ABC Actor Returns to His Show After Years Away

Ryan Paevey has made his way back to Port Charles.

The General Hospital star made his return to the ABC soap on Friday, nearly a decade after his 2018 exit, but fans are still left with questions regarding the character he’ll be playing.

Paevey, who played Det. Nathan West from 2013 to 2018, returned to the daytime drama in the final moments of Friday’s episode as the victim of a car crash. While Nathan was seemingly shot and killed by his own father seven years ago, the look of recognition the crash victim received from Anna Devane (Finola Hughes), Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna), and Lucas Jones (Ryan Carnes) in Friday’s episode had fans wondering if the hero police officer was never dead in the first place.

Paevey has kept the details of his return largely hush-hush, teasing his character in an Instagram video posted on the General Hospital page last week. Acting surprised to see Paevey on set, Hughes asks in the clip, “Who are you playing?” to which Paevey responds, “I can’t tell you that. It’s a secret.”

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Paevey’s return was first announced in August, with the actor telling Deadline that it was a text from Executive Producer Frank Valentini that prompted his return. “We talked a bit and he asked would I consider returning for a while, talking story, floated different story ideas involving different time commitments of me, and I thought if we’re going to do this, we should really do it and surprise the fans with a meaty storyline,” Paevey said.

He continued, “I was surprised by my excitement for a homecoming and reuniting with familiar faces after seven years. I still have my last call sheet from my final taping day on January 18, 2018, tacked up in my home office.”

Paevey had previously hinted at a possible General Hospital return following his attendance at a fan event. “I’ve got some news to share with you guys soon. I’ve got some irons in the fire,” the actor said in an Aug. 14 Instagram Reel. “I’ve got all kinds of fun stuff coming up. So stick around, and yeah. I hope to see you guys at another. And I’ll share some news with you as soon as I can.”