From Port Charles to producing: Kristen Vaganos talks balancing General Hospital with indie film

While Kristen Vaganos may be best known to soap fans as Molly Lansing-Davis on General Hospital, her career extends far beyond Port Charles. Currently, Molly’s involved in a couple of dramatic front-burner storylines, part of which is a brewing romance with Cody (Josh Kelly). Away from the set, Vaganos is carving out a space as a producer and writer, helping bring indie projects like Ramona at Midlife to life while staying true to her first love, acting.

Learning to Say Yes

When the pandemic slowed acting opportunities, General Hospital’s Kristen Vaganos found herself stepping behind the camera. “My mantra when it comes to producing (and life) is ‘Say yes and figure it out later,’ ” she explained, adding that when work for actors became scarce, she got a job at a production company as an assistant, and learned the ropes of filmmaking. “I learned on the job how to get a permit, make an offer to an agent, reach out to potential brand sponsors, and much more,” she enthused. She now credits that experience with teaching her not only the mechanics of filmmaking but also the confidence to take ownership of projects she believes in.

Her drive came in handy when she signed on to produce Ramona at Midlife, which is about a “Single mother who discovers that her unflattering current reality is the subject of a filmmaker's new project. Ramona faces up to her disappointments, she finds true creative power, and is finally ready to become her best self.” Drawn to the script’s authenticity and emotional truth, she said, “The first time I read the script for Ramona at Midlife, I laughed out loud and got teary-eyed. I could feel the authenticity of each character—they felt real.” Although the story is about a woman struggling during her midlife, Vaganos could relate to the movie’s themes of friendship, career ambition, and acceptance. (Learn what Vaganos' most terrifying GH scene is.)

Balancing Acting and Producing

General Hospital's Molly Lansing-Davis. | Image Source: ABC

Though producing became an important part of her career, the General Hospital star has never wavered on where her heart lies. “Acting led me to producing, and producing leads me back to acting. I believe that my true purpose, my greatest skill and biggest passion, is acting,” she shared. At the same time, she admitted she has “too many opinions to be just an actor,” and producing has given her the ability to shape stories she wants to tell while ensuring she’s not underqualified when wearing an executive producer hat later in life. She called the set “very enjoyable, organized, and productive,” and took pride in how smoothly it ran.

Now, while juggling scripts on General Hospital, Vaganos is also developing her own projects. She’s gone on several auditions for side work, and teased that she’s working on her writing, and teased, “A female-driven sports comedy that I wrote is in development and out to cast right now, so that’s very exciting! I hope to have more updates very soon.” (Find out how GH's Davis girls connected with fans.)

General Hospital can be seen weekdays on ABC and Hulu.