Molly on General Hospital has been recast thrice since Haley Pullos departed from the daytime drama in May 2023. The American actress began playing the character in July 2009 when she replaced Iris and Ivy Kaim. Forced out of the role after a car accident that left her embroiled in two counts of felony DUI, Holiday Mia Kriegel assumed the role. Kriegel played Molly from May 25 to June 14, 2023. The role was again recast in July 2023 with Brooke Anne Smith embodying the character.
The General Hospital fandom demurred Smith’s portrayal of the iconic character because of her age. Following fans’ objection over an actress significantly older than the character, Smith was replaced by Kristen Vaganos in September 2023. Before Pullos, the Kaim twins took turns playing the character from 2007 to 2008. They took over from Hope and Faith Dever, the twins who began portraying the character when she debuted in November 2005. Vaganos has gained more visibility as the new Molly Lansing-Davis, piquing viewers’ interest in her life and career.
Kristen Vaganos Hails From A Greek Family In Philadelphia
Kristen Vaganos is an American actress from Philadelphia with over a decade of experience as a performer. She was born into a Greek-American family with no background in entertainment. The new Molly actress fell in love with acting during high school. She participated in several school plays and then proceeded to NYU Tisch School of the Arts. There, she obtained her BFA in Drama and would later polish her skills at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York.
The General Hospital role has brought Vaganos wider recognition, propelling her to a new level of fame in the industry. However, Molly is only a major turning point in Kristen Vaganos’ career. She had accumulated years of experience as a performer, working with Parliament Improv while performing in various theatres. Notably, she played Heidi in NYU’s CAST production of Wendy Wasserstein’s The Heidi Chronicles in 2016. Later that year, she starred as Raymonde Chandebise in Georges Feydeau’s A Flea In Her Ear at the Irma Sandrey Theatre. Among other theatre projects, the actress considers these two the favorite roles she’s played on stage.
The New Molly Actress First Gained Ground With Short Films And Web Series
The Molly actress’ screen debut dates back to 2014 when she played Sabrina Clarkson in Repercussions, a series that aired on Facebook. She was also seen in two short films that same year — Witch Hunt and 2018. This became a norm for the actress who starred in multiple short films and web series in the following years. Some of these projects, including Twelfth Grade (Or Whatever) and Labeled, helped Kristen Vaganos showcase her talent. The latter won her the 2019 New Jersey Web Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast in a Comedy.
After years of starring in low-budget projects, Kristen Vaganos began attracting works from notable production companies and networks. It began in 2019 when she played Riley in Lifetime’s Mommy Would Never Hurt You, a telefilm directed by Daniel Lusko. In 2021, she starred as Elaine Davidson in Brian Skiba’s Obsessed with the Babysitter, another Lifetime telefilm. Vaganos worked with the director again in 2023 when she was cast as Chrissy in Lifetime Movie Network’s Secret Society of Lies. The General Hospital actress portrayed diverse characters earlier in 2020. These include Peacock’s I Am Lisa, Amazon Prime’s Bulge Bracket, and Hallmark’s Wedding Screeners.
Kristen Vaganos Is Also A Producer
Beyond acting, the new Molly actress works in other capacities in the movie industry. For instance, she served as a fight choreographer in I Am Lisa, in which she played the lead role. Her first project as a producer was Okay Google, a 2021 short film about a vengeful AI assistant bent on getting even with her owner. The short sci-fi comedy was nominated for the 2021 Best Short Film at the Royal Starr Film Festival.
Since then, Kristen Vaganos has produced multiple projects, including 2022’s Higher Grounds and Bobcat Moretti. The latter was released to rave reviews from fans and critics. It tells the story of an obese and multiple sclerosis patient who embraced boxing, his late father’s sport, to turn his life around. The short drama bagged multiple awards, including the 2022 Santa Cruz Film Festival Award for Best Narrative Feature. Check out General Hospital’s Biggest Moments.
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