Kelly Thiebaud Reveals the Real Reason She Quit General Hospital

Kelly Thiebaud, who plays Britt Westbourne on General Hospital, is the latest guest on State of Mind hosted by Maurice Benard.

The episode kicks off with Kelly explaining how to properly pronounce her last name, while Maurice shares that he once changed his own. From there, the conversation dives deep into Kelly starting over at 40, the restlessness that led her to leave GH, her late start in acting, and so much more.

Early on, Kelly reveals that she was not allowed to have a boyfriend during high school. That changed her senior year.

She recalls meeting a 21 year old actor while she was modeling and still in high school. The two started a long distance relationship while she was living in Texas and he was in Los Angeles.

“My senior year, which was my junior year. But my senior year, I met this actor because I was modeling and I met this actor through an agency here in LA. He lived in LA and we started having a relationship, like a long distance relationship. I was a senior in high school having this long distance relationship with this 21 year old in Los Angeles. So, like my mom was really strict, but then also she allowed this to happen, which is kind of interesting. And he came to my graduation, my high school graduation, flew to my hometown, met my family. He was the only person I knew when I moved out here, took my virginity, dumped me.”

She admits she was inexperienced when it came to love and relationships at that time.

Modeling, Acting, and Blowing Up Her Life at 40

Kelly also talks about starting modeling at age 15. She says she was not mentally prepared for it and believes she could have done something really wonderful with the opportunity. Kelly loved it and met some cool people, but feels she did not fully take advantage of the potential she had.

She did not start acting until her late 20s. And even after landing a job on General Hospital, she says she is still taking acting classes.

Kelly gets very candid about what she calls “blowing up her life” two years ago. She moved to London for a relationship that ultimately did not work out. After selling her car, getting rid of her house, and leaving Los Angeles, she had to move back and start all over.

“To experience what I experienced at 40 and like blowing my life up and losing everything and having to start all over. I didn’t think that I would. It makes you feel like an absolute failure. And so it was really hard to climb out of that. I do now. I feel I’m not as weighed down by it.” Looking back, she recalls, “I was very bitter. Very, very, very bitter and angry. And I would carry that every day.”

She explains that a mix of professional restlessness and her biological clock played a role in her decision to leave GH in 2022.

Why Kelly Thiebaud Left General Hospital in 2022

“It was a combination of I was really restless personally and professionally. I was lonely. And then, you know, Steve Burton left during COVID, and I had just signed a three-year contract because our characters were taking off, and I was like, I want to be here for this. This is amazing what we’re doing. And then he leave,s and I was like, wait, what? I’m here. So I started to feel really restless. And then I ended up meeting someone and I was like, I have to have a baby. I’m turning 40 and I have to have a baby now.”

She tried to get her boyfriend to move to LA, but that was not happening. So she made the move instead.

Looking back, she wishes she had simply asked for some time off instead of asking to be written out completely.

“I wish I would have asked just for some time off. Like give me a little bit of time off to go and see what this is. I didn’t do that. I left the show and I didn’t think that I was going to be coming back.” Kelly notes that she was the one who asked them to kill her character.

Now that she is back, she says it feels good, even after everything she gave up to leave. She is trying to build a different life and become a different person.

Single again, Kelly shares that she is learning to advocate for herself and find peace in being alone. She travels solo, goes to concerts alone, and is focused on rebuilding.

“Now I’m starting all over and it’s beautiful and difficult and lonely and so many other things. And I’m just telling myself that this is my period to just get back on my feet. Love myself again, find myself again, and have a relationship with me.”

On Steve Burton’s Exit

On the subject of Steve Burton temporarily leaving as Jason Morgan, Thiebaud admits she was shocked.

“I was shocked when I found out. I confronted Steve about it and he gave me his reasons.” She admits, “I know what that feels like. I do. But the other side of that is I feel let down. I thought we had time together and it’s just been really hard.”

Kelly adds, “I understand he has more important things in his life. I completely understand that. But I’m sad. I’m sad that he’s going.”

You can watch Kelly Thiebaud’s full interview on State of Mind on YouTube.

Photo Credit: JPI Studios.

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