The Secret Behind Maurice Benard and Jacqueline MacInnes Wood’s Daytime Emmy Couch Moment

Heads turned this year at the ‘virtual’ Daytime Emmys when Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) and Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy, BB), the 2019 Daytime Emmy winners for, respectively, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, were co-presenters in the same room and on the same couch.

Maurice Benard and Jacqueline MacInnes Wood Play It Safe

The pair presented the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, which went to Jason Thompson (Billy, YR). For some time, fans speculated whether or not Benard and Wood were sitting next to each other or did trick editing make the two appear side-by-side since actually sitting together had been deemed taboo during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wood was asked about this in a recent interview for The TV Watercooler about how she and Benard were able to be in the same shot.

“Well, it’s Maurice Benard!” Wood said. “Of course, I’m going to sit beside him! Hello?” The actress went on to explain that both of them had been tested so it was safe for them to briefly sit next to one another. Wood is hopeful that next year, there’s another ceremony.

Wood, likewise, has a fan in Benard. The actor tweeted: “She’s so sweet I can even tell you I’m a fan.”

While crossover between networks is unheard of, it’s possible that there’s a show on which the two could reunite — next year’s Daytime Emmys. Both performers have been turning in powerful work this year.

Wood’s been telling Steffy’s journey from dependency to recovery on BB via an opioid addiction tale. Meanwhile, as GH viewers know, Benard took Sonny to new heights in the storyline of Mike’s (Max Gail) Alzheimer’s story, which resulted in his passing away.

There have been crossovers with soaps over the years going back to General Hospital’s Dr. Steve Hardy popping up in Llanview to help promote sister soap One Life to Live. The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful have been trading players for nearly 30 years. But actors from other networks working together is rare.

Alas, a network crossover with GH and BB isn’t likely. There was one done back in 1966-67 when CBS soap Guiding Light’s Mike Bauer (Gary Carpenter) went from Springfield to Bay City, the local of Another World, which was on NBC. In that case, both serials were owned by Procter & Gamble Productions so the move was more easily facilitated. General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC. Check local listings for air times.