Eva LaRue Talks New ‘General Hospital’ Character, ‘All My Children’ Reboot & More!

All My Children and The Young and the Restless alum Eva LaRue walked right into a coming out story when she joined General Hospital as Natalia – and so far, Blaze’s "Mommy" has had a difficult time processing the fact that her daughter is gay.

This week on General Hospital, LaRue’s Natalia crosses with Maurice Benard’s Sonny, which raises two questions: Can the mob boss with a heart of gold help the newcomer accept her daughter’s sexuality... and will soap vets LaRue and Benard have chemistry?

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Woman's World caught up with CSI: Miami star LaRue to talk about joining General Hospital, her upcoming scenes with Benard and whether she’d be game for an All My Children reboot.

GH star Eva LaRue talks charging into Blaze’s coming out story

Eva LaRue spent a good part of the 90s and early 2000s playing All My Children’s beloved Dr. Maria Santo and won her first Daytime Emmy in 2020 for her guest run as The Young and the Restless’ Celeste. She also did a stint on Santa Barbara early in her career.

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This daytime vet is no stranger to soapy turns – which is good, considering she landed right in the middle of one when she joined General Hospital as Natalia, last month.

“Talk about jumping in,” LaRue says to Woman's World. “That was literally my best first day on any set I've ever worked on – nighttime, daytime, feature film or whatever. I was elbow-deep in every single emotion, and it's such a beautiful, important storyline.”

While viewers had been watching Blaze gather the strength to tell her conservative Latino family that she’s attracted to women, her mother Natalia did not see the reveal coming – even when she caught Kristina in her daughter’s bed. At first, Blaze covered, but before her mother could walk out, she came out as gay.

Amid all what LaRue calls a “delicious smorgasbord of emotions,” Natalia’s primary reaction has been embarrassment – but for not the reason Blaze may think.

“She’s embarrassed she didn’t know,” LaRue explains. “Her daughter is the end all be all in her life. She thinks they are closer than any other mother and daughter on the planet. So why is she the last one to know? And she had to walk in on this – which was totally shocking!

“It's not that she doesn't love and support Blaze,” LaRue adds. “She wants to protect her at all costs and is also struggling with her conservative Latina upbringing. She’s just trying to wrap her head around what all this means.”

Eva LaRue teases General Hospital chemistry test with Maurice Benard’s Sonny

When Natalia runs into Sonny this week, Kristina’s dad will do his best to help her do just that – but LaRue teases fans might also see something else going on in her first scenes with General Hospital star Maurice Benard.

“I don't know what plans the writers have, but it feels like a low-key chemistry test,” she previews. “There was a lot to subtly to play. Sonny’s coming off visiting Dante in the hospital, so it’s not like it could be a light or sunny scene where we charm each other. But we found places to find understanding and camaraderie.”

Talk about an intriguing pairing!

LaRue was once half of the beloved All My Children super couple Maria and Edmund, and Benard’s dimpled don has been part of…well, a few! Many General Hospital fans still cry out for Brenda’s return to the show and Sonny’s arms, and despite all that’s transpired with Nina, it’s hard to believe Sonny and Carly won’t make their way back to each other again, eventually.

With Sonny in a bad place these days, he really could end up in anyone’s bed.

Whatever’s to come, LaRue is having a blast finally sharing the stage with Benard – who got his start on All My Children (as Nico) a few years before she was there.

“We’ve known each other for years, but never had a chance to work together,” LaRue says. “So this has been really, really fun. I’m enjoying my scenes with him.”

LaRue talks sitcoms, girl posses and having her daughter at home

While LaRue is certainly a daytime drama queen, she got her start on The New Gidget and The Love Boat and throughout her career, she’s continued getting laughs on shows like Fuller House and George Lopez.

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“Sitcoms are so fun because you go to work and laugh all day,” she says. “You're literally looking for places to laugh or make other people laugh, and that’s a great atmosphere to work in. But then I love the drama because it's just so meaty. There's so much to chew on as an actress. I like being able to dabble in all things!”

And when she’s not working, LaRue loves being able to travel to all places – especially with her besties.

“Having that community of great girlfriends is emotionally stabilizing,” LaRue says. “The big trips are amazing, but even when we just hole up for two or three days together at someone’s house, it's like a balm for the soul.”

Other balms she swears by? Long walks to calm her mind, mini meditations to focus it, salsa lessons for an overall physical, emotional and spiritual release…and having her daughter with the late John Callahan, Kaya, move back home for her final semester of college!

“Now my empty nest is not so empty,” LaRue cheers. “It turned out that all of her classes are online, so she came home for a weekend and then decided to move back – which I'm thrilled about!”

AMC alum Eva LaRue thought General Hospital was paging Dr. Maria Santos

Whether getting into the drama, going for laughs or enjoying life in the real world, LaRue keeps her ear out for All My Children news. Since the soap was canceled in 2011, resurrected online in 2013 and then canceled again, there have been occasional rumblings from ABC about a possible reboot – and consistent rumblings from fans crying out for one.

“I spent 10 years at CSI Miami, and more people ask me about All My Children,” marvels LaRue. “And CSI: Miami was the number one show in the world! There's an audience there for All My Children, and I get so excited when there’s talk of doing a reboot. We all do.”

In fact, LaRue got her hopes up about wearing Maria’s stethoscope again just this year.

“When they first reached out to me to come play Natalia, I thought they were calling to see if ‘Dr. Maria Santos’ would come on over to work at General Hospital,” she explains with a laugh. “It seemed like a perfect fit!”

Eva LaRue and Maria Santos are ‘open’ to an AMC reboot

As we know now, that was not why General Hospital called. Instead, CSI Miami and All My Children alum Eva LaRue is getting to explore a brand-new Latina powerhouse – Blaze’s protective momager, Natalia Rogers-Ramirez.

“When I was first starting my career, the only Latina roles in TV were maid, hooker, migrant or drug addict,” LaRue tells Woman's World. “On All My Children, we were the very first Latina family in daytime. Now, I've been lucky enough to play a neurosurgeon, detective and music manager. I love that.”

While LaRue doesn’t know what’s to come for Natalia or if there’s romance in the cards for her and Maurice Benard’s Sonny, she’s excited to see General Hospital building a new ‘familia’ around Blaze and thrilled to be a part of it.

“It’s great to play something new, and this [coming out] story is so important,” LaRue says. “I’m just having the best time at General Hospital. It's like playing for the MVP team. And this leaves Maria Santos open to reprise the role on the All My Children reboot if it ever comes to pass!”

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