General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Maurice Benard Opens Up on His ‘State of Mind,’ Sonny and ADA Turner, Co-Stars, All My Children, and Birthday Special Preview (Exclusive)
- General Hospital’s Maurice Benard previewed his birthday edition of his mental health series, State of Mind in new interview now on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.
- Benard teased a major GH scene to come for Sonny Corinthos and his new romantic love interest ADA Turner (Nazneen Contractor),
- The three-time Daytime Emmy winning star says he would be open to reprising his early soap role of Nico Kelly for the All My Children revival movies for Lifetime in the works fom Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.
It’s a big weekend for General Hospital’s Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos). The birthday boy, who turns 63-years-old on Sunday March 1, is celebrating with a very special episode of his mental health You Tube series, State of Mind on the same date.
In it, Benard who is used to interviewing his celebrity and soap star guests, had the situation flipped on him when his TV son, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante, GH) takes over the questioning and Maurice is the guest on his show. Look for Lisa LoCicero (Olivia, GH) to pop in too! “All in the Family,” State of Mind style!
Meanwhile, on General Hospital, Sonny is inching closer to a romance with ADA Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor), as much as she protests and as much as he may have been playing her in the beginning! All this, while Jason (Steve Burton) and Sonny try to figure out how to stop Sidwell and their newest enemy WSB Director Ross Callum (Andrew Hawkes).

Photo: ABC
As a preview for Sunday, and to get the lowdown on the three-time Daytime Emmy winner’s life and times on-screen and off, Maurice visited You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel for a livestream chat on Thursday, February 26 where lots of topic were discussed. Fans also had the opportunity to pose questions to the soap superstar. Here’s what Benard had to say in key takeaways below:
The Oprah Winfrey Show landmark appearance in 2004

Photo: JPI
“I’ve said this before, but I wish I could do it again, only because somebody said to me, ‘Don’t cry on Oprah.’ Showing that vulnerability is what you should do. And so, the whole time on Oprah, I’m trying not to cry. I’m like trying to be cool and stuff. That’s not the way to do it. But I learned my lesson there. That’s why now all I do is cry. If you watch State of Mind. I’m crying and I’m crying. I get vulnerable. I get emotional because I know there are men, even women, but mostly men that can’t. My theory is watch me and I have no problem doing it. It’s not a terrible thing and you should feel good about doing it. That’s what I’ve been doing and I’ll continue to do it. I don’t care.”
State of Mind skit

Photo: SOM
“You have to understand something about this skit. It is ridiculous. Funny as hell. If you are a fan of us (Sonny, Dante and Olivia) you’re not going to expect what we do here. A lot of overacting. … a lot of good acting. Dom is very funny. Lisa’s just a comedian. So, if you can imagine that all in one, it’s a family affair.”
Rory Gibson as a recast Michael Corinthos

Photo: ABC
“I’ve never seen anybody so quickly come in, and do it as well as he’s done. He’s a good kid, and a sweet kid. Rory is talented and he’s just taken the role and just made it his own. I’ve been there a long time, and I’ve seen people come and go, who can’t do that.”
Another Bipolar storyline for Sonny?
“When I go through things, it takes me a while to get right back up again. I can still act, but now I’m feeling like I can kick your ass, and I’m taking no prisoners. I’m back to that mentality. Now, if you said to me, ‘let’s do a bipolar story,’ I could do it, but it would have to be the greatest story writing because we’ve gone down that road so many times. Give me something like the Alzheimer’s story, and like the one I had, I’ll do it tomorrow.”
Sonny and ADA Turner romance

Photo: ABC
“I keep telling Nazneen and her husband Carlo Rota (Sidwell) that they’re so supportive of all the actors, and it’s not fake, and that says a lot about who they are. This story between ADA Turner and Sonny is actually pretty good. So, Carly (Laura Wright) can have boyfriends and I’m supposed to be a monk! Now, I’m everyone’s uncle! I’m like, ‘Let’s go, man.’ I think I’ve proven I can do something. As for Nazneen, I think we are a good fit together, and she can very well. Now it’s a matter of how they navigate it. Actually, we’ve got something coming up, that’s pretty intense. It will probably air in the next week. So stay tuned for that.
Who’s zooming who?
“I felt like in the beginning Sonny is playing her. Then, I decided to get her to fall for me, so I can get what I want. Now, whether she’s falling, I’m confused. I don’t know. Sonny doesn’t need to know. But, it would be great if she started falling for Sonny more and more.”
Repetitive themes on the soaps
“How many stories on General Hospital or any soap opera have not been done 10 times over like people coming from the dead? How many times have they done it? It isn’t about how many times it’s been done. It’s whether there’s chemistry or not, and whether it works. But you can’t say, don’t do it because it’s been done. Of course, it’s been done a thousand times. But that’s the truth.”
Steve Burton’s hiatus

Photo: ABC
“I always feel like, especially now for him, he’s doing what’s best for his life and his wife and his kids. So, more power to him. He’ll be back. It’s not forever. So I’m going to miss Jason. I think Sonny always feels safe with Jason, but now he’s got Ricky boy! Rick Hearst (Ric)! For Sonny with his brother, I’m playing like I love him. He’s proven already that I can trust him. Now if he breaks Sonny’s heart …. that’s not good.”
Respect for the late Anthony Geary

Photo: ABC
“I saw Tony Geary (Luke Spencer) in a one-man play. It was literally the best acting I’ve ever seen, ever, anywhere. We were friends and we respected each other. I respected him a great deal, and we did some great stuff together. What made him great was that he could do play anything. He was such a versatile actor. That’s the quality of a great actor. Now I can play quite a bit, but I’m just going to be a gangster (laughs).
All My Children start as Nico Kelly/Lifetime Movie Reboot

Photo: ABC
“It was good in terms of the actors. I met Michael Knight (ex-Tad, now Martin, GH), Susan Lucci (ex-Erica), and Peter Bergman (ex- Cliff, now Jack, Y&R) there. But they didn’t let me act on that show. I mumbled. They would say, ‘Why do you put your hand on your face and why are you taking so long when you talk?’ I said, ‘because that’s what we do in life.’
As for the All My Children reboot and if they brought Nico Kelly back: “Oh, I’d do it. 15 years ago, I wouldn’t have done, but I’d do it.”
WWE’s AJ LEE (AJ Mendez) Mental Health Story

Photo: SOM
“I’m trying to get her on again.” She said, ‘yeah,’ but we have to touch base again. AJ told the story that blew my mind when she was on State of Mind, where she wanted to commit suicide, and she went to a motel. Before she decided to do what she was going to do, she made one last phone call and it saved her life. And I thought, ‘Wow! That’s amazing.'”
Speaking openly
“When I talk about this, I have no problem doing it because my intention is, I need to talk about it more so people can start talking about it. Because what happens is, when we don’t talk about it, and we have a certain judgment on it, we hold that in, and then it gets worse, And then your thoughts are, ‘I can’t take it. I can’t do it anymore. The pain’s too strong.’ You can’t go through another day with that kind of pain, but the reality is you can. Always have hope that you can get out of it, if I did it, and I’ve done it, anybody could do it.”
You can check out the full conversation with Maurice below..
Drop your birthday wishes via the comment section below for Maurice! Then let us know, are you on-board for a Sonny/ADA Turner romance? Do you like Ric and Sonny becoming closer as brothers? What do you think about the inroads Maurice has made over the last 22 years for raising awareness for mental health? Would you like to see Maurice working with Susan Lucci in the All My Children reboot for Lifetime? Share your thoughts below.
General Hospital
Chris McKenna Reportedly Out as ‘General Hospital’s’ Jack Brennan

As ABC’s General Hospital continues to make casting additions in front of the camera; a new report indicates that Chris McKenna is the next contract player to be written out of the show as his storyline as Port Charles WSB bureau chief, Jack Brennan, is coming to end this fall.
According to sources close to the situation, who informed Soap Opera Network, McKenna will exit the long-running soap opera when Jack is killed-off the canvas. The outlet shares, Brennan’s death will come about as the soap, “leans heavily into storylines surrounding the World Security Bureau (WSB).”
McKenna, who previously appeared on the soaps when he was 12 as a young Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live from 1990-1993, then as an adult as Mark Harding on The Young and the Restless from 2014-2015, and next on The Bold and the Beautiful in the short term role of Dr. Hayden, began his run as GH’s Brennan back in February of 2025, replacing Charles Mesure in the role.

Photo: ABC
JACK’S ROCKY ROAD TO ROMANCE
In fact, McKenna won the part over Daniel Goddard and Daniel Cosgrove, who eventually were cast in other roles on General Hospital, that of Henry Dalton and Ezra Boyle, respectively. Chris informed his fans via X, back in August of 2025, that he was put on contract at the daytime drama and thanked them for helping make it happen.
Chris told Michael Fairman TV how it was to step into the role previously played by Charles Mesure, “I knew the challenge it was going to be and I had a like 0nly five days to get my head around it, so I was ready for it. Sure, it was challenging, but I was up for it. I was a recast before on The Young and the Restless.”
On-screen, Jack became romantically involved with Carly Spencer (Laura Wright), but that went bust when Carly learned Jack was not up front with her and had secretly enlisted her daughter, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) to join the WSB. Over months, Carly plotted to get revenge on Jack, and suddenly, Valentin Casssadine (James Patrick Stuart), Jack’s mortal enemy, came into the picture and he had fallen for Carly and she for him.
Now, Jack has started up a relationship with Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) and has found himself in situations stooping to lows to help Nina and her criminal daughter, Willow Cain (Katelyn MacMullen) out of jams, especially where Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) is concerned.

Photo: ABC
REUNITING WITH ERIKA SLEZAK
Last fall, Chris got a thrill of a lifetime when his OG on-screen mother from One Life to Live, the iconic Erika Slezak (ex-Viki) took on a guest role on General Hospital as Ronnie Bard, the secret sister of Monica Quartermaine (the late Leslie Charleson). While the two did not have a storyline together, Chris did share some tender moments reconnecting with Erika on the set,
McKenna has a laundry list of primetime credits including: State of Affairs, Good Trouble, Lucifer and Castle, where in an ironic twist he appeared alongside another Joey Buchanan none other than Nathan Fillion.
So, how do you feel if the report holds true and GH is killing off Brennan and Chris McKenna would exit the show? How do you think Brennan will die on GH? Will he be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and someone will take him out? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
General Hospital
Ryan Paevey Open to Return to ‘General Hospital’ to ‘Stir the Pot if Cassius Could be a Good Agent of Chaos’

On General Hospital, Ryan Paevey wrapped his comeback to General Hospital on the July 6 episode, when it was revealed that Cassius Faison was not dead, but being held by the WSB thanks to Z (John Oliver).
It was Z who gave Cassius an ultimatum: a one-way ticket to prison or a death sentence, or to become an agent himself! We never got the answer on-screen, but suffice to say, Cassius is still out there somewhere, but we can assume he is working for the WSB.
GH fans were thrilled to see Paevey back on the ABC daytime drama series where he initially played the very popular Detective Nathan West from 2013-2018. It had been over 7 years until Ryan made a return to his former soap stomping grounds when on-screen in September of 2025, he arrived in Port Charles as a very much alive Nathan, who was actually Cassius impersonating his late twin brother.

Photo: ABC
Over this past weekend, Paevey appeared at the annual GH Fan Club Weekend in Burbank, California, where according to a report from Soap Central who was on the scene; when a fan asked Ryan if he would make another visit to the soap opera in the future, he explained, “That’s a ‘Frank Chat,’ referencing a discussion would need to be had with Frank Valentini, GH’s executive producer.
A CASSIUS FAISON SIGHTING ANYTIME SOON?
Ryan also added, “I’m a bit of a drifter. So, I’m not sure that I want to go back and sign forever. Doing so took a lot of things out of my life, stuff that is valuable to me.” Paevey also explained while he was away from GH he was caretaker to his parents and working on his Fortunate Wanderer jewelry business and more.
However, Paevey concluded his thoughts on the matter with, “But, yeah, I would come back and stir the pot if Cassius could be a good agent of chaos… a conversation might be had with Frank about exactly what ‘not dead’ means.”
All this to say, would you like to see Ryan make another comeback to General Hospital? This time as WSB agent Cassius Faison? Do you think he would help out his sister, Britt and his mutter, and even Josslyn, if they got into serious future trouble? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Christian Howard Makes One Final Return as Ethan Lovett, as Hudson Learns Damning Intel

The Tuesday, August 4 episode of General Hospital brought with it another appearance by Christian Howard in the role of Ethan Lovett. As previously reported, Howard was brought into wrap up Ethan’s storyline as Nathan Dean’s four-month run with the show came to its conclusion.
Now, it has been 100% officially confirmed that today was the last episode of Howard as the recast Ethan. In story, Ethan was now seen in Oslo, Norway after hightailing it out of Port Charles after Hudson (Troy Lennon Appel) had showed up looking for him at the Metro Court pool in Port Charles.
On the July 31st episode, Ethan made a beeline to Lulu’s (Alexa Havins) grabbed his bags and headed out of the country without saying goodbye to Ava (Maura West), who he just had spent the night with.

Courtesy/ABC
However, on Tuesday’s GH, it was also the day where Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) finalized baby Phoebe’s adoption for Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard). This was juxtaposed with the action in Oslo where Hudson showed up at Ethan’s hotel room door. He demanded immediate answers about Delilah and the baby. Ethan told him that both Delilah and the baby she carried died.
ETHAN’S LIES CATCH UP TO HIM
Hudson is livid. The two get into multiple altercations with Hudson getting the upper hand claiming that Ethan is a thief, who had “stolen from the wrong man.” At that point, Hudson delivered a beatdown on Ethan. Next, he threatened Ethan that he will go after his entire family if he finds out he was lying to him.
Back in Port Charles at the Metro Court pool, Ava is lamenting about Ethan’s sudden disappearance to Trina (Tabyana Ali). Later alone, she gets a call from Ethan telling her to never reveal that he’s not Phoebe’s biological father. Cut to: Hudson out in the hotel hallway listening in on the call through a bug he planted in Ethan’s hotel room. Hudson then takes off. The final moment of Ethan’s is him sprawled out bloody on top of the hotel bed.
A GH rep told Soap Opera Digest that “the door is open for Ethan to return to Port Charles” in the future. And as previously reported by TV Insider, when Nathan Dean signed on for his four month return, it was due in part to that he and his wife announced back in March they were expecting a baby.
So, now that Christian Howard has officially exited the series marking the end of the story for now of Ethan Lovett, what are your thoughts? Obviously, we will look for Hudson to return to Port Charles and infiltrate the Quartermaines lives especially Brook Lynn and Chase to get close to Phoebe, and then there is Ava, who may be in terrible danger, or is she? Share your thoughts and theories.
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