Ryan Paevey

Ryan Paevey, born Ryan Jacob Paevey-Vlieger on September 24, 1984, is an American actor and model. He is best known for portraying Nathan West on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, as well as starring in numerous television films for the Hallmark Channel.

Raised in Los Angeles after being born in Torrance, California, Paevey is the son of Les Vlieger and Linda Paevey. He ran track and cross country during high school, and he worked in construction with his father as well as bartending. Though he did not originally plan to join the entertainment industry, he was scouted for modeling during high school, which eventually led to commercial acting work.

As a model, Paevey appeared alongside Katy Perry and Cher, starred in a Corona commercial, and worked for the brand Izod. His modeling work also included music video appearances, serving as a body double for Robin Thicke in "Sex Therapy" and performing in Christina Aguilera's 2012 video for "Your Body." Encouraged by his modeling experience to pursue acting, he secured his first series regular role in December 2013 as Nathan West on General Hospital. Additionally, he joined Extra as a guest co-host in October 2014.

While continuing his soap opera work, Paevey began starring in television films, leading Hallmark Channel's Unleashing Mr. Darcy in 2016. He went on to appear in the Lifetime movie Locked In and Hallmark's Harvest Love in 2017, followed by Hope at Christmas in 2018. Paevey announced his departure from General Hospital in January 2018, though he stayed active with Hallmark, starring in the sequel Marrying Mr. Darcy and continuing through 2023's Under the Christmas Sky.

In 2024, Paevey announced he was stepping away from acting to move closer to his family and pursue other interests. However, in August 2025, it was announced that he would return to General Hospital as Nathan, with his filming commencing in August and his scenes airing in September. It was also announced that he would star in a Great American Family television film alongside Britt Robertson, Kevin Dillon, and Natasha Henstridge.

Outside of performing, Paevey launched a brand named Fortunate Wanderer in 2016 to sell custom photography prints, handmade jewelry, and outdoor gear. His personal interests include cooking, playing video games, and surfing. He is of Dutch and Indonesian descent on his father's side, speaks some French, and can read and speak some Japanese.