All My Carlys: Maurice Benard Reveals His Take On Past GH Co-Stars

Maurice Benard recently did a General Hospital Fantasy Events zoom gathering with a group of loyal supporters. The actor was asked a variety of thought-provoking questions, one of which involves four of his past co-stars – the women who’ve all played Carly.

Maurice Benard Speaks Out On All Four Carly’s

“I like that question,” Maurice Benard (Sonny) told GH Fantasy Events attendees when asked about the actresses who’ve all played Carly – Sarah Joy Brown, Tamara Braun, Jennifer Bransford, and, Laura Wright, who has played the role longer than the other three Carlys combined.

Veteran GH fans recall that Brown originated the part of Carly, playing her from 1996 to 2001. Braun succeeded her, bringing to life the part of Bobbie’s daughter from 2001 to 2005. Bransford’s tenure was the shortest – she played the role from April 2005 to October of that same year. Wright joined the GH cast as Carly in November 2005 and has played the part ever since.

Maurice Benard Recalls Brown, Braun, and Bransford

“Sarah was a phenomenon,” Benard recalls. “She won three Daytime Emmys by the time she was 25. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Then, we had Tamara. It took a long time to gain the audience [with her]. I kept telling people, ‘Just wait. She’s got a vulnerability,’ which got me. I could barely talk with Tamara [she was so vulnerable]. It took a while for the fans to jump on. Then, they did.”

Benard says he enjoyed working with Braun, helping the then-daytime newcomer (and now two-time Daytime Emmy-winner). “She got better and better but she always had that vulnerability,” Benard recalls. “She became hugely popular.” Bransford’s run was short but Benard says the performances were still spectacular. “I loved Jennifer,” he recalls. “You never know what’s going to happen from one second to the next.”

The Wright Stuff

After Bransford exited, Wright, fresh off a long stint as Guiding Light’s Cassie, took on the role. “I had nothing to do with Laura’s success,” Benard says of his Daytime Emmy-winning leading lady. “I would love to say that I did but I didn’t. She did it herself. She came in and knew exactly what she wanted. With her power as an actress and her emotion, she made this character her own without any help of mine, which was amazing, I thought.”

General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Port Charles, check out all the latest that’s been posted on GH spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.