When Jacqueline Grace Lopez left General Hospital in the spring of 2023, she had only been a recurring player with no major storyline of her own. However, Lopez and her character, Allison "Blaze" Ramirez, were brought back a few months later as a love interest for Kristina.
A second General Hospital goodbye for Jacqueline Grace Lopez
During Lopez's second GH stint, the soap even cast daytime veteran Eva LaRue as Blaze's mother, so Lopez expected to stick around for a while. However, it wasn't meant to be. Just weeks after Lopez's photo was added to the opening credits, the actress learned Blaze was being written off the canvas once again.
Lopez learned of her latest departure when she read what turned out to be her penultimate script. Blaze was offered a concert tour out of town as the opening act for former GH character Miguel Morez, once played by Ricky Martin.
"I remember reading that and going, 'Oh, well, I changed my mind so I’m staying and I’m taking care of my girlfriend,'" Lopez told Michael Fairman in a video interview. "Because that makes sense. I love her and I want to be there for her. Then the next day, I got the second script, and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going.'"
As the GH set was about to go dark for the show's July break, Lopez said she contacted the powers that be to learn if she was really off the show.
"The week before, I sent an email. 'I just need to know if I’m coming back on the other side of the break,'" Lopez explained. "And the response was, 'We love you, but Blaze has to be gone for a while.'"
For her second exit in a little over a year, Lopez was happy for the opportunity to have proper closure as she said goodbye to the cast and crew as she knew her last scenes before Blaze left Port Charles was really the end...for now.
Another return for Blaze?
Since Blaze wasn't killed off and is only on a concert tour, Lopez doesn't rule out the possibility of a GH return. After all, Blaze and Kristina still have unfinished business. They didn't break up because they weren't in love. Kristina just didn't want Blaze to miss an amazing career opportunity.
"From a character standpoint, I think Allie would drop everything for Kristina if need be," Lopez said. "Ninety percent of the heartbreak in that last scene between Allie and Kristina is that she knows she’s doing this because it’s about, 'I love her so much and this is what she needs.' So, I’d like to think there’s space to come back.'"
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