General Hospital's Rory Gibson shares the hard times he experienced before landing role of Michael

New General Hospital star Rory Gibson (Michael Corinthos) appeared as a guest on Maurice Benard’s (Sonny Corinthos) State of Mind interview series Aug. 10th. In the first interview between the current duo of Corinthos father and son, Gibson revealed several things while expressing his gratitude for his current contract role on General Hospital.

Gibson said the role came at a great time for him, as he and his fiancée, Alicia Ruelas, were couch-surfing two years ago when both of them had trouble finding work.

Landing role as Michael came at great time for General Hospital's Rory Gibson

Gibson said the role of Michael Corinthos has been a creative challenge for him, which he enjoys.

Gibson played Noah Newman on The Young and the Restless from 2021-23, but had trouble getting airtime on that show and other work during the SAG-AFTRA writers’ strike of 2023.

He praised everyone involved in the CBS program, while admitting he wasn’t challenged as much in that role as he is on General Hospital.

Gibson made an immediate impression on General Hospital fans in May, when in his first scene, Michael, who had been in a burn clinic in Germany, crashed the party at the Nurses’ Ball. Michael surprised his friends and family, and especially Drew (Cameron Mathison) and Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), by entering the ballroom, hugging his son Wiley (Viron Weaver), glaring at Drew and Willow, then leaving the room with Wiley.

Since then, Michael has been battling Willow for custody of Wiley and Amelia, dealing with Sasha (Sofia Mattsson) taking his daughter Daisy and leaving Port Charles, while also fighting Drew’s schemes and being heavily embroiled in family drama on both the Quartermaine and Corinthos sides.

Gibson told Benard that the pace of shooting on General Hospital is faster than at The Young and the Restless, and he loves the energy that it creates.

“I loved the character,” Gibson said. “I loved all of the people over there and stuff, but (Noah) was very much so, in my mind at least, kind of a supporting role. I feel like I was always either just sad or kind of recounting the narrative of other people’s stories. Where with this, I got thrusted into kind of center stage, literally, a big storyline. Like, my very first scene, I walk in and the entirety of the cast is there, and I’m just like, ‘Hi, everyone.’ … I thought I might be more nervous about it, but I wasn’t…It’s been the most incredible experience.”

Gibson and Ruelas, a model, are doing well enough now that they recently enjoyed a romantic vacation in Italy. Gibson recently shared an Instagram post with pictures from the trip, and Ruelas has made several posts about the trip.

Gibson described the couple’s financial troubles in 2023, in part, "It was just through the past five or six years of these really big ups, and then here were a lot of really lows. We lost a lot of people, and we lost dogs, and it was a weird time, but then especially getting off of Y&R, and being broke, and trying to figure everything out. Say I was still doing that show (Y&R) and everyone there is lovely. I appreciate them beyond belief. They gave me my first big job.”

At the beginning of the talk, Benard acknowledged the awkwardness of inviting the current Michael Corinthos on his show. Benard is close friends with the former Michael, Chad Duell, inviting Duell on State of Mind several times. Duell started playing Michael in 2010 before stepping away from General Hospital earlier this year.

Benard said, “Even though Chad Duell is my friend, I just got to say things as they are…It’s not easy to come on to a show and replace somebody else who has been so popular for so long, but he has done it really, really quickly.”

Gibson shared other things with Benard, especially some of the challenges he had in childhood. He grew up in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles. His parents divorced when he was 2 years old, and his stepfather spent nine years in jail while he and his siblings were growing up.

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Gibson said he met Ruelas when they were both teenagers and have been together for 14 years. He added that they hope to have a child together next year.

Catch all-new episodes of General Hospital weekdays on ABC and Hulu.

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