General Hospital is saying goodbye to its popular leading lady Kelly Monaco. The actress who has played Sam McCall for 21 years is set to depart the soap opera. News of Monaco’s impending exit was reported by Soap Opera News. According to the news outlet, a source says the star’s exit is slated for “this fall,” and plans are for her character to be “killed off.” The insider went on to explain that the actress felt “blindsided” by the show’s decision.
Monaco joined the ABC series in October 2003 after having previously played Livvie Locke on its spinoff Port Charles. The actress became a fan favorite as Sam and earned a Lead Actress Daytime Emmy nomination in 2006. Sam’s romances with Jason Morgan, Drew Cain, and Dante Falconeri skyrocketed her popularity; and pushed her into front burner storylines.
Kelly’s exit and Sam’s upcoming death comes just as Dante’s ex-wife Lulu Spencer is set to wake up from her coma. Many fans believed this would lead to a love triangle, but General Hospital as other plans.
General Hospital Fans Angry About Kelly Monaco’s Exit
General Hospital has made many shocking casting decisions this year. But their decision to fire Kelly Monaco isn’t sitting well with fans. On Reddit, fans expressed their disappointment with the star’s exit.
This is not just a character/actress you get rid of. Kelly has been such a big part of the show. Seriously ridiculous…I know she’s been written pretty poorly at times and doesn’t have much story lately, but I hate this.
Another viewer wrote:
WTF? This just doesn’t make sense. They’re getting rid of Sam – who, whether deserved or not, has huge connections across the canvas and has been a major front burner character – but they’re keeping the bigot Nutella, Lois and her accent non-story, and Gio.
Another commenter chimed in:
Wow that’s messed up. They just gonna kill off Sam? And for what?
One fan wrote of Sam being killed off:
This is just wrong. There is a long list of characters that we can probably all agree we can do without. So disrespectful to Kelly and her fans. Guess we know who Lulu’s liver donor is going to be now…
The announcement of Monaco’s departure come amidst several other cast exits. Two weeks ago Jacqueline Grace Lopez confirmed her departure after her character Blaze left Port Charles. Reports are also surfacing that Adam J. Harrington is on his way out as Jagger Cates.
Kelly Monaco’s upcoming exit will have the biggest impact on the show. It’s one thing to fire a lead actress, but killing off her character is considered a slap in the face. General Hospital has made many questionable decisions as of late, and this will certainly top the list.
