Hallmark & ‘General Hospital’ Star Ryan Paevey Gets Emotional Explaining Decision to Step Away From Acting

Martin Holmes June 24, 2024, 9:06 am

Ryan Paevey on red carpet — Noam Galai/Getty Images for Hallmark Media

Hallmark fan favorite and General Hospital alum Ryan Paevey has shared a heartfelt statement explaining his decision to step away from acting and shift his focus to other endeavors.

Back in April, Paevey, who portrayed Nathan West on General Hospital from 2013 to 2018, shared a series of social media messages where he revealed he “may take 2024 off from filming.” He later deactivated his Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Now, the actor has shared a statement to Heavy.com, where he explained his decision to step back from acting, citing his mental health, social media scams, and his mother’s cancer diagnosis.

“As I’ve stated before, I am taking a step back from acting, something I’ve felt I’ve needed to do for a while now, and a decision proven to be absolutely necessary in the past few weeks,” Paevey wrote. “The industry hasn’t felt like the place for me in quite some time now, and my mental health has suffered from it. It’s taken me to a bit of a dark place, made me into a version of myself I don’t like very much.”

He continued, “I’ve vented some of my anger and frustration publicly, and for that I apologize. I’ve had many years of smooth sailing, and am very lucky to be able to say that, but the waters have been much rougher the last year or so. I know I am not unique in this; it seems nearly EVERYONE, in Hollywood or not, is going through troubled times to some degree.”

Ryan Paevey in Hallmark’s ‘Hope at Christmas’; Ryan Plummer / ©Hallmark Channel / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Paevey went on to say that he has been a victim of scams, including his “bank accounts [being] hacked, money embezzled, [and] investments stolen.”

Then things only got worse as he shared, “After all that, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. I left Los Angeles to be closer to her, and feel the need to devote more of my time, energy, and resources closer to home.”

Despite this, Paevey said he was “grateful” for his time in the industry, particularly to General Hospital “for giving a green actor a chance and tolerating his learning curve” and to Hallmark “for changing my life and taking me to places that have become my favorite on Earth.”

He concluded his statement by saying, “I am simply shifting focus closer; to family. I have found another fulfilling creative endeavor in Fortunate Wanderer [his home-made jewelery business], and have plans to expand it, begin adventuring more, and share those adventures in the hopes that we will all remain connected, and I will share more about that once I myself have a clearer picture of how to do it.”

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Fans took to social media to share their reactions to Paevey’s statement, with many expressing how they would miss watching him on TV.

“He still has two of the best Christmas movies, Christmas at the Plaza and A Timeless Christmas. Good luck we will miss you,” wrote one fan on X.

“You will be missed but be happy,” said another.

“I’ll miss him! Once a week I searched my TV schedule for several actors, Ryan is one of them. I loved him on GH and Hallmark movies. I was hoping to at least see him in a dream scene with Maxie. There hasn’t been any chemistry with anyone else for Maxie since Ryan left,” commented another user.

Another added, “Ryan is very courageous & strong to let the fans know his innermost thoughts & feelings. May God Bless him.”

You can read the full statement below.

Hey everyone…so first and foremost, I am a bit apprehensive that I even have to make a statement like this. I am certainly accustomed to a certain degree of gossip, but the past few weeks in particular have gotten out of control with speculation from third parties that have taken my words and expanded upon them to meet their narrative, or flat out misrepresented my words or misconstrued their meaning. I have always been an open book, and one who speaks his mind truthfully and directly, and it is unfortunate that we live in a world where social media makes it very easy to twist one’s words; I am often unaware it is even happening until someone from my team messages me in a panic, and so I feel it best to make a formal statement through HEAVY.

As I’ve stated before, I am taking a step back from acting, something I’ve felt I’ve needed to do for a while now, and a decision proven to be absolutely necessary in the past few weeks. The industry hasn’t felt like the place for me in quite some time now, and my mental health has suffered from it. It’s taken me to a bit of a dark place, made me into a version of myself I don’t like very much. I’ve vented some of my anger and frustration publicly, and for that I apologize. I’ve had many years of smooth sailing, and am very lucky to be able to say that, but the waters have been much rougher the last year or so. I know I am not unique in this; it seems nearly EVERYONE, in Hollywood or not, is going through troubled times to some degree. I’ve had bank accounts hacked, money embezzled, investments stolen….things that, while difficult, can be recovered from. But after all that, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. I left Los Angeles to be closer to her, and feel the need to devote more of my time, energy, and resources closer to home.

Please don’t think for a second that it’s “all bad news”. I have so, so much to be grateful for. I am grateful to this industry as a whole, I am grateful to General Hospital for giving a green actor a chance and tolerating his learning curve, to Hallmark for changing my life and taking me to places that have become my favorite on Earth, to my managers for seeing something in a grunt with no resume and helping to architect a whole new trajectory and life for him, and to all of YOU who have helped raise up this handyman and bartender and taking him on a decade long adventure the likes of which he never imagined. I have so much to be thankful for, and not a day goes by that I don’t think that thought.

All this to say, I am simply shifting focus closer; to family. I have found another fulfilling creative endeavor in Fortunate Wanderer, and have plans to expand it, begin adventuring more, and share those adventures in the hopes that we will all remain connected, and I will share more about that once I myself have a clearer picture of how to do it. I know this was a lot, but I wanted you all to hear it directly from me. Thank you, so much, for sharing this journey with me, and here’s hoping there’s more ahead for us all.

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