General Hospital Spoilers: Why Maura West Deserves an Emmy for Her Portrayal of Ava Jerome

If you’re a General Hospital fan, you know that wild storylines come with the territory. We can suspend disbelief, but that’s only half the battle. It takes a truly talented performer to make people feel the raw emotion underneath. It takes someone who can commit to even the wildest of plots and make you believe them.

That’s what Maura West does in every single scene as Ava Jerome. Whether Ava’s seeking advice from eccentric psychics or being drugged out of her mind and tormented by a “ghost,” West has a knack for making viewers feel what we’re supposed to feel. She’s able to peel back all the layers and make us root for Ava despite her flaws – or perhaps even because of them.

West is a true powerhouse with an impressive range. She can pull off Ava’s feisty comedic side with ease, but our hearts break over Ava’s vulnerability just as quickly. Ava’s duped descent into madness was particularly spectacular. West had some standout scenes with Genie Francis (Laura Collins) after Nikolas Cassadine’s (Marcus Coloma) unmasking at the gallery. Watching Ava struggle with reality and plead for help was deeply moving.

GH Star Maura West Is A Powerhouse!

Of course, West also brought a fantastic performance in the scenes where Nikolas confronted Ava at Shadybrook. The scenes with Cynthia Watros (Nina Reeves) that followed were just as gripping. West consistently offers depth and believability when she’s onscreen. There’s never a time when you feel like West has left anything on the table. It doesn’t matter the tone of the episode or who her scene partner happens to be.

Romantic chemistry is one thing, but a really wonderful performer can provide non-romantic chemistry as well – just that special something that makes a scene compelling to watch. West is absolutely an actress who sparkles with any costar. She shows us the fire in Ava during fierce faceoffs, but there’s a different kind of warmth behind Ava’s love for Avery Corinthos (Ava and Grace Scarola) and even her growing fondness for Trina Robinson (Sydney Mikayla). West always delivers!

Will Maura West Win An Emmy Award?

You may recall West won a Daytime Emmy for her work as General Hospital’s Ava in 2015, but she’s overdue for another victory. Although West had stellar material that could’ve easily scored her a statuette the last couple years, her lead actress nominations didn’t translate to wins. Many GH fans thought West was a shoo-in after Ava’s devastating reaction to Kiki Jerome’s (Hayley Erin) death in 2018. It was quite the upset when her name wasn’t called at May’s ceremony.

Fortunately, West had another year of fabulous performances in 2019. Ava’s vengeful arc with Ryan Chamberlain (Jon Lindstrom) proved West is an acting force to be reckoned with! West was excellent as Ava dealt with her dark desires and desperately longed for Kiki’s forgiveness. Ava recently fought her way back from the brink of manufactured insanity thanks to Nik, which gave West one more opportunity to shine.

Now that Ava’s out of Shadybrook and gearing up for the next round of drama, we can’t wait to see what scenes will bring 2019 to a close. It’s clear that West has done more than enough to win a Daytime Emmy for her portrayal of Ava Jerome. Will 2020’s ceremony bring another victory for the incredible Maura West? We sure hope so! She certainly deserves recognition for her remarkable talent.

Stay tuned to GH and keep checking General Hospital spoilers frequently for all the latest news, updates and developments!