On Sunday, General Hospital star Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) reposted a State of Mind interview featuring Jeff Kober (Cyrus Renault) from 2023. It followed a current interview with Gregory Zarian who opened up about sobriety. Why was Jeff’s interview worth a repost? Read on to find out.
The Original Podcast Revealed A Tragedy
Three years ago, soap opera fans who tuned in and listened to the podcast heard that when he was still a teenager, Jeff, who later became the antagonist Cyrus, had killed a friend in an accident. Blogs reported on it, but the chat with Maurice Benard also focused on how he dealt with the emotional fallout.
As Maurice does so much work with mental health, it seemed fitting for that to be included in the State of Mind interview. After all, apart from survivor guilt, it must take a lot to recover mentally from a terrible tragedy, even if it was an accident.
And yes, Jeff Kober did think about unaliving himself. However, he couldn’t figure out a way to do that.
The Road To Recovery
Speaking about how the little kid died, Jeff explained that he threw himself into acting, especially in China Beach, where he used his brooding mindset to play the role. Recovery wasn’t easy, but somehow, the real-life Cyrus Renault managed it. He told Maurice:
I started getting some therapy and started, you know, getting a little bit more, a little bit more… I’ve been blessed with that to…just continuing to do the work emotionally and then spiritually to just keep opening up, opening up, opening up, opening up.
Acting and therapy clearly helped the actor, who looks back after a long road of mental trauma. He explained, “I can take from all of that, but I’m not controlled by any of that…because it’s I’ve cleared myself of the…the blocks and the trauma.”
ABC Fans React To The Repost
Some General Hospital fans had watched the podcast the first time, and others hadn’t. Irrespective, the focus on how therapy can help after trauma resonated with lots of viewers. One of them wrote, “This was a fascinating and enlightening interview. Thank you both for the great conversation.”
Meanwhile, others appreciated both of the actors, while some hoped that Jeff Kober might one day return to the ABC show. Here are a few of those reactions:
- Maurice this is a great repost show. I enjoyed your interview with Jeff. Jeff is a very talented actor. I miss him on GH and I hope that TPTB creates a storyline that will bring him back.
- Wow what a great interview Maurice you are the best love GH.
- Absolutely love this man.
What are your thoughts on how a lot of therapy combined with using his tragedy to help his acting brought Jeff back from a tough mindset? Let us know in the comments below, and remember to come back here often for all your General Hospital cast news and updates.
[…] Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) tops the list of gatekeepers — she is fiercely protective of Monica’s memory and loathes Drew’s antics. She could bar him outright, citing his disgrace to avoid drama at the memorial. […]