Maurice Benard has finally broken his silence on the General Hospital exit rumors surrounding Sonny Corinthos—and the wild speculation that he’s dying. In a new interview with Richard Taite, Benard opened up about the chatter.
When asked about the buzz that he’s leaving the show, Benard said, “No, there are always a lot of people. I think they’re saying I’m dying, too. Like I have cancer or something.” Thankfully, that’s not the case. While he does plan to retire eventually, he’s clear it’s not happening anytime soon.
Maurice Benard on Retirement
With a year left on his current contract, it’s obvious he intends to stick around when it comes time for negotiations. “I got a year left in the contract. Look, I’m going to retire, but I don’t think it’s going to be before I’m 65,” he explained. At 62, that gives him three more years before hitting that milestone.
Host Richard Taite suggested Sonny could stay until he’s 75, but Benard admitted that might not be realistic. Not at the moment. “My reasons… mentally, it’s taxing on me,” he said.
Before he officially leaves, Benard wants to figure out what’s next. For now, he’s focused on State of Mind, his hit YouTube episodic series, which has been doing really well—and he plans to keep it going. The channel has already amassed 155,000 subscribers. He also made it clear that financially, things are solid.
As for Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital, he’s currently caught up in major family drama with his arch-nemesis, Jenz Sidwell. And as you know, the drama in Port Charles never takes a back seat. So you’ve got to tune in. In the meantime, check out Bernard’s interview below!
Photo Credit: Christine Bartolucci/Disney.
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