“General Hospital” will part ways with longtime star Kelly Monaco this fall after more than 20 years, in a move some fans online are calling “disrespectful.”
The Times confirmed Tuesday that Monaco, who has played Sam McCall since 2003, will leave the series after his character was written out. Soap Opera Network broke the news of Monaco’s departure on Monday, reporting that the actor was “blindsided” by the decision.
Monaco’s “General Hospital” run spans more than two decades and more than 2,200 episodes, with a handful of soap opera turns. She has two Daytime Emmy nominations for her time on the “General Hospital” franchise, including a nomination for her work as a different character on the spinoff series “Port Charles.”
As news of Monaco’s exit spread online, fans shared memorable moments from the actor’s time on “General Hospital,” including an on-screen romance with co-star Steve Burton’s character Jason Morgan and an emotional moment with his late co-star Sonya Eddy. Fans also paid tribute to him with the hashtags “#NoKellyNoGH” and “#IStandWithKelly,” and called for “General Hospital” to keep Monaco on the show.
“The amount of disrespect towards Kelly Monaco and many women in the cast [on] “Port Charles is ridiculous. This is horrible,” one fan tweeted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. “Sam is one of the best characters and the disservice the writers have given him is the reason this ship is sailing. This needs to be fixed!”
“I am absolutely certain that #gh is officially on its way to an end and has already dug the last foot of its grave,” another fan wrote. “To kick Kelly Monaco out after 21 years and several recent years of completely marginalizing her character and more than capable talent is absolutely disgusting behavior.”
Numerous fans channeled their support for Monaco through a petition on Change.org to keep her on “GH,” which has gathered more than 1,400 signatures since its creation on Monday.
“By signing this petition, you are joining thousands of General Hospital fans in preserving a valuable piece of the show’s history,” the petition read. “It is time to respect the dedication and emotional investment of viewers who have poured their time and hearts into the character and actress.”
Amid seemingly endless online requests for “General Hospital” to reconsider its decision, one X-user urged viewers to think about the bigger picture.
“Fans wanting #GH cancelled because GH fired Kelly Monaco is insane. Wishing thousands of people to lose their jobs because a favorite actor was fired is nonsense and that's why… [the powers that be] “These shows don’t take fans seriously.”
ABC, which airs “General Hospital,” did not respond to The Times’ request for comment. A representative for Monaco could not be reached.
Monaco, who hosted a “General Hospital” fan club event in Glendale earlier this month, has yet to address her exit and the backlash surrounding it on social media. Monaco, who is celebrating her 20th anniversary on the series, told Soap Opera Digest in 2023, “GH is a legendary show and I consider it my second home.”
She added: “Every day when I drive up to the parking lot, I feel so honored to be a part of it.”
