It's a twist no one saw coming -- and it's one that isn't entirely storyline related. General Hospital has opted to recast the role of Kristina Corinthos-Davis.
Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Daytime Emmy winner Kate Mansi (ex-Abigail Deveraux, Days of our Lives) has been tapped as the new Kristina -- and she has already started taping at GH.
It is unclear at this time why GH decided to recast the role of Kristina. The character has appeared only sporadically in recent years. More importantly, Lexi Ainsworth, who has played Kristina off and on since 2009, is wildly popular with fans.
This is not the first time that General Hospital has replaced Ainsworth. In 2011, despite strong outcry from fans and her cast mates, GH fired Ainsworth. In 2012, Lindsey Morgan began a roughly one-year run as Kristina. Ainsworth would later return in 2015.
Ainsworth made her final GH appearance on April 27.
Kate Mansi joined Days of our Lives as a daytime newcomer in 2010. Six years later, the actress stunned fans by announcing that she'd be leaving the show.
"It was important for me to see Abigail through the most recent storyline, as well as through the show's historic 50th anniversary celebration," Mansi said in a statement at the time.
In a strange soapy twist in 2018, Mansi would return to play Abigail again when her successor in the role, Marci Miller, left DAYS. Mansi would leave DAYS again in 2020 -- replaced by Miller.
Kate Mansi was named Outstanding Supporting Actress at the Daytime Emmys in 2017.
Mansi will make her General Hospital debut the week of May 22.
UPDATE (May 8, 2023): Lexi Ainsworth has taken to social media to talk about her exit from General Hospital. You can read more about that -- and watch her video -- here.
What are your thoughts on the decision to recast Kristina? Are you surprised that Kristina will suddenly have more storyline? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
