Is Maura West leaving ‘General Hospital?’

It’s perhaps not surprising, given its decades-long run on the air, that ABC’s General Hospital is a revolving door when it comes to castmates and characters.

The soap opera, which follows the lives of residents in the fictional town of Port Charles, has taken some pretty big storyline swings throughout its 60(!) seasons, delving into everything from affairs to murders and even hostage situations. 

With such dynamic storylines, the fate of a given character is constantly in flux, which is certainly the case for Ava Jerome, the mob boss daughter portrayed by Maura West. Ava has been a staple antagonist on General Hospital since West’s debut on the show in 2013, but her future has been called into question amid a flurry of new developments regarding the soap. 

Is Maura West leaving General Hospital?

It has not yet been confirmed whether Maura West is leaving General Hospital, but the trajectory of her character Ava Jerome has put some question marks over her fate. For starters, General Hospital has been making some pretty seismic shifts in character arcs following a shake-up in the writers’ room earlier this year. 

Since then, fans have been concerned about the fate of their favorite characters, including Ava, with questions about whether she will be written off or killed in future episodes. Speculation only intensified in May, when The Chat podcast host Casey — who is known for her insider soap opera knowledge — wrote on X that a “very popular and beloved actress” might “possibly be out” by the end of this year. 

While the identity of that actress hasn’t been confirmed, Ava’s story arc seems to be pointing toward an exit. Ava’s dark past has been explored in recent seasons, so fans think the consequences of her behavior will catch up with her and result in death or a mysterious absence. For example, Ava recently discovered that Sonny Corinthos’ (played by Maurice Bernard) bipolar medication was tampered with, but decided to keep the information to herself — a choice that could have catastrophic implications.

Elsewhere, it’s thought that Ava’s role in Connie’s murder (played by Kelly Sullivan) might come to light, and end with Ava being sent to prison. Add in the fact that Ava was found to be responsible for Alexis Davis (played by Nancy Lee Grahn) losing her legal license and you begin to think that maybe all her problems will catch up with her and lead to her demise.

Preempting West’s departure, some fans have taken to social media to plead with General Hospital writers for Ava to remain on the show, with others declaring they’ll no longer watch if the beloved actress exits. While it might seem like she is being written into a corner, Ava’s future on General Hospital has not been confirmed, so fans will have to keep watching to see how it all plays out.