According to today's New York Daily News, Senait Ashenafi has been fired from her role as Keesha Ward. Ashenafi originated the role of Keesha, appearing in Port Charles in 1994 along with her cousin Justus Ward (Joseph C. Phillips) and grandmother Mary Mae Ward (the late Rosalind Cash). The storyline of Keesha's young love with Jason Quartermaine (Steve Burton) captured the hearts of many.
Since Jason's accident, Keesha became a backburner character. Her romance with AJ was given barely enough screentime for the viewers to care about her. However, Senait continued to shine with the little material given to her. The confrontations between Keesha and Carly spawned many comparisons to the young Leslie Webber and Monica Quartermaine and their bitter feuds. Many had hoped that this was a relationship to be continued and explored throughout the next few years.
Message boards across the web have filled with vitriolic messages regarding the firing. Most GH fans agree -- whether they were fans of Keesha or not -- that Ashenafi was never really given the chance to shine, that the character of Keesha as a strong, mature modern woman, deserved air-time and a story that explored her complex characterization.
Here's what some of the fans have had to say: