who thinks you can simply recast an established part with any talented actor. It has to be the right “match.” West as Diane definitely was NOT that.
Marie Bell (and the casting personnel) deserve their share of blame for deciding to put West into the part of an established, 50-something female part. (Why the heck West wasn’t cast as Phyllis’ sister, Avery, is beyond me. Michelle Stafford and West would have been great as sisters and very age appropriate).
All of that being said, if West KNEW she was going to be cast as Diane when she was offered the job, I also put some blame on her for taking it. A very quick research of that character’s history would have informed even Helen Keller that West was at least 10 years too young to play Diane. It was ghastly to watch West’s Diane as the love interest of Victor.
West as Diane was a complete waste of the actress’ talents due to poor choices by Bell and West both. Also, it was a complete waste of Diane as the writers solved the issue by killing this great character.
Frankly, after watching Y&R for its entire 40 year run, I’d rank this entire situation as one of the worst decisions every made by the show. There have been some other lousy ones over the years but this one had permanent damage — Diane and her rich history are gone for good.
OMG OMG OMG !!!!!!!
The BEST news since Maura was let go from Y&R !!!!! Totally awesome to have one of my fellow High School classmates on my absolute favorite soap!!! I’m doing cartwheels !!!! VERY excited to see her on TV again. Please, please, please put her on contract so we won’t need to worry if she’ll only be on for a few episodes.
Maura West is one of the most talented actresses to come along in quite a looong time.
CONGRATS Maura !!!! You still look so beautiful !!!! I honestly can’t say enough on how awesome this news is!!! Wishing you all the best in your new (and hopefully VERY looooooooooooong) adventure !!! Wow!!
Wouldn’t she look great with Nicholas? This is very exciting.
I’m so glad Maura West is on the best series on daytime. Before Ron and Frank took over GH, I’d hoped she would go to ONE LIFE TO LIVE, but Y&R had her move all the way to LA just to waste her amazing talent. Some of the great writers from AS THE WORLD TURNS now work for GH, so they know her strengths! I adore this actress and I’m glad she’ll be well taken care of.
If Ava is from that Jerome family — and the show has been incorporating its own history too well to think otherwise — she could pave the way for a decent storyline for Bobbie’s son Lucas, who was written out after coming out. Lucas is biologically a Jerome, the son of Julian Jerome and Tiffany’s sister Cheryl. Lucas might have a right to some of the Jerome family business. This would also bring Carly (Lucas’ sister) back into the mob storyline.
Exactly what I was thinking … Bobbie’s son Lucas is a Jerome by blood. The son of one of Duke and Anna’s greatest villians … with Olivia Jerome (his aunt) being probably their biggest adversary. Lucas would be entitled to whatever fortunes or shares of the Jerome family that may still exist and be of great interest to any surviving Jerome members. It would tie Luke, Laura, Carly, and Bobbie into the stryline as well. And the show needs Bobbie as this last month as proven. Bobbie is a great sounding board for Carly (who has no friends), a good friend for Scott (who has no friends except for Lucy), and is Luke’s friend/partner in crime as well (he’s got relationships with Laura and Tracy and a quasi friendship with Sonny, but it’s been Bobbie all these years who has been his trusted companion and best friend). Also remember … Lucy Coe was involved with Victor Jerome and her invovlement led indirectly to his death which caused her to marry Alan Quartermaine all those years ago. So she’s roped into the Jerome family as well.
I’m totally excited about this. I was just saying to a friend that Duke needs a storyline that doesn’t involve around Anna. I love that RC has involved Duke a bit with AJ & Michael at ELQ, but I would love to see him work with Spinelli on finding the missing Quartermaine heir. And the show has yet to explore how Duke ended up in that Turkish prison for 20 odd years. Did the Jerome family have something to do with it? Is Ava a sister of Olivia and Julian that we didn’t know about? And don’t forget Lucas, Bobbie and Tony’s adopted son is the biological son of Julian and Cheryl Stansbury. I have a feeling that they will test Maura with Maurice now that they are moving Connie away from him into other storylines.
THIS IS BRILLIANT!!!
Maura West (ex-Carly, ATWT; ex-Diane, Y&R) is a fantastic actress, and I know that the character of Ava Jerome is really going to be a fantastic addition to the cast! She’s really going to be great acting against some of the show’s already amazing ensemble cast!! I’m dying for Maura to really excel in a role!
is she going to threaten Morgan? I assume shes Sonnys new love interest
Hoping it is a fresh mob tie-in, will be nice to bring a little of that back. I trust Frank and Ron to do it right and not go the Guza route. Although when I read this, my first thought was how amazing a return this could facilitate for Johnny Z down the road. Tie the Jarome and Zacharra families together and really give Sonny a strong antagonist.
Very exciting!!!. What a phenomenal actress she is!!! I have Watched her on ATWT and Y&R (Note to Y&R): You let her get away.. major mistake!!! I will be tuning in to GH more often now. Welcome back Maura!!!
Y&R eat ur heart out!!! Awesome news for GH!!!
Maura West’s early portrayal of Carly on As the World Turns (1995-96) was sheer acting brilliance. One of the best bitches the soap world has ever seen.
Then they turned her into a goody two shoes and I lost interest in watching her for the next 14 years.
I just hope they start her off as an evil vixen … and don’t change that for crying out loud. We need more bad girls on this show. Britt isn’t enough.
I wish I could get back into GH especially since Maura West has been cast, but there’s not enough diversity for me. They keep hiring the same look.
Okay! This is going to be brilliant for about a million different reasons.
1 – Maura West – West truly is a brilliant actress and can do soap bad girl with the best of them.
2 – Ava Jerome – There are no accidents. Especially in Carlivati’s world. I have no doubt that Ava is the beginning of a story returning focus to the Jerome crime family of the 80s. I don’t think this will mean Olivia or Julian or Victor will rise from the dead, I think this will be a new generation, a new era, harkening back to history, but with a fresh take.
3 – Refocus on the mob – I’m actually curious to see Carlivati’s take on the mob, just because I know it’ll probably be more balanced, and possibly darker and more psychological and strategic than anything Guza ever gave us. I always like the concept of Sonny going up against a female adversary, because he claims to have such an honor code and doesn’t condone violence against women. I think that gave the Faith Rosco story much longer legs than it could have if her husband Rosco was the main adversary.
4 – West as a mafia princess – Does it get better than that? West just brings such life and personality to her work that I am itching to see what she does on GH. She’s also in a unique age bracket where she could skew older toward Duke, or she could relate to Sonny, or she could relate to AJ or Nikolas. There are a lot of eligible men who could create chemistry with West.
5 – Duke/Anna – Given Duke’s history with the Jeromes and particularly Anna’s history with Olivia, however Ava is connected should give them a good jolt of storyline. And with Ava being newly created, Duke’s history with the Jerome family could help inform the audience on who she is, if the writers want to catch the audience up quickly.
6 – Lucas Jones… Jerome? – With Bobbie’s recent return and update on Lucas dating around and not finding the right guy… and then the scene cuts to Felix bemoaning how he always goes for unattainable men and will never find the right one, that screamed of a setup for future story and the return of Lucas. So with a Jerome resurfacing, how long until Lucas is cast and returns to explore his biological Jerome ties? The Gay Mafia in Port Charles?! Exciting! As mentioned earlier in the replies, it could also rope Carly back into the mob storyline via her brother, and could give a concerned Bobbie more of a reason to stick around Port Charles and protect her son. Carly’s mob-related brother placed in opposition to Carly’s ex Sonny? Uh oh.
7 – West’s ATWT ties – West proved to have good chemistry with Jon Lindstrom when he played Craig Montgomery on ATWT. And I wouldn’t mind seeing her in scenes with Lynn Herring. Didn’t Lucy say that she and Kevin would be sticking around Port Charles? Maybe Ava Jerome is a little crazy (likely, given Olivia Jerome’s history) and will have Kevin as her shrink, kind of a gender reversal of HBO’s Tony Soprano and Dr. Melfi?
So those of you worrying that she’ll be on for a handful of episodes, I would relax. You don’t hire an actress of West’s calibre for 3 weeks. You don’t tie her to a family from 25 years ago for a month of storyline. The implications on the canvas are pretty decently reaching, allowing her to figure into story with heavy-hitting long-term characters Sonny, Carly, Bobbie, Lucas, Duke, Anna, AJ, Michael, and it would take a MINIMUM of 6 months just to explore all those possibilities. And they wouldn’t give the character a fierce soap name like Ava and NOT plan to keep her on canvas. West could SAIL through a 3 year contract with a role like this, on a soap like this!
Very interesting…i enjoyed reading this!
This is a great summary and probably close to what they have planned … though after killing Helena and bringing back Stavros from the dead (not to mention having brought AJ and Duke back from the dead)… I wouldn’t pass it by the powers that be to bring back either Olivia or Julian … and I hope one or both do come back. It adds to the drama and history.
As for Lucas, I kind of think it would be funny to have him come back and not necessarily be paired up with Felix, but instead … bring back Tracy’s on Dillon who has been in Hollywood (a famous director, now?) and have Dillon reveal he’s gay and invovle himself with Lucas and see Tracy’s head explode and how her relationship with Luke would be affected (not to mention how Bobbie and Carly would deal with a raging Tracy).
I would have agreed with you before the Y&R mishap. They did everything you state they will not do with Maura. Tie into the Abbot’s. Jack (a huge character) First she was there then she was gone.
maura gets cast bec she has tons of day soap opera acting experience. This is the problem for Asian american actors. There are no Asian american chars who are supporting and leading chars that are created by the writers and showrunners. Asian american actors don’t get a lot of acting experience on night and day soaps bec writers and showrunners refuse to write for Asian american chars. The lack of acting experience becomes a disadvantage for Asian american actors. How can Asian american actors get hired? They don’t have a lot of acting experience on day and night soaps bec writers and showrunners don’t cast Asian american chars. gh has failed as a soap w/ its utter lack of Asian american chars. Fictional town of gh is ny based and around a hospital. There should be Asian american chars that are part of the hospital storylines.
Am very excited. Am NOT automatically assuming that she is here just to give Sonny a jolt. Don’t need to bring her on as a Jerome, with that rich pedigree, simply to do that. Clearly bringing Morgan back is designed to enrich Sonny’s storyline, particularly with Carly. I expect Ava Jerome to be involved heavily with Anna and Duke, which I will love. And bringing Lucas back to tie into this would be one amazing, far-reaching effect of putting the Jeromes back on the canvas. Sonny may be involved, sure, since he is no longer seeking Johnny Z’s “territory,” perhaps Jerome “territory” is what he will attempt to secure. That will be great, but I do not for one minute think Maura West is here solely FOR him. Being a Jerome makes the stakes higher for so many more of the characters than just Sonny!
Could Ava Jerome be Duke’s daughter with Olivia? Or is West too old to play a child of that union?
I don’t believe she’s too old for that storyline, but do I see it happening, I don’t.
This is not a comment regarding Maura. (she is great.love her.)I sincerely hope she has abetter experience than on Y&R. Speaking of Y&R does anyone have any news to share about the Lulu switch on GH. In the morning the actress was Abby on Y&R. Three hours later she is Lulu on GH. She was fired on Y&R , rehired and fired again? THANKS