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GH's Maurice Benard Opens Up In Inspiring and Emotional Interview About His Battle With Bipolar Disorder On DR OZ!

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/DROZ

Courtesy/DROZ

Thursday’s episode of Dr. Oz, featured two daytime performers who have struggled with two different conditions.  The Real’s Tamar Braxton discussed her near fatal blood clot at the top of the show, and then General Hospital’s Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) joined Mehmet Oz for a revealing and extraordinary honest interview about his battle with bipolar disorder and mental illneess.

Throughout his segment, Maurice discussed how he behaved in his 20’s, and contemplating suicide. Later,  he was joined by his wife Paula were they discussed the time when they were rehearsing scenes during the Karen the stripper storyline on GH, and Maurice thought it was truly happening.  In another dark moment from his past, Maurice and Paula shared when he threatened to kill her.   A studio audience member also addressd Maurice.  She shared that after seeing Maurice and Paula on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2004, it helped her and others because of his courage that helped shed light on mental illness.

Later, the discusssion turned to the current storyline on General Hospital, where Sonny’s son, Morgan has inherited the disorder.  Benard related:  “The thing about soap operas which is great is we have done AIDS storylines, breast cancer storylines, and you can really educate people with these storylines, especially if they are done well.  This particular storyline is me looking at through the eyes of the father, and not going through it myself.  It’s been a beautiful thing to watch this kid (Bryan Craig), who can really do it well.”

Dr. Oz had a surprise for Maurice when he played a special message from Bryan Craig:  “Hey Maurice.  I just want to say that playing your son Morgan on General Hospital had been a very meaningful role to me. Your experience with mental illness has helped me create a character to the best of my abilities that depicts the struggles for people battling bipolar disorder and depression and what they go through in real life.   I just want to say, I couldn’t have done it without you.  You’re strength and honesty is inspiring.  I think you are an amazing role model for anyone who is going through this in real life.  I love you, and I will see you back in Port Charles.”

A choked-up Benard related “I just love helping young actors, and especially when its a storyline that is so personal to me.”  Watch yesterday’s episode of Dr. Oz after the jump.  Then let us know what you thought of Maurice’s honesty and his willingness to put himself out there in order to help educate others in the same situation and more.

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I too suffer from bipoler eps. and had attempted suicide when i was much younger but i NEVER got that bad to threaten someone or harming others…this week i did get very stressed from an animal attack that bloodied my arm, and my sister’s serious illness that i have become very ill and suffering from horrible 3 day headache that doesnt seem to go away…i do get easily upset when i find someone left a mess in the kitchen.but that last about five to ten minutes then who doesnt get upset when they find a kitchen that they cleaned just hours earlier and then find it looking like a tornado struck-lol..i do have meds and i take them when i feel the ‘mood’ coming on.

Thanks for sharing and please continue to take care of yourself

You are most welcome and i’ll try…

hey Jimh..
its ok.. you’er luved.. better days are ahead 🙂

I sure hope so…thanks su…and you are luved too.

Thank you so much for sharing.

you are most welcome…

Thanks for sharing your story. It is so important to ending the stigma that still surrounds mental illness that prevents people from seeking treatment. There is help and I’m so glad you’ve found what works for you. Stay well, my friend.

Thank you very much…kind words are good medicine too.

Maurice was incredibly brave to tell his story. Undoubtably he will help many others. Thank you, Maurice!

It was inspiring to watch this incredibly raw and honest interview. My father has struggled with bi-polar for much of my life and it was helpful to me to see a different perspective of someone who has gone through it.

Love Maurice and I admire his courage and strength in giving a voice to those with none.

He’s so brave. I admire him so much. Maurice seems like a real, big-hearted, down to earth, complex man. His character needs years of tuning an re-tuning, but I have always been able to separate the character from the man. I love his interviews an this one was no different- honest, raw, deep, scary, humorous.

Maurice is a wonderful inspiration to everyone not only those who actually suffer from Bipolar. He continues to be the number one reason that I watch General Hospital every day.

Wow!!! Raw. Real. Revelatory. I hate the character of Sonny Corinthos, but I have absolutely THE highest respect for Maurice Benard as an actor, and as a man. He is providing such a needed public service with his advocacy for mental health awareness, and with his willingness to share what it means for the sufferer and the family to live with bi-polar disorder. It rang so true to me, in every detail, because several members of my family have been bi-polar and the stories are so similar.

Thank you Maurice for your openness, your courage, and your profound honesty.

That is a great post. REAL! You have the ability to separate the two. Sorry that your family members deal with this, as well.

I admire his honesty and applaud his efforts to inspire others to seek treatment. So many lives are touched by mental illness in this country; either through personal experience or those of a family member or friend. Most conditions are treatable through therapy, medication or a combination of the two. It is so important that mental illness be treated like any other medical condition. I hope anyone who is struggling will see this and be inspired to seek treatment. I’m so impressed by MB’s willingness to share in the hope of helping others. Well- done!

WOW, so very little feedback about Maurice’s, Oz appearance. I have to figure that there are a lot of Sonny haters/mob story haters BUT you really should separate the two to understand the character of Sonny better. You dont have to like him BUT you would respect him more if you tuned into the Oz episode. I’m not a huge Sonny fan. Dont mind him or the mob. Dont like his family much BUT if you separate the character from the human you would be blown away by what Maurice and his family has been through and respect him as a human!

I finally listened to Maurice’s interview on Dr. Oz. What a story. And thank God for Paula and his family. They never mentioned what might be the cause of bi-polar besides genetics. Wonder what else causes it? Also, are outbreaks like Morgan is exhibiting typical?

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.

Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark

Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”

In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.

It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.

Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.

You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.

So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.

 

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?

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On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.

As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.

Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC

Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.

BROTHERLY LOVE?

Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”

With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”

BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE

Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”

So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair

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After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!

In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.

Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.

MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP

Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!

At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.

Courtesy/ABC

BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY

Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”

LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER

In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?

So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.

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