Eva LaRue is bidding farewell to General Hospital after an impactful and extended run on the long-running daytime soap. The 58-year-old actress, who made her debut as Natalia Ramirez in February 2024, has confirmed her exit from the show, which will be marked by her final episode airing this week.
LaRue’s time on General Hospital was initially supposed to be brief, but she ended up staying for a much longer period, a journey she found “really fun.”
In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, LaRue reflected on her unexpected but enjoyable time on the show, sharing that her original contract was for a couple of months, but her role ended up extending due to the great experience she had.
“It ended up being a much longer run, which was great — and really fun because there are so many All My Children actors there and so it felt like home,” she said.
Natalia Ramirez’s Journey: Villain Turned “Mom”
LaRue’s character, Natalia Ramirez, was introduced as the mother of Blaze (played by Jacqueline Grace Lopez) and someone who disapproved of her daughter’s relationship with Kristina Corinthos-Davis (played by Kate Mansi).
Natalia’s role as a “mom villain” had a rocky start, with the writers attempting to soften her image by romantically linking her to Sonny Corinthos (played by Maurice Benard).
However, LaRue revealed that the audience simply didn’t buy into the redemption arc. “People just weren’t buying it, because they just hated my character so much,” she said.
“It just wasn’t a solid enough rehabilitation that they were gonna buy me with Sonny.” After the writers abandoned this storyline, LaRue realized her time on the show was likely nearing its end.
A Transition from Fan Favorite to Villain
For LaRue, the shift from playing Maria Santos on All My Children — a character beloved by fans — to playing the vilified Natalia on General Hospital was a tough adjustment.
“It was hard for me, actually — for me as a person,” she admitted. “Because in daytime, when you play a character like Maria Santos, love her or hate her, she was not ever meant to be a vilified character.”
She added, “So that was tough, because especially if you are accustomed to being rooted for, to be rooted against is not as comfortable.”
Despite the challenging transition, LaRue expressed her gratitude for the support from General Hospital fans, acknowledging their loyalty to the show and how they still appreciated the storyline even if they didn’t love her character.
A Fond Farewell
Although Natalia was not always well-received by viewers, LaRue praised the General Hospital team, especially Executive Producer Frank Valentini, for creating a positive work environment. “It was really fun working with Frank Valentini,” LaRue said.
“He was lovely, and I had a blast at General Hospital.” She expressed how much she enjoyed her time on the show and how happy she was that she got to stay longer than originally planned.
Valentini also expressed his appreciation for LaRue, calling her a “dear friend” and stating, “Eva’s been a dear friend for years and I am so pleased we found an opportunity to work together!” He continued, “What originally was meant as a guest star arc turned into a longer and more satisfying arc, in thanks to Eva’s terrific work and chemistry with our cast. I was thrilled Eva was available to us in this extended role. I wish her all the best in her upcoming projects.”
What’s Next for Eva LaRue?
While her time on General Hospital has come to an end, LaRue’s career is far from over. Fans can look forward to seeing her in future projects, as the actress continues her career in the entertainment industry.
