Longtime “General Hospital” fans are well-versed in the big names running around Port Charles. From Genie Francis to Laura Wright to Jane Elliot, true “GH” fans know the actors behind their favorite characters.
However, what some fans might not know is that some of their favorite “GH” stars have changed their names in one way or another along the way. While some have changed their names completely, others have simply changed the pronunciation.
On Maurice Benard’s podcast, “State Of Mind with Maurice Benard,” this very topic came up as Benard interviewed his co-star, Kelly Thiebaud.
Why Kelly Thiebaud Doesn’t Pronounce Her Name Like the Rest of Her Family
When he’s not playing the fan-favorite mobster, Sonny Corinthos, in Port Charles, Benard can most likely be found interviewing his co-stars on his podcast. One of his most recent guests was Kelly Thiebaud, who plays Dr. Britt Westbourne on “GH.” After bantering during the intro of the podcast episode, the question about how to pronounce Thiebaud’s name came up after Benard jokingly asked her, “So, you’re Tim Tebow’s wife?”
Thiebaud laughed, jokingly replying, “Yeah. Tim Tebow. He’s my husband.” She went on to admit that she does reference Tim Tebow when explaining to people how to pronounce her last name. The soap star revealed that she pronounces Thiebaud as “tee-boh.” Interestingly, she also shared that everyone else in her family pronounces their shared last name as “THEE-bod.” Thiebaud admitted to changing the pronunciation of her last name because “it doesn’t really roll off the tongue.” The “GH” star also shared that her brother will still jokingly ask her, “Who’s Kelly ‘tee-boh’?”
The Story Behind Maurice Benard’s Name Change
While Benard was a little taken aback that Thiebaud’s whole family still pronounces their last name as “THEE-bod,” he acknowledged that in the industry, you really have to “choose a name that fits better to your profession.” Benard went on to share his own decision to change his name once he got to Hollywood.
Probably like many “General Hospital” fans, Thiebaud was actually unaware that Maurice Benard’s name was originally Mauricio José Morales. Benard continued his story by sharing that when he first started acting under the name Mauricio Morales, one of his first gigs was auditioning for a video on MTV. Benard revealed that the director told an acquaintance of Benard’s that they didn’t want him because he was Spanish, and the role was for an Italian character.
Essentially, through this experience, Benard decided to drop his last name, Morales, and anglicize his first name to remove any potential prejudices that might keep him from getting acting gigs. His selection of Benard as a last name stems from it being his grandmother’s maiden name.
While Thiebaud changed the pronunciation of her name for simplicity, Benard changed his altogether for opportunity, reflecting the pressures of working in Hollywood.
