General Hospital’s Kirsten Storms Opens Up About Her Split From Days of Our Lives’ Brandon Barash: ‘We Didn’t Have a Betrayal of Any Sort Like That… ’

Matters of the heart were front and center in the latest State of Mind.

There’s a segment of the fandom that wants to imagine a lot of drama in the way that former General Hospital co-stars — and former marrieds — Kirsten Storms (Maxie) and Brandon Barash (ex-Johnny) coparent daughter Harper. But “we’re homies,” Storms said during the April 3 episode of castmate Maurice Benard’s State of Mind vlog. “What’s the most helpful to our situation is, Brandon and I were friends for seven years before we got together.”

So come what may, “we have a history with each other of being friends — good friends,” she added. Heck, if they went out one night to sing karaoke, he’d crash at her place — platonically. “I always thought he was cute, but it was never [romantic]… Then we kind of had a point in both of our lives where it worked out.”

‘Divorce Is Always Hard’

Until, alas, it didn’t. “Once we got married, it was obvious after a certain point that it wasn’t going to work on a romantic level,” said Storms, “and I’m not gonna say that our divorce was great, because it wasn’t… But divorce is always hard.”

Any way you slice it, both parties feel like they failed. Ironically, it was at Barash’s house the day the split was finalized that the exes discovered that they could communicate again. Now, Storms is good pals with the Days of Our Lives star (who plays Jake) as well as his fiancée. “We’re lucky.” (Watch them get engaged below.)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Brandon Barash (@brandonjbarash)

Positively Rejecting the Negative

The grownups’ current recipe for success is simple but profound. “The fact that we all put Harper and her needs first is what makes it work,” Storms said. “I respect Brandon because he loves our child so much, and I can let go of the negativity.

“If you think about life as a whole big thing that we go through,” she went on, “it’s such a small portion that we were negative towards each other.” So they have agreed that it’s for the best that they let go of that for the sake of their 8-year-old.

More: Maurice Benard drops the cutest video… ever?!?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Brandon Barash (@brandonjbarash)

Putting the Rumors to Rest

As the Q&A went on, Sonny’s portrayer addressed online gossip that infidelity played a part in the couple’s split. However, “that was never an issue in our relationship,” Storms made clear. “I would not be talking to [Brandon] now if he had cheated on me. We didn’t have a betrayal of any sort like that.”

Yes, they are very different people and, as such, they butt heads. “He’s type A,” she said, “and I’m a free spirit, more of a gypsy.” So “we’re not always the best coparents, but we do come back after arguments and try and make the situation better.”

A Different Kind of Happy Ending

Storms also made sure that viewers know that she didn’t care for Barash only because they shared a wonderful kiddo together. “Coparenting aside, Brandon has been there for me a lot in my life,” she said. “In times that I’ve needed support, guidance, help… ” and people to whom she’s been close have been… absent. Harper’s dad has been there. So “I feel loyal to him now.” He’s proven that he cares, not just about Harper’s mom but about Storms as an individual.

Check out photos of General Hospital stars and their real-life partners in the gallery below.

Video: YouTube/State of Mind