How Katelyn MacMullen's 'Edgy' New Look Was Inspired by Her General Hospital Storyline

A New Look for Willow on General Hospital

When the Nurses’ Ball was taking place on General Hospital in May, Katelyn MacMullen, who plays Willow, made a bold move by debuting a dramatic new haircut. The actress shared with Soap Opera Digest that this change wasn’t just about personal style but was driven by the storyline circumstances Willow was facing at the time.

A Bold Transformation

MacMullen explained that the idea of a bolder look for Willow came from the need to reflect her emotional journey. “We were thinking that going into the Nurses’ Ball, it would be great for Willow to have a bolder look, something different than what we’ve seen in the past with her,” she said. “Because she was going into the Nurses’ Ball sort of on a high—just for everything to then fall apart.”

At the beginning of the event, Willow was confident and happy, making her red carpet debut with her lover, Congressman Drew Cain. However, things quickly turned sour when her estranged husband, Michael Corinthos, appeared and took their son, Wiley, away. This led to a custody battle, which Willow lost, and she began to unravel mentally. Her emotional turmoil deepened when she discovered on her wedding day that Drew had been sleeping with her mother, Nina, leading her to dump him at the altar.

Creative Choices and Support

The decision to change Willow’s hairstyle was a creative choice made during discussions with the show's executive producer, Frank Valentini. “It was a fun creative choice,” MacMullen continued. “The idea stemmed from Frank going, ‘It would be great [for Willow to have a new look] as she comes into the Nurses’ Ball feeling so confident.’ And he was helpful in determining what haircut I got.”

For inspiration, MacMullen showed her hairstylist a reference photo of Lena Headey from Game of Thrones. “We just found a photo of her online and she had this sort of edgy haircut and it was a shade darker than what I normally have. We just kind of went with that.”

Positive Reactions and Personal Impact

The new look received positive feedback from family, friends, and colleagues. “My parents were very supportive,” she shared. “They were like, ‘Oh, it’s so cool! It’s so edgy, it’s so fun!’ Everyone was super-supportive.” At General Hospital, the response was equally enthusiastic. “When I came into work, everyone there was like, ‘Wow, this really suits you!’ They said, ‘It has kind of a Snow White vibe,’ and so people started calling me Snow. That was kind of fun!”

Valentini also gave his approval. “When he saw it, he was so supportive and so sweet and was like, ‘I love it, it looks great!’ That was really nice.”

Embracing the Change

Although the transformation took some getting used to, MacMullen ultimately embraced the new look. “It was a big enough change that it took me a second to adjust,” she admitted. “But then I really appreciated it for what it was, and I ended up really, really liking and enjoying it.”

She even felt more connected to herself. “In a weird way, I feel like more myself. And that was kind of a surprise!” she said. “At first, I was like, ‘Whoa!’ when I looked at myself in the mirror, because obviously, I was comparing my hair to what it used to look like. So, that was an adjustment, but just walking around with it, I was like, ‘I feel weirdly more like myself!’”

Confidence and Freedom

The new haircut also boosted her confidence. “I think it’s because I don’t have anything to hide behind, really— at least that’s how it felt for me,” she mused. “When my hair was longer, I kind of felt like I could hide behind the hair a little bit, but this is like, ‘No, you have to really show yourself.’”

Overall, MacMullen is thrilled with her decision to go shorter. “It’s been a blast just to do something completely different,” she noted. “And because I cut off so much, I love getting to do yoga and not have to throw my hair up in a ponytail!”