‘General Hospital’s Kirsten Storms on Her ‘Rocky’ Early Years, Fave Maxie Romance & Why She’s Stuck Around for 2 Decades

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“It’s been a crazy ride,” says Kirsten Storms, who will mark 20 years in the iconic role of General Hospital‘s Maxie Jones on May 23.

For the actress, who portrayed Belle Black on Days of our Lives from 1999-2004, the idea of joining another soap was an intriguing prospect. “I was excited to take on a new character,” Storms recalls. “I was excited to take a meeting with [then-executive producer] Jill Phelps and curious to see what this secret part was for a character they were going to age, because I didn’t know the show well enough to know who it was.”

While she wasn’t completely familiar with the ABC series, Storms was aware of its stars. “When I first saw Steve Burton [Jason Morgan], I remember fangirling a little bit and trying to keep my cool,” she confides.

Though Storms had plenty of acting experience before arriving in Port Charles, getting the role of Maxie marked a turning point in her career. “It was the first time I ever played a bad girl for an extended period of time, and it was a challenge,” she concedes of her early days on the soap. “Coming from Belle, who was just wearing her halo at all times, and Zenon [Girl of the 21^st Century, who she played in three Disney Channel films], who was a troublemaker, but in a cutesy way, to Maxie, who was stealing meds from the hospital and tricking Lucky [Spencer, Greg Vaughan] into sleeping with her, that’s a big leap, and that took some getting used to.”

Adam Larkey/©ABC/courtesy Everett Collection

In time, Storms added more of herself to Maxie, which gave her the confidence she needed. “I think once I figured out that I could inject humor into it, that’s when I really felt comfortable, because I was able to put a little bit of me in there,” she explains. “So, the first few years were a little bit rocky for me, as far as figuring out, as an actor, what I was doing, but once I got in a groove, I’ve loved every minute of it ever since.”

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Playing a recast also gave her pause, but Storms trusted her instincts. “I knew I was going to just do it very differently than the actress before me [Robyn Richards],” Storms notes. “And she was much younger. I knew that the producers and writers were planning on making the character different than what Maxie had been, so I thought fans would be a little bit upset about it initially. I thought, ‘If I do my best, I can win that group over.’ I try not to think negatively in situations like that. I’m a believer that you manifest outcomes sometimes, so if your mindset is negative, you’re just going to attract the negativity.”

That outlook has served her well, and her time on GH is filled with fond memories and a collection of storylines she enjoyed. “Number one is ‘Spixie’ [Maxie’s romance with Damian Spinelli, Bradford Anderson],” she shares. “I thought that was so interesting and fun, and a great way to move Maxie from being conniving to misunderstood. I loved the idea of this fashionista and this extremely intelligent, kind of nerdy young guy falling in love with each other. So that would be my all-time favorite.”

And she cherishes any scenes she played with real-life bestie Emme Rylan (ex-Lulu Spencer). “I loved the storyline where Emme and I were sleuthing [in 2017],” Storms says. “I remember we wound up in jail in Hazmat suits. We also had an episode that is top of the list for my most embarrassing day on set. We were at a gynecologist’s office, and we needed records from them for something. So, Lulu decides she’s going to get the records, and Maxie has a pap smear to distract the doctor. I was in the stirrups, on the bed with the sheet, as Lulu is sneaking around the medical office, and I thought, ‘Wow, never thought I’d be here in my career. This is crazy.’ But we had so much fun. I remember us laughing through that day.”

John Paschal/jpistudios.com

Storms also appreciates that she has developed strong bonds with her other co-stars over the years. “Kristina [Wagner, Felicia Jones] is the most comforting, positive energy I’ve ever felt around someone instantaneously,” she relays of her on-screen mom. “As soon as I see her in the morning, I feel like I take a deep breath. Cynthia Watros [Nina Reeves] is the only other person I felt that way around, and I think it’s because Kristina’s intentions are never negative. You never feel like she has an agenda or she’s lying to you. She’s just so kind, and because of that, it’s so easy to play loving around her. She loves to try new stuff. She’s always prepared. She’s such a professional, but she truly has the most beautiful energy and spirit. I’m not a woo-woo kind of person, but I just feel good around her. And John York [Mac Scorpio] is hilarious and always prepared, always in a great mood.”

As for Lynn Herring [Lucy Coe], Storms declares, “She is still my favorite person there. She fascinates me. She is more reserved than Lucy, and I love seeing somebody in real life and then comparing them to their character. If there’s a huge difference between the two, that’s a sure sign to me that this person really puts a lot of effort into their scenes. Lynn is always open to play with me on set, and I love that. That’s what makes it still fun in the 20th year. I adore working with her, and I didn’t know until two years ago that she has a cattle farm. I just think she’s so interesting and smart and another very kind person.”

Disney/Christine Bartolucci

However, Storms credits the continued guidance of executive producer Frank Valentini as a key factor in her long-standing tenure on GH. “I would say he’s the main reason I’ve been there for the last 13 years [since he came to the show],” she shares. “I love working for him. He is one of the most loyal and hardworking people, and I have never seen anyone multitask like this man. It blows my mind. I feel like just watching Frank for 15 minutes, my brain expands, and that’s one of the only reasons for me to want to keep being an actor, to learn the different parts of how to make television, because I don’t want to be famous. He is just great.”

As she reflects on her two decades in Port Charles, Storms recognizes the meaningful role the fans have played in shaping her journey. “I thank them for still enjoying me all this time later, for sticking up for not only my character, but me in times when I really needed it,” Storms concludes. “Their support and kindness truly make a difference. I think some people think we feel like the coolest kids on the block, and that’s not true for a lot of us. The fans have been amazing to me, and that’s probably one of the biggest reasons I still am even doing my job.”

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