Soap Star Cameron Mathison Says 2024 Separation From Wife Was ‘A Surprise’

Soap star Cameron Mathison was not expecting to divorce estranged wife Vanessa Mathison.

“It was a tricky time when we separated and there [were] a lot of specific conditions that made it really tough,” Cameron, 56, said during a Monday, September 9, appearance on Jennie Garth’s “I Choose” podcast, noting that the split “was a surprise” for him.

Months after their separation, the devastating L.A. wildfires helped the former couple get to a better place.

“We had been separated for about a year and a half officially at that point — maybe a little bit longer — but [it] still felt very fresh,” he explained.

The General Hospital actor noted that he and Vanessa are “still working through stuff” following their split, but living together after the January fires destroyed his home helped bridge the gap.

“We have a lot of love for each other, but there was also a lot of pain at that time. I really feel — I think I can speak for Vanessa as well, because we’ve talked about this — in that moment after the fire, I stayed in the kids’ room in her place,” Cameron continued. “It was as if going through that together just erased a lot of the negativity and just kind of shortened that [post-breakup] timeline.”

The two found a “real place of love and care and support” in the aftermath.

“We were there for each other and cried and talked and hugged,” he recalled. “Not in a, ‘Oh, we’re going to get back together kind of way.’ Just really close, nobody else knew what we were going through.”

Cameron and Vanessa married in 2002 and welcomed kids Lucas, now 22, and daughter Leila, 19, during their marriage. The couple announced in July 2024 that they had split.

“After 22 years of marriage, we have made the difficult decision to part ways. We enter this new chapter with deep love, kindness, and respect for each other. We hold gratitude in our hearts for the wonderful years we shared together,” they shared in a joint statement at the time. “Our children have been and will continue to be our highest priority, and we will forever share in our devotion and love for them.”

Cameron told Us Weekly exclusively in March that he and Vanessa are “still super close” despite their split.

“Vanessa and I, we love each other,” he added. “My wife and I had a beautiful 22-year relationship, and then things fell apart.”