What led to Sofia Mattsson’s departure from General Hospital? A closer look

General Hospital fans are still reeling from the unexpected departure of Sofia Mattsson who portrayed Sasha Gilmore. After a seven-year journey, Mattsson bid farewell to the role of Sasha on July 18, 2025. Sasha first appeared on General Hospital as a mysterious figure hired by Valentin Cassadine to pose as Nina Reeves' long-lost daughter.

Her exit although anticipated due to a shift in storyline has left many wondering about the reasons behind her decision to leave General Hospital.

Initially a tool in Valentin's manipulative scheme, Sasha quickly became a much more profound character. Sofia's departure from the show is attributed to her desire to pursue film and television.

As a representative mentioned to TV Insider during an interview on July 18, 2025, 

“There was a good time in the storyline for Sofia to leave to pursue other opportunities in film and TV.” 
 

Executive producer Frank Valentini mentioned,

“But she is open for a return in the future. I love Sofia, she is a great actress and a dear friend. We will miss her, but we wish her the best in all of her future endeavors.”

In the same conversation, upon asking her mindset while joining the show, Sofia replied,

"I started off thinking it would be just a few episodes on recurring status, so I definitely did not think I’d stay so long. But I will say it’s gone by incredibly quickly. From the start, I’ve seen every day as a challenge and opportunity to grow as an actress, and honestly, that mindset never stopped — I feel like I learned something new every day until the end!"

Sofia Mattsson leaving General Hospital

Sofia Mattsson’s decision to leave General Hospital came after an eventful seven years on the show. The actress revealed that the departure came at a good point in the storyline. In her final episode Sasha left Port Charles accompanied by her daughter Daisy as she moved to Paris with her parents, Holly Sutton and Robert Scorpio. 

Mattsson expressed that leaving the show was both "bittersweet" and "emotional." Although she’s leaving the show for now, Mattsson may return in the future if the storyline needs it.

Mattsson as Sasha Gilmore in the storyline

Sasha Gilmore’s storyline was filled with twists and turns throughout her time in General Hospital history. Initially, Sasha was a pawn in Valentin Cassadine's scheme. Her task was to convince Nina Reeves that she was her long-lost daughter. During her character development in the show, it is revealed that Sasha was raised by her con artist mother, Holly Sutton, and had a troubled childhood. 

It's evident that she had a deceptive beginning. Sasha quickly became a character to be empathized with, especially as she moves through heartbreak, addiction, and love. Life has not been so kind to her.

The major plot twist came in 2024 when Sasha discovered the truth about her parentage. It was revealed that her biological parents were Robert Scorpio and Holly Sutton. So biologically she was the sister of Ethan Lovett and the half-sister of Dr. Robin Scorpio-Drake. Although she experienced too many losses, including her husband Brando Corbin, Sasha fought to rebuild her life.

Sasha’s pregnancy in 2025 and the birth of her daughter Daisy further complicated things with Michael. She decided to raise the child on her own while keeping the father’s identity a secret. Although her departure showed the end of Sasha’s time in Port Charles there is still hope for her future returns.

About Sofia Mattsson

Sofia Mattsson from Stockholm, Sweden began her Hollywood career in 2012 by guest-starring on Two and a Half Men and NCIS. She debuted in 2015 with Jurassic City and has since appeared in Gothic Harvest (2019) and The Wrong Husband (2019). Thomas Payton, writer and producer is her husband. Mattsson has two children, born in 2021 and 2023, in addition to her acting career. 

General Hospital episodes are available for streaming on ABC.