For more than 30 years, fans of “General Hospital” have watched Maurice Benard bring the iconic character of Sonny Corinthos to life in Port Charles. Since making his debut in 1993, Benard has become one of the most recognizable and celebrated stars in daytime television history, earning multiple awards and building a loyal fanbase along the way.
However, despite becoming synonymous with “General Hospital,” Benard recently admitted that he never actually wanted the role in the first place. In fact, the actor originally hoped to leave soap operas behind entirely in favor of pursuing a Hollywood movie career before financial struggles unexpectedly changed the course of his life forever.
Read on to discover why Maurice Benard almost turned down the role of Sonny Corinthos and the surprising reason he ultimately changed his mind.
Maurice Benard Never Planned To Return to Soap Operas
Legendary soap star Maurice Benard joined the cast of “General Hospital” in 1993. He landed the role of nightclub owner, Sonny Corinthos. Initially signing only a one-year contract, Benard had no idea that he would become a staple in Port Charles for over three decades, and truth be told, he never wanted to be.
In a recent episode of his podcast, “State of Mind,” Maurice Benard revealed to fans that he never wanted to join “General Hospital.” Benard had previously had a soap gig in Pine Valley on “All My Children” in the late ’80s. He portrayed the character Nico Kelly from 1987 to 1989.
After this initial taste of the soap world, Benard had wanted to pivot into the movie industry.
Maurice Benard Almost Landed a Major Hollywood Movie Role
On the podcast, Benard talked about a missed opportunity that still haunts him today. He shared that before landing in Port Charles, he almost landed a role in the 1993 film “Philadelphia” with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, even completing a table reading with the actors.
Benard admitted that, “Everybody said that they thought I was going to [get the part]. My agent and everybody said, ‘He’s going to get it.’ And Antonio Banderas ended up getting the role.”
After the tough loss, Benard revealed, “One night, my wife says, ‘Honey, they want to talk to you about General Hospital.’ I said, ‘Baby, I told you I’m not doing another soap opera. I want to do movies.’ She said, ‘Honey, we’re broke.’”
Benard then admits that his wife’s admission was the catalyst that led to him going into speak with “General Hospital” producers Wendy Riche and Shelley Curtis about the opportunity.
Why Maurice Benard Chose Sonny Corinthos Over Another ‘General Hospital’ Role
The producers offered him two options. One was for the role of Damian for a two-year contract, while the other was for the role of Sonny for a six-month contract. Benard revealed that he immediately leaned toward Sonny, joking, “It’s a cool name, and it’s only for six months.”
At the time, Benard still believed his future was in Hollywood films rather than daytime television. Because of that, the shorter contract sounded far more appealing to him than committing to another long-term soap opera role. Ironically, the decision he believed would keep him in Port Charles for only a few months ended up shaping the rest of his career.
While Benard had no intention of becoming the legendary mob boss of Port Charles, fate clearly had other plans. Not long after he joined the series, Sonny Corinthos quickly became one of the breakout characters on “General Hospital.” Fans connected with Sonny’s charisma, complicated relationships, and emotional storylines, helping transform the character into one of the defining figures of daytime television.
Benard’s original six-month plan also changed quickly behind the scenes. According to the actor, showrunners ultimately extended a one-year contract out of the gate instead. More than three decades later, that contract has been renewed more than 30 times now, cementing Maurice Benard as one of the most recognizable stars in soap opera history.
Today, it’s nearly impossible for fans to imagine Port Charles without Sonny Corinthos at the center of the drama, proving that the opportunity Benard almost turned down ended up becoming the role of a lifetime.
