Kirsten Storms' Temporary 'General Hospital' Replacement Unveiled

Kirsten Storms

General Hospital is briefly switching things up among the cast while veteran actress Kirsten Storms takes a brief leave of absence.

According to a new report from Soap Opera Digest, Storms will temporarily be stepping away from her longtime role as Maxie Jones on the ABC soap, with actress Nicole Paggi stepping in to hold down the fort.

But Storms, 39, isn't expected to be gone for long, as the publication notes that she will only be missing from her usual spot on the show for just a few days.

Paggi, 40, has some significant experience with soap opera work in the past, as she previously played the role of Jennie Bradbury on Pasadena and Sydney Shanowski—the fictional daughter of Faith Ford and fictional niece of Kelly Ripa—on Hope & Faith. She has also appeared on 9-1-1 and ABC's The Rookie: Feds in more recent years.

Paggi made her General Hospital debut as Maxie Jones on Wednesday, Dec. 27, though, according to Soap Opera Digest, Storms was back to work just one day later.

Storms has starred on General Hospital since 2005, after playing Isabella "Belle" Black on Days of Our Lives from 1999 to 2004, but it isn't her first time having to temporarily step away from her on-screen duties.

In 2011, Storms was temporarily replaced by Jen Lilley, who took over her character until she returned in 2012. She also took a leave of absence in 2016 following "skin issues," according to Just Jared, during which her character was recast as Molly Burnett.

The former Disney Channel star also stepped away on various other occasions, including a leave in 2021 to undergo brain surgery.

Next: How 'General Hospital' Plans to Say Farewell to Late Star Jacklyn Zeman