The 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be held on Friday, Dec. 15, with the ceremony airing live on CBS starting at 9 p.m. ET. Soap Opera Digest chatted with the nominees to get the scoop on how they found out, what episodes they submitted, and more as we count down to daytime’s biggest night!
Outstanding Lead Actor
Maurice Benard (Sonny, GENERAL HOSPITAL)
ABC/Ricky Middlesworth
Do you remember how you found out about this year’s nomination? “I found out on Twitter, and then Frank [Valentini, executive producer] called and we had a good conversation. Listen, it’s fantastic! I’m very proud of the story [I submitted scenes from] because it’s the bipolar story. It happened so long ago that I think people kind of forgot about it. My wife isn’t really impressed with pretty much anything I do — it’s not that she doesn’t think I’m good or whatever, she just doesn’t care that much [laughs]. But when it first came out, in January or February of last year, I wanted to show her these scenes, of Sonny’s bipolar. And she was like, ‘That’s as close to the real thing as you’ve ever done.’ So I thought that was cool.”
Which scenes from that arc made the cut when you were putting the reel together? “[The reel] starts with Michael, scenes I had with him where he’s talking about, ‘Too many people have died,’ and Michael can tell that something is wrong with Sonny. Then I had scenes with Laura [Wright, Carly] when Sonny is trying to get back together with her on the ship [The Haunted Star], and she doesn’t want to, and I say to her, ‘You’ll see, you’ll see.’ And then I go to the club [The Savoy], and that’s one of my favorite scenes, with Donnell [Turner, Curtis] and Cameron Mathison [Drew]. The writing was spectacular. You know what? Somebody either knows someone who has bipolar, did incredible research or is bipolar themselves to have wrote those scenes because it was spot-on. I’ve done other manic things in the past [as Sonny] that were not as real — like, over the top, a bit. But what I loved about this story is that it was as it really would be — those scenes in the club where he’s high, high, high, anger, anger, anger, nice, nice, nice, hug, hug, hug. All that stuff is what happens when you’re manic! And it ends with Sonny breaking down to Nina and crying.”
What are you looking forward to about Emmy night? “You know … I’ve always found happiness from getting things, which is a false happiness. When you find peace and happiness within yourself, that’s real happiness. Then you don’t need things to make you happy. What happens when you are just happy with things is that once the thing is done, you go back to the ugliness. So, this is the first Emmy nomination in 30 years where I just feel like a normal person. People could say to me, ‘Well, you’ve won already,’ and all that. Yeah, but I still had this thing, after winning two, [where I craved another victory]. And I don’t feel as I once did — and thank God, because before, with the Emmys stuff, it just drove me wild! I know what both things feel like now, and this feeling is 20 times better because now, winning or losing, it’s not going to be the be-all and the end-all, and that’s kind of the way it should be. I don’t have any feelings about winning or losing, I just feel like, ‘It’s all good.’ I won’t be there going, ‘Oh man, I could win!’ I’m just going to be happy to be there.”
You’ve won in the past both having prepared a speech and not having prepared a speech. Which way will you go into the ceremony this time around? “Well, the reason I may prepare something this year is that in my head, it’s very important and I’m proud of the fact that if I did win, it’s about bipolar. God knows, that’s, you know — that’s my life! So I would think I would have a speech. I will have a speech, because I have done it without, and it’s not fun! But I think I could still speak from the heart, even if I did have a speech prepared, it’s just harder on me without a speech. But the last time I won, I was at home [because of the pandemic] and it was great [laughs]!”
Speaking of which, are you ready to do the Emmy red carpet again? “I am, because I’m in a different place now. I’m not like I used to be; I don’t have the nerves like I used to have. I’m very chill, very relaxed. I can talk to anyone. I’m in a totally different place than I’ve been my whole life.”
What do you think about the actors you’re nominated alongside in this category? “Let me tell you something: Each one of them, I have the utmost respect for. I actually watch their work and there’s not one that I don’t think is a damn good actor.”
