General Hospital Alum Rebecca Budig Celebrates Her Birthday

Life was never kind to General Hospital‘s Hayden, who is currently on the run and fearing for her life — a situation engineered by her own ex-husband and supposed partner-in-crime. Luckily, all is well with actress Rebecca Budig (who spoke with former castmate Maurice Benard), who is currently celebrating a major milestone.

Happy Birthday, Rebecca Budig!

That’s because she was born on June 26, 1973, in Cincinnati, Ohio, which means that this fan favorite is turning 51 years old today! Though she graduated from a performing arts high school, Budig put her acting ambitions on hold and attended Miami University, where she majored in zoology.

Post-graduation, Budig moved to Los Angeles and began auditioning — and honing her craft — in earnest. She landed roles in music videos and had a cameo in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever (where she acted opposite future NCIS: Los Angeles star Chris O’Donnell).

Between 1995 and 1998, Rebecca Budig played Michelle Bauer on Guiding Light, and subsequent to that, she joined the cast of All My Children. She debuted on the ABC soap on August 11, 1999, and remained there until November 2005. She reprised the role briefly, beginning in January 2008 and again from December 2009 to the series’ final episode in September 2011.

Budig’s other acting credits include guest spots on Out of Practice, CSI, How I Met Your Mother, and Blue Bloods, as well as recurring roles on series such as Hope & Faith, and L.A.’s Finest. She also starred in made-for-TV movies like Perfect Child and The Beast. She has been playing General Hospital’s Hayden Barnes, on and off, since March 20, 2015.

Budig has been married to television marketing executive Michael Benson since Christmas Day 2010. Together, the couple welcomed a daughter, Charlotte (born September 8, 2014).

Soap Hub would like to wish Rebecca Budig a very happy birthday, and you can, too, by clicking on the X (formerly Twitter) link below.