Soaps
A Ranking of Maurice Benard’s 10 Best Romances as Sonny Corinthos on ‘General Hospital’
It’s no secret that Maurice Benard has chemistry with everyone.
Ever since Benard joined General Hospital in 1993 as Sonny Corinthos, he’s been the kingpin of Port Charles. Sonny’s a fighter, but he’s also a passionate lover, having had plenty of epic romances over the years.
From brief flings with long-lasting impacts (ahem, Sam McCall and Alexis Davis) to decades long on-again-off-again romances with Brenda Barrett and Carly Spencer, Sonny is a romantic at heart.
Now, we’re well aware that Sonny’s true love is Jason Morgan (Steve Burton), but Swooon is breaking down Sonny’s best romances over the years below.
Which of Sonny’s many romances is your favorite? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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10. Sam and Sonny
We’ve discussed this before when we ranked Sam’s romances: Sam (Kelly Monaco) and Sonny weren’t a great couple. In fact, they were barely a couple at all. Sam and Sonny had a forbidden affair that resulted in Sam getting pregnant. This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it romance was important, though. Sam and Jason, who was tasked with watching over her, fell in love during her pregnancy. Sonny and Sam’s relationship was the foundation for her epic love story with Jason.
9. Sonny and Nina
Cynthia Watros’ Nina Reeves is one of Sonny’s newer loves, and there’s been a lot of debate about their pairing. (Remember, she did let his family think he was dead.) Their dynamic certainly isn’t building up to any type of endgame status, but we like to see Benard mix it up with Sonny’s love interests every once in a while.
8. Sonny and Lily
Oh, General Hospital in the ’90s was unparalleled. Sonny and Lily (Lilly Melgar) started out as an arranged marriage, but they grew to have real feelings for each other. However, Sonny’s love for Brenda (Vanessa Marcil) lingered. When Sonny planned to leave Lily for Brenda, Lily dropped the bombshell (pun intended) that she was pregnant. Sonny decided to commit himself to Lily and their growing family. In a series of unfortunate events, Lily’s father plotted to kill Sonny by placing a bomb in his car.
The May 31, 1996, episode of General Hospital is one of the most iconic episodes of all time. Sonny and Lily celebrated their pregnancy with a party at Luke’s Blues Club. Simultaneously, Brenda and Jax (Ingo Rademacher) were getting married. Lily went to start the car, not knowing that the bomb would go off when she started it. Sonny had to watch in horror as Lily and his unborn child died in the explosion that was planted by Lily’s own father.
7. Sonny and Ava
These two might just kill each other before it’s all said and done. Ava’s (Maura West) certainly brought some unpredictability to Sonny’s life, and we appreciate something new. These two have hooked up, which led to the birth of their daughter, Avery, and the GH team has continued to toy with the whole will-they-won’t-they with these two. Now, Ava is responsible for Morgan’s death, and we all know Sonny doesn’t forgive easily. Maybe these two will just dance around their feelings forever. The slow burn and love-hate dynamic have been fun to watch, to say the least.
6. Sonny and Olivia
Talk about a second chance romance! Sonny and Olivia Falconeri (Lisa LoCicero) grew up together in Bensonhurst. Unbeknownst to Sonny for years, Olivia had gotten pregnant when they were teenagers and gave birth to their son, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna). When Olivia came to Port Charles years later, she reconnected with Sonny. Their chemistry was instant. Sonny has an ease with Olivia that he’s never had with anyone else, likely due to the fact that Olivia knew Sonny before he became a mob boss. They didn’t last, but remain close to this day.
5. Sonny and Carly (Laura Wright)
Laura Wright took over as Carly after Shayne Lamas and Jennifer Bransford’s fleeting stints as the character. This version of Sonny and Carly’s relationship has felt the most adult compared to the past iterations. Wright’s version has a little more edge and less emotional volatility than previous notable portrayals. Sonny and Carly have continued to have their ups and downs (typical for them), but Wright’s also had great chemistry with other Port Charles hunks. Benard and Wright have established themselves as the King and Queen of Port Charles, even if they’re not always ruling over the city as a couple. We have to recognize that unbreakable connection.
4. Sonny and Alexis
Sonny and Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) were the definition of opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers. No one can deny their banter was top notch. Their dynamic was unlike anything Sonny or Alexis had ever experienced before. A lawyer and mobster one-night-stand? That’s romance novel material. It was clear that Benard and Grahn had a blast every time they shared the screen. Alexis and Sonny’s one-night-stand produced Kristina Corinthos and kept Alexis in Sonny’s orbit forever. GH hasn’t revisited this brief romance, but maybe they should…
3. Sonny and Carly (Sarah Brown)
Yes, we’re ranking the three most notable Carlys. The beloved character has been played by several actresses, but most famously by Sarah Brown, Tamara Braun, and now Wright. Brown originated the role in 1996. Carly and Sonny becoming a GH supercouple is largely due to the instant connection between Brown and Benard. (And let’s not forget her chemistry with Jason was also sizzling.) Brown left the show in 2001, but she returned in 2008 as Claudia Zacchara. That undeniable chemistry resurfaced between Claudia and Sonny, and it was such a treat to see Brown and Benard share the screen again.
2. Sonny and Brenda
Sonny and Brenda will always be soulmates, and we’re believers here at Swooon that you can have more than one. Sonny and Brenda have never had it easy, but that’s what made them such a riveting supercouple. Benard and Marcil could (and should) teach a MasterClass in how to have great chemistry because when they’re in a scene together, the world shifts. Brenda was the first woman Sonny truly gave his heart to and vice versa. You don’t ever forget that kind of love. That passion sits in your soul forever.
1. Sonny and Carly (Tamara Braun)
Tamara Braun is another soap actor who literally has chemistry with everyone. Braun joined the show as Carly after Brown left the show in 2001, and she became the definition of mob wife goals. Braun and Benard’s chemistry was like a roiling fire — it crackled from the get-go and gained strength until it was nearly out of control. Braun and Benard went toe-to-toe with each other every time they shared the screen, testing Sonny and Carly’s limits until they were on the brink of destruction. This era of Sonny and Carly was when the emotional stakes between them were the highest, and these two masters of their craft fully embraced the turmoil, dysfunction, and deep love. What a time it was to watch these two.
