Disney/Ricky Middlesworth
Friday, September 27 was Kelly Monaco’s final day of filming at General Hospital in the role of Samantha McCall, a role she has played since October 1, 2003, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by her mother, Carmina Monaco.
In her heartfelt post, the actress’s mother wrote:
“I want to take this moment to reach out to Kelly’s incredible fans and express my deepest gratitude for the unwavering love, loyalty, and support you’ve shown her throughout her time on General Hospital. On this final day, just four days shy of the anniversary of her first episode on October 1, 2003, Kelly will close the door of her dressing room for the last time. This moment is a difficult one, but knowing that she has had such an incredible, devoted fan base has given her strength. You’ve stood by her through every twist and turn, celebrating her achievements and providing comfort in the hard times. Your love and dedication have meant more than words can express, not only to Kelly but to all of us who care so deeply for her. Thank you for being there, for believing in her, and for reminding her of the impact she’s made. We will always be grateful for you standing with her through it all.”
Monaco’s legions of fans have been bracing themselves for this day since the news first broke on August 26 that the actress would be exiting the show in what setside sources described to Digest as a storyline-dictated decision. The move sent shockwaves through the soap community and sparked a major outcry among viewers, who campaigned for the show to reserve its decision via a petition — which had garnered nearly 16,000 signatures as of Septembe 27 — that declared, “We are making a plea to the producers and the network: keep Kelly Monaco on General Hospital. By signing this petition, you are standing with thousands of General Hospital fans in preserving a valuable part of the show’s history. It’s time to respect the dedication and emotional investment of the viewers and, especially Kelly, who have dedicated their time and heart into the character. Join us in this critical rallying cry – Let’s keep Kelly Monaco on General Hospital!”
Other fan-led initiatives include the still-ongoing use of social media hastags like #IStandWithKelly, #SaveKelly and #SaveSamMcall. Devoted organizers even sent a billboard truck to the General Hospital studio earlier this month to amplify the movement’s “I Stand With Kelly” message.
Thus far, the show has not given official confirmation of Monaco’s departure, and Monaco has herself mostly been silent on social media. On September 15, however, she did take to Instagram on the one-year anniversary of the passing of her close friend and former GH leading man, Billy Miller (ex-Drew), who died by suicide.”Duces ‘I’ve got your back and you always had mine’ I will tell our story soon enough…. 😇🙏🏻❤️ I love and miss you… and beyond,” she wrote.
The Evolution Will Be Televised
Tom Queally/ABC
In The Beginning: Monaco as Sam back in 2003.
Monaco began her daytime career in 2000 on the GH spin-off Port Charles, becoming one of that show’s most popular players as tortured heroine Livvie Locke. When PC was canceled in 2003, she was pursued by all three networks that then had soaps on the air (ABC, CBS and NBC) and chose to join GH, she explained to Digest in 2023 in an interview celebrating her 20th anniversary with the show, because “I was, like, a die-hard General Hospital fan. That was my dream; I was like, ‘General Hospital all the way!’ So, I was thrilled when [then-ABC Daytime President] Brian Frons said they would create a role for me.”
In that interview, Monaco also reflected on the two-decade evolution of her GH alter ego, noting, “Sam came onto the canvas only having herself and her brother, always taking care of someone and never being taken care of. I think the biggest evolution for her is starting from being a really lonely, scared woman and becoming a woman who is still really independent, but is protected by family and friends and love and relationships and loyalty, and she never had that before. Now she has a family and kids. She came in bent and broken, and I feel like there’s a lot of her that’s still broken, but she’s constantly sort of putting the Rubik’s cube together. All the pieces don’t fit perfectly yet, but it’s certainly not broken anymore!”
In the current storyline, Sam is in a serious relationship with Dante, raising two children, Danny and Scout, and playing an active role in the drama swirling around her family, with her mother, Alexis, recently having been arrested for murder, and her two half sisters, Kristina and Molly, at great odds after the tragic death of the baby girl Kristina was carrying as a surrogate for Molly and her domestic partner, TJ. GH also recently announced the imminent return of the character of Lucas Jones, who is Sam’s half brother.
Monaco’s final episode will air later this fall.
Disney/Bahareh Ritter
Friends And Lovers: Monaco as Sam opposite current leading man Dominic Zamprogna (Dante).
