# Carolyn Hennesy
**Carolyn Hennesy** (born 1962) is an American actress and writer best known for playing attorney Diane Miller on the ABC daytime drama *General Hospital*, a role she has held since 2006, and for winning a Daytime Emmy Award for the digital drama *The Bay*.[1](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-cast-list/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/awards/) She is also the author of the Pandora's Mythic Misadventures children's series and the *New York Times* bestseller *The Secret Life of Damian Spinelli*.[3](https://www.bloomsbury.com/US/author/carolyn-hennesy/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / birth | Carolyn Lee Hennesy, born 1962 in Los Angeles, California[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/bio/) |
| Signature role | Diane Miller on *General Hospital* since 2006; twice nominated for the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress[1](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-cast-list/) • [5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/carolyn-hennesy/) |
| Emmy win | 2017 Daytime Emmy, Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series, for Karen Blackwell on *The Bay*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/awards/) |
| Other TV roles | Penelope Ellis on *Revenge*, Rosalyn on *True Blood* (season 5), Barb on *Cougar Town*, Mrs. Chesterfield on Disney Channel's *Jessie*[6](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble/carolyn-hennesy) |
| Writing | Pandora's Mythic Misadventures series (Bloomsbury) and *The Secret Life of Damian Spinelli* (Hyperion), a *New York Times* bestseller[3](https://www.bloomsbury.com/US/author/carolyn-hennesy/) • [6](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble/carolyn-hennesy) |
| Training | American Conservatory Theater (San Francisco), the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London), and the Groundlings[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hennesy-carolyn) • [6](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble/carolyn-hennesy) |
## Background and training
Hennesy was born in Los Angeles into a family working in the entertainment industry. Her father, Dale Hennesy, was an Academy Award-winning production designer known for *Fantastic Voyage*, and her aunt is the actress [Barbara Rush](https://www.edgepedia.org/barbara-rush).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/bio/) • [5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/carolyn-hennesy/) She studied at [California State University, Northridge](https://www.edgepedia.org/california-state-university-northridge), the American Conservatory Theatre, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and trained with the Los Angeles improv company the Groundlings, of whose Sunday Company she is a former member.[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hennesy-carolyn) In 2000 the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle gave her the Natalie Schafer Award for outstanding comedic actress.[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hennesy-carolyn)
Her stage work has run alongside her television career. She appeared in productions including *[The Heidi Chronicles](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-heidi-chronicles)* with the Arizona Theatre Company and *King Lear* with the New Women's Repertory Theatre, and wrote and performed a solo show, *Carolyn Hennesy's Big Leap*, at the HBO Workspace in Los Angeles.[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hennesy-carolyn) In 2017 she won an Ovation Award as Best Lead Actress in a Play for Terrence McNally's *Master Class* at the Garry Marshall Theatre, an experience she has described as life-changing.[8](https://www.theatermania.com/news/interview-carolyn-hennesy-and-the-secret-world-of-soap-stars-onstage_94286/)
## Diane Miller on General Hospital
Hennesy played bit parts on *General Hospital* before creating the role of Diane Miller, Sonny Corinthos's take-no-prisoners mob attorney, in 2006.[5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/carolyn-hennesy/) The character has remained her signature work: she has twice been nominated for the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress for the part, including a 2021 nomination built on the intervention scenes in which Diane confronts her best friend Alexis Davis about alcoholism.[5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/carolyn-hennesy/) • [9](https://soaphub.com/general-hospital/gh-star-carolyn-hennesy-talks-daytime-emmy-nomination/)
**Injury and return.** In late 2025 Hennesy broke her leg in an accident she described on Facebook: her dog, [Bela Lugosi](https://www.edgepedia.org/bela-lugosi), got the "Zoomies," and she leapt out of his path and landed wrong. The injury required multiple surgeries, and Diane was written off the canvas from October while Hennesy recovered.[10](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-comings-goings-carolyn-hennesy-returns-as-diane-says-fans-got-me-through-injury-excl/) She returned to the screen in the January 13, 2026 episode after a three-month hiatus, telling *Soap Opera Digest*, "The love from the fans truly got me through this and kept my mind right."[10](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-comings-goings-carolyn-hennesy-returns-as-diane-says-fans-got-me-through-injury-excl/) • [11](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-comings-goings-for-2026-all-the-cast-changes-this-year/)
## Television and film work beyond daytime
Hennesy's prime-time roles include the scheming Penelope Ellis on ABC's *Revenge*, the Texas-accented vampire Rosalyn in the fifth season of HBO's *True Blood*, and Barb on *Cougar Town*; younger audiences know her as Mrs. Chesterfield on the [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel) series *[Jessie](https://www.edgepedia.org/jessie-2011-tv-series)*.[6](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble/carolyn-hennesy) Her guest credits include *NCIS*, *The Mindy Project*, *Mom*, *The Cool Kids*, and *[Liza on Demand](https://www.edgepedia.org/liza-on-demand)*.[6](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble/carolyn-hennesy) Film appearances include *Click*, *Legally Blonde 2*, and *Terminator 3*, and she starred as Mother Superior in the horror film *St. Agatha*, directed by Darren Bousman.[6](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble/carolyn-hennesy) She has also done voice work, dubbing the English version of the animated series *The Big O* as Vera Ronstadt beginning in 2002.[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hennesy-carolyn)
## Writing
Hennesy writes under the byline of her character Pandora, a tween heroine whose mythic misadventures span seven [Bloomsbury](https://www.edgepedia.org/bloomsbury) titles including *Pandora Gets Angry*, *Pandora Gets Jealous*, and *Pandora Gets Heart*.[3](https://www.bloomsbury.com/US/author/carolyn-hennesy/) • [12](https://smashinginterviews.com/interviews/authors/carolyn-hennesy-interview-general-hospital-star-on-her-latest-book-pandora-gets-heart) She also wrote *The Secret Life of Damian Spinelli* (Hyperion), a *General Hospital*-connected novel told through Diane Miller's voice that reached the *New York Times* Best Seller list.[3](https://www.bloomsbury.com/US/author/carolyn-hennesy/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/bio/)
## Awards
Her Daytime Emmy record includes the 2017 win for Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for Karen Blackwell on *[The Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-bay-web-series)*, nominations in 2010 and 2021 for *General Hospital*, and nominations in 2020 and 2021 for the digital series *Studio City*, on which she played Gloria Winton.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/awards/) She has also won Indie Series Awards for *Studio City* and *The Bay*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/awards/)
## References
1. [General Hospital Cast List, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-cast-list/)
2. [Carolyn Hennesy – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/awards/)
3. [Carolyn Hennesy, Bloomsbury Publishing](https://www.bloomsbury.com/US/author/carolyn-hennesy/)
4. [Carolyn Hennesy – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377321/bio/)
5. [Carolyn Hennesy News, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/carolyn-hennesy/)
6. [Carolyn Hennesy, Interact Theatre Company](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble/carolyn-hennesy)
7. [Hennesy, Carolyn, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hennesy-carolyn)
8. [Interview: Carolyn Hennesy and The Secret World of Soap Stars Onstage, TheaterMania](https://www.theatermania.com/news/interview-carolyn-hennesy-and-the-secret-world-of-soap-stars-onstage_94286/)
9. [GH Star Carolyn Hennesy Talks Daytime Emmy Nomination, Soap Hub](https://soaphub.com/general-hospital/gh-star-carolyn-hennesy-talks-daytime-emmy-nomination/)
10. [GH's Diane Is Back! Carolyn Hennesy Dishes Her Return After Injury (Excl), Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-comings-goings-carolyn-hennesy-returns-as-diane-says-fans-got-me-through-injury-excl/)
11. [General Hospital Comings & Goings for 2026, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-comings-goings-for-2026-all-the-cast-changes-this-year/)
12. [Carolyn Hennesy Interview: 'General Hospital' Star on Her Latest Book 'Pandora Gets Heart', Smashing Interviews Magazine](https://smashinginterviews.com/interviews/authors/carolyn-hennesy-interview-general-hospital-star-on-her-latest-book-pandora-gets-heart)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › US and Americas daytime serials and characters › Daytime serial production and people*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license