General Hospital Actors Who Deserved Daytime Emmy Recognition
After the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations were announced on July 9 and 10, there were actors who didn’t land nominations who should have.
While General Hospital did garner eight acting nods with Tajh Bellow, Nancy Lee Grahn, Gregory Harrison, Jonathan Jackson, Kate Mansi, Alley Mills, Avery Kristen Poll, Laura Wright, and Dominic Zamprogna, these other four actors also had performances throughout 2024 that should receive a nomination.
In some cases below, like Josh Swickard, who plays Chase, the reason could be that three people from the show had already been nominated in the Supporting Actor Category.
Asher Antonyzyn
One of the most notable oversights in the newly introduced Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series category at the 2025 Daytime Emmys is Asher Antonyzyn, who delivered two emotionally charged storylines as Danny on GH in 2024.
In March, Danny’s world shifted when he discovered that his father, Jason (Steve Burton), was alive after years of being presumed dead. Their emotional reunion unfolded in secret after Jason, injured and on the run, took refuge in the Quartermaine boathouse.
Antonyzyn portrayed Danny’s shock and quiet determination with natural ease, as the teen chose to protect his father. Enlisting the help of Michael (then Chad Duell) and Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), Danny became Jason’s lifeline—rekindling a long-lost bond while stepping up beyond his years.
That emotional growth was put to the test again just months later. In October, Danny’s mother Sam (Kelly Monaco) was tragically murdered by Cyrus (Jeff Kober). Her shocking death devastated Port Charles, and Antonyzyn rose to the moment.
He played Danny’s grief with a raw, quiet sadness, balancing his heartbreak with maturity as he tried to remain strong for his little sister, Scout (Cosette Abinante). Scenes with Jason, Dante (Zamprogna, who earned a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor), and Rocco (Finn Carr) only amplified the depth of his performance.
Through both arcs, Antonyzyn displayed a natural onscreen chemistry with his adult co-stars and a remarkable ability to anchor emotionally heavy scenes. Watching Danny navigate betrayal, loss, and resilience made it clear: Antonyzyn is a breakout star in the making, and his absence from this year’s nominee list is a true miss.
Josh Swickard
In 2024, Swickard delivered a layered and heartfelt performance as Chase faced one of the most emotionally devastating chapters of his life. The year began with the heartbreaking decline of his father, Gregory (Harrison), whose ALS diagnosis progressed quickly.
Swickard gave a powerful, understated performance as Chase tried to remain strong for his family while grappling with the knowledge that time was running out.
Gregory’s eventual death in mid-2024 marked a major turning point—not just for the family, but especially for Chase, who struggled to balance grief with responsibility. Chase credited his father, who he admired and who had taught him how to be a man.
Swickard brought emotional depth to the scenes surrounding Gregory’s passing. These moments showcased Swickard’s ability to tap into quiet vulnerability and restrained sorrow, especially during the park bench memorial service to spread Gregory’s ashes. He reminded those gathered that Gregory taught him to find something remarkable in every person.
But the emotional weight didn’t stop there. After Gregory’s death, Chase watched in helpless frustration as his brother, Finn (Michael Easton), began to unravel, turning to alcohol to cope with the loss.
Swickard again anchored key scenes as Chase tried—unsuccessfully at first—to intervene and help Finn through his spiral. As Finn’s drinking worsened and his judgment faltered, Chase and Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) stepped in to take care of young Violet (Jophielle Love), protecting her from the fallout.
Through all of it, Swickard portrayed Chase as the emotional compass of the family: heartbroken but steadfast, grieving but grounded. His work with co-stars Easton, Jane Elliot (Tracy), Love, and Setton added warmth and realism to the story, reinforcing Swickard’s strength as a leading man and a subtle powerhouse of emotion.
Kristen Vaganos
Kristen Vaganos delivered some of the most emotionally wrenching performances on GH in 2024, as Molly endured back-to-back heartbreaks that tested every part of her character.
The first came when her sister Kristina—who had agreed to be a surrogate—tragically lost the baby Molly had long dreamed of raising with TJ. Vaganos portrayed Molly’s devastation with raw authenticity, balancing anger, guilt, and profound sorrow as her plans for motherhood crumbled before her eyes.
As Molly threw herself into work as a distraction from her pain, that would lead to further pain when she and TJ ended up splitting up after dating since high school. Their scenes from the entire storyline were painful to watch and earned Bellow a nomination in the Supporting Actor category.
But the heartbreak didn’t stop there. Just months later, Molly faced another unimaginable loss—the murder of her sister Sam. In the aftermath, Vaganos captured the disoriented, aching grief of a woman who had just lost not one but two life-altering parts of her future: her child and her sister.
Her scenes with Alexis and Kristina in the days after Sam’s passing were especially powerful, as Molly tried to hold her family together while emotionally falling apart herself.
Throughout these storylines, Vaganos brought emotional nuance and quiet strength to every scene. Whether in private moments of breakdown or public attempts to stay composed, she grounded Molly’s pain in realism.
Her layered performance earned praise from fans and critics alike, solidifying her as one of the breakout stars of 2024, so a nomination in the Emerging Talent In A Daytime Drama Series category, at the very least, but she definitely could have been nominated in the Supporting Actress category.
Maura West
In 2024, West delivered one of her most compelling performances yet on GH, as Ava found herself falsely accused of a violent crime she didn’t commit.
When Kristina fell from a second-story window during a heated confrontation at the Metro Court, Ava instantly was accused of pushing her. Already a town pariah due to her long history of scheming and betrayal, Ava faced renewed judgment—even though this time, she was completely innocent.
West’s portrayal throughout the arc was nothing short of masterful. She navigated Ava’s outrage, fear, and heartbreak with precision, particularly in scenes where Ava was interrogated by Dante, vilified by Sonny (Maurice Benard), and left isolated by nearly everyone.
The weight of her past sins made her pleas of innocence fall on deaf ears—and West captured that quiet devastation beautifully.
What made this storyline a standout wasn’t just the legal tension, but the emotional toll it took on Ava, who had genuinely been trying to turn her life around.
West balanced vulnerability and strength, showing Ava’s pain in being unjustly accused while still flashing that fierce survival instinct that has kept her afloat in Port Charles for years. Like Vaganos, all of the other actors in the storyline were nominated, so her lack of a well-earned one feels like a snub.
The Daytime Emmys will take place in Los Angeles on Friday, October 17th.
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