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Maura West

Maura West

Role Ava

Show General Hospital

The 411

BIRTHDATE: April 27

YEARS ON SHOW: 2010-present

MARITAL STATUS: West has been married to former co-star Scott DeFreitas (ex-Andy, ATWT) since Jan. 22, 2000. She was married to director Jonathan Knight from 1995-1999.

CHILDREN: Benjamin Crawford West Knight (June 1996), Joseph Peter DeFreitas (March 29, 2000), Katherine Marie DeFreitas (Jan. 9, 2002), Basil John DeFreitas (January 30, 2007) and daughter Birdie DeFreitas (born June 16, 2009)


Maura West was born on April 27 in Springfield, Mass. and raised in nearby Ludlow. She is the youngest of four children and has two brothers and one sister. She attended Boston University and graduated with a bachelors degree in fine arts.

The actress won the role of Carly in 1995 after the show’s casting director saw her in a college production in Boston. She left the show in May 1996 to give birth to her son, Benjamin Knight. West returned to ATWT in September 1997, continuing her character’s schemes and lusty affairs.

West followed an ATWT tradition, that of marrying co-stars, when she married Scott DeFreitas. Colleen Zenk Pinter (Barbara) met Mark Pinter while he played Brian. Kelley Menighan Hensley (Emily) married Jon Hensley (Holden) in 1996. West surprised her co-stars when she agreed to give birth to her second child on The Learning Channel’s A BABY STORY.

West has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy three times — twice for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2001, 2002 and once for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2004. She finally won a Daytime Emmy in 2007 for Outstanding Lead Actress. She has also received four Soap Opera Digest award nominations, including one for Favorite Couple, with Michael Park (Jack) in 2001, two for Younger Lead actress in 1999 and 2000 and one for Outstanding Villainess in 1996. In 2010, just after taping for ATWT wrapped for good, West won the Daytime Emmy for Best Actress; co-star Park won Best Actor.

In the fall of 2010, West took the role of Diane Jenkins on YOUNG AND RESTLESS.

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Random facts

  • Was born Maura Jo Snyder (West is her mother's maiden name, which she took at 17).
  • Watched AS THE WORLD TURNS while attending high school and was huge fan of Martha Byrne (ex-Lily) and Ben Hendrickson (ex-Hal).
  • Earned her bachelor of fine arts degree at Boston University.
  • Is a fan of the New York Yankees.
  • Husband Scott DeFreitas (ex-Andy) proposed to her at Yankee Stadium via the scoreboard in center field.

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