#WCW: Maura West (Ava)

This weeks Woman Crush Wednesday is Maura Jo West DeFreitas (born Maura Snyder on April 27, 1972). Maura is an American actress, best known for her 15-year portrayal asCarly Snyder on the CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns, a role she held from 1995 until the series finale in 2010. West later portrayed the role Diane Jenkins on The Young and the Restless from September 2010 to August 2011, and as of 2013, currently portrays mob heiress Ava Jerome on General Hospital.

West was born on April 27, 1972 in Springfield, Massachusetts as the youngest of four children. Growing up in Ludlow, Massachusetts, West attended Boston University, graduating with a bachelors degree in fine arts.

In 1995, West joined the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in the role of Carly Tenney. She held the role from April 11, 1995 to May 8, 1996. West later returned to the role on September 10, 1997, remaining on the series, until its television finale on September 17, 2010. West has received a number of honors for her portrayal of Carly, including nominations for the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess in 1996, for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress 1999 and 2000,for Favorite Couple in 2001, an award which she shared with co-star Michael Park. She received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2001 and 2002. West also received three nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2004, 2008 and 2009 only winning twice, once in 2007 and in 2010. At the32nd Daytime Emmy Awards, West and Park received a nomination for the Special Fan Award for Most Irresistible Combination.

It was announced in August 2010 that West would join the CBS soap opera, The Young and the Restless, as the third actress to portray Diane Jenkins. West began work in the role on September 1, 2010, and made her first appearance on the show on October 8, 2010. In May 2011, CBS Soaps Indepth confirmed West had been let go from the soap after only several months on-air.

In April 2013, it was announced that West would join the ABC soap opera General Hospital, in a top-secret role. On April 24, 2013, West was confirmed to have joined the cast in the newly created role of Ava Jerome, and first appeared on May 8. West's portrayal of Ava has been met with critical acclaim, having earned her a nomination for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, her first for her portrayal of Ava and sixth over-all in the category.

In 2014, West made her first appearance in the feature film, Come Back to Me, which served as an adaption of the novel, The Resurrectionist.

West has been married twice; first to Jonathan Knight from 1995 to 1999, and currently to former World Turns co-star Scott DeFreitas since January 22, 2000. West has five children, one from her marriage with Knight, and four from her marriage to DeFreitas.

(from Wikipedia)