Debuting on the Monday, February 26 episode of “General Hospital,” where she’ll portray the newly created character, Natalia Rogers-Ramirez, actress Eva LaRue is no stranger to daytime television, nor is she an unfamiliar face in the halls of the Prospect Studios where the daytime drama tapes in Hollywood.
In a recent interview with former Soap Opera Digest editor-in-chief Stephanie Sloane for TV Insider, LaRue talks about her return to daytime after previously portraying Dr. Maria Santos Grey on “All My Children” and Celeste Rosales on “The Young and the Restless,” where she won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer, getting to see some of her former Pine Valley co-stars, and what it’s like working alongside people she’s known for years but had yet to share scenes with on-screen, until now.
First things first: LaRue began taping at the “General Hospital” studio in January, ironically the same day as her “Cries in the Dark” Lifetime movie co-star Adam Harrington (John Cates), who already made his Port Charles debut earlier this month, starting with the Friday, February 2 episode.
The first person she saw when she went for her wardrobe fitting was Finola Hughes, who plays Anna Devane on the soap but, during their days on “All My Children,” primarily appeared as Anna’s twin, Alex. However, Hughes later appeared as Anna on the then-New York-based series.
Meanwhile, despite being friends with Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) for several years, this is the first time they’ve gotten to work together. Ditto for Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos), who previously portrayed Nico Kelly on “All My Children,” although the two starred on the show during different periods.
As for working with the multi-hyphenated actor, LaRue says of Benard, “We’ve never worked together before, but we’re acquaintance friends.” She adds, “But it felt so legit, so iconic. When I told all my ‘mom friends’ who are huge ‘General Hospital’ fans that I had scenes with Sonny, they were like, ‘No way!’ That was really fun. And our scenes together were great.”
Meanwhile, as things pertain to her storyline, LaRue notes that she is currently on recurring status with the series, “but I would love to hang out and recur for as long as they need me or want me. It’s such a great place to work.”
Introducing Natalia Rogers-Ramirez
Christine Bartolucci/Disney
So, what exactly brings LaRue’s character to Port Charles? Her daughter Blaze (Jacqueline Grace Lopez) is involved in a secret same-sex relationship with Kristina Corinthos-Davis (Kate Mansi), and Natalia steps in just as the two have recently been intimate, which is a story that might prove familiar to some viewers.
“Natalia is a very conservative Latina, single mom who raised her daughter to be all of these amazing things, supported her and her talent, and went out of her way to make sure she had all she wanted,” explains LaRue of her new character. “My first scenes are such chewy material, and I was really grateful for that. Natalia walks in as Blaze is coming out of the shower and Kristina is in her bed, so this feels like a major betrayal to her because Blaze has been keeping this big secret.”
For more from LaRue and what it’s like being back in daytime, check out more from her TV Insider interview here. Meanwhile, make sure to watch when she makes her Port Charles debut on the Monday, February 26 episode of “General Hospital.”
