GH Star Maurice Benard Speaks Out On Mike, Sonny, and More

Nina was just about to tell “Mike” that he was really Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital when her life was put in deadly jeopardy by sadistic arsonist Peter August. Alas, the Tan-O is no more but the good news is that nothing will ever be the same as the truth is out there — and actor Maurice Benard tells Soap Hub that the fallout creates drama that you just can’t miss.

Maurice Benard Talks Sonny, Mike, Nina, Phyllis, And More!

Soap Hub recently chatted with Benard about his journey as “Mike,” spending so much time in Nixon Falls, and what the future may hold. Read on for some intriguing insights from the actor who portrays the Port Charles mobster.

Soap Hub: We’ve seen a totally different side of Sonny – he’s Mike. Have you enjoyed this story?
Maurice Benard: I’ve enjoyed it immensely….I’m real connected to my audience. They don’t want Mike. They want Sonny and that hasn’t stopped. I love playing this story. Then again, it was tough to be reading stuff on Twitter [where people didn’t like it].

There are a lot of varying opinions on social media.
Maurice Benard: There are but I take it [seriously]. My audience has followed me in everything I do – my book, Nothing General About It, State of Mind. I haven’t been steered wrong by them. I’m a big proponent of social media. I know a lot of people aren’t. I get a lot of good things from social media. I get to see what people like and what they don’t. If they don’t like something, it’s not that they’re mean – they’re passionate. [But] I’ve been telling people don’t stop watching the last 15 minutes of the movie because it’s going to take you to some incredible places.

What do you think of Joyce Guy (Phyllis)? She was amazing when Lenny (Rif Hutton) died. She blew everyone away.
Maurice Benard: I agree. She and I clicked from the beginning. Rif and I did, too. We were off in our own world. It was almost separate from what everyone else was doing. I’m not used to that. It was fun to be in that world. [Joyce] was phenomenal in that episode. She should win an Emmy.

And you’ve worked closely with Cynthia [Watros; Nina] most of this year. Another stellar talent.
Maurice Benard: Yes. Cynthia’s been kicking butt. She’s been given a difficult role. She’s amazing and she’s a trooper.

Yes, Nina did keep Sonny from his family by not telling anyone but as she said in scenes with Ingo [Rademacher; Jax] that Mike’s happier. He’s not grieving a dead son [Morgan]. He wasn’t tied to the mob, etc.
Maurice Benard: They were fantastic! Fantastic! [Laughs] I’ve already kissed Ingo’s butt enough. And I’ll always kiss hers. In this story, they’re both [fantastic]. This story is real. Acting-wise, they were both great in those scenes. I would watch those or some similar ones on TV and I’d call Ingo and say, ‘I’m tired of kissing your [butt], but you were wonderful. So was Cynthia.’

Maybe it was the set but whenever the action shifted to the Tan-O, it felt like I was watching a play.
Maurice Benard: Yeah, I felt that, too. I felt the same thing. It was really, really cool.

If Nina had told Mike who he was, it could have been damaging to him, maybe.
Maurice Benard: That’s interesting. I told Cynthia on this subject to just concentrate on the fact that you’re keeping this man from his bad life. You also see how peaceful he is. You see how happy he is and then, you fall in love with him. We’ve all done things in the name of love. Wait till you see the next month.

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.