Haley Pullos debuted as Molly on General Hospital in July 2009. Taking over from Iris and Ivy Kaim, she won the 2010 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series. Upon winning the award again in 2011 and 2012, Pullos held on to the role for roughly 14 years. It was hard to imagine another actress embodying the character, until her sudden exit from the daytime drama in May 2023. Pullos’ exit from the popular soap opera follows an automobile accident that left her embroiled in a felony DUI case.
Apart from losing the General Hospital role, it seems the accident will further derail Haley Pullos’ career for at least three months. The American actress from San Jose, California, has been acting since age four when she debuted in Carney Tales (2002). Molly remains the highlight of her career spanning over two decades, but she is also known for her roles in The Collector (2009), Instant Mom (2013 – 2015), Mr. Student Body President (2016 – 2018), and Red Riding Hoods (2021).
Details of The Automobile Accident That Landed Haley Pullos Behind Bars
The General Hospital star was sentenced to 90 days in jail with 5 years probation and 200 hours of community service on April 29, 2004. This was after she pleaded no contest to one of the charges brought against her following the April 2023 accident. As culled from the lawsuit against the Molly actress, she drove her car the wrong route, crashing into another vehicle on a Pasadena freeway. The other driver, a Los Angeles County resident identified as Courtney Wilder, sustained life-threatening injuries that required extensive surgery.
Haley Pullos was soon arrested for driving under the influence and would later commit to treatment at a rehab facility in Malibu. She was initially charged with two DUI felony counts and misdemeanor hit and run but entered a plea deal that saw the prosecutors drop two of the charges. According to reports, the actress was aggressive towards the firefighters who rescued her from her wrecked car and at the hospital where she was sedated. She was reportedly intoxicated as tequila bottles and marijuana edibles were found in her car.
The Role Has Been Recast Thrice Since Haley Pullos’ Exit
Following Haley Pullos’ exit, the General Hospital role was temporarily recast with American actress Holiday Mia Kriegel as the new Molly. She assumed the role on May 25, 2023, portraying the character in nine episodes of the daytime drama. Kriegel was last seen as Molly on July 14, 2023, the same month Brooke Anne Smith took over.
Smith debuted as Molly on July 19, 2023, to the disapproval of the General Hospital fandom. The displeasure over Smith’s portrayal of the iconic character was because of her age. Born on March 25, 1984, the actress was in her late 30s and considered too old to play Molly. She portrayed the character in 16 episodes, exiting the series on September 25, 2023. Kristen Vaganos replaced Smith in September 2023, becoming the third actress to play Molly since Haley Pullos’ exit from the show.
Who Is The New Molly Actress?
The new Molly actress, Kristen Vaganos, hails from a Greek-American family in Philadelphia. She started acting in high school and later attended NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she obtained a BFA in Drama. She also attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York before debuting on screen in 2014. Vaganos appeared in several web series and low-budget projects before landing her first significant role as Riley in Lifetime’s Mommy Would Never Hurt You (2019).
She has featured in other popular productions, including Speechless (2019), I Am Lisa (2020), Obsessed with the Babysitter (2021), and City of Love (2023). While these are all notable projects, General Hospital is widely considered her breakthrough role. It has propelled Vaganos to a new level of fame, introducing her to millions of television audiences in the United States and across borders.
With Haley Pullos as Molly for nearly a decade and a half, recasting the role posed a challenging situation for the showrunners. Fans were used to Pullos playing Molly, a role she grew up with. This explains the outrage over Brooke Anne Smith’s portrayal of the character. However, Kristen Vaganos seems to have won over the fandom with her performance. It’s uncertain if Pullos will return to the role when she regains her freedom. Check out General Hospital star Beth Peters dies at 92.
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