Eva LaRue Speaks Out After Exit From "General Hospital" Soap Opera

After a whirlwind year in Port Charles, Eva LaRue has said her final goodbye to General Hospital, and she's also breaking her silence on the firestorm that surrounded her portrayal of Natalia Ramírez. LaRue's last episode aired on June 30, wrapping up with Natalia's heart-stopping storyline climax, a lethal combination of alcohol and pills that sent the character on an emotional and controversial exit. But for the Emmy-winning actress, the sting was in the reaction.

"I was so vilified," LaRue confessed in a candid new interview with Soap Opera Digest. Fan reaction was swift and brutal, focusing mainly on Natalia's on-screen behavior, such as disagreeing with her daughter, Blaze, about her sexual identity and having an inexplicable romantic connection to mob boss Sonny Corinthos. What started as a brief guest arc became an extended stay. "I was originally only supposed to be on the show for a couple of months," LaRue said. "nd 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."

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However, even if it felt like home behind the scenes, that was, of course, not the story the audience heard. Natalia's conservative outlook and fraught dynamic with Blaze (Jacqueline Grace Lopez) were a hot-button issue online, with many viewers expressing intense frustration with the way her character processed LGBTQ+ themes and emotional relationships. LaRue remained classy in her send-off. Sharing the announcement of her departure via screenshot and a heartfelt caption ("A Huge Thank You To #GeneralHospital For A Lovely Run"), she opted for gratitude over grievance.

It serves as a reminder that in daytime drama, villains and heroes are frequently perceived as such by the beholder. For LaRue, the part may have been divisive, but the performance was dynamite. Love her or hate her, you won't forget Natalia Ramírez. As fans continue to digest her stunning exit, LaRue's words remind us of one, plainly apparent truth: each character on the screen is the embodiment of a living, breathing human being who shares their all, even when that truth is too brightly lit.