How Steve Burton Handled His Last General Hospital Scenes With Kelly Monaco

Kelly Monaco's exit from the award-winning soap opera, "General Hospital," stunned everyone, especially the stars who had previously worked with her. However, for Steve Burton, her departure left him with a profound sense of loss over their time together on screen. Although the duo shared several memorable sequences over the years, Burton didn't shy away from recalling how despairing it was to shoot his final scenes with his co-star. "It was very sad because Kelly was obviously leaving, and then the emotion of the character passing and all these things, and I just thought everybody really did a wonderful job," Burton said while appearing on his podcast, "The Daily Drama."

In the final poignant moment at the hospital, Burton's character, Jason, bid an emotional farewell to Sam McCall. Even though Burton gave an impeccable performance in that scene, it was not easy for him to execute, as he had to shoot the goodbye first and then return to the earlier scenes. Furthermore, Burton admitted that he lacked a clear understanding of how to perform in their finale. "I was really at a loss in the sense of I wasn't sure how to play this. Obviously, we've worked together for a long time, so there was all of these things going on, but I didn't have a clear vision." Burton said during the podcast.

Burton's comments highlight the kind of relationship he shares with Monaco and the exemplary work she did on the show over the years.

The news of Kelly Monaco's shocking exit surfaced in August 2024, when a report from Soap Opera Network revealed that ABC was writing off her character. This revelation blindsided everyone, including her fans, who even started a petition to keep her on the show. Despite the non-stop chatter surrounding her departure, Monaco hasn't come out all guns blazing to discuss what happened. 

Instead, Monaco hinted at secrets she intends to reveal, and her mother addressed the firing and expressed gratitude to fans for their support. "Your love and dedication have meant more than words can express, not only to Kelly but to all of us who care so deeply for her," Monaco's mother, Carmina, wrote on Instagram in September 2024. Although her fans expect Monaco to speak about what led to her firing, the only thing the actor has shared about the situation is how the writers dismantled her character.