General Hospital Comings and Goings: Ryan Paevey returns, but will he be Nathan?

The Faison family really does seem to be returning to General Hospital as news breaks that Ryan Paevey is returning to the soap after seven years. As longtime fans know, Paevey played Cesar Faison's good guy son, Nathan West, from 2013 to 2018.

Ryan Paevey makes his General Hospital comeback

Is Liesl about to have both of her kids back on General Hospital? | Image: JPI

Just last week, GH Headwriters Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte had hinted that the Faison clan would make a big splash, indicating that Liesl (Kathleen Gati) and Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) were not the only returns we could expect. Now comes news that Paevey is returning to the soap that launched his acting career more than a decade ago.

Deadline reports that Paevey will be back on your GH screens by September after he begins taping this week. The actor, who has made a name for himself with movies for Hallmark and Great American Family, explained his decision to return.

"We talked a bit and he asked if 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. "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."

Nathan's legacy in Port Charles

General Hospital's Nathan may have been the love of Maxie's life | Image: JPI

Liesl lost her precious son, Nina (Cynthia Watros) lost her brother, and Maxie (Kirsten Storms) lost her husband when Faison (Anders Hove) shot first and asked questions later. He pulled the trigger, not intending to kill the son he never realized was his until the last minutes of his life. A pregnant Maxie thought that Nathan would pull through, but then he suddenly flat-lined, and she found herself a widow expecting a child.

That child is now precocious little James, who is thrilled to have his 'Oma' back in town. Maxie moved on with her life and even had another child with Nathan's evil brother, Peter August (Wes Ramsey), before ending up with her first love, Damian Spinelli (Bradford Anderson).

Whether Paevey will play Nathan or not remains to be seen, but with Maxie's life about to take a turn, her late husband's resurrection might be welcome now more than ever before.

Catch all-new episodes of General Hospital weekdays on ABC and Hulu.