On General Hospital, Nina Reeves is going through a lot of pain right now because her estranged daughter Willow is dying. Cynthia Watros, a Daytime Emmy winner, has another chance to shine in the plot as a helpless mother who is anxious to find her long-lost kid.
Cynthia Watros – Performer of the Week
Nina and Carly won the Soap Hub Award for Favorite Feud in 2021 and the two characters show no signs of slowing down when it comes to playing scenes filled with antagonism. The specifics over what the feud entails have changed over the years but each time the two talented actresses are put in the same room together, viewers can expect the fireworks to fly.
Their most recent argument was about Nina’s exclusion from Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) attendance at Michael and Willow’s wedding. Additionally, Nina blames Carly for Willow’s illness since she believes that if it weren’t for Carly’s quiet, Willow may still be alive.
Nina had issues with Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) dating back to before anyone knew that they were mother and daughter. Carly only too happily reminded Nina of those incidents to bolster her argument as to why Carly didn’t inform Nina that Willow was her child. Watros made the dramatic choice to play that Carly wasn’t 100% wrong. (Nina sure went after Willow when she was Charlotte’s teacher.)
“It’s not that I’m just missing my daughter’s wedding,” a vulnerable Nina said in front of her nemesis. “But I’m missing what could be her last days — the daughter I’ve never been able to really know and that is your fault.”
Carly continues to throw up Nina’s mistakes and her thoughts on Nina’s selfishness in her face. As her tirade continued, we saw Nina’s eyes well up with tears. “I’ve made mistakes,” she conceded. “I own my part — but it’s your fault that I don’t have a chance to earn Willow’s forgiveness because we’re running out of time. My daughter’s dying and it is your fault, Carly.”
Carly maintained that she didn’t give Willow leukemia and she didn’t kidnap Leisl (Willow’s aunt and bone marrow donor). “Of course not, but if you told the truth about the DNA test Willow would have gotten that bone marrow transplant months ago…if Willow knew that I was her mother, whether she accepted me or not, when the whole possibility of a bone marrow transplant came up she would have come to me immediately…I was here! All along!”
Watros combined a compelling blend of passion and vulnerability as she blasted Carly. It may be true that Nina wasn’t always the nicest person to Willow; however, Nina’s 100% correct in asserting that Carly’s silence and wanting to control things have contributed greatly to Willow’s predicament.
Carly re-iterated Nina’s mistreatment of Willow as the reason she kept silent, suggesting she look in the mirror if she’s looking for someone to blame. “I should have the rest of my daughter’s life to make it up to her but I don’t…” a defeated Nina responded. She blames Carly for robbing her of the time she and Willow have left.
Alone in her car, Nina flashbacked to Carly’s most recent hurtful words. Ironically, she was facing a mirror (as Carly suggested) — her driver’s side mirror — but that didn’t change Nina’s mind. “Sanctimonious bitch!” Nina snarked. “Nothing’s ever your fault, is it Carly!”
These two are still engaged in a fierce conflict. Nina thought back to a talk she had regarding some perhaps shady business operations Carly was involved in with Drew (Cameron Mathison) with Ava (Maura West). Cynthia Watros will without a doubt give those scenes her all if Nina pulls the trigger in an effort to make Carly suffer some consequences!