Kelly Thiebaud is an award-winning American actress and model whose portrayal of the complex and fan-adored Dr. Britt Westbourne on ABC’s General Hospital has made her one of the most celebrated figures in daytime television.
A multi-sport athlete from a small Texas town who arrived in Los Angeles on a modelling contract, Thiebaud’s journey into acting was forged through music videos, television guest roles, and a now-legendary casting that transformed a throwaway recurring character into one of soap opera’s great modern heroines.
In 2022, she won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, a recognition that confirmed what fans had known for years.
| Kelly Hager Thiebaud | |
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Kelly Hager Thiebaud: History · Bio · Photo
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Full Name: | Kelly Hager Thiebaud |
| Born: | August 28, 1982 |
| Age: | 43 years old |
| Birthplace: | El Campo, Texas, USA |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Actress, Model |
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Relationship: | Single |
| Net Worth: | $1 million – $2 million |
Early Life
Kelly Hager Thiebaud was born on August 28, 1982, in El Campo, Texas, a small rural city in Wharton County.
Growing up in this tight-knit community, she distinguished herself as a formidable all-round athlete, excelling in softball, basketball, soccer, track, and volleyball at the high school level.
She was also a member of the cheerleading squad, an experience that gave her early confidence in public performance. Graduating ahead of schedule after three years of high school, she moved to Los Angeles with a modelling contract, marking the beginning of her professional life in the entertainment industry.
Education
Beyond her high school education in El Campo, Texas, Kelly Thiebaud pursued acting classes in Los Angeles after beginning her modelling career.
Career
Modelling and Early Screen Work (2002–2011)
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Thiebaud worked as a model and began appearing in commercial campaigns for brands including Apple, Audi, Union Bay, McGregor, and Levi’s.
Her transition to on-screen work was catalysed by her appearance in four music videos for French DJ and record producer David Guetta, including “Love Is Gone” and “Baby When the Light“, experiences she has credited with revealing her true passion for acting.
She made her screen debut in the independent drama Journey of Redemption in 2002. Subsequent television guest credits include Karlee Carmichael on The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2010–2011), a guest role on Chuck as Evelyn Shaw (2009), Chloe Graves on Castle (2011), and Rebecca Moore on Criminal Minds (2012).
She made her daytime debut in 2011 with a brief appearance on Days of Our Lives as a character named Alicia. She also appeared in the horror film Hostel: Part III (2011) and the reality series I Wanna Be a Soap Star on SOAPnet in 2004.
General Hospital and Breakthrough (2012–present)
The pivotal moment in Kelly Thiebaud’s career came in September 2012 when she was cast as Dr. Britt Westbourne on ABC’s General Hospital. The character, described by producers as a “bitchy” doctor, was originally conceived as a limited recurring role, but the producers were so impressed by Thiebaud’s audition that they created the role specifically for her after she failed to land a different contract role she had originally read for. She debuted on September 19, 2012.
In February 2013, Soap Opera Digest confirmed her upgrade to contract status. What followed was one of the most celebrated character arcs in modern daytime drama: Britt Westbourne evolved from a scheming antagonist, quickly nicknamed “The Britch” by fans, into a layered, emotionally resonant heroine whose complicated relationships, family secrets, and moments of redemption made her one of the show’s most loved characters.
In November 2014, she moved to recurring status to pursue other opportunities, making intermittent guest returns between 2015 and 2018 before returning full-time in 2020.
In 2020, Thiebaud took on a second daytime role, returning to Days of Our Lives as Zoey Burge, eventually revealed to be the grown daughter of recurring villain Orpheus, a recurring role across four episodes in 2020. Simultaneously, she was cast as Eva Vasquez in Season 3 of the ABC primetime drama Station 19 in 2020, a role she reprised in Season 6. Her character Britt Westbourne was written out of General Hospital in early 2023 in a dramatic death sequence.
However, in July 2025, it was confirmed that Thiebaud was returning to General Hospital, and on July 23, 2025, she confirmed she is once again playing Britt Westbourne, a character whose survival had been deliberately obscured by the show’s writers. Other recent credits include an episode of Magnum P.I. (2023) and lead roles in the Lifetime television movies The Surrogate and A Mother on the Edge.
Awards and Nominations
- 2022 — Daytime Emmy Award — Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Win (General Hospital)
- 2023 — Daytime Emmy Award — Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Nomination (General Hospital)
Social Media
Kelly Thiebaud maintains verified social media accounts but specific handle names and current follower counts from authoritative sources are not confirmed in the public domain at this time.
Personal Life
Kelly Thiebaud was linked romantically to actor Kellan Lutz in 2011. She subsequently began a relationship with her General Hospital co-star Bryan Craig; the couple announced their engagement in June 2015 but later ended their relationship in 2016. Thiebaud has no children. She relocated briefly to London around 2023 for personal reasons before returning to the United States.
She is currently single and is a devoted pet owner, with her dog named Whiskey. She has described interests in karaoke, Italian cooking, and personal wellness.
Net Worth
Kelly Thiebaud’s estimated net worth is between $1 million and $2 million.
Her primary income streams include her long-running contract role on General Hospital, recurring television roles on Station 19 and Days of Our Lives, television movie appearances, her modelling career, and commercial work.
Filmography
- Journey of Redemption (2002)
- Hostel: Part III (2011)
- Healing the Stupid (year not confirmed)
- Grace Unplugged (year not confirmed)
- God’s Ears (2008)
- The Surrogate (Lifetime)
- A Mother on the Edge (Lifetime)
Selected Television
- The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2010–2011) — Karlee Carmichael
- Days of Our Lives (2011, 2020) — Alicia / Zoey Burge
- Castle (2011) — Chloe Graves
- Criminal Minds (2012) — Rebecca Moore
- General Hospital (ABC, 2012–2023, 2025–present) — Dr. Britt Westbourne
- Station 19 (ABC, 2020, 2022) — Eva Vasquez
- Magnum P.I. (NBC, 2023) — Sara Macy
Conclusion
Kelly Thiebaud’s career is a testament to the power of seizing unexpected opportunities and growing within them.
Cast in what was meant to be a supporting role, she built Dr. Britt Westbourne into one of daytime television’s most beloved characters, earning a Daytime Emmy Award and a passionate fanbase in the process.
Her return to General Hospital in 2025, years after her character’s apparent death, is perhaps the clearest possible statement of the enduring hold she has on both the show and its audience. A true original in American soap opera, Kelly Thiebaud’s story is still being written.
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