After 15 years on General Hospital, Chad Duell’s time playing Michael Corinthos is coming to an end. As the clock counts down to his final episodes, the actor sat down with his Port Charles pop, Maurice Benard (Sonny), for a two-part State Of Mind conversation.
In the second episode, Duell opened up about the factors behind his decision to leave the soap — and how he feels about his shocking exit storyline.
The Daytime Emmy winner confessed that several factors contributed to his decision to exit GH.
At the top of that list was grieving his father’s unexpected recent death and having the flexibility to travel back home to Arizona so his one-year-old son, Dawson (with partner Luana Garcia), could get to know his extended family.
“I feel like I’ve just been in a bubble for a long time here,” he admitted. “I would still be involved in the industry. If other opportunities come [along], the right ones, ‘okay, let’s do it.’”
Duell made it clear that he appreciates the work family he has at the soap. “I realized how unbelievably blessed I am to be in this situation, to be on the show as long as I have,” he noted. “To have so many great people that I work with, all the time, for such a long time. I look at it as taking a step away, and with that would be this, ‘We’ll see what happens’ with doing that.”
The actor also appreciated the grace he received when he met with executive producer Frank Valentini to inform the soap’s showrunner that he wanted to leave. “He was very understanding,” Duell recalled.
“I really respect him and appreciate him for allowing that. The door’s open there for me when I am ready to come back.”
Duell’s exit storyline kicked off in full force on Jan. 6 when, on the same day that he filed for divorce from Willow, Michael was caught in an explosion at Sonny’s penthouse and was engulfed in flames.
Praising the writing and production teams, Duell raved, “The story in general, and the fire… it was really good what they did, and I think it’s going to turn out really well.
I’m glad they did that [and not] a typical I get shot or blown up and I’m gone. The whole thing was really well done. So, kudos to everybody.”
Likening his 15-year run on the soap to being on a treadmill, Duell admitted that he simply needed a break. “I just want to catch my breath, and step back on possibly down the line with a different perspective and a new respect,” he noted.
“A lot of it is a reset for me in personal ways that I don’t want to get into, but there are other reasons. But at the core of it all is just taking some time away.”
Hopefully, after some emotional and physical distance from the grind of working on a daily soap opera, Duell will be ready to return sooner rather than later! “I’m thankful to Frank for allowing the opportunity to come back, leaving the door open.
He didn’t need to do that. I’m aware of how blessed I am for that.”
