Maurice Benard and Alicia Leigh Willis played alongside one another as brother and sister on General Hospital. Alicia joined the cast in December of 2001 through February 2006. In an interview with her former co-star, Willis reveals why she left GH.
General Hospital news reports confirm Maurice Benard recently interviewed his former co-star and TV sister, Alicia Leigh Willis. Alicia portrayed Sonny’s sister Courtney Matthews and is the mother of Sonny’s nephew Spencer Cassadine (Nicholas Alexander Chavez). On a recent episode of the YouTube series State Of Mind, General Hospital spoilers reveal Alicia Leigh Willis opened up about her time at General Hospital.
In an intensely insightful State of Mind interview, Willis admits her reason for leaving General Hospital. When discussing Benard’s struggle with mental health, Alicia and Maurice opened up about his behind-the-scenes behavior. According to Willis, Benard’s behavior played a part in her GH exit.
“I didn’t know what you were going through,” Willis confessed. “All I knew is that you and I were really close. And I always had a way of taking things really personally. So if someone was in a bad mood around me, I felt like it was my fault, like I had done something.
“So for a long time, I didn’t know which Maurice I was gonna get,” she added. “One day you were the most charming, amazing… and then another day I was a little scared. I was just like, does he hate me? Did I do something? I didn’t understand at the time.
Things Get Dark
Alicia reflected on some dark times while on the set of General Hospital. “I remember the last year of the show was really dark,” she admitted. “I would go to my dressing room and I would just cry. And it wasn’t just that. That was a big part of it, but I felt like we had such a good connection. That was a big reason. So much was disclosed in this interview, as fans saw a new dynamic between Sonny and Courtney’s portrayers. “This is the first time I’ve ever actually said that out loud,” she added. “Because people said, ‘Why are you leaving the show? They’re offering you another four years. You’re a working actress. What are you doing?’ And I’m like, “I can’t stay. I’m so unhappy.’” Willis acknowledged that she has a better understanding now of what TV brother was going through. “This is the first time I’ve ever actually said that out loud,” she said. “Because people said, ‘Why are you leaving the show? They’re offering you another four years. You’re a working actress. What are you doing?’ And I’m like, “I can’t stay. I’m so unhappy.’”
It sounds like Willis and Benard have come to an understanding. “After I saw the Oprah interview, it clicked,” she told Benard. “And now the journey that you are on is so incredible. Because people need to talk about it. I wish we had talked about it 20 years ago! If we had had this kind of dialogue back then? Think of how much easier it would have been for all of us to just talk to each other.”
Do not miss the interview on YouTube!