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Soap operas are well-known for their frequent cast changes, but when Chad Duell announced his departure from “General Hospital” in November 2024, dedicated fans were taken aback. Duell’s portrayal of Michael Corinthos, son of the late A. J. Quartermaine and the irrepressible Carly Corinthos, spanned an impressive fifteen years, with his character experiencing numerous dramatic arcs. The reason behind his exit? Duell sought change following a personal loss. “A lot of stuff’s been going on in my life,” he revealed during a December 2024 interview on “The Daily Drama Podcast”. “There’s a few things behind it, but one thing I did say is my dad passed away and I’m still coming to terms with that.” He added that he felt “stifled” and needed to take bold steps to regain his sense of self.
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However, Duell made it clear that his departure was amicable. In discussions with executive producer Frank Valentini, he ensured that the door was left open for a potential return, avoiding any burned bridges. Reflecting on his long tenure as Michael, Duell expressed a desire to rediscover himself beyond the character. “Come January, I have a few things planned that I wanna do for myself, and it’s different because I have a kid now, but also at the same time, for him, and me as well, and everybody, it’s doing what’s best for me, spiritually, mentally,” he shared. Meanwhile, “General Hospital” moved swiftly to recast Michael, given his critical role in the storyline.
By May 2025, Rory Gibson had stepped into the shoes of Michael Corinthos, adding his name to the list of actors who have portrayed the character. Before Duell, actors like Dylan Cash from “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and Drew Garrett from “The Mentalist” had also taken on the role, with the character undergoing several rapid age-ups. Gibson approached the challenge with care, familiarizing himself with Michael’s history and his significance in Port Charles, yet he was determined to bring his unique interpretation. “You don’t want to necessarily copy anything that anyone’s done before, and I know Chad really owned this role and he did incredible, incredible work, so I tried to stay away from watching too many old episodes and was more looking things up online,” Gibson told TV Insider.
Given the sudden recast, “General Hospital” opted to forgo any narrative explanation for Michael’s new appearance, seamlessly integrating Gibson into the ongoing plot. With Michael’s turbulent relationship with girlfriend Sasha, played by Sofia Mattsson, facing new challenges, Gibson found ample opportunity to charm the audience, which he succeeded in doing. The support of fans was crucial, including his own family. “My family watched ‘General Hospital’ religiously when I was growing up,” he said. “My grandma and my mom were diehard fans.” His family’s excitement was palpable when he was announced as the new Michael Corinthos.
Rory Gibson is the latest Michael Corinthos
Christine Bartolucci/Disney
Rory Gibson began playing Michael Corinthos in May 2025, becoming the latest in a line of actors to inhabit the role. Dylan Cash (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) and Drew Garrett (“The Mentalist”) both had stints as Michael prior to Chad Duell, with the character having undergone more than one rapid age-up. Gibson carefully familiarized himself with Michael’s background and place in Port Charles society, but he wanted to avoid repeating Duell’s quirks. “You don’t want to necessarily copy anything that anyone’s done before, and I know Chad really owned this role and he did incredible, incredible work, so I tried to stay away from watching too many old episodes and was more looking things up online,” he told TV Insider.
As is often the case when TV characters need to be unexpectedly recast, “General Hospital” didn’t bother to give a creative explanation for Michael’s new face, with Gibson simply stepping into the storyline. Since Michael’s on-and-off-again relationship with his girlfriend Sasha (played by Sofia Mattsson) had just hit another snag, the new boy had ample opportunity to win viewers over, and he managed to do so. For Gibson, making the fans happy is what matters, and that includes his family. “My family watched ‘General Hospital’ religiously when I was growing up,” he said. “My grandma and my mom were diehard fans.” Needless to say, they were thrilled when he was confirmed as the new Michael Corinthos.