Kirsten Storms Is Taking a Break From ‘General Hospital,’ Already Filmed Last Scenes for the Year

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General Hospital star Kirsten Storms is embarking on a lengthy hiatus from the esteemed ABC soap opera — she has already completed her last scenes for the time being.

The actress, known for portraying Maxie Jones, 41, revealed through an Instagram video on Monday, July 7, that she intends to relocate from Los Angeles to Nashville alongside her daughter Harper, who is 11 years old and is the child she shares with her ex-spouse and fellow soap actor Brandon Borash.

In the video, Storms mentioned that her break has been planned since March, detailing that she discussed her plans for the move with GH executive producer Frank Valentini.

“I spoke with him about my motivations for wanting to move and my wish to remain part of the show,” she explained. “When you bring up a situation like this, the typical response can be, ‘Forget it, I’ll release you from your contract since you're leaving the state.’ GH did not respond that way, which was quite impressive because I also requested some time off.”

Storms shared that she has already had her “final recording day for the year,” noting, “It’s possible I might return in December, perhaps even in November.”

“I can assure you that the storyline being crafted until my comeback in Port Charles is quite remarkable,” the actress teased about what lies ahead for Maxie. “You are all going to be shocked, actually.”

In her post, Storms wrote, “I’m thrilled about making Tennessee my new home! I eagerly anticipate my return to GH once Harper and I are settled in our new city. I plan to share as much of this new adventure on my social media as possible. Moving to a place like this has always been a dream of mine, and it’s surreal to see it coming to fruition.”

The former Days of Our Lives star has been portraying Maxie since 2005, although producers have temporarily cast other actresses in the role to accommodate Storms' schedule.

Most recently, Nicole Paggi stepped in as Maxie for various episodes starting with the July 3 episode due to scheduling conflicts, according to reports from Soap Opera Digest.

Paggi, who had previously filled in for Storms in December 2023, will be featured in additional episodes throughout July and August, as stated by the outlet. Storms is expected to make her return to the screen on August 18.

“I would be dishonest if I said I wasn’t a bit surprised by it,” Storms commented to Soap Opera Digest regarding GH’s choice to temporarily recast Maxie in the upcoming July/August episodes.

However, she added, “I would rather have someone else portray Maxie and do it well to keep the character relevant and in the soap scene because a character can fade away quickly, making way for someone else to take center stage in a significant storyline. I was really pleased to know that she would still be in Port Charles and involved in many activities.”