Maurice Benard has starred on GH for over 30 years, but the show recently gave him a shocking ultimatum about his status. Keep reading for all the details.
Bryan Craig Opens Up About Working With On-Screen Dad
Maurice Benard could nab his fourth Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for his current storyline. Sonny Corinthos has been slowing heading toward a breakdown after months of being off Lithium. The character takes the meds to keep his bipolar disorder in check. But unbeknownst to him, someone is messing with his medication and giving him placebos instead of the much-needed Lithium.
The storyline culminated with Sonny literally on the edge, about to jump off. He was talked down by his deceased son, Morgan Corinthos, appearing as a figment of his imagination. Bryan Craig reprised the role for one episode.
The actor was a guest on this week’s episode of Maurice Benard’s mental health vlog, State of Mind. The two General Hospital stars talked about filming the emotionally heavy roof scenes.
Maurice Benard admitted that he “wasn’t all there” mentally during filming. He had just returned from a two-week hiatus. He asked his scene partner what it was like filming the scenes. Bryan Craig had nothing but praise for his on-screen dad.
“I had seen you similarly like that before, so I kind of felt like I knew how to be with you. Even when you’ve been in those states and we’ve been at work, you still crush it.”
Maurice Benard Reveals Shocking Ultimatum GH Gave Him
This isn’t the first time the soap explored Sonny’s bipolar disorder. As many fans know, the actor is also bipolar and some of the storyline comes from instances in his real life. But he admitted to fans on social media that the current bipolar storyline has been “difficult” on him.
He revealed just how difficult during a solo episode of State Of Mind in July. He shared that the toll the storyline was taking on his mental health led to him taking an unexpected two-week absence from the show.
However, when he inquired about taking another week, he was hit with an ultimatum. According to Maurice Benard, he was told to return to the set the next week or they would recast the role. He brought it up again during his recent State of Mind episode with Bryan Craig.
GH fans were horrified and took to Twitter to discuss the threat of a recast.
But one fan of the show defended it as a case of tough love. “It sounds more like it was a tough love kinda thing to push him to go bc they care about him.”
