Maurice Benard Bio

Complex, confident and wise, Sonny Corinthos has taken his hard-earned experience as an underworld figure and applied it to professional and personal matters as a high-profile citizen of Port Charles. Actor Maurice Benard brings his own deeply personal experiences, both high and low, to the portrayal of Sonny, adding color, menace and seduction to an already intricate character. He first appeared in the role on August 13, 1993.

"This role is what I do best," Mr. Benard explains. "Sonny is unpredictable. You never know from one second to the next what he's thinking, feeling or planning. He's a man in personal conflict who maintains an outward appearance of calm at all times, at any cost."

Mr. Benard's multi-cultural upbringing began in San Francisco, where he was born to parents from Nicaragua and San Salvador. Uninspired by the traditional education route, Maurice gleaned an education in the open job market after high school. His dark good looks and intense gaze brought him modeling jobs in his early 20s. Following that, Mr. Benard took up acting in numerous theatrical productions in the Bay area.

After auditioning for a role on the ABC daytime drama, "All My Children," Mr. Benard was cast as Nico Kelly -- a role tailor-made for him. After two years on "All My Children," Maurice moved to Los Angeles in 1988, and was soon cast to star in the much-publicized television movie, "Lucy & Desi: Before The Laughter." He later had a pivotal role in the feature film, "Ruby," among several other prominent film and television credits.

Mr. Benard lives in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California. He enjoys the martial arts, working out and enjoying a menagerie of four dogs and a cat. Maurice and his wife, Paula, have a daughter, Caelie Sophia.

VITAL STATISTICS

BIRTHPLACE: San Francisco, CA
BIRTHDATE: March 1
HEIGHT: 5'9"
HAIR: Black
EYES: Brown

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