General Hospital
Maura West Talks Being The Mafia Donna Of General Hospital's Jerome Clan!
Courtesy/ABC
Two-time Daytime Emmy winner Maura West is really getting the opportunity to chew the scenery in her latest soap role of Ava Jerome on ABC’s General Hospital. West who debuted back in May, is getting plenty of airtime and has been integrated into many a story with a bevy soap leading men from Roger Howarth (Franco), to Michael Easton (Silas) to William deVry (Julian)!
In this new interview with Michael Logan of TV Guide Magazine, just as Ava is about to truly amp up her attempt to take over the Port Charles mob territory from Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) on next week’s episodes, she spoke about taking on the delicious role on GH, and that role that kind of went south as Diane on Y&R! Here are a few excerpts below!
Maura on how to navigate playing a character in soaps that the audience doesn’t completely vilify and turn their backs on: “They’re supposed to hate Ava but what you want is that they love to hate her. Still, you can’t worry about it. You play what they give you and, hopefully, let the viewers see that if you scratch that surface there is a heart and soul somewhere under there. In soaps, there’s always room for redemption. (Laughs) Well, almost always. She doesn’t see what she does as bad. Mobsters go home to their families at night and eat dinner, just like you and me. And they have a huge capacity for love. They can bury someone in a shallow grave in the woods and then go to their kid’s Christmas concert on the way home. “
Maura on how her stint on Y&R didn’t last so long as Diane Jenkins: “Honestly, I was at Y&R so briefly that I don’t even think about it! (Laughs) I must have blocked it out! Sometimes I’ll see a magazine article where they’ll say Maura West and in parentheses they have “ex-Carly ATWT” and “ex-Diane Y&R” and I’ll go, “Huh?” I met some wonderful people at Y&R but that experience is not something my heart aches over, not something I miss at all.”
So what do you think of Maura’s Ava Jerome? Are you enjoying Ava’s attempts to be the reigning Mafia Donna of Port Charles? Do you think Y&R misused the uber-talented West? Comment below!
Loving the addition of the Jarome family, and hope they stick around for a long while. Love William and Maura, and hope the writers do more with their characters than just mob related stuff.
Also really hoping that along with Robin, they find Alan Quartermain in that clinic and bring him home. Could just see the fireworks between Monica and Maura if Ava and Alan flirt with each other. Bring back Alan now!!!!
Would like to see a Julian and Alexis pairing also.
I wanted Alan back but he’s made too many ghostly appearance, the last with Rick and Emily…maybe she could make a play for A.J? Julian and Alexis is an obvious pairing…she’ll end up with him b4 his mob ties are revealed! Ava is here to stay so she wont be Connies killer…imo.
There have been many soap characters that have appeared multiple times as ghosts and still came back from the dead. I would accept any ridiculous excuse of why he’s not dead if it meant having him back.
Maybe Casey the alien has him.
Yeah, id accept any explaination too…
I only hope she’s the murderess because I don’t know any other AJ…and I DON’T want it to be Aj! Love him and cannot stand how he’s constantly be torn apart by people less worthy! (Cracks me up when I get all in a tither about fictional “people.”) LOL…
It’s a conundrum. I do enjoy and want the Jerome’s to stay…particularly Julian. Something about the way he plays his role is incredibly sexy! But I don’t know how Alexis would ever reconcile being with him when she couldn’t handle Sonny, Jason or Sean being in the mob…or when she finds out he killed his own sister! (Which I didn’t know till the actress just mentioned that piece of GH history.) To date he hasn’t shown his ruthless side so it’s difficult to reconcile…
As for “Ava” Maura West is the epitome of the old school b&w film mob dames….she’s great at it but I don’t want to see her frame AJ.
As for Alan…there’s not enough Qs on now…big house with no one in it. Should bring back Ned, Skye, maybe Alan could pop in now and then in his ghostly persona…(standing back observing, whatever…)
The whole “mystery” of Robin…it’s obvious it’s her lurking around but they seem to be trying to have us believe it’s Jason…
@rebecca1….We are so on the same page about “AJ”…he has become GH’s convenient go-to “whipping boy,” and that has worn thin….it also does a grave disservice to SK because it makes his character seem too one-dimensional, and he obviously possesses the talent to play far beyond the parameters he has been permitted thus far. As for Julian, I am still not feeling this big “thing” he and Alexis are supposed to be embarking upon…to me, they seem mismatched and not quite of the same equivalent age group, either. Even though the older looking Ms. Davis is behaving like a slobbering, blushing schoolgirl around her first crush, I simply don’t detect a mutual attraction…I would prefer to see “Sam’s Daddy” with somebody else. I am also remaining skeptical on the “Ava Love” that so many here profess….while I do give her major “style points” for her take on the “retro silver screen glam girl,” I’m not yet enchanted with the entire package…her vibe is too much “emotional, quivering whack-job” to really be a credible “Mob Queen.” We require more backstory on her history and how it created her particularly pseudo-sophisticated, yet amazingly declasse’ persona. (I have previously proffered that if an “Ava Mama” is scripted for that purpose, then Gloria Loring would be a perfect choice to fill the role….the physical resemblance is uncanny, and I think the former “Liz Craig” would make a scary hilarious gun moll/mother to MW’s daughter….can picture a lot of friction there!) At any rate, I can live with an empty “Q” mansion for the time being…save for an an occasional ghostly visit from Alan…maybe even to his foundering namesake this time around???? Given AJ’s current demons, he could just think he is hallucinating. Lastly, even though I cannot wait for Robin’s return (and the subsequent annihilation of “Sow-brina’s” pathetic little fairytale…) I don’t believe she is due just yet. It appears the mystery “lurker” is going to be Heather….time to break out those BLT’s!!!! Haha….P.S. I enjoyed and appreciated your latest “Downton” character analysis, and will respond accordingly when time permits…..Thank you!!!!
So sorry for the mix-up, jimh! But I’m glad you liked my casting idea…I can easily envision GL as a former flame/singer from one of Victor Jerome’s nightclubs, and their fling produced Ava….I’ve always felt she and Julian are not full siblings, and that she is an illegitimate offspring of the original don. It would be a nice addition to GH to have a musical performer the caliber of Ms. Loring….even though she would definitely have some competition from our mutually favorite “Karaoke Queen!!!” (Where is dear “mutta” by the way?…Hiding out in those tunnels at Wyndemere???)
I love love love Ava Jerome. Best female addition in ages. She has that special spark that just shines with everybody on Gh.
She is wonderful… love to watch her in action.
I totally disliked her as Carly on ATWT, but I love her as Ava.
LOVE TO HATE AVA!! She’s the greatest!!!! One of the best additions to GH!!!!
Always loved her as Carly on ATWT, and love her now in the role of Ava. She is a very talented actress who brings her whole game every time she’s onscreen. Look forward to many more years with her on GH.
All soaps need a good solid troublemaker who isn’t so evil you cannot allow them to continue, but just evil enough to take the taste of sugar out your mouth, from all those too good to be true, super sweet heroine types. For this reason I like Ava on the canvas– I think she might try to romance Sonny, not for real, just to get inside his head and mess with his business and they stab him in the back– figuratively or literally, which one, I guess would depend on her mood. lol.
Love Maura West ,whatever she’s doing.
I think Maura is a beauty, and a terrific villain. What I don’t see is an ability to allow us to ‘love to hate her’. I don’t see any softness in her character, even with her daughter…. no vulnerability. So I don’t find myself empathizing with her in any way…. much like her Diane character on Y&R.
Wonderful cast addition! RC/FV know what to do with beauty and talent, unlike Y&R’s show runners for the past 7-8 years. Maura was woefully miscast as Diane Jenkins, as she is 15-20 years younger, and it wasn’t fair to put her in that position. Very misguided casting decision on the part of the ailing Y&R. Alas, RC/FV and their revived GH to the rescue. Ava is steaming up the screen with pretty much any man with whom she shares a scene, kicking a$$ and taking names. Loving Maura West and Ava Jerome!
GH struck gold when they cast Maura as Ava Jerome. She’s been nothing, but amazing with her acting. Truly bringing back the gems of the early screen days. I see a lot of old Hollywood in her and always have. Ava is here to stay, as is Maura West! I am loving me Ava every day she is on, and when she isn’t, the show is lackluster. Ava is the star!
Love Maura! She can play anything and this AVA character is a hoot! Hope she’s around for a long time to come. She really livens up any scene she is in.
I am a Jerome fan and hope Franco will become involved in their story..
She was woefully miscast and misused on Y&R, but from her first appearance on GH she has been a breath of fresh air. It’s hard to look away from the screen whenever Ava appears because of the sheer unpredictability of the character–and that can be attributed to West’s nuanced work. She is to be commended, as are the showrunners, for bringing her onboard.
Tom….Just a heads-up here, but you best be careful using the word “nuanced” (or”fashionista” and “concur,” for that matter…) Apparently, these “trigger terms” send certain “people” into an apoplectic tizzy….it must simply be too much for their tiny brains to comprehend or some other pathetic affliction…..LOL!
Shay, had to reply here…your response to Rebecca came to me instead but i do love your idea of Gloria Loring playing Avas mother…perfect casting choice…hope it happens…now if theyd bring back Alan alive…i could overlook his ghostly appearance…Glorias character could make a play for him…would love her in fights with Monica!
Y&R made a big mistake letting her go. She might be the best female soap actress since Beverlee McKinsey.
She’s great!!! Can’t say that I am loving to hate her but she is doing a great job!!!
i never saw her on atwt or yr, but always know of her, and i’m glad she’s now on GH.
Love love love this woman she is a great actor!! She owns every scene she’s in!!:)
Love Maura! Love her as Ava, love her more as a person. She has a child with Autism (as do I) and does a lot for raising awareness. Go Maura!
Love her as Ava, didn’t like her as Diane on Y&R. Kiki is also very believable as her daughter because they sort of resemble each other.
I’m a huge classic film fan, and Maura West is so talented and straight from the same place that created Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Gene Tierney, Myrna Loy, and Lana Turner. If she had been around in their day, she would have been at the top of the food chain at some major studio. She’s a FABULOUS addition to GH, on the caliber of when they added Maurice Bernard. If GH stays on the air for several more years, Maura West can easily be a “top 3” centerpiece, front burner all the time, the way Maurice Bernard, Laura Wright, and when he was still there, Steve Burton are/was.
I love the Jerome family, and DeVry is a great addition. Loved him on AMC. Overall, the Jeromes are an interesting addition because they are equal to Sonny and don’t just work for him. You get the impression they don’t even really care about Sonny. They have their own fish to fry. Even Alcazar and Johnny Zacara operated “in relation to Sonny.” The Jeromes are more like Todd Manning would have been before he left: Independently evil but likeable.
I’ve watched a lot of soaps over the years, but it’s VERY easy for me NOT to watch. I drop shows for YEARS, then watch a few weeks, then leave again if there’s nothing there. I suppose people like me are why soaps got cancelled. But I’ve been watching GH three or four days a week and it’s because when I recently checked in again, Maura West and the entire Jerome storyline grabbed me. I’ll be watching for a while.
Maura is an amazing, talented actress and hopefully the will not let her go. I have watched her since the start from As The World Turns and am just floored by her acting. I’m so glad General Hospital is keeping her. You go Maura! They’re blessed to have you.
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 question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.
TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.
That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.
Photo: ABC
STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES
GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.
Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).
Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.
GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS
Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.
Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.
So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
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)
Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?
‘General Hospital’ to Rebroadcast Special Episode in Tribute to Anthony Geary
Vivica A. Fox Exits ‘The Young and the Restless’ For Now to Film Netflix’s ‘Women Like Us’
Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027
‘General Hospital’s’ Braedyn Bruner Reveals Her Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and How Emma is Getting Her ‘Edge’ Back
‘General Hospital’s’ Bluesy Burke Marks 1 Year as Charlotte Cassadine: ‘It’s The Best Gift I’ve Ever Received’
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’
‘Beyond the Gates’ vs. ‘The Young and the Restless’ in a Soap Opera Showdown on ‘Flip Side’ Season 3 Premiere
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Heather Tom Talks Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes and What’s Behind Katie’s Deep-Seated Issues with Dylan (Exclusive)
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