General Hospital fans know that Maurice Benard is a multi-faceted actor who can slay it any day of the week playing mobster Sonny Corinthos.
But there’s much, much more to the talented actor than being The Dimpled Don’s alter ego. He’s a proud husband, loving father, and fierce mental health advocate. Recently fans got a glimpse into his family life when his young son Joshua took a star turn on GH.
And now, Benard has opened up even more, paying tribute to the son he calls more than his mini-me. Yesterday Benard recognized his son’s birthday with the warmest of words and a throwback pic on Instagram.
They may have the same beautiful brown eyes, but Benard wants the world to know that his son is his own person, becoming a person that any parent would be proud of. “He has more confidence at 14 today than I have at 55,” shares Benard, adding, “I have no doubt that he will be whatever he wants to be,” before wishing Joshua a happy birthday.
Will Joshua take to acting like his famous father? That remains to be seen, but his acting chops are already impressive. In the recent GH episode, “What If,” he played the part of a young Sonny, holding a gun on his first kill. When present-time Sonny stumbled upon the shocking throwback scene, the real-life father and son had a memorable reel-time moment.
Of course the flashback was part of a larger story, the ongoing drama that conflicted Sonny faces regarding his past, current, and future decisions.
Sonny is drawn to Margaux (Elizabeth Hendrickson), the D.A. whose father he shot and killed all those years ago. Fans are divided over whether or not these two should be paired, leaving Carly (Laura Wright) in the dust.
In the days and weeks to come, Benard will no doubt bring his all to the role he’s played for decades. But his even brighter role is that of dad, and fans are always gladdened whenever he shares a glimpse into the life he has so lovingly crafted.
General Hospital airs weekdays during the day on ABC.