Kimberly McCullough reveals why Michael Sutton’s General Hospital performance still resonates

Although Kimberly McCullough grew up on General Hospital, Robin Scorpio wasn’t just a role she played. It was a place she lived, learned, and figured herself out in real time. Decades later, McCullough has built a second career behind the camera as a director, but every so often, GH pulls her back into the conversation. This week, it happened again. A social media post cracked open memories of Robin and Stone, and McCullough explained why Michael Sutton’s work in that story still stays with her all these years later.

General Hospital veterans show their support

Maurice Benard (Sonny) shared a post featuring photos of Robin and Stone with the caption, “I was looking for a @mbstateofmind to repost this morning, 10am pst livechat, what better than @kimmeabreak to discuss @generalhospitalabc and the AIDS STORYLINE, one of the Best. Not only is Kimberly an incredibly talented actress, but she’s also an incredibly talented director.”

He continued praising her with, “All I can say is, I’m very proud of her. [She] knows what she wants and went after it.” McCullough enthusiastically replied, “Awww I love you so much. You’re one of my greatest teachers ❤️,” with Benard answering, “@kimmeabreak thank you, little sister.” Finola Hughes, who plays Robin’s mother Anna Devane, added, “She certainly did go after what she wanted ❤️,” followed by Benard’s heart emoji and McCullough’s, “@mauricebenard y’all all making me cry. For real.”

Then McCullough cut straight to the point. “It’s True - Michael should’ve won the Emmy. I didn’t have to do much when I was in a scene with him, just react [in] case he was IN IT.” That line stopped people cold. Not because it was flashy, but because it rang true. Anyone who watched knows what she meant.

Why fans still remember it

General Hospital alum Michael Sutton. | Image Source: JPI

General Hospital fans flooded the comments, with @shavonnegoulbourne writing, “Yes, Michael should have won the Emmy also… it was television, but you made it look so real.” @geets70 added, “Michael ABSOLUTELY should have won the Emmy for the FANTASTIC job he did.” @pizarro.eileen summed it up simply: “The daytime Emmys get it wrong a lot, and Michael Sutton is proof of that.”

What people responded to wasn’t nostalgia. It was recognition. @nyclifeandglam wrote, “30yrs later and this storyline is still with me.” @writergirl012 noted, “It felt very personal to me.” Others talked about crying, learning, and changing how they understood HIV/AIDS because of Robin and Stone.

McCullough didn’t frame Sutton’s work as tragic or iconic. She framed it as him being present. He showed up fully prepared all the time, and that’s why it still holds. Their performances and the power of the story still resonate today.

General Hospital can be seen weekdays on ABC and Hulu