General Hospital (GH) star Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) recently looked back on an inspirational talk on State of Mind. The reposted interview arrived on February 20, and it originally aired back in 2024. However, it’s worth taking another look at it. Read on for more details.
The Reposted Guest
Maurice chatted with Jonathan Jackson (Lucky Spencer). Although the duo shares a history of that goes back a long way on the GH set, their chat turned to a more spiritual connection instead.
ABC soap fans who watched it saw that Maurice and Jonathan became friendly when the real-life Lucky Spencer was just an 11-year-old kid.
Despite his youth, Maurice Benard recalled that the two actors held some “deep conversations.” Of course, that happened behind the scenes in the dressing room.
Getting Up To Mischief
It wasn’t always serious, and they both got up to mischief. Reminiscing, Maurice Benard spoke with Jonathan Jackson about the “crank calls” he used to make from the set.
Initially, it seemed like great fun, but the fictional crime boss finally realized that things “were getting out of hand.” For instance, he recalled calling up “strangers late at night.” Once, the duo played make-believe that they were small kids stranded at the mall.
Well, Maurice confessed, “That’s not cool.” But, the conversation soon turned more serious, as it so often does on the General Hospital veteran’s podcast.
The Interesting Turn
An interesting part of the interview focused on how the human body responds to stress, even though the mind seems to be mentally ready. For instance, Maurice revealed how he once got the trembles in his legs despite full preparation for a speaking event.
Relating to that sort of physical “rebellion,” Jonathan talked about the Gregory Peck movie, Twelve O’Clock High. Notably, he used that as an illustration of how trauma reveals itself.
Additionally, he told the GH grandpa that even the bravest characters struggle when the “body is rebelling” and their “nerves are shot” without it being a cognitive choice.
The Spiritual Side
If you don’t know, Jonathan Jackson spent about 15 years on a spiritual journey with Eastern Orthodoxy. And, it brought him a rather unique perspective on mental health.
Plus, he recommended a book he read by Dr. Timothy Patitsas called The Ethics of Beauty. Apparently, it helped him understand why sometimes, logic and reason seem elusive for folks in the depths of trauma.
Jonathan loved the principles of the book and he added:
The only thing that actually helps is beauty… if they hear the right song, if they see the right painting, if they see the sunset.
Next, he told Maurice Benard that it’s an “ancient way of looking at the world.” Actually, that seems interesting for ABC viewers who follow State of Mind. That’s because calming the nerves through beauty seems doable.
And importantly, it should happen before entering a potentially scary environment. In other words, be calm before the mind attempts processing the pain.
Bringing Up A Crisis Moment
As the podcast moved on, Maurice spoke once again about his terrifying moments during a big bipolar episode. Once more, he mentioned reaching out to Steve Burton (Jason Morgan). Oh, and he also reached out to Jonathan.
Looking back, Maurice credited the two men with helping him out of a “real dark place” through collective prayer. Talking about the beauty Jonathan mentioned, Benard said that “To me at this moment, that was the beauty that he’s talking about.”
Next, Jonathan described how stepping up and being there for a friend felt like “one of the greatest honors” of his life. Additionally, he mentioned that the “grace” Maurice felt likely came from the prayers of monks in Greece who “pray 8 to 14 hours a day.”
Viewers React
GH fans felt very moved by the whole chat, especially the spiritual depth of the reposted episode. Meanwhile, others commented about the close bond between the two actors.
One of them commented, “It’s so refreshing to see two men speak about faith and mental health with such vulnerability.”
Here are a few more responses from the discussion on Friday.
- The Spirit of God was Truly Felt with this Episode of State of Mind.. I feel like I can conquer every Dark corner of my mind. I feel a spiritual shield around me and im holding on to a sword .. what a special Episode this was.
- Thank you for reposting this. You two together are awesomely inspirational! Bless each of you always.
- Awesome and inspiring episode Maurice.
What do you think about Jonathan’s perspective on beauty and healing? Do you agree that good beauty, friends, family, and faith help you through the dark times? Let us know in the comments below and check back here often for all your General Hospital news and updates.