Maxie Jones

Maxie Jones is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera General Hospital. She is the eldest daughter of supercouple Frisco and Felicia Jones. The role was first portrayed by Robyn Richards for eleven years, from 1993 to 2004. The role was then recast with Kirsten Storms. In 2011, Storms took an extended medical leave, resulting in the temporary recasting of the character with Jen Lilley. Storms has since returned to the role. In 2009, Storms was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for her portrayal of Maxie Jones.^[1]

Casting

Actress Jen Lilley was cast as Maxie in 2011, portraying the role for 11 months, while Kirsten Storms was out on extended medical leave.

The character was initially portrayed by child actors Chelsey and Kahley Cuff from 1990 to 1991, Ashley and Jessica Clark in 1992, and Elaine and Melanie Silver from December 1992 to 1993. Robyn Richards then assumed the role in 1993. In March 2002, after nine years as the character, ABC announced their decision to release Richards from her contract in order to rapidly age the character, with plans to have actress Danica Stewart take over.^[2] However, within months, it was announced that the network had chosen to have Richards stay after Stewart was negatively received by viewers.^[3]

In March 2005, after Richards had made her final appearance in July 2004, it was announced that the role had been recast with Kirsten Storms, who made her debut in May 2005.^[4] In September 2011, Storms took an extended medical leave for an unspecified amount of time, resulting in the temporary recasting of the character with actress Jen Lilley.^[5] Storms briefly departed on September 27, 2011, with Lilley debuting on September 28, 2011. Four months later, Storms was said to be returning,^[6] however, her return was delayed and Lilley announced that she would be remaining in the role for the foreseeable future.^[7][8][9] In June 2012, Storms was rumored to be in potential talks to rejoin the cast.^[10] The following month, Lilley announced that she had completed her stint as the character. In a personal YouTube video, Lilley tearfully thanked her fans, stating: "Thank you for making my departure from GH easier. [...] And even though I'm crying, they are happy tears."^[11] She made her last appearance on August 10, 2012.^[12][13] Storms later returned on September 5.^[14]

During an interview with Dan J. Kroll of Soap Central Live, Lilley spoke about how she had no idea about her being a recast for Storms or the character of Maxie.^[11] She stated:

In May 2016, it was reported that Storms would again take temporary leave from the role; actress Molly Burnett was cast in the role.^[15][16] Burnett assumed the role on July 5, 2016, and departed nearly a month later on July 29, 2016.^[17][18][19] Storms returned in the role on August 3, 2016.^[20][21]

Storylines

1990–2005

Mariah Maximilliana Jones is born on Halloween night in 1990 and named after her her maternal great-grandparents Maximilian and Mariah Ramirez. Her Godparents are named as Sean Donely and Anna Devane at her Christening. In 1994, she suffers from Kawasaki disease and requires a heart transplant. Meanwhile, her cousin B. J. Jones is in a car accident, leaving her brain dead. Test results prove B.J.'s heart to be a match for Maxie. B.J.'s parents, Bobbie and Tony Jones, agree to take B.J. off life support and donate her heart to Maxie. During this time, Maxie's sister Georgie is conceived, but their father Frisco Jones leaves town again soon after. Maxie and her younger sister are raised by their stepfather Mac Scorpio for most of their lives.

Maxie's first crush is on Lucky Spencer. In 2003, she dates her crush, Kyle Ratcliffe (played by Andrew St. John).^[22] Kyle coerces Maxie to steal pills from the hospital. While she loses her virginity to him, he tapes them having sex and later posts the video on the internet.^[22] Maxie is furious when she finds out, but forgives Kyle. Later on, Maxie plans to sleep with her adoptive cousin Lucas Jones to prevent her sister Georgie from sleeping with him. Maxie also flirts with Zander Smith and helps him avoid the law. She briefly has a crush on Nikolas Cassadine.

In 2005, Kirsten Storms assumes the role of Maxie as the character faces complications with her heart transplant. While in the hospital, Maxie meets Jesse Beaudry, who claims to be an undercover cop blamed for a murder he didn't commit. Maxie helps Jesse and they go on the run. By the time they arrive home, they have fallen in love with each other, much to Mac's dismay.

2006–08

In 2006, Jesse is shot in the line of duty, and Maxie is devastated when he dies. She falls into a dark place and starts partying all the time. She turns to Jesse's partner Lucky Spencer for comfort, resulting in an affair. Lucky is married to Elizabeth Webber at the time, and addicted to painkillers. In order to keep Lucky with her, Maxie supplies him drugs from the hospital. After being caught by Elizabeth, Lucky decides to get clean and win Elizabeth back. Maxie does not want to lose Lucky, and tells him she is pregnant with his baby. She tries to sleep with Diego Alcazar, who tells her she must be trying to get pregnant to cover the lie. Later on, Maxie throws herself down the stairs to fake a miscarriage. Elizabeth eventually realizes the truth, and Maxie tells Lucky herself that she was never pregnant.

Maxie is hired at the Metro Court boutique, where she befriends co-worker Sam McCall. In early 2007, the hotel is taken hostage by Mr. Craig and his team. Maxie and one of the hostage takers, going by the name "Three," are locked inside the vault when the silent alarm goes off. They develop a bond, confessing to each other about their horrible deeds. When the crisis ends, Maxie convinces the cops that "Three" is a guest who had been taken hostage as well.

"Three" shows up at Maxie's house, begging for help, and introduces himself as Cooper Barrett. Although Maxie first refuses, she decides to help Cooper and gets him a job in security at the Metro Court. They are flirtatious and eventually start a relationship. When Maxie suspects Cooper has taken interest in Maxie's enemy Lulu Spencer, she propositions Cooper's former Army buddy Logan Hayes. She says that if he can get Lulu to sleep with him, then she will sleep with Logan. Maxie eventually tries to call off the bet after Cooper admits how much he cares for her. However, unable to help herself after realizing Logan is in love with Lulu, she blackmails Logan and sleeps with him. Later on, Cooper finds Maxie and Logan making out. He tells Maxie that he cannot watch her self-destruct any longer, and ends their relationship.

In the fall of 2007, Maxie attends Nikolas Cassadine's Black and White Ball with many other Port Charles residents. The guest are soon aware a serial killer is on the island. After a night full of fear and the death of Emily Quartermaine, they return home. On Thanksgiving, Maxie and Cooper reconcile. Soon after, Georgie is strangled by the serial killer. Cooper is a suspect, and asks Maxie to go to Canada with him, to which she agrees. However, when she finds him hanging in his room, she is devastated and the police further their belief that Cooper was the killer. Maxie refuses to believe this and teams up with Damian Spinelli to prove Cooper's innocence. Having once been enemies, Maxie and Spinelli become close, and Spinelli begins a crush on Maxie. They are successful in proving Cooper innocent, and that Diego Alcazar was actually the killer.

In the spring of 2008, Maxie gets a job as Kate Howard's assistant. She is soon joined by Lulu, and starts to hit on Lulu's boyfriend Johnny Zacchara to make her jealous. Johnny tells Maxie he isn't interested. That summer, Logan begins stalking Lulu, upset about their breakup. He blames Maxie for what happened, and one night attacks her at the Crimson office. Lulu witnesses the attack from across the street in Johnny's apartment. Logan comes after her next, and Lulu accidentally stabs him to death in self-defense. Johnny takes the blame to protect Lulu. He is arrested, but Lulu tries to get him out and they go on the run. Lulu slowly starts to break down and is admitted to a mental institution. Maxie visits her, marking the turn of their relationship from enemies to friends. Eventually Lulu recovers and is released.

During the trial of Logan's murder, Maxie is forced to admit her bet with Logan under oath. Distraught and embarrassed, she sleeps with Spinelli for comfort but immediately is ashamed of taking advantage of him. She proclaims she does not want to ruin their friendship, but signs of deeper feelings begin to show. That fall, Maxie is attacked by Russian mobsters. Mac blames her involvement with Spinelli, and forbids Maxie from seeing him. Maxie defies her father, and moves out of his home and into an apartment with Lulu.

2009–10

In early 2009, Spinelli meets a woman named Winnifred Leeds, a computer geek much like himself. Maxie becomes jealous, and seduces Spinelli to keep him away from Winnifred. After Spinelli realizes her true motives, he ends their friendship. Maxie's suspicions prove true when Spinelli is arrested for treason, and Winnifred is outed as an undercover FBI agent. He is temporarily released when it is shown he is only bait to get information on Jason Morgan and Sonny Corinthos.

Shortly thereafter, there is a biotoxin crisis at the hospital. Maxie and Johnny find her cousin Robin Scorpio and Robin's daughter Emma in the snowstorm and take them to the hospital. Later that night, after the ordeal, they kiss and almost have sex, discussing their mutual tendencies of destroying their relationships. They stop before it goes too far, but are thrown together again when Maxie's boss Kate decides Maxie and Johnny would be a make a good couple to be seen at Crimson promotional events. Kate begins paying Johnny to go to parties with Maxie, much to the dismay of Lulu and Spinelli.

That spring, Spinelli finds Maxie and Johnny kissing on the pier. Spinelli is distraught and claims that Maxie will never be attracted to him the way she is to Johnny. Lulu and Maxie's friendship is strained at first, but they eventually reconcile. Lulu and Johnny break up, and Spinelli ends things with Maxie. Eventually he realizes he does not want to be without her, and after a brief period of courtly love Spinelli insists on, they enter into an exclusive relationship. Spinelli proposes to Maxie, who has doubts that she is ready for marriage. When Mac disapproves of the proposal, Maxie defends Spinelli and in an act of defiance accepts the proposal. During the engagement, Maxie is visibly nervous and often trying to find excuses to postpone the wedding. At the rehearsal, Spinelli overhears Maxie voicing her apprehension to Jason, who tells him she is willing to marry Spinelli because it's what he wants, even though she is scared to death. When Spinelli and Maxie meet at the altar, he says he will "not" marry her. They decide to get "not married" and commit to getting married someday when they are ready. The guests go to Jake's for a happy reception.

In late 2009, Maxie is ordered by Kate to set up an art show for the artist Robert "Franco" Frank (portrayed by James Franco). Franco's art turns out to be recreating crime scenes, which unsettles and intrigues the guests, especially Maxie. Maxie accepts Franco's offer to go back to his studio, in hopes of fulfilling her promise to book him for a photo shoot. She is unsettled when he insists she wear a blindfold, and asks her to lie down on the floor. When he starts to take photos of her, she pulls off the blindfold to discover that he has placed her inside one of his chalk outlines. He apologizes, and although she is upset, they end up sleeping together. Instantly regretting her actions, she stays home sick from Thanksgiving to avoid her family and Spinelli.

Maxie is distressed to learn Franco has sent Jason the photo he took of her. She tries to recover the photos and destroy them but is unsuccessful. Sam figures out that Maxie slept with Franco, and eventually Spinelli overhears their conversation. Spinelli eventually forgives Maxie for sleeping with Franco, but their relationship remains strained. In an attempt to recreate the circumstances of the beginning of their relationship, Spinelli plans a fake investigation and asks for Maxie's help. The plan ends in a disaster when the two are stuck in a storm drain and Maxie gets hypothermia. Johnny finds them and brings Maxie to the hospital. She contracts pneumonia, which turns life threatening when complications arise with her heart transplant. In a dream, Maxie is visited by Georgie's spirit, and decides she wants to live.

Maxie is called to testify at Sonny's trial for his wife Claudia's murder. She saw Sonny and Michael the night of the murder, and Jason asks her to lie and claim Michael was not there. Maxie agrees, but her efforts are in vain when Dante discovers that Michael killed Claudia and turns him in. Michael is sentenced with prison time, and Jason voluntarily confesses to a crime in order to join Michael and keep him safe. With Jason gone, Spinelli becomes depressed and closed off, furthering the strain on his relationship with Maxie. Maxie plans to flirt with Matt Hunter in order to regain Spinelli's attention. She goes on a series of dates with Matt, and sets up Spinelli to find them kissing. She thinks he will fight to win her back, but her plan backfires when Spinelli breaks up with her.

In the summer of 2010, the hospital goes on lock down when Elizabeth Webber's baby is stolen. Meanwhile, Warren Bauer goes on a rampage and shoots Mac and Ethan Lovett while trying to kill Kristina Davis. Mac kills Warren, but is in critical condition. Matt is able to save Mac's life, afterwards Maxie sleeps with him to thank him. Maxie and Matt begin to casually date.

When Christmas approaches, Maxie gives Matt an out in their "casually dating", warning him every guy she's dated so far either ends up dead or heartbroken, and she doesn't want the same to happen to Matt. He won't hear any of it, however, and explains her that he likes every quality over hers and she is everything he wants. They then head out to buy a Christmas tree, and start a tradition of their own, like Matt suggested.

2011–13

On a ski trip with other Port Charles residents, Matt and Maxie are involved in a bus crash, and although Matt broke his arm, they are both fine. Once Matt and Maxie discover that Johnny is hiding the syringe Lisa Niles used to try to kill Robin, the two break into Johnny's apartment to find the syringe, but are almost caught by Johnny and Lisa. While hiding from them, Matt and Maxie overhear them discuss the syringe, and Johnny confirms he has it hidden somewhere. Now knowing Maxie was right all along, she and Matt celebrate to this victory, and they seem to be going towards a steady and stable relationship. Sam is brought to the hospital with cramps by Spinelli. Spinelli wants to help, so Maxie and Spinelli go get smoothies. When the come back to hospital Lisa Niles takes Robin, Steven Webber, Patrick, and Maxie hostages for being rude to her in the past. During the hostage Maxie flips out on Lisa and calls her a bitch. When Lisa is about to shoot Maxie, Spinelli falls out of the air vent saving Maxie, and tries to talk to Lisa to calm her. Lisa calls him a loser and Maxie flips out again. When Lisa tries to shoot her again, Spinelli jumps in front of Maxie and Lisa shoots him. Maxie tells Matt to not let Spinelli die during surgery. Telling Dante her breakup with Spinelli was an attempt to keep him safe; however, it backfired as Spinelli still put himself in danger for her. After surgery, Maxie kisses Spinelli and he wakes up, but now he thinks he's Jackel P.I. and forgets how to use his own laptop.

Matt asks Maxie to go to a party in his honor on a boat; Maxie says no and Matt asks Elizabeth instead. Maxie sneaks onto the boat and learns that Lisa has returned and is running rampant on the boat. Lisa is soon found murdered and Maxie is a suspect. Afraid that a drunken Matt may have killed her, Maxie enlist the help of Anthony Zacchara to cover it up. Anthony kills the ship's first mate and wrote a suicide note, stating that she was the one who killed Lisa. Soon after, Maxie becomes very jealous of the growing friendship between Matt and Elizabeth. To get revenge at Liz, Maxie turns her in for stealing drugs and Liz is suspended. Maxie later recants her story, and is reunited with Matt. However, their happiness is cut short when Maxie's best friend and cousin Robin is killed in a lab explosion. Believing herself responsible, Maxie tries to be arrested for killing Robin, and ends up confessing to killing Lisa Niles. Maxie was sentenced to twenty years in prison without parole for the murder of Lisa Niles and a ship crew member. Maxie takes the sentence as punishment for Robin's death. Spinelli, though, refuses to let Maxie take the blame and finds out that Matt is the real killer, and Maxie covered for him. Spinelli presents proof to the court of Matt's guilt, but the judge refuses to release Maxie unless she testifies against Matt. Maxie is furious when she hears about this, and blames Spinelli. She marries Matt so she won't have to testify against him, and she ends up being released. Matt, however, remembers his crime, and confesses. Before being sent to prison, he tells Maxie he'll file the papers for an annulment. However, Maxie stubbornly refuses, and chooses to stay married to Matt. Spinelli decides he's done with Maxie after this and wants nothing to do with her.

Maxie realizes how much she hurt and loves Spinelli, but he's now interested in Ellie Trout. She tries to tell Spinelli about her feelings, but is held back by Ellie. Eventually, she tells Spinelli that she divorced Matt so she could be with him. Spinelli, however, says he can't keep holding on to her and has decided to move on with Ellie. Heartbroken, Maxie tries to move on by being a surrogate for Lulu and Dante. Maxie eventually became pregnant, but ended up miscarrying soon after. Upset, she tries to think of a way to tell Lulu & Dante, and ends up finding Spinelli upset after believing Ellie broke up with him. She takes Spinelli back to her place and the two end up having a one night stand. A few weeks later, Maxie returns to the hospital and attempts to have Dr. Britt Westbourne implant Lulu and Dante's last remaining embryo, so she could try the surrogacy again. She is shocked when she discovers that Dr. Westbourne cannot implant the embryo because Maxie is already pregnant with Spinelli's child. Maxie chooses to pass off her child as Dante and Lulu's, and give them her child once it is born. As the pregnancy keeps advancing, though, Maxie becomes more attached to what she finds out is her unborn daughter. Once she goes into labor, though, she ends up letting her baby stay with Dante and Lulu, who name her Connie Falconeri. Spinelli finds out the truth from Ellie, but chooses to keep the secret to save Dante and Lulu from heartbreak.

The truth about Connie comes out, and Maxie insists that Dante are Lulu can keep her. However, both she and Spinelli express that they want their daughter back. When Lulu tells them she wants full custody of Connie, Maxie and Spinelli refuse, and end up going to court. The judge chooses not to grant custody to Dante and Lulu, but also refuses to give custody to Maxie claiming her as an unfit mother. Instead, he gives Spinelli sole custody of Connie. Maxie begs the judge to reconsider, but he tells Maxie that she is forbidden from seeing her daughter for six months. Maxie tries to violate the ruling by ambushing Spinelli in order to see her daughter, but Spinelli turns her away, saying he'll lose Connie and Maxie will be arrested if he lets her violate the agreement. Depressed, Maxie tries to commit suicide, but an alive Robin shows up and stops her. Maxie's spirit is renewed by this, and she decides to stick around for Robin, and for her daughter. Spinelli comes to Maxie, and reveals that Ellie has found a job in Portland, and he's considering moving with her. Maxie encourages him to go, and to take Connie so she won't be tempted to violate the court order. Spinelli eventually decides to move with Ellie to Portland, and take Connie with him. Before he leaves, he brings Connie by so Maxie can say goodbye to her. Before he leaves, Spinelli agrees to rename their daughter Georgie after Maxie's sister. Maxie leaves town soon after to find herself away from Port Charles.

2014-present

When Maxie returns from her trip, she once again meets her subletter, Nathan West. He and Maxie's boyfriend, Levi, clash immediately and quite frequently get into fights. This causes tension between Maxie and Nathan. Levi convinces Maxie to not attend her 6-monthly court hearing regarding custody of her daughter, Georgie, and she throws out the notice. However, she has a change of heart and has a meeting with Judge Walters to reschedule the hearing. When he asks why she missed the hearing, Nathan, who had come along as moral support, lies to Walters and says that he threw out the notice, saying that he thought that it was junk. Judge Walters, surprised by this, agrees to re-schedule the custody hearing. However, when Maxie tells Levi of what Nathan did, he isn't happy, and behind Maxie's back calls Judge Walters and tells him that Nathan lied, thus sabotaging Maxie's hearing. Nathan figures out that Levi tipped Walters off and accuses him of doing so, which upsets Maxie. A few weeks later, on July fourth, Levi and Maxie go down to the Brownstone which is being renovated by Michael and Morgan Corinthos and begin protesting. Michael calls the police, and Nathan arrives on the scene, arresting Levi for trespassing. He is about to do the same to Maxie, but she is struggling and the two end up handcuffed together. When he goes to unlock them, Maxie continues to squirm and the key is lost. Maxie tries to get Nathan's phone to call the station, but she falls on top of him and they almost kiss. The two are forced to walk home together, but watch the fireworks and argue as they make their way back. They end up falling asleep next to each other. When they wake up, they have a moment that is soon ruined by Levi when he enters and finds the key that they were looking for, allowing them to become unlocked. He explains that his visa has run out and he is going to be deported to Australia. Nathan says that he is required to report him to ICE but Maxie convinces him not to. Nathan reluctantly agrees and promises not to. However, behind both Nathan and Maxie's back, he takes Nathan's phone and calls immigration on himself. When an ICE agent named Scribner appears at the apartment, Maxie immediately thinks that Nathan called immigration. He can't explain how ICE's number is in his call log, since he didn't contact immigration. Maxie, irate, throws Nathan out of the apartment and proposes to Levi, since marrying him would allow him to stay in the country. On the day of the wedding, after an Aztec necklace that Felicia sold to a reporter goes missing, it is revealed that Levi is a con artist out to get the Aztec jewels. The wedding goes awry and Maxie and Lulu are held hostage by Levi and Scribner, who was revealed to actually be Levi's accomplice. They are kidnapped and Nathan and Dante set out to find them. It is revealed that Levi's real name is Peter Harrell Jr., the son of Felicia's ex-fiancé.

References

External links

• soapcentral.com Profile