‘I was villified’: ‘General Hospital’s most despised character blames the ‘hate’ for her departure

Eva LaRue has opened up about her exit from ‘General Hospital’, revealing that negative fan reactions played a major role in her departure from the long-running soap opera. The 58-year-old actress confirmed on Monday, June 30, that she was leaving the show after playing Natalia Ramirez since February 2024.

LaRue’s character journey on ‘General Hospital’ was meant to be brief, but it extended far beyond the original plan. She told Soap Opera Digest that she was originally supposed to appear for just a couple of months. However, her role grew into a much longer storyline, which she described as great and really fun because many All My Children actors work on the show’s evolving cast, making it feel like home.

The actress revealed the harsh reality of fan backlash when discussing her character’s failed romantic storyline. “I was so vilified that no matter what [the writers] did, it just wasn’t a solid enough rehabilitation that they were gonna buy me with Sonny,” LaRue explained. Her character, Natalia, was introduced as Blaze’s mother before writers attempted to create a romantic connection with popular character Sonny Corinthos, played by Maurice Benard.

Fan rejection leads to storyline changes and character exit

The negative fan response to Natalia’s potential romance with Sonny became so strong that the show’s writers were forced to abandon the storyline completely. LaRue explained that people simply were not buying the romantic pairing because they hated her character so much. This rejection from viewers ultimately sealed her character’s fate on the show.

LaRue knew her time was running out once the writers gave up on the Natalia and Sonny relationship. She realized that she was probably not going to stay much longer on the show after they finally let that idea go. The actress admitted that the experience was personally difficult for her, especially coming from playing beloved character Maria Santos on All My Children.

The transition from being a fan favorite to being hated was particularly challenging for LaRue. She noted that her previous character, Maria Santos, was never meant to be vilified, whether fans loved or hated her. LaRue found it tough to see herself being rooted against by viewers, though she praised the loyalty of ‘General Hospital’ fans and acknowledged that the majority understand how storylines serve the bigger picture.

Despite the challenges, LaRue expressed gratitude for her extended time on ‘General Hospital’. She said she had a blast working on the show and loved everyone she got to work with, calling it an awesome experience. Executive producer Frank Valentini also released a statement praising LaRue’s work, noting that what started as a guest role turned into a longer and more satisfying storyline thanks to her terrific work and chemistry with the cast.