In 2025, after nearly 15 years playing Michael on General Hospital and practically growing up in the part, Chad Duell exited the soap. Rory Gibson stepped into the part shortly after his departure, and Duell has stated that his decision to leave was to continue working on his personal growth. Recently, Duell didn’t dwell on plot twists or legacy moments, but opened up about people, growth, and what it means to leave a place that raised you.
Key Takeaways
- Chad Duell says his strongest memories of GH are the relationships he built, crediting the cast and crew with helping him grow up on the job.
- Burnout and the loss of his father made stepping away feel necessary rather than optional.
- He recalled the pressure of taking over the role of Michael and the anxiety that came with being watched from day one.
- Michael’s prison rape storyline remains the most challenging and defining work of his GH tenure.
Growing Up on the Canvas
Duell appeared on YouTube’s The Able Show, a series produced by a team of individuals with disabilities, and the tone of the conversation was one of reflection. He spoke about starting on GH at 22 and watching time move faster than he expected. When asked about his favorite things from that time, he responded, “It’s just those relationships,” noting, “I just really grew up there, and that’s the most fond memories I have, is the growth I’ve had as a man there.”
He further explained that the cast and crew became the constant in a life that was otherwise still taking shape. Duell described GH less as a job and more as a place where he learned how to be an adult in real time. The hours were long. The pace was relentless. But the stability mattered.
His gratitude was genuine. It was an appreciation for a place, or in this case, a show, that allowed him to mature without rushing him out the door. “My favorite memories in general there are the people…the cast a lot of times, just hanging around with [them] all the time.”
Pressure, Loss, and Choosing to Leave
Duell also revisited why he chose to step away, and the answer hasn’t changed much since he first shared it. “I’m blessed to be part of that show for as long as I have,” he said, before acknowledging the burnout that can come from staying in one creative lane for too long.
Grief played a role, too. Losing his father changed everything, and the idea of pushing through as if nothing had happened stopped being an option. Duell was also open about how much pressure came with stepping into Michael’s role in the first place, especially knowing he was replacing someone and being watched from day one. “I sweated through two shirts,” he recalled, describing his first day after replacing Drew Garret. That anxiety never fully disappeared, but it shaped him.
The most challenging work came early, including Michael’s prison rape storyline, which Duell called emotionally demanding and historically significant for daytime television. He was happy to have had the foundation that GH provided for him, reaching a version of himself he couldn’t have reached any other way. Leaving didn’t erase that. It confirmed it.
