Full Breakdown
Brandon Barash Secures Emergency Restraining Order Against Ex-Wife Kirsten Storms
4/28/2026, 11:58:40 AM
Emergency Restraining Order: Core Facts
On April 27, 2026, a Nashville court issued a restraining order in favor of actor Brandon Barash against his ex-wife, actress Kirsten Storms. Barash cited “great concern” for Storms’s mental health and her “ability to adequately care for the minor child,” and requested a mental-health evaluation. The order limits Storms to supervised visitation with their 12-year-old daughter while a judge reviews it later this week.
Background & Context
Barash and Storms met on the set of *General Hospital*, married in 2013, and had a daughter in January 2014. They divorced amicably in 2016. Barash moved to Nashville in early 2025; Storms followed later that year, announcing a temporary hiatus from her role as Maxie to support the cross-country move and her daughter’s adjustment. She returned to *General Hospital* in January 2026, appeared in a few episodes, and has not been on-screen since mid-March.
Timeline
- 2013–2016 – Married, daughter born Jan 2014, and divorced amicably.
- Early 2025 – Barash moves to Nashville; Storms follows later, announces a temporary hiatus to support the cross-country move.
- May–Nov 2025 – Storms tells Barash she is “experiencing delusions and hallucinations,” doubts her parenting suitability, and later reports break-ins and a hacked computer network, saying it “really freaked me out.”
- Jan 2026 – Storms returns to *General Hospital*; last episode airs mid-March.
- Apr 27 2026 – Emergency restraining order granted.
Impact
The order limits Storms’s custodial rights, confining her to supervised visits with their 12-year-old daughter while a mental-health assessment is pending. It also raises doubts about her ability to resume filming, given limited recent appearances.
Official Statements & Responses
Storms thanked *General Hospital* executives, writers, and producer Frank Valentini for allowing her leave, saying, “I really want to thank GH, ABC network executives, the writers for agreeing to let me take this time.” Barash’s filing stresses his concern for child welfare and requests a psychiatric assessment, though the court has not yet ruled on the evaluation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Court documents do not confirm whether Storms has undergone the requested mental-health evaluation, and no statement from her legal team or the *General Hospital* production staff clarifies her current employment status.
Verbatim Quotes
- “experiencing delusions and hallucinations” — Kirsten Storms, actress
- “didn’t think she should have the child for her parenting time.” — Kirsten Storms, actress
- “really freaking me out.” — Kirsten Storms, Instagram video, Feb 2025
What’s Next
The judge will review the order later this week and decide whether to order a formal mental-health assessment. The decision will shape future visitation terms and may affect Storms’s role on *General Hospital*.
