Maurice Bernard

Maurice Benard, born Mauricio José Morales on March 1, 1963, in Martinez, California, began his career in the 1980s as a model. His multicultural background stems from parents with Nicaraguan and Salvadoran origins. Uninspired by traditional education, Benard pursued opportunities in the job market, which eventually led him to modeling. He then transitioned into acting, participating in various theatrical productions in the Bay Area before making his television debut. In 1987, Benard secured the role of Nico Kelly in the ABC daytime soap opera “All My Children,” a part he held until 1990. Following this, he sought new professional challenges, relocating to Los Angeles. There, he was cast as the lead in the television movie “Lucy and Desi: Before the Laughter” and also appeared in the feature film “Ruby.”

In 1993, Benard joined the cast of “General Hospital” as Sonny Corinthos, a character he has portrayed for over three decades. This role brought him significant recognition, including multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2003, 2019, and 2021. Throughout his tenure on “General Hospital,” Benard has taken a brief hiatus in 1998 and reprised his role in spin-off productions such as “Port Charles” in 2000 and “General Hospital: Night Shift” in 2007. Beyond his work in daytime television, Benard has appeared in films such as “Joy” (2015), “The Ghost and the Whale” (2017), “Nightmare Cinema” (2018), and played John Gotti in “Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter” (2019).

Benard has openly discussed his personal journey with bipolar disorder, a condition diagnosed when he was 22 years old. He has become an advocate for mental health awareness, appearing on national television programs like The View, Entertainment Tonight, and Oprah to share his experiences. He collaborated with the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) on the “Bipolar Disorder: Do You Know It?” campaign, aiming to educate the public about the signs and symptoms of the disorder. He also created “State of Mind with Maurice Benard,” a platform where he hosts conversations on mental health. His advocacy extends to his character on “General Hospital,” where the show’s writers incorporated bipolar disorder into Sonny Corinthos’s storyline, drawing on Benard’s own experiences to provide a realistic portrayal.