role number two; a be very successful storyline on General
nightclub owner and live a great Hospital.
who was only life.”
supposed to last six And today, Benard
months -- and voila - Now, Benard works is still going strong,
- the character of with and has been both mentally and
Sonny Corinthos was honored by several professionally. So
officially born! mental health how did the role of
organizations in bad boy nightclub
However, Benard order to promote owner Sonny
was not out of the awareness of bi- Corinthos go from a
woods yet. With the polar disorder, six-month acting job
pressures of working including: The to the Don Corleone
fulltime on daytime Depression and of daytime?
TV without his Bipolar Support
medication, Benard Alliance, the “According to
suffered his third National Association people I either
breakdown. It was for the Mentall III, ruined the show or
just three weeks into and the National made it better,”
the job. If it were Mental Health Benard says,
not for his wife’s love Association. laughing. As a fan
and the support of of mafia stories from
the producers, he “Anything I do as far childhood, Benard
would not be with as bi-polar is so mentions how it is
the show today. much bigger than indeed a two-way
“They could have any acting I do… street between
fired me, but they you can save a life,” what he loves and
didn’t,” Benard says. Benard says. “And I what he feels Robert
Curtis and Riche know that’s a fact Guza, General
indeed allowed him from letters that I’ve Hospital current Co-
the time off he gotten and people Executive Producer,
needed to recover. coming up to me on does best. “I think
It was then that he the street.” “It’s we do a pretty
finally decided he amazing what you damn good job of
needed to take his can do when you this genre.”
medication full time do this kind of work.”
as part of his life and Yet, it was always
has stayed on it for In turn, Benard important for
the last sixteen years worked with the Benard to have his
without fail. As producers to character maintain
Benard says, “I’ve include his own bi- a sense of balance.
proven that when polar disorder into As Benard says, “… I
you’re on your Sonny’s character felt if I could bring
medication you can for an actual pain to the
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