Twenty-five years ago today, General Hospital viewers were introduced to a nightclub owner with a questionable side hustle. That's right. On August 13, 1993 - yes, it was a Friday! - Maurice Benard joined the cast of the ABC soap.
In the years that followed, Benard became arguably one of the show's most popular actors of all time. Sonny has found and lost love numerous times. He has had marriages to four different women, and he's even become a proud grandfather.
Prior to joining GH, Benard enjoyed a three-year run on another ABC soap: All My Children, where he played Nico Kelly.
How long does Benard plan on sticking around? The actor signed a new contract in January 2018. At the time, a tweet made by the Emmy-winning actor had some fans believing that he planned to exit GH in the near future. The actor has since taken to social media to assure fans that he continues to enjoy his time on the ABC soap and has no immediate plans to walk away.
"I've said it over and over, and I'll say it again: I love GH," Benard shared upon inking his new contract. "I love the people, and I love working here."
In his two and a half decades with General Hospital, Benard has earned seven Daytime Emmy nominations, and he took home Emmy gold in 2003.
ABC put together a virtual walk down memory lane to celebrate Benard's milestone. You can check that out below.
Congratulations to @MauriceBenard on 25 years of excellence! #GH55 pic.twitter.com/nFJYm8MoZ7
— General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) August 13, 2018
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