‘General Hospital’s Nicholas Alexander Chavez Not Returning to Soap

Nicholas Alexander Chavez in 'General Hospital'
ABC / Christine Bartolucc
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General Hospital is bidding farewell to one of its own as Nicholas Alexander Chavez officially exits the ABC soap after a lengthy absence.

The actor who plays Spencer Cassadine in the series is making his temporary absence permanent, according to TV Line after he stepped away from the role to film the second season of Ryan Murphy‘s Monster anthology series. Chavez stopped appearing on General Hospital in late March of this year, as fans reportedly spotted his name was no longer among the closing credits.

Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Spencer Cassadine on 'General Hosptial'

ABC/Christopher Willard

The actor’s casting on the buzzy Netflix project was officially announced this January as he’s set to portray Lyle Menendez alongside Cooper Koch who is portraying Erik Menendez. Meanwhile, Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny will play their onscreen parents Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Chavez’s hiatus was also confirmed in January, but as revealed by TV Line, that situation is now permanent. Shooting on Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story reportedly began back in December, making way for Chavez’s January absence.

The actor has appeared on the soap as Spencer Cassadine for the past several years, making his first appearance in 2021. Over the course of his run, Chavez has been credited with over 350 episodes.  In addition to his performance, Chavez also snagged a Daytime Emmy win for Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series for his role in 2022. Past performers who portrayed the character include Caden & Nicholas Laughlin, Nathan & Spencer Casamassima, Lance Doven, Rami Yousef, Davin Ransom, and Nicolas Bechtel.

It’s unclear if someone else will step into the role moving forward, but stay tuned for any casting updates, and keep an eye out for news about Chavez’s run in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story when the latest chapter of Murphy’s anthology eventually arrives on Netflix.

General Hospital, Weekdays, Check your local listings

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, TBA, Netflix