Soap operas thrive on dramatic love stories, betrayals, and heartbreaks — but sometimes, real life behind the scenes can be just as dramatic as the storylines on screen. Several General Hospital (GH) actors have lived through high-profile marriages and divorces that fascinated fans, especially when their on-screen chemistry spilled over into reality.
Here’s a look at some of the most talked-about GH divorces.
Kirsten Storms & Brandon Barash: From Secret Wedding to “Divorce Goals”
Kirsten Storms (Maxie Jones) and Brandon Barash (Johnny Zacchara) met on the GH set back in 2007. At first, they were just friends — but in 2012, friendship blossomed into romance. The couple surprised fans by marrying in a private ceremony at Caesars Palace in June 2013, later revealing both their marriage and Kirsten’s pregnancy. Their daughter, Harper Rose Barash, was born in January 2014.
Just two years later, the couple announced their split. Though the divorce shocked fans, it wasn’t messy. Kirsten described them as better friends than partners, noting that their personalities simply didn’t align — she being free-spirited and he being more type-A.
Today, they co-parent seamlessly. When Brandon and his new wife, Isabelle, relocated to Nashville, Kirsten moved too, ensuring Harper had both parents nearby. Kirsten remains close with Brandon’s new family, proving that not all celebrity divorces end in bitterness — theirs is often described as “divorce goals.”
Jack Wagner & Kristina Wagner: Soap Supercouple On and Off Screen
In the 1980s, Jack Wagner (Frisco Jones) and Kristina Wagner (Felicia Scorpio) were one of GH’s most beloved supercouples. Their on-screen romance translated into real life: by 1990, they had welcomed their first son, Peter, and married in 1993. A second son, Harrison, was born in 1995.
But behind the scenes, things were less perfect. Kristina filed for divorce in 2001, though the couple briefly reconciled in 2004 before finally divorcing for good in 2006. Kristina later admitted she “lost herself” in the marriage, while Jack described their time together as “an amazing ride.”
Despite their differences, they remained connected. Both reunited professionally in Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart, and personally, they came together after the heartbreaking loss of their son Harrison in 2022 following his battle with addiction.
Rena Sofer & Wally Kurth: When Fiction Blurred With Reality
Rena Sofer (Lois Cerullo) and Wally Kurth (Ned Ashton Quartermaine) were another GH couple whose romance spilled off-screen. After their characters married on the show in 1994, the actors followed suit in 1995. They welcomed a daughter, Rosabel, in 1996.
However, their marriage ended just a year later in 1997. Rena later revealed in an interview that the relationship didn’t last because they realized they were never truly in love — it was their characters who had fallen for each other, not them.
Both later remarried, and Rena returned to GH in 2023 as Lois, though not romantically paired with Ned, who had since moved on with another on-screen love.
Steve Burton & Sheree Gustin: A Soapy Split Straight From the Scripts
Perhaps the most dramatic GH divorce belongs to Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Sheree Gustin. Married since 1999, the couple seemed rock-solid with three children. That image shattered in May 2022 when Sheree announced she was pregnant again — but Steve stunned fans by publicly clarifying the baby was not his.
The revelation came just months after Steve’s GH exit for refusing the COVID vaccine, an issue reportedly straining the marriage. Sheree later had two more children with her new partner, Jason Amador, whom she married in February 2025.
Meanwhile, Steve moved on and remarried as well, tying the knot with Michelle Lundstöm in May 2025.
Life Imitates Soap Opera
From amicable co-parenting to explosive betrayals, these GH divorces prove that sometimes real life is just as dramatic as the storylines fans see on screen. Whether it’s enduring friendships like Kirsten Storms and Brandon Barash or messy separations like Steve Burton’s, these stars show that life behind the scenes can be every bit as unpredictable as Port Charles itself.