Born Mauricio Jose Morales on March 1, 1963 in Martinez, California, Maurice Benard started off as a model during his early twenties and took up acting in numerous theatrical productions in the area where he lived. He later auditioned for a role on the daytime drama,
All My Children and eventually landed the role of Nico Kelly, a role he played for two years. He then moved to Los Angeles to further pursue his acting career and got cast for the TV movie Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter in 1991. In 1993, Benard was cast for the role of Sonny Corinthos on ABC's daytime soap, General Hospital, a role he is most known for. His other television credits include Stat, Dark Justice and Port Charles, where his role as Sonny Corinthos originated. He also appeared in movies such as Operation Splitsville, Restraining Order and Crystal Clear.
Michael "Sonny" Corinthos Jr. is played by Maurice Benard on the television series, General Hospital. Sonny is a religious man who is much involved in organized crime. He is a man who cares a lot about his children, however his dealings while being a mob boss has led him to put his children's lives at risk. The two women whom he was prominently and romantically involved with were Lily Rivera and Caroline Benson, who is the mother of his children.