Updated

Updated · Soap Opera Digest · Jun 8

Kirsten Storms Says Return to General Hospital Is Unlikely Soon as 12-Year-Old Daughter Comes First

Updated

Updated · Soap Opera Digest · Jun 8

Kirsten Storms Says Return to General Hospital Is Unlikely Soon as 12-Year-Old Daughter Comes First

Q: After a brain aneurysm and custody battle, will personal turmoil mean the end for her iconic TV role?

No — at least for now, Kirsten Storms’ personal turmoil does not appear to mean a permanent end to her role as Maxie on *General Hospital*, but it does make a near-term return uncertain. Storms has made clear that she is unlikely to come back to Los Angeles soon because of overlapping health, family and safety issues. She said her daughter is her top priority and linked her earlier hiatus to a brain aneurysm diagnosis and her effort to improve her quality of life by moving to Tennessee. She has also publicly disputed claims made in her ex-husband Brandon Barash’s restraining-order filing, saying she had already reported alleged break-ins and hacking to police before the custody fight escalated. At the same time, the available reporting does not support the idea that Maxie is definitively over. Storms already returned to *General Hospital* in early 2026 after a lengthy leave, which shows the door remains open professionally. There is no confirmed announcement from ABC or the show that she has exited permanently. What is clear is that her future on the soap is now tied less to contract status than to personal stability. Recovery from a brain aneurysm can be prolonged, and custody disputes typically turn on a child’s best interests and a parent’s ability to provide stability. Until those pressures ease, Storms’ appearances may remain limited or paused. So the role is not necessarily finished — but her immediate future on the show is very much in doubt.

3 articles · Updated · Soap Opera Digest · Jun 8

Kirsten Storms told fans on Instagram she does not expect to return to General Hospital in the near term, saying she is not comfortable going back to Los Angeles.
Her statement followed reports that ex-husband Brandon Barash sought an emergency restraining order and challenged her claims about a break-in at her Tennessee home.
Storms said the break-in was reported to her building and Franklin police before Barash filed in court, and that police are investigating evidence she says shows intrusions into her apartment, WiFi and cellphone.
The actress said her move to Tennessee and time away from work were driven by personal reasons and a newly discovered brain aneurysm, adding that her 12-year-old daughter remains her top priority.