General Hospital's Maura West Explains How Ava Fell For Her Daughter's Killer
On "General Hospital," Ryan Chamberlain is the twin brother of Dr. Kevin Collins (both Jon Lindstrom). According to Soaps in Depth, Ryan is a serial killer that terrorized the city of Port Charles, who was believed to have been killed in 1995. However, it was revealed that he hadn't died, and Kevin was keeping him in the Ferncliff mental institution. Kevin — a noted psychiatrist — thought he could cure his insane brother. But there was no curing Ryan, who one day managed to knock out his brother and successfully take his place, fooling everyone.
Former mobster Ava Jerome (Maura West) was angry that her boyfriend Griffin Munro (Matt Cohen) had been having an affair with her daughter Kiki Jerome (Hayley Erin). Having lived a rough life, this was the last straw so she went to Kevin. Thinking he actually was the good doctor, she revealed to him her dark thoughts on wanting to get back at them. Ryan saw a kindred spirit in Ava, and thought he was doing her a favor by killing Kiki (via Soap Dirt). Ava fell for "Kevin" because of the affection he showed her, and how he consoled her after Kiki's death. Sadly, the truth eventually came out and Ryan escaped the authorities by faking his death.
Ava was destroyed by his betrayal, and mortified that she fell in love with a killer, which had cost her nearly everything.
Ava was starving for affection
In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, "General Hospital" veteran soap actress Maura West discussed the reason her character Ava Jerome fell in love with serial killer Ryan Chamberlain (Jon Lindstrom). West explained that the fans felt the death of her daughter, Kiki Jerome (Hayley Erin), was due to Ava's negative wishes that she voiced to Ryan, when she thought he was Kevin. She refuted that notion, stating, "But thoughts are just thoughts, thoughts aren't deeds." Because Ryan believed he was helping her by killing Kiki, West laughed, saying, "Yes. Ryan, the well-intentioned serial killer. What he did for love! It's quite beautiful, really."
Per Soap Dirt, Ryan truly loved Ava who was simply craving affection. West explained, "He really does adore her, and she is so willing and ready and desperate for that sort of affection that she's all in." She elaborated, stating that Ava doesn't know she's in a TV show, therefore didn't notice the signs. West continued: "We saw, here and there, little things that perhaps someone who wasn't so desperate for affection would pick up on. I mean, this man calls her a goddess. If Ava weren't so desperate for affection, would she notice that this guy's a little off?" Because Ava was so vulnerable at the time, Ryan took advantage of her. "Ava was so attacked and beaten down all the time," she pointed out, "that she was a perfect victim for him, really."