General Hospital
Eva LaRue Reflects Back on Her Run as ‘General Hospital’s’ Homophobic Natalia Rogers-Ramirez (Exclusive)
The harrowing real-life story of soap vet Eva LaRue (ex-Maria, AMC, ex-Celeste, Y&R and ex-Natalia, GH) and her daughter, Kaya McKenna Callahan is currently streaming on Paramount+ in the two-part documentary, My Nightmare Stalker: The Eva LaRue Story.
It details the 12-years of terror the mother/daughter experienced through letters and threats from an unknown faceless stalker, who went by the name of “Freddy Krueger” until the case was solved with innovative DNA and forensic genealogy and technology.
LaRue was the very special guest on the Monday, December 1st livestream on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel, where she not only discussed opening up and telling never-before-known inside details of her stalker experience, and how it has affected her and daughter for life, but she also spoke on her most controversial and most recent soap role of Natalia Rogers-Ramirez on General Hospital.
Photo: ABC
In a run that started back in February of 2024, Eva was introduced on the ABC daytime drama series as the disapproving and homophobic mother to her daughter, Blaze (Jacqueline Grace Lopez), who at that time was in a relationship with Kristina Corinthos-Davis (Kate Mansi). As the months went on, LaRue’s Natalia Rogers-Ramirez ended up with no redeeming qualities, especially after we later learned she also had a gay son, Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo) with her ex-husband, Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota)!
However, by the end of June of 2025, it was bye, bye, Natalia where after a flatlined potential romance with Sonny (Maurice Benard), and him sending her packing out of the country, she overdoses on pills and booze and dies. Thus, ending the run to one of GH’s most unpopular characters.
Eva opened up about how much she knew of Natalia’s backstory when taking on the role and when she first learned that her character was homophobic and bigoted. “I had no idea when I took the role, to be honest,” shared LaRue. “I will never forget that day when I got that script. I will never forget begging on set, ‘Please don’t make me say it as written. I cannot even say these words.” Every part of my body is like I’m being stabbed to death, having to say these horrifying, hateful words. I did not know going in that my character was going to be such a horrible homophobe and that they double and tripled down on it.”
Photo: ABC
The actress who was so beloved as Dr. Maria Santos on All My Children and as CSI: Miami’s Natalia Boa Vista, knew the viewers were not happy with GH’s Natalia. “Everybody hated my character. It was tough, because I was coming from playing Maria Santos, who was a pretty beloved character, and then went to The Young and the Restless, and even though my character was a pain, a Latina busy body mom, I don’t think she was vilified, but this character on GH was vilified,” remarked LaRue. “This was the first time that there was just no redeeming moral compass (for a character I’ve played). She was just morally and ethically bankrupt.”
Looking back several months later, LaRue took stock of how the character of Natalia just tanked with the fans. “I was only supposed to be there (at GH) for three months, but I think what happened was we had a changeover in writers. When the new writers came on and I think they thought, “Since we have her, maybe we can redeem her. We’ll keep her on a little longer. There is some chemistry with her and Maurice Benard (Sonny), so let’s see what we can do with that.” But, they never saved the character. I think maybe they were leaning into that Sonny’s not a good guy necessarily and Natalia is not a good girl necessarily. Maybe it’s a perfect fit, but then when that didn’t work, and the audience was definitely not for us being together, then they cut bait. It was time to go.”
However, LaRue loved working with her GH TV family and especially had high praise when Adrian Anchondo as Marco came upon his dead mother in the hospital. “Oh, I loved working with Adrian. He was awesome. He really was. He was so good and Jacqueline Grace Lopez, she was a little angel. She was such a sweetheart. I loved my kids on the show, and I loved working with Natalia’s ex-husband, Carlo Rota. His character was horrible and fantastic. Carlo is such a great guy to work opposite, and at one point I thought, “If I’m going to be a ‘bad guy’ anyway, have me hook up with my ex-husband and be like this horrible duo!”
Photo: Paramount+
Eva remembered the moment she found out it was curtain for Natalia, who from all accounts as of now, took an accidental overdose of booze and pills which ultimately ended her life. “I knew it was going to be winding down. I could see it for a few months leading up to it. I said, ‘Just give me a little warning.’ But, I actually ended up opening a script and seeing it. However, they wrote some really great, juicy, tender and delicious final scenes for me. So, I was very happy about that an actress, and very thankful for the material.”
Since exiting GH, and over the last few months, LaRue has been extremely busy promoting her riveting two-part documentary in which she was also one of its executive producers. During the livestream, Eva teased that she will be continuing to work behind the scenes as well as in front of the camera, “I’m creating a scripted version of ‘My Nightmare Stalker’ that I am co-executive producing. So, it’s a nice new chapter, a new way of being creative. And of course, I don’t want to give up the acting, because I love that.”
Check out the Michael Fairman Channels enlightening full livestream chat with Eva LaRue below.
Now let us know, do you feel there would have been anyway for GH to come back from making Natalia homophobic, given the things she said, the kind of mother she was to her children, and then her ultimate drug and booze induced downfall? Would you like to see Eva back on the soaps, perhaps on Beyond the Gates, Days of our Lives or The Bold and the Beautiful in a new role? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
I love seeing Eva LaRue on my television screen. She belongs on daytime. I always thought her (all too brief) turn on Y&R would save the Rosales family story but alas, that was not meant to be. I would welcome her back as another character in a heartbeat.
I love Eva and would like to see her in another soap or TV series. She is talented, pretty and seems very nice.
I was not one of those fans that hated the character, and actually thought she was redeemable but I guess I’m in the minority there. I actually hope she does come back to. GH maybe as Maria, I was a AMC fan but if we keep waiting for amc to be revived then we are all gonna be waiting forever, plus ABC owns the rights to the show/character, just bring her on, Maria is a Doctor after all.
Let’s get some GH legacy characters storylines before we bring over characters from defunct soaps.
Yeah. Not sure why Eva La Rue is getting so much publicity. She’s an okay actress but not good enough to rise above the bad writing afforded to Natalia.
I had no problem with Natalia. I couldn’t understand all the hate especially as she softened toward the end. She represents a viewpoint of many in the audience I’m sure.
Just how did she soften? She didn’t really accept her son. Judging by public acceptance of marriage equality, I would use caution saying “many” in the audience.
GH writers should turn Natalie into a verb. Definition: making a character so one-dimensional and unlikable that the viewers are rooting for their death. (characters, not actors). Used in a sentence: We’ve Natalied Drew Cain.
There was never any doubt that in watching the riveting and emotional scenes on General Hospital which featured Finola Hughes as a PTSD-driven and mentally tortured Anna Devane, that when the climatic moments in Anna’s story aired, that we would not be singing the praises of Hughes. Once again, Finola showcased why she is one of the soap opera genres greatest assets and actresses.
In the key scenes, Anna has had a complete breakdown as she has lured and cornered Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) on Mount Emerson, and even thought through how she would kill her and cover it up, all thanks to hearing the voice and seeing a dead man, Peter August (Wes Ramsey). It’s visions of Peter that keeps egging Anna on to pull the trigger on Britt while in her delusional state.
Before Britt realizes that Anna trapped her in meeting her in Mount Emerson, she is very confused as to why she was all the way out in the boondocks to talk about what happened to her brother, Cassius Faison. However, Britt soon learned that what Anna was about to do is personal, and not professional, as she pulls the gun on her.
Courtesy/ABC
ANNA FIRES HER GUN IN GAME-CHANGING MOMENT
When Jason (Steve Burton) shows up to save the say, he tries to talk Anna off the ledge, begging her to not shoot Britt and make one of the greatest mistakes of his life. When Jason figured out Anna felt she needed to kill anyone related to Cesar Faison, he made her think twice, because that would mean, she also would need to end the lives of two of Maxie’s children, James and Bailey Lu.
Anna can’t stop seeing hallucinations of Peter pushing her to shoot Britt. Suddenly and completely overcome, Anna fires bullets straight in the direction of where she sees Peter as she declares this all must end tonight.
After the shots are fired, Anna realized what she had done and just sobbed and shook. It was a devastating and heartbreaking moment for longtime General Hospital fans to see the beloved Anna Devane, super spy, so lost. Anna explained to Jason, after he was able to disarm her, how she was being pushed to kill Britt by her visions of Peter.
EMMY-WORTHY SCENES FOR 2027
In another hankie-inducing moment, Anna just grabs Jason and breaks down in his arms. If these weren’t Emmy-worthy scenes, we don’t know what is, and it must be remembered by Hughes, General Hospital, and hopefully the voting body of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) when Emmy submissions and voting get underway in 2027 for the 54th annual Daytime Emmys.
From everything we noted above, to the sheer brilliance of her work, Michael Fairman TV names Finola Hughes, this week’s Power Performance of the Week.
Now let us know, do you agree with our pick of Finola? Were you moved to tears during the gut-wrenching scenes? Should Finola include these scenes in an Emmy submission in 2027, should she decide to compete for Lead Actress gold? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
General Hospital
RATINGS: ‘General Hospital’ Shows Most Gains in Total Viewers Week-Over-Week and Up in Key Demo
The ratings are out for the week of August 24-28 for your favorite broadcast television soaps, and it was ABC’s General Hospital which added the most total viewers and planted itself firmly in third place in its battle with Beyond the Gates in the key demos of women 18-49 and 25-54.
According to Soap Opera Network, all daytime dramas were up year-over-year, and General Hospital was joined by The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful with gains in their total audience viewership, while Beyond the Gates was only slightly off pace for the ratings week.
Let’s take a look at what had viewers tuning-in, starting with General Hospital, who added +79,000 viewers. While still under the 2 million viewers mark (which they can hopefully return in the coming weeks) their overall tally was an average of 1, 935,000 tuning-in, while still up year-to-year +136,000.
GENERAL HOSPITAL
In addition, GH while actually down from the previous week in the 18-49 ratings share, they still out performed Beyond the Gates for third place. However, GH was firmly in third place for the 25-54 ratings share.
The stories that were featured for the week included: Anna’s (Finola Hughes) PTSD and struggle with painful memories tied to Cesar Faison, and her concocting a plan to get rid of Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) recording Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) threatening her, and later running into a severe threat from Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) regarding Kai (Jens Austin Astrup) and Drew’s (Cameron Mathison) shooting, and Drew enlisting Ava (Maura West) to gain leverage over Jack, which resulted in Ava drugging him, while Drew went snooping for the evidence Brennan had against him.
Photo: JPI
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
Y&R remained in the top spot amongst all the soaps once again with 3,062,000 tuning in, and up +35,000 for the week, while year-to-year still showing strong gains at +231,000 viewers. However, while Y&R remained #1 for the 25-54 ratings share, it fell to #2 in the 18-49 ratings share behind The Bold and the Beautiful.
In story for the week, Nick’s (Joshua Morrow) sobriety in rehab was a focus, as was Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) hitting the Jabot office couch and having sex for the first time, and Lily (Christel Khalil) and Billy (Jason Thompson) battling over control and ownership of Chancellor Industries.
Photo: JPI
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
B&B is continuing to be inch closer to Y&R for the top spot, separated by a little more than 300,000 viewers. For the ratings week, the series posted a total audience of 2,719,000 adding +31,000 eyeballs overall, and like Y&R, is up year-to-year in its performance.
The CBS soap now , now in its 40th season is +217,000 from the same time last year. In the key demos, The Bold and the Beautiful was in the top spot for the women 18-49 ratings share and number two for women 25-54.
In story, the major threat to Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) and Finn (Tanner Novlan) and Carter (Lawrence Saint-Victor) and Daphne’s (Murielle Hilaire) marriages continued as Steffy and Carter swore they would not tell their spouses that the two had a drunken hook-up. But as viewers know now, Steffy is pregnant!
Photo: CBS
BEYOND THE GATES
Beyond the Gates tallied an average of 1,611,000 total viewers for the week, up +72.000 year-over-year and down slightly in tune-in for the week losing just -36,000 viewers. The CBS soap came in fourth place in the key demos for the week behind General Hospital, with whom they are often trading places for the third spot.
In story, after Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) was released from the hospital, Hayley (Marquita Goings) stuck to her plan, doubling down on poisoning him and even getting caught in a major lie or meeting with Randy (Maurice P. Kerry), as Vernon (Clifton Davis) may be on to her machinations.
The ratings report is generated from Nielsen (Live+Same Day Big Data + Panel) for the week of August 24-28, 2026
So, what did you think of the performance of General Hospital for the ratings period? Which daytime drama has you most likely to tune-in each day? Which has you tuning-out? Let us know what’s working, or not working for you in story, via the comment section below.
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.
The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.
Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.
Photo: JPI
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST
Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”
Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”
Photo: JPI
KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL
Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”
You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.
So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Kyle and Victoria, Stephanie and Nate, Sally and Billy: Do Any Couples Have a Chance at Lasting Happiness?
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Heather Tom on Working with TV Son Crew Morrow: ‘I’ve Always Wanted to Play an Overprotective, Overbearing Mother’ (Exclusive)
‘General Hospital’s’ Finola Hughes Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
RATINGS: ‘General Hospital’ Shows Most Gains in Total Viewers Week-Over-Week and Up in Key Demo
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
‘General Hospital’ to Rebroadcast Special Episode in Tribute to Anthony Geary
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THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Kyle and Victoria, Stephanie and Nate, Sally and Billy: Do Any Couples Have a Chance at Lasting Happiness?
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
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