Maurice Benard

Maurice Benard has endeared himself to audiences as General Hospital’s moody mobster Sonny Corinthos, a role he originated in 1993. Born Mauricio Morales, the San Francisco-born actor is of Nicaraguan and Salvadoran descent. After working as a model in his early 20s, Benard began pursuing an acting career and landed the role of Nico Kelly on All My Children, which he played from 1987-89. When he wrapped up his Pine Valley stint, Benard moved to Los Angeles and landed the lead role in the 1991 TV movie Lucy & Desi: Before The Laughter, and was also cast in films like Ruby and Mi Vida Loca.

When he was first lured to GH, Sonny was only meant to be a short-term role, but Benard became a mainstay on the Port Charles scene. He won multiple Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor (in 2003, 2019 and 2021), as well as Soap Opera Digest Awards in the same category (in 1996, 2003 and 2005). Benard has also appeared in films like The Ghost and the Whale and played John Gotti in the 2019 TV movie Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter. The actor, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 22, is a champion for mental health issues and hosts a podcast on the topic, State of Mind, on YouTube. Benard and wife Paula are parents to Cailey, Cassidy, Heather and Joshua.