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Marcus Coloma is an American actor known for his role as fan-favorite Nikolas Cassadine on General Hospital from 2019 to 2023. In December 2022, he hinted at the possibility of leaving the show on social media, and his final episode aired on January 26, 2023.
Coloma's departure from General Hospital was due to an extended break necessitated by his COVID-19 diagnosis and subsequent health struggles. This led to him leaving the show, much to fans' heartbreak. He was permanently recast, with Adam Huss taking over the role. Despite this, some fans still hope for Marcus Colona to make a comeback on the show. Will he return? Let's find out more.
Why did Marcus Coloma leave General Hospital?
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In 2021, Marcus Coloma tested positive for COVID-19 and had to quarantine. Due to his absence, actor Adam Huss temporarily stepped in to fill his role as Nikolas Cassadine. Throughout 2021 and 2022, Huss repeatedly filled in for Coloma as he struggled with various health issues after his COVID diagnosis.
In December 2022, Coloma announced via an Instagram video that he would be exiting General Hospital. Fans even noticed that after this announcement, he unfollowed many of his co-stars on social media. In the video, Coloma briefly said:
"I don't know what I can or can't say other than what an incredible ride."
What were the theories about Marcus Coloma leaving the show? Explored
Immediately after Marcus Coloma's announcement, fans began speculating about the reasons behind the actor's sudden exit.
As reported by Soap Central, a supposed representative for Coloma stated that the actor decided to leave the show after realizing his contract would not be renewed. This source also stated that the exit was a mutual decision between the showrunners, the network, and Coloma.
However, the abrupt nature of his departure led many fans to think that something had gone wrong between Coloma and the show's creators, with some thinking that a disagreement might have led to his being fired.
Did Marcus Coloma speak about his exit from General Hospital?
In a 2023 appearance on the That's Awesome podcast, Marcus Coloma discussed his time on General Hospital and addressed the rumors surrounding his departure. He stated that he knew he would not be on the show for long, even before the network officially told him. He also noted that there were no negotiations involved, and his contract had been written off to be replaced with Adam Huss.
Later, in an interview with Soaps published on October 17, 2023, Coloma said:
"It was disappointing, because I don't feel like I got to wrap up. It's kind of like letting somebody else finish a puzzle that you've been working on for a while. But I think it was mitigated by the fact that it had happened before."
However, Marcus Coloma does not regret or have hard feelings for General Hospital. He said he understood that daytime was an incredibly demanding role he was unable to fulfill due to his health issues and was looking forward to different opportunities. In sad news for fans, this means that he is unlikely to return to the long-running soap drama.
General Hospital episodes air on ABC on all weekdays at 3:00 p.m. EST.
