Kate Mansi’s final week as Kristina Corinthos came with plenty of goodbyes as the character went off to medical school, but one of them hit harder than the rest. Leaving General Hospital was hard enough. Telling Maurice Benard made it even harder. Kate Mansi recently opened up about saying goodbye to her television father, and it sounds like neither actor made it through the conversation with dry eyes.
Key Takeaways
- Kate Mansi struggled with the decision to leave GH.
- Mansi kept her departure secret from much of the cast.
- Maurice Benard cried when he learned Mansi was exiting.
- Castmates surprised her throughout her final day.
- She isn’t ruling out a future return to Port Charles.
Maurice Didn’t See It Coming
Mansi spoke with TV Insider about her choice to leave the soap after three years. “It was such a difficult decision for me to make,” she said. “I love Kristina and the family she’s a part of. I love the family that I’ve created at General Hospital.”
The job wasn’t the issue. Timing was. With her husband working overseas, Mansi found herself needing flexibility that became harder to find while under contract.
Even after making the decision, Mansi kept the news to herself for a while. “The truth is, I was afraid to tell people and feel sad talking about it,” she admitted.
Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Kristen Vaganos (Molly), and Rory Gibson (Michael) were among the first people she told, since the decision directly affected the family she worked with on-screen. One person she deliberately avoided telling was Benard (Sonny).
“I couldn’t bear telling Maurice in advance because we have such a close relationship,” Mansi said. Instead, she waited until they filmed their final episode together. When Benard realized she was leaving, he asked, “Is this it, kid? Are you really leaving?” Mansi said yes. He hugged her. Then both actors cried. She called their final scenes together meaningful and authentic, explaining that the bond between Sonny and Kristina mirrored the friendship they built behind the scenes.
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One Last Day in Port Charles
By the time Mansi arrived for her final day at the studio, even the ordinary parts felt different. “I brought doughnuts that morning for the crew,” she said.
Most days, those little stops around the studio are just part of getting ready for work. On this day, Mansi slowed down long enough to notice them. Wardrobe, hair and makeup, blocking. The same routine as always, just with a little more meaning attached to it.
The cast gave her a few surprises along the way. Vaganos made sure Mansi’s final day included her favorite drink and a bouquet she could take on her trip overseas. Later, standing before the cast and crew, Mansi spoke about the friendships she had built during her time at GH. She also revealed that losing a close friend recently had brought those relationships into sharper focus.
Then came one final surprise. One final surprise was waiting in Mansi’s dressing room. Gibson had stopped by with flowers, a card, and a camera despite not being scheduled to work that day. Later, the pair snapped a few photos beneath the GH sign and stood outside talking as the reality of the moment finally started to sink in. Mansi may be moving on to new projects and plenty of travel, but she isn’t closing the door completely. After all, as she pointed out herself, it’s Port Charles. Anything is possible.
