When Avery Kristen Pohl stormed onto General Hospital as Esme back in 2021, she didn’t just step into a role — she lit a match and set the canvas on fire. Quite literally, too. One of her heinous acts in Port Charles was torching Ava’s car, setting the tone for what would become one of the show’s most unpredictable, layered, and chaos-fueled characters. For a short time, Esme was believed dead when she jumped off of Wyndemere’s parapet to escape Nikolas’ captivity. She suffered amnesia, but eventually regained her memory and pursued Spencer to France. In a scuffle, the two tumbled off a boat and are still presumed dead. But that brief return at the beginning of 2024 was enough to earn Pohl a Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Guest Performer category.
Key Takeaways
- Avery Kristen Pohl’s brief 2024 return as Esme Prince on General Hospital was enough to earn her a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Performer.
- Esme’s storyline came full circle — from fiery villainess to a young mother fighting for redemption, and ultimately back to the dangerous schemer fans love to hate.
- Pohl’s performance stood out for its emotional complexity, blending menace with humanity in a way that resonated with long-time GH viewers.
- This nomination cements her status as one of daytime’s brightest young breakout stars — and leaves the door wide open for a future return.
Esme’s Final Act in Port Charles
Esme spent most of 2024 straddling the thin line between redemption and revenge. For months, the young mother lived under Laura’s (Genie Francis) roof, trying to build a future with Baby Ace while convincing everyone — and maybe herself — that she wasn’t the same girl who once blackmailed, framed, and schemed her way through every Cassadine corridor. But when Nikolas (Adam Huss) returned to the picture and Ace was ripped away from her orbit, that fragile façade started to crack.
Eventually, the version of Esme fans had come to know — the calculating, cornered animal who always finds a way — came roaring back along with her memories. She followed Spencer (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Trina (Tabyana Ali) to Paris, syringe in hand, setting off a violent confrontation that ended with her plunging into icy waters. It was a poetic bookend to her first big parapet fall and a reminder that Esme was never designed to go quietly. Her funeral may have been sparsely attended, but the impact of her exit was anything but small. (Is Esme gone for good?)
Avery Kristen Pohl’s Breakout and Emmy Nod
For Pohl, this nomination is a full-circle moment. She joined GH in 2021 as a relative daytime newcomer, though her résumé already boasted appearances on Dirty John, Criminal Minds, and the Lifetime thriller My Daughter’s Psycho Friend. In just a few months, she turned a supporting teen role into one of the most talked-about villains in recent GH history.
Pohl has always had range — trained ballerina, horror veteran, even a one-time dental assistant — but Esme gave her the perfect playground to mix menace with vulnerability. This is her first nomination for a Daytime Emmy, and it’s well-earned. Her final storyline had enough heartbreak, tension, and menace to keep fans engaged and wanting more. Whether Esme is truly gone for good is anyone’s guess, but one thing is clear: Pohl left a mark that won’t fade anytime soon.
