GH’s Maurice Benard Reflects On Carly Actresses, Reveals His Nickname For Laura Wright

Carly has been played by four different actresses in the character’s three decades on General Hospital. One actor who worked with all four is Maurice Benard, who recently reflected on his time working with each one.

Please Don’t Go, Girls

On the latest episode of his State of Mind podcast, Benard re-aired his 2022 episode with Laura Wright. But before it began, the actor took a moment to reminisce about all of Carly’s portrayers. “Each of them were, you know, incredibly talented, but they were very different.”

Benard started with Carly’s originator, Sarah Brown, who held the role from 1996 to 2001. “I used to act with her and think, can somebody really be that good with that many skills at that young of an age?” he remembered after talking about the actress’ three Daytime Emmy wins by the age of 25 (check out 2024’s Daytime Emmy nominees). “She ended up leaving the show because she wasn’t happy with a storyline,” he revealed. Brown returned to the show in 2008 as Claudia until the character was killed off in 2009.

Tamara Braun took over from 2001 to 2005, then later returned to GH in 2017 as Kim and currently stars as Ava on Days of Our Lives. “I watched her screen test and I picked her because I thought she was different than Sarah,” he said, noting her vulnerability as an actress and the chemistry they shared.

“The third one is Jenny Bransford, who I loved,” Benard continued about the actress who only played Carly for six months in 2005. “The role didn’t fit her and it was very difficult for her, but we all fought for her.”

The Wright Stuff

“The fourth one is…” Benard built up to the moment viewers were waiting for. “Laura Wright.” Wright joined GH as Carly in 2005 and has held the role ever since. “Laura tells everybody that I didn’t want to shake her hand,” he revealed about the first time they met. “I did want to shake her hand, but I was sick, so I didn’t want to get her sick. So. that’s been the joke for a long time.”

Benard recalled Wright wanting to be the best when she took over the role of Carly and admitted he often refers to her as a ‘tornado.’ “When she comes into the room, you better be on your toes, or she’s going to eat you up and spit you out,” he said before going on to call her “one of the best actresses in daytime.”

Carly and Sonny have recently been at odds over Jason’s (Steve Burton) return and Michael’s (Chad Duell) and Dex’s (Evan Hofer) betrayals. Carly just figured out Sonny’s off his bipolar meds, but will she be able to help him before it’s too late?

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